Sound Archives - Page 2
Overcoming Tone Loss When Switching from Finger-Style to Slap Bass
Q: I have a question regarding when switching between finger-style and slap. I set my amp up predominantly for finger-style playing, but when I switch to slap – particularly mid-song – or if I throw in a slap embellishment, the slap gets buried underneath everything else and is barely audible, consequently losing the momentum and presence of the tune/bass part....
Stage Volume: Turn Up and Play Light (and Other Considerations)
Q: In hard rock and metal music, many players – including me – resort to playing with a heavy right hand to cut through the mix of distortion. As time goes by my right wrist starts to experience some pain and I’m thinking I should be playing lighter. Jeff Berlin and Gary Willis have been advocating “turn up and play...
DI, Mic or Both? Perspectives from Bassists and Engineers
Q: Could you do an article or a poll about whether to mic your bass amp during live gigs or to use a direct line into the mixer? I’ve heard opinions on both sides. A: I definitely have my own thoughts and opinions based on my experiences, and I’ve also asked some engineers this question at various gigs lately to...
How and Why Woods Affect Your Bass Sound
Q: Experience and all instrument makers tell us that the choice of wood affects the sound of a bass. Of course we know and feel the difference of alder vs. ash bodies, ebony vs. rosewood vs. maple fingerboards, and so many other differences. But, do we know why exactly this affects the amplified sound? What we deal with are metal...
Getting to Know Your Bass: Part 1 – Tone Controls
Last night, I got to experience a true musical treat: the Tedeschi Trucks Band at the historic Ryman auditorium in Nashville. The band is somewhat of a super-group of talent and each player has a distinctive voice that contributes to the overall awesomeness of the music. Listening to players like Oteil Burbridge and Derek Trucks, I witnessed first-hand how much...
Choosing the Right Tone for the Song: On Stage and In Studio
Q: How do you decide what tone to use for different songs? A: This is a great question. And it is one that is very subjective. This will be different for everyone, but I’m happy to share my personal take on it. This is also something that may be very different live than it is in the studio. Quite often,...
Performing Live: Adapting to Your Environment
Q: I had a gig last night at a church and the room resonated right on F#. The designer of the church could not have designed it any better to mess up anybody playing F#. When I would hit an F#, it would instantly double or almost triple my output. Very crazy. I tried to remember to play it lighter...
Dealing with Multiple EQ’s
Q: I’m an amateur bassist, and my current setup consists of an active bass, multi-effects pedal and a combo amp. All of these have equalizers built in, and I’m really unsure how to use them all to the best of their potential. The multi-effects pedal has the most versatility, having separate modules for high and low equalizers with an option...