You think the audience doesn't notice? Think again!

[SteveCS]

Here’s my bottom line though.

Even if the audience can’t hear a difference, I can. And if I enjoy how I sound, I play better, which makes the drummer play better, which makes the guitarist play better, which gives the singer the confidence to step up and let ‘er rip, which makes the whole band sound and play better.

And I believe that the audience DOES care about that.

It's infectious - even if they aren't aware, they will have a better time because you are having a better time, and all because you took the time to care...

 

[Joe Nerve]

I have to admit I was disappointed reading the entire OP.

I've been using my Hammersmith with a very dead set of Dunlop Super Bright Nickels there pretty much exclusively most of the year.

I thought for sure you were going to say someone told you, "I can tell ya got Dunlop Super Bright Nickels on your bass, and they sound dead to me."

 

[TuneIn]

Oops... forgot to change strings. What a moment.

 

[BassDudeSA]

If I had a sample size of one event and claimed that was proof of anything I'd probably avoid calling skeptics arrogant. Different strokes for different folks.

Totally agree. I've been playing gigs for over 35 years and though I have received some great tone comments over the years, mostly from other musicians, I can say that the audience, generally speaking, cannot tell the difference in tone between different instruments. What they hear is the band as a whole, which sounds either good or bad to them. Common comments are "too loud", "can't hear the singer", "not loud enough", "sounds horrible", "sounds great", "can't hear the guitar solos", etc. No, they don't care how the bass sounds, it is how the BAND sounds. How well they can hear the words, etc. A common problem for bass players is not bad tone, but rather muddy and blurry tone, where the notes cannot even be distinguished and rather it is just a changing wall of bass-mush. Heck, with most live music I see, even as a bassist looking at gear and listening, is just bass. Most bass tone is washed out to the point of just hearing "bass".

Now this is not all to say that one should not go all out and find your great tone. I mean the way it sounds to you standing in front or near your amp matters. I'll play better if my tone sounds better to me. I'll play better if I hear a good mix on stage too. It is inspiring when everything is sounding great. But I will never be under the false impression that the audience can distinguish these differences in one way or another (generally speaking). The one thing I have learned in decades of playing is that there is NOTHING more important than proper EQ for each gig. More important than amp, bass, strings, gadgets and etc. It is up to the bassist and soundman to properly dial in the most suitable bass, treble and midrange for each room/gig. After EQ, it is mostly a waste and lost in the air.

I'll make one exception, at least in my experience to my general rule. I used to play an outdoor gig every Sunday during the summer. I used a variety of basses and for the most part, after everything is said and done, out front they are indistinguishable. Then I brought out an electric acoustic bass, which had a drastically different sound that could be noticed in this three piece band. Alot of people spoke up about that one because really the EQ and tone was SO much different on the acoustic than a standard electric bass that it was noticed. Had I been in a larger band, keys, two guitars, etc, then I doubt it would have made any difference at all. Anyway, I started bringing that acoustic bass out more often, just because the dynamics were so different it just seemed to work better outside. But for the most part, and electric bass is an electric bass and an acoustic bass is an acoustic bass. The differences are almost always lost under all of the other variables which make up a live performance. Some more than others, of course.

 

[Altitude]

Last night I took out my St. Blues Strings & Things P/J for a gig with my funk/dance cover group. I'm not a flatwounds guy, but I put a set of Chromes on that bass so that it could play a unique role among my instruments. I had never taken it to a gig with those strings on it, and haven't played a gig with flats at all except for one in 2013 where I stood in for a bass player who missed his flight, using his bass.

I really didn't like the flats, even though I'm sure they did what they were supposed to. I'm used to hearing a nice midrange honk in my tone, and without that I found myself digging in about 20% harder. By the middle of the second set I had figured out a workable tone, but something tells me I did that by dialing out the characteristic of the flats and made them sound as much like rounds as I could. In any case, not sure I'll be taking that bass out on any gigs that don't require it, or else I might put the rounds back on it and give up on the flats.

BUT - and the reason I posted this on your thread, Jimmy - I did have a guy approach me between sets and ask what make the bass was and mention that he dug the flatwound tone. I gave him complete credit for hearing a difference. Apparently, people do.

Tonight I am exorcising the flats by taking out my Skjold with Prosteels on it.

 

[JPaulGeddy]

Eh, I'd equate it to the PJ vs P test, tbh. Difference, sure. Noticeable, maybe. Of any measurable value in a live setting? Nah. Obviously if you're way out of the box, it makes a bigger sonic difference, but new vs. old strings (for instance) is not going to measurably change the enjoyment of most audiences. Further complicated about how little control most have over their tone in FOH.

Also, never forget the 'audience hears with their eyes', which could also change things.

I've had comments like that too, 'wow your bass sounds great/different/off' whatever over the years. But they're few and far between.

One bad note, far more noticeable than $10000 worth of 'better'/different gear.

In a studio - total opposite. Every little bit makes a noticeable and important difference.

 

[JPaulGeddy]

One more meandering thought - bottom line to me, especially in a live setting - whatever it takes to make the artist happy and play better, *that* makes a difference. Tonewood, strings, P/PJ, 35/34 scale, boutique, Rondo - whatever brings out the performance.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Here are the operative phras(es).

that I play once a month, and we get a lot of regulars. I've been using my Hammersmith with a very dead set of Dunlop Super Bright Nickels there pretty much exclusively most of the year.

You have definitely discovered that people notice a change, especially having heard the same thing over & over for several months.

Prior to this gig, did anyone come up and ask why your Hammersmith sounded so dead?

 

[Peepaleep]

Don't be so excited about this Jimmy. Strange things happen in Florida.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Never assume anything.
I have played plenty of dives where drunken meth heads
were only there hoping to somehow get laid.
Clueless about the music.
I have also had gigs where half the people there were musicians
that didn't have a gig that night.
Plenty of them had comments.
You never know.
After one gig I was introduced to a guy that had been there all night
and found he was a well known bass player and collector.
He greeted me with 'Nice playing. I dig your P. 66 isn't it?
I see you replaced the tuners with later reversed ones, but the chrome finish
just isn't like the original nickol originals.'
From 40 feet away.
In the dark!
Ya never know who is there or what they will notice.
I try to always play and sound as good as I can to make me and the band happy.
If you do that, the rest should take care of itself.

 

[Bob_Ross]

To be fair, all that you've proved is that the audience in that specific locale notice changes in your tone.

It may be something in the water.

^^^This. Plus, y'know, retired people have a lot of free time...

 

[BassDudeSA]

One bad note, far more noticeable than $10000 worth of 'better'/different gear.

In a studio - total opposite. Every little bit makes a noticeable and important difference.

Yup!

 

[Mike Marshall]

I dont understand guys on Talk Bass worried about how long strings last like it's a major expense. Your tone is like your word its very important so changing strings is just part of the deal. You are right it is important it is a reflection of the player.

 

[Lesfunk]

I'm impressed there were 20 people there.



I keed I keed!

 

[JimmyM]

I dont know, if some one told me my tone was edgier, i'd feel like they were being nice because they noticed something was off.

I consider it a high compliment.

 

[firechariot]

You don't need to be a chef to know when someone modified the ingredients in your 'usual' order from the kitchen.

 

[JimmyM]

Thinking that your audience probably can't tell the difference between strings, or pedals, or EQ settings, or pick vs. fingers is not being disrespectful to the audience. It's just the reality for 99.99% of your audience. So .01% can tell. That's nice, but so what.

Disrespecting your audience is not caring if you play well, or not caring if they have a good time, or thinking that the audience is there for you vs. you being there for them.

It's one thing to have musicians tell you that, and a whole other thing to have civilians tell you that. That said, I totally agree with the last sentence.

 

[JimmyM]

Is it a notable tourist attraction? I've never even heard of it.

It's the biggest retirement community in the world.

 

[JimmyM]

I dont understand guys on Talk Bass worried about how long strings last like it's a major expense. Your tone is like your word its very important so changing strings is just part of the deal. You are right it is important it is a reflection of the player.

I wasn't changing strings on the Hammersmith because I liked the sound. Still do, but since I like my sound being described as "aggressive" even more, I'll be changing them more often.

 

[bdplaid]

EDIT: Sorry if posted in the wrong forum. Had no idea where to post it.

Did a gig last night at an outdoor venue at The Villages in Fla (a big giant retirement community) that I play once a month, and we get a lot of regulars. I've been using my Hammersmith with a very dead set of Dunlop Super Bright Nickels there pretty much exclusively most of the year. Tonight I got a wild hair and brought out my modded 76 Precision with a newish set of the same strings instead. Both these basses have Geezer PJ's, and to me they sound about the same when the strings have comparable wear. Everything else was the same as usual...REDDI into the PA, same pedals I've been using all year set the same way and used in the same songs, same sound tech we usually have there and the same PA, which is a decent but not particularly great PA (a souped-up and somewhat customized Bose PA...one of the bigwigs of the Bose family lives at the Villages and has the ear of the family who owns the Villages).

I probably had 20 people who are regulars at our gigs come up to me on break and ask me how come the Fender sounded so much edgier and aggressive than the Hammersmith. Only one of them plays an instrument, and while most were guys, plenty of women said the same thing.

So if I ever hear any of you jokers try to claim that the audience doesn't know or care about your sound again, I will tell you that you're a very arrogant person who has zero respect for your audiences. Of course, I have been saying that for years, but now I've got proof. A big outdoor venue with about 3000 people there in various states of inebriation, and several non-musicians noticed that the strings on the Fender made it sound edgier.

The lesson I learned is I need to change my strings more often The lesson YOU should learn is that if you think your audience is so stupid that they can't tell the difference in your sound no matter what you use, maybe they're not the stupid ones.

Happy holidays, everyone!

I agree, have always said that, especially that they hear a difference, don't know what it is, but they know it's different and they either like it or don't. However...

I've been the victim of many a sound guy, and many times it wouldn't matter if I played a P bass, or Jazz, or MM, with or without flats. A friend once described the FOH bass tone as a "comfortable thud."