[Trombone-l] Acoustic vs electric bass

[Chris Tune]

That is really true.  If a truly great player were to show up (who know's maybe this weekend the stand up player will do this or the house sound folks were assure this) he or she is going to be absolutely sure they can be heard.  This whole deal is not a big problem with venues that have very well set up and executed house sound.  The foldbacks, when done right will have just the right amount of piano and bass so that anybody on the bandstand or any of the front folk can hear the rhythm section just fine. . .(of course, I can only PRAY that the audience gets a good mix too!) 

Unfortunately, this situation with decent sound setup is not always in effect. 

Now, on Thursday night rehearsal band our bassist usually amps and has sufficient sound to be heard in the entire living room the band is occupying.  I would like a bit more, but then myself and the jazz tenor guys are usually the furthest away from bass and drums (the setup is such that the bari sax, the bass bone and the jazz trumpet/ leader are right next to the rhythm section and the other sides of the lines are furthest . .

That is just another reason I KNOW that drums carry better than basses.

Also, the "character" that is so desireable on a standup string bass (the "sound") is often lost if the audio amplification is not done right.  Even though the character content of the sound is much higher frequency than the primary sound of the bass, this sound content is not hugely loud, in and of itself.  That is why I'm envisioning a bassist who mics his axe up and picks up the broad spectrum of sound and then runs it back out so we can really hear it. 

Chris.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeff Albert 
  To: Richardson, Timothy Mr. DAC USAG Franconia DPW 
  Cc: Adrian Drover ; Chris Tune ; conn60h ; Bill Dinwiddie ; trombone-l at server5.samford.edu 
  Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 5:24 AM
  Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Acoustic vs electric bass


  I think you guys are missing the point, that it is the musician, not the instrument.  Electric bass players play too loud, only when they lack musicianship, which might be all too often, but still the instrument is not the cuplrit. 

  The saxophone doesn't play out of tune, the saxophone player does.

  Jeff


  On 8/24/06, Richardson, Timothy Mr. DAC USAG Franconia DPW < timothy.a.richardson at us.army.mil> wrote:
    I have to side with Chris on this one. 

    More often than not I can't hear the upright bass, though I see the guy
    pulling like mad on the strings.  I feel kind of sorry for him, working so
    hard for so little.

    On the other hand, I would far rather NOT hear the upright than hear the 
    fuzzy distorted sound of an electric bass adjusted wrong.  Maybe it's just
    my ears, but I like a clean percussive bass sound, and that is not so comon
    either.  For some odd reason the worst offenders are church groups.  All 
    church groups include a bass turned up too loud, which I could maybe live
    with if it wreren't fuzzy, with no clear start to the note and then no clear
    tone afterwards. I know it is possible. I played the last three shows with 
    the same bass player, who managed to balance the volume and play clean and
    in tune.

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Adrian Drover [mailto:slide at adios.co.uk]
    Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 12:27 
    To: 'Chris Tune'; 'conn60h'; 'Bill Dinwiddie';
    trombone-l at server5.samford.edu
    Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Trombone-l Digest, Vol 19, Issue 20



    > From: Chris Tune 
    >
    > I play in a LOT of different groups and I'm beginning to really
    > appreciate the FENDER BASS.  I know this sounds sacrilegious but hear
    > me out.  I LOVE the sound of an excellent quality stand up bass, WHEN 
    > I CAN HEAR IT.  Like during a very good recording session.


    I play with at least half a dozen different big bands here in Scotland.
    Only one of these bands regularly uses an acoustic upright bass.  That is 
    the one I enjoy playing with the most.  I never have a problem hearing the
    bass, even on the rare occasion when there is a power out.  I always have a
    problem hearing the horns around me when an electric bass is used.  The 
    rhythm section always plays far too loud.  The horns are miked up to
    compensate.  The result is a ridiculous volume of noise.  And all this in a
    small room too.  Why?

    Give me an un-amplified band with acoustic rhythm section any day.  There 
    really is no need for all that power.  It might even help to save the ice
    cap from melting by switching it all off.

    And the thing that pisses me most is the guy who brings in a 6-string
    electric bass and plays on the lowest strings all night.  Is bassicide 
    illegal?

    A.



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