There's a term you don't hear much any more.
I'd love it. I don't need an amp to be part of my sound. If everywhere you played had a PA/moniotrs it would be awesome.
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Will bass amps ever be obsolete?
- Thread starter Akito
- Start date
There's a term you don't hear much any more.
I'd love it. I don't need an amp to be part of my sound. If everywhere you played had a PA/moniotrs it would be awesome.
I would love this -- been complaining about stage volume in small clubs for years, mostly to deaf ears -- but it is critical that the house system be good and that the person running be better. And that your in-ears are tailored for you -- and that the person giving you the mix knows what you need. Can't stress the sound person angle enough: I just saw two bands running the bass direct where most of what I heard in the house was guitar and kick drum. However, I also heard two outdoor gigs where the band used amps onstage and most of what made it out to the crowd was drums.
or
If I showed up to ANY of my current gigs with the top rig, it would be the last time. I am thankful every time I show up and see our entire band - guitar included - with DI's. My ears don't ring at the end of the night, we have a great mix, great balance, and people don't seem to care that we don't have giant, obnoxiously loud rigs behind us. They seem to enjoy the sound we're putting out.
Probably been said... but if you have a system that someone else runs, they had best be a part of your band and know what you need. And give it to you! You will always need monitoring, and I personally will want to hear my sound moving through the air, not pumped directly into my ear canal. I think that's weird. I don't really dig 'ear-buds' for my iPod (another imperfect, but workable idea) either.
Sound and listening are natural occurrences with their own inherent imperfections- which is why they seem to work I think. Trying to fix what works is when you get into trouble. The stage and shape of the space you're in might necessitate alternatives however, I guess.
I now use a GK 400RB (or Trace AH250SMX) with 2 Bag End S15-D cabs. Plenty for me and the band to hear, but not heavy-handed for the sound man to wrestle with as far as off-stage volume- so far.
Amps will be obsolete, I believe, when I'm gone from this mortal coil... then of course I won't need one.
Sound and listening are natural occurrences with their own inherent imperfections- which is why they seem to work I think. Trying to fix what works is when you get into trouble. The stage and shape of the space you're in might necessitate alternatives however, I guess.
I now use a GK 400RB (or Trace AH250SMX) with 2 Bag End S15-D cabs. Plenty for me and the band to hear, but not heavy-handed for the sound man to wrestle with as far as off-stage volume- so far.
Amps will be obsolete, I believe, when I'm gone from this mortal coil... then of course I won't need one.
And see, if I showed up with the "rig" in the second pic, I'd be laughed out of the place. I'd laugh at MYSELF. Different strokes. Which is why we don't have everyone using the same set up, and can therefore have good conversation on these forums.
Last weekend saw a very famous player whose work & tone I've loved for decades. He was using a little amp and 1x10 or 1x12. something you'd use at a coffee house gig. Cranked it sounded exactly through the mains like this setup would cranked. It sounded like Poo! Had he been using a bigger rig the resonance and fat tone would have come through.
I'm going to keep taking a little more than I need and getting great sound regardless of the size of the mains. I never play so loud that the sound guy has difficulties.
So yes I want an amp. Nothing takes the pluck like an amp. Monitors unless very new and very beafy don't bring it in the bass department. Even still I want the effect of my work through my amp to them be what's in the monitor mix and mains.
I'm going to keep taking a little more than I need and getting great sound regardless of the size of the mains. I never play so loud that the sound guy has difficulties.
So yes I want an amp. Nothing takes the pluck like an amp. Monitors unless very new and very beafy don't bring it in the bass department. Even still I want the effect of my work through my amp to them be what's in the monitor mix and mains.
I will be playing a sub gig with a classic rock band tonight using a shuttle 6.0 12t.
Plan to run a cord from the DI to the board for more volume if needed.
mod, as a longtime classic rock veteran, i highly recommend at least taking that uber 212 of yours. will the shuttle 12t work? yes. but you just don't get that thick sound from a single speaker cab like you do from a 2-speaker cab, and in classic rock, i think that thick sound is necessary, even if the single speaker rig can cut it volumewise.
big cabs ain't all about volume, you know?
big cabs ain't all about volume, you know?
I will be playing a sub gig with a classic rock band tonight using a shuttle 6.0 12t.
This is what I do. That's what the PA is for. In my and many others opinion, stage amps are for you, not the audience - again that's why you have a PA.
And it doesn't only have to do with volume, it has to do with balance and blend and having all the sounds coming from a common source.
We played a small restaurant last night - sax, ,yes, bass and drums. The keys, bass, sax and an overhead for the drums, as well as a vocal mic all went through a couple 15's on sticks. It wasn't because we needed to be louder, but we wanted a good mix to go through the venue. It's a long, narrow room and we set up on the middle facing sideways.
But as has been said many times, to each their own and thank goodness we have a lot of choices in what we use.
You know, I seem to recall a discussion a while back (couple of months) about Rush and, in particular, Geddy's "Old Sound" VS his "New Sound"
What I mean is the chicken roasters and now the "amp" again phase..I seem to recall the general consensus being that most everyone involved was thrilled to death that he had gone back to Amps on stage.
I have done it both ways and I'm sorry, but (for me) an ancient old guy...I prefer the amp on stage. Personal preference.
I've worked with state-of-the-art PAs and Engineers (not your Best Friend) on the console. Still (again personal preference), I prefer the Amp and cab sitting behind me.
You know the deal...."different strokes for different folks".
IMO and YMMV
What I mean is the chicken roasters and now the "amp" again phase..I seem to recall the general consensus being that most everyone involved was thrilled to death that he had gone back to Amps on stage.
I have done it both ways and I'm sorry, but (for me) an ancient old guy...I prefer the amp on stage. Personal preference.
I've worked with state-of-the-art PAs and Engineers (not your Best Friend) on the console. Still (again personal preference), I prefer the Amp and cab sitting behind me.
You know the deal...."different strokes for different folks".
IMO and YMMV
I've done gigs just going straight out of my SansAmp BDDI Deluxe, but I usually haul my head and amp out. Part of the reason why I do that is cause I know the sound guys at some of the places we usually play at, and they don't have a problem Micing me. Distortion in my opinion always sounds better when you mic the cab.
i'm going back to micing, too. sometimes i don't have a choice, like if i fly to the gig and rent amps that suck, but i gave di'ing through my vt deluxe a fair chance and it's really good but i like micing better.
When I was the house sound man for a club some years ago, I couldnt help but chuckle to myself any time someone rolled in a big hulking rig like these. Its like, Dude, Im gonna stick my mic in front of one of those speakers. What good are all the rest of them doing for you?
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club
Pedulla Club #45
et tu, wayne???
i've had soundmen ask me that same question. and seriously, if you think micing a speaker in a 110 cab, or 210 is the same as micing a single speaker in an 810, then i have no idea what to tell you. trust me...it ain't near the same. not even close. besides, -I- have to listen to myself play too, and i like my sound coming out of a big cab waaaaaaaaay more than a small cab.
yes, equal parts wisdom and poop come out of me by the buckets
thanks bro. i've tried to make the smaller rigs work, but in the end i always look for ways to make them bigger. and though i'm not going to bring an 810 for a tiny standards gig at a restaurant, i do bring a 115...that's about as small as i can take it.
Agreed. SansAmp does a great job at giving people a good sound from a DI, but i still don't think it equals the sound of a mic'd cab.
I looked at the thread title and thought: "might be nice checking this thread!".
As soon as I opened it and saw the OP's avatar, I just forgot why I came here in the first place!
As soon as I opened it and saw the OP's avatar, I just forgot why I came here in the first place!
Using an Uber cab with my 12.0 was the original plan. The problem is that both my Uber cabs are buried near the front of 14 ft trailer.
I called the band leader and he told me they always play at reasonable volume and let the PA do the heavy lifting. The bar is fairly small so that should help. I may post back tomorrow and let you know how it went.
