Question Four Band EQ

[shakinbacon]

Reading this forum has kinda scared me from boosting the bass knob ("mids, mids, mids are where its at")

However, lately I'm starting to boost the bass knob (which is quite powerful)

In fact I find I add a touch of piezo signal and boost the bass and treble by 20% and the low and hi mids by 30%

So my questions are twofold
1) Should I release my moratorium against the bass knob?
2) Is there a difference with my eq setting and boosting only the mids by 10% and increasing the volume
a) theoretically it is the same sound, but he active filter characteristics may come into play. To me, the two settings don't sound the same but maybe I'm imagining things


Thanks

 

[mynan]

Reading this forum has kinda scared me from boosting the bass knob ("mids, mids, mids are where its at")

However, lately I'm starting to boost the bass knob (which is quite powerful)

In fact I find I add a touch of piezo signal and boost the bass and treble by 20% and the low and hi mids by 30%

So my questions are twofold
1) Should I release my moratorium against the bass knob?
2) Is there a difference with my eq setting and boosting only the mids by 10% and increasing the volume
a) theoretically it is the same sound, but he active filter characteristics may come into play. To me, the two settings don't sound the same but maybe I'm imagining things


Thanks

IME, boosting the bass can sound really good out of my rig, but I've noticed that my FOH sound suffers...tends to bury me in the mix.

 

[bovinehost]

When I'm using nothing but bridge, I almost always bump the bottom a bit.

 

[shakinbacon]

When I'm using nothing but bridge, I almost always bump the bottom a bit.

If Lord Bongo does it, it must be ok

I find if I have piezo signal boosting the lows can help... especially when there is a lot of bridge pickup.

Thanks bovine,
bacon

 

[syciprider]

When I'm using nothing but bridge, I almost always bump the bottom a bit.

Wait, wait, some basses have other pickups?

 

[tommixx]

I drop the PUP height on the bass side and raise the PUP height on the treble side and use the bass knob to fatten up the D and G strings on my current Ray. SOUNDS HUGE through the PA and still sits wonderfully in the mix...Try it you might like it...

Peace,

T

 

[Lynottfan]

Never be afraid to boost the bass my man, middle is not where it is at at all, I would def agree with the above post to, if going through a PA boosting the bass gives a mighty sound, imho boosting the bass or treble is the best way to cut through a mix, not middle, to much mid register mush can ensure, this is some what dependant on the time of music or tuning employed though. Turn that dial, make you music worthwile mate.

 

[Kamakiriad]

I am continually amazed with Music Man preamps. In the past on other basses, I always left everything flat; now, on MM basses, I find every little tweak is another entirely different sound.

That said, Low mids are my best friend. Bass is useful in certain settings, but as said before it tends to bury the sound in the FOH mix.

 

[oli@bass]

On a 'Ray, if you're boosting bass and treble, try cutting the mids instead. Very similar sound but with slightly less harsh treble.

 

[keko]

I tried 4 band EQ only on Bongo HSp 5 (25th tried just without an amp) and can compare it with mine Sterling's like this:

4 band is more sensitive on turning the knobs, more powerful, and love the low mid control very much, it's something I would really like to have on my next EBMM bass!

Amazing preamp anyway!

 

[T Alan]

On a 'Ray, if you're boosting bass and treble, try cutting the mids instead. Very similar sound but with slightly less harsh treble.

...allows you to push your amp a bit harder too.

 

[T Alan]

Never be afraid to boost the bass my man, middle is not where it is at at all, I would def agree with the above post to, if going through a PA boosting the bass gives a mighty sound, imho boosting the bass or treble is the best way to cut through a mix, not middle, to much mid register mush can ensure, this is some what dependant on the time of music or tuning employed though. Turn that dial, make you music worthwile mate.

 

[adouglas]

IME, boosting the bass can sound really good out of my rig, but I've noticed that my FOH sound suffers...tends to bury me in the mix.

This nails it IMHO.

Smiley-face EQ sounds really, really great soloed.

But that's not the point. The BAND has to sound good. The overall mix is everything IMHO.

Listen with the ears of an audience member and do what is necessary to make the mix sound good. That's your number-one job.

IME that's a mid bump more often than not.

Also...

Absolute statements like "don't touch the bass knob" or "always boost the lows and highs" drive me nuts. The bass knob isn't evil, and there is no one magic formula for good sound. See above... do whatever it takes. If that's cranking the bass knob to 11, making like a subway train and causing the young girls to giggle and the old guys to cringe, then okay, that's what you should do.

I bump my lows a bit quite often when I need some old-school thump. But it's easy to go overboard with it. Use good judgment... BIG BOOM isn't always the right thing.

Listen, listen, listen, and not just to yourself.

 

[keko]

Listen with the ears of an audience member and do what is necessary to make the mix sound good. That's your number-one job.

+1

Absolutely agree!