the last compression topic was more related to mixing and mastering and what not. anyway I was wondering about what gear you guys use (if you use compression) for playing, as in instrument-compression-amp... basically what compressors you'd recommend.
Its not something I've really thought about untill recently, having been fiddling with an acoutsic guitar, picking chords and things its influenced my bass playing to layer it self more. playing open strings and letting them ring with playing higher notes underneath. Its sounds neat, but when playing faster runs the lower frequencies tend to swamp and drown out the higher notes. Reducing the low and increasing the high on the amp goes someway to help this, but not entirely to my liking as a reduction in 'warmth' does not always sound so nice.
I considered it a playing deficiency, but my attack was even, other than dampening with the tops of my fretting fingers, I don't know.
would this be a case of compression being usefull? enhance all those high notes, reducing the 'thickness' of the lower notes as they ring out? or should I just stop layering my playing and go back to more standard bass lines?
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Technorati
It's not compresson you'll
It's not compresson you'll need, as that will bring the lower frequencies up.
Maybe play the open strings really light or play harmonics?
Another thing you could do is use an EQ pedal when playing, so when you want you can drop the lower frequencies down.
Or an A/B pedal play your open string down one channel which is damped or effected nicely, then switch to a brighter channel for your runs.
Hope that helps in someway
EQ pedal makes good food for
EQ pedal makes good food for thought. I guess thats what I've kind of been doing to a point though by twiddling with my amp settings. Maybe I need one of the those EQs with heaps of bands on them, they're probably a lot more versitile for sound range.
thanks
Compression or Limiter pedal
Compression or Limiter pedal is probably unlikely to fix the issue.
EQ pedal or expanding your options is cool, until your on the gig. Then your most likely going to find it's a pain in the ass.
How much is a chordal or use of drones approach going to be in your set?
If it's a one-off as opposed to full time I guess is a different consideration.
You can never escape from good technique. Mentioned above is even attack, this is not always want you want with string skipping. Alternately Pick up response and adjustments.You may find some flexibility here...The huge dynamic range of the Bass Guitar often means having the soft touch...it's an easy instrument to get away from you boom wise.
For a fairly awful generalization when I am chording/double stops/drones etc the low note is always thumb plucked and I mute with the hard edge of my right (plucking hand) directly on the bridge saddles. This is twofold plan, I am playing "back" which immediately leads to a trebles tone and I have the safeguard of cutting any rouge overtones off in their entirety.I don't dial an EQ for this type of playing which I use fairly rarely, instead the tonal variation is in the actual area of the Bass being plucked and the "sharpness" of my fingers attack.
This I would suggest is particularly "workable" on a two pick up Bass ala the Fender Jazz where you may choose to isolate or highlight the Bridge pick up.
thanks for sharing some good
thanks for sharing some good thoughts
I had previously used a bit of palm muting towards the bridge region to dampen the sound a little, manage that boominess that can come from fast lines that constantly strike that open E (usually down tuned, often to C). I find it a difficult technique though, it places my hand into a position I find a little awkward to play with haste. If I used a pick it'd probably be okay as it would just be palm muting... but I seldom use a pick on the bass. which is probably the problem as most of the songs I'd been practicing or had inspired my own lines are by players that predominantly use picks.
still I'd had some success with adjusting my highs, mid's, lows, maybe a banded EQ pedal will offer me enough sound versatility for my needs. Granted working on playing technique always goes along way, but when you're playing on the limits of your speed its difficult to break up the evenness of your attack.