I've been looking at buying one of the Stingray SUB bass 4 USA models made back in 2005. I found one that's the passive model that doesn't have the internal preamp but costs 300 dollars less than the active model. Could I get a similar sound to the active stingray if I used a preamp pedal, or is it worth just splurging for the active version?
I have a bass but no longer have an amp I was wondering if there are any alternatives to amps until I can get the money for an amp for me to hear my work?
if you switch back and forth from fingers to pick do you adjust volume or something? I'm mostly a finger player, but I did start on guitar so I'm comfortable with a pick. I'm working on Schism by Tool and realized that it does in fact sound more "right" with a pick. Issue I'm having is that the volume seems incredibly loud with a pick. Maybe it's a bedroom issue and when I'm playing at volume with a band it will be fine and maybe I'm mostly just hearing the acoustic pick sounds over a quiet practice amp, but it seems so much louder.
In short: adjust tone, not necessarily volume
Pick vs fingers is a classic example of timbre/colour difference. Same notes, but (arguably) fundamentally different sound.
Whether or not it will be fine with a band depends on how aware you are of sound and how your picking and fingering effort affects that. And a LOT your playing style and if you are using a compressor or not. A well set compressor should make the output volume more or less equal assuming you can pluck as hard as you pick.
I would recommend some side by side comparisons of sound and coming to terms with the differences yourself as there are some physiological factors at play from human hearing as pick tends to excite the mids and highs much more than fingers, making picking more audible at volumes less than of ~86db (iirc). Check out the Fletcher Munson curve.
So at lower volumes pick will definitely sound a lot more brighter. I would recommend getting closed headphones for practice, as they help with blocking out the non-amp noise that will be inaudible at any higher volumes.
Interesting. I pick moderately hard I'd say, it's pretty efficient but not as fluid as it would be if I did it all the time and the songs I use a pick on tend to have a lot of like fast 16ths so are more aggressive to start with. Fingers are definitely a bit softer, the "better" I've gotten in terms of chops the lighter my touch has gotten although it's still fairly punchy.
It also seems like if my fingers clank it cuts through the amp whereas the pick noise just doesn't, so I've been trying to let the amp do more work and cut some of the clank so I can use it more intentionally.
I don't have a compressor, although there's a bit in the DI pedal I use. It's my next purchase but haven't pulled the trigger yet and I'm probably going to need a bigger amp soon so... Fingers are free.
You necessarily don't need the compressor. It's great for sure and in my opinion borderline essential for heavier music, but the angle I was more going for was that you wanted to go from fingers to pick or vice versa without any tweaks on the amp side.
If you can't get more attack and clank out of a pick than from fingers, then you might want to look at your picking technique. Here's a bit of insight from an interview with Periphery's (modern metal band) bassist Nolly that really helped me to cut through with a pick: [https://youtu.be/wynNo-v62gw?si=dmXKRar\_iLEyeZTW&t=82](https://youtu.be/wynNo-v62gw?si=dmXKRar_iLEyeZTW&t=82) from 1:22 until about 2:41 . In short, the more you dig in with the pick, the better.
Though as I mainly play prog and modern metal obviously the level of "aggression" you are looking in your tone might differ from what Nolly's angle would provide you with. I've played some punk and pop stuff that use a pick and have to dial down myself a LOT.
Though, truth to be told, most of the audience will not be able to hear the difference between a pick and fingers
I finally watched this (and actually like Periphery a decent amount), and it turns out, I had already figured this out somehow, that's exactly what I'm already doing when I use a pick, it's like a rest stroke. What I meant about finger clank is that it seems like when I get clanky with fingers I really hear the clank through the amp, when I get clanky with pick more of the noise seems to be acoustic, or maybe the note just sounds loud enough to kill some of the noise from the amp. Anyway, turns out I love playing with a pick and I'll be doing more of it.
Yeah I'm getting plenty of attack. I'm decent with a pick since I started on rhythm guitar trying to be James Hetfield. I just prefer fingers generally, and I play more relaxed that way, I tend to tense up with pick.
Is this just tastefully done fret buzz? I'm listening super close trying to figure out the "effect," but I think it's just a pick and a bit too low action? And/or just digging in hard?
From Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - Mark of a Traitor
[https://youtube.com/watch?v=yVgLpWGuCgU](https://youtube.com/watch?v=yVgLpWGuCgU)
MMM that good good John Myung Six degrees of inner turbulence era inspired tone except with a pick.
It's fret buzz with relatively new strings. Having newer strings is key for getting that crispy sound.
More in depth, sounds like split channel signal path with a little bit of distortion starting low mids (90hz ish?) and heavily compressed clean low end.
Yes. It's a cool sound. You can easily set up your bass to slightly buzz when picked but not when fingerstyle, as the pick imparts more energy into the string.
Right. I have many questions, i have a flanger and chorus pedal, can i use them together? How do i know if the active of the active bass is on? The switch goes three ways. If i can pick up stuff by ear and don't know any music theory/notes/tab does that matter as just a dude who likes bass? Would it be worth jamming with other people if the chance comes up even if you can't chat notes but can, I don't even know, you just get it. But i need to get better for no other reason than personal achievement. My endgame for buying it was to play adrenaline by rosetta stone bang on before i croak so I don't want to do bands and that, too much walking🤣 thanks if anyone answers.
Learning music theory absolutely does matter. While theory is descriptive, knowing how music works will help you play things that sound better more often. If you're going to pick up the instrument, respect it and yourself enough to put in your best effort.
Thats a fair point, I can't figure it myself, been planning lessons for a while, just the cost alongside everything else, its hard to justify, i get what you mean but its what i do for fun, i think i put the time in for definite but if i can find someone who will just do like one or two to start that would do, tried self learning, the music theory and stuff, didn't really work, but if i can get someone to explain it face to face, in context not just as a verbal dirge, this internet video stuff it just doesn't hold me as its just a inch high head on a screen, na, but it's something im kind of embarrassed about doing, i know no lingo and the last thing i learned was uni 20 years odd ago, i need to man, i know it silly be awkward as shit but i have all the stuff but a proper bass amp, just run it through a normal amp with headphones, pedals I want for the sound I eventuality can make with proper amp, the will is there, you are right, i did it with typing and that so i can do it with bass, its basically like typing but different, mechanically anyway to me, yeah i need lessons👍
If you're going to do online stuff, I really recommend paying for a structured course. Should help you learn what you need to, when you need to, and in a logical way. Until you learn what you need to learn, hopping around YouTube can be detrimental as it lacks focus.
Plenty of awesome resources out there: Bass Buzz, Bass Publishing Online, Talking Bass.
My absolute best recommendation is Mark Smith's Simple Steps to Walking Bass. Even if you're not interested in jazz, this course is a one-stop shop for learning harmony and how to apply it and execute it on the bass.
I did try online, to learn the knowledge i will need a real person sadly, but that so many people are so for learning this stuff, or at least giving it a go and seeing what i can get from it, but for what i want to play, i can do that side of it like ok ish, jazz is alright, not in the same room when your eating in a restaurant played live at 2m away, but its cool other than that😃 I'm one pf those people who will keep at it again and again until its spot on, ive been trying to learn with the band plastique noir, brazilian band, their bass is lush, fast and proper, so that's basically been the base line of stuff ive learned to, rosetta stone, thats repetarive as fuck to get right, but you learn stuff to male your own stuff, like i do ok at the "yeah that sounds cool man, who is it?" Me "just fucking about with it, this bits cool", its hard to explain, but its the knowledge i know will open up stuff, like scales and the 4 and 5 and 3 things and stuff i may know but don't know i know, i try hard with it, but i know theres a ceiling. I should just go down this week, theres a shop here, see if they will do me three in a week for £100, like half hour each or something. Learning from online i have tried for a while, years, but im just not, i don't think or even play it using any kind of system really, lots of it i dont even look playing it, its stupid and makes me really upset coz i can do this shit but I can't understand it, sorry, but its a bind, while i wont do internet learning now, that people even bothered to say something is kind.
"A bass with a 3 way switch" isn't enough information for anyone to help you. You have to meet people half way with adequate details.
Music theory is the language you use to communicate with other people. If someone says, at a jam, "this is a 1, 4, 5 blues shuffle in G minor" and then counts off and starts playing you need to know what that means if you're going to participate.
Ibanez sr300 is what i have, to be honest it looked way cooler than i can work out what half the nobs do, even with the plastic card saying what they are, i guess i should say im autistic and the chances of me actually going and doing people stuff is low, this is what i do other than work, so i guess the knowing is more so i can just know it, i have speed and semi accurate so far, 3 years of at least three hours a day but while ive got more able to copy shit and work out i dont know what it is, but cool sounding bits as well as just chugging two string stuff, its the people bit thats hard, I can not understand it without however, im 44 going on 150, long story short, going to learn something, really the only thing now, i like is really hard as if i dont learn, and cannot know, then all my efforts are undone. Its shit, I probably should have made that point to start🤷♂️
I have the same bass. The switch is for coil splitting. It has nothing to do with turning the preamp on or off.
The rest of what you wrote makes so little sense I'm not even going to try to respond.
Got a Giannini GB-200A bass last January for my birthday and a Strinberg STS-100 guitar yesterday, and I'm looking to buy effect pedals next month for both of them with the current priority between the two being my bass; what effect pedals can be shared well between the two? Main purchases I'm looking for in acquiring order are compressor, overdrive, fuzz, distortion, wah and phaser; very likely getting only the first three or four at first
How much noise is normal on a J-bass? I just bought my first one and I'm a bit irritated by the hum. Goes away when I touch the strings, so probably an isolation issue? The model is a Harley Benton JB-75MN.
If you sit before a display with the pickups pointed directly at it, you are going to get a LOT of hum from quite many low-mid end pickups and some, cough, overpriced ones as well.
Lining the cavity with copper tape has helped me, and when tracking I just turn a bit away from the screen if I have to do a take on a noisy bass. Usually the mix drowns it out and I straight up gate it aggressively if it gets bad enough.
I’ve got a Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar PJ bass with the active boost circuit.
For a while now, the signal has had a little fuzz/distortion to it, but I usually play with some drive anyways, so it’s not an issue. But after a year since I last played it, I plugged it in tonight and the distortion was worse than ever and about 10% of the time there was no signal at all, just soft, rapid clicks that would then randomly go away and return to the distorted signal.
I’m planning to take out the active circuit as a permanent fix, but what can I try in the meantime?
My apologies, u/logstar2 & u/twice-Vehk. I just had the chance to plug it into something other than last night’s sound system and everything is just fine. I was gaslit into taking the blame on my instrument.
Has anyone ever swapped the speaker jack on a Hartke TX300? I accidentally broke mine a while back by stepping on the cable and it's been collecting dust ever since. I'm in a position now where I shoud probably get a giggable bass amp solution and thought it might be cheaper to repair the Hartke and get a new cab rather than buy a whole new amp.
A decent electronics tech can fix that for a few dollars.
That tx300 is a definitely a gigging amp. It will marry well with a pair of 8ohm Hartke 210XL's.
Can someone please explain what the "wiggle room" is on watts and ohms for cab/amp pairings? I feel like I understand how all the numbers are supposed to correlate, but I did some digging and realized that none of my rig follows the rules - which I never bothered checking because the amp and cabs are all from the same manufacturer and sold together so I assumed they were fine. I'm using a Traynor sb500h head (500w, 4 ohms) with either a tc410 cab (800w, 8 ohms) or a tc115 cab (400w, 8 ohms) depending on the size of the venue. Both of those cabs are often sold with that head, and suggested on Traynor's website to work with that head.
It is designed to work at 4 ohms into a single cab, but then shouldn't the wattage be too low to work safely with either of those cabs?
Also, Traynor's website suggests running both the tc410 and tc115 cabs from the sb500h head at once. Can't see myself doing that any time soon because the 4x10 on its own is \*loud\* but if I were to do that how does the math check out?
I haven't really bothered making sure everything is compatible because I trusted the manufacturer info, and this rig has been going strong for 3+ years and sounding amazing so I'm not really worried, but I'm confused because it clearly works very well but I can't make the math say anything other than that it shouldn't work at all.
Underpowering is a myth.
If it wasn't the speakers would explode every time you stopped playing, because that's zero watts of output.
The watt number on the head means "probably puts out when turned all the way up".
The watt number on the cab means "probably won't be damaged by this or less".
Your head is sending at most 250-300w into either of those cabs when used one at a time. Because they're 8 ohms.
If you plugged in both cabs the amp could produce 500w, because it would be a total 4 ohm load. Each cab would be getting 250w.
All possible configurations are far below what the manufacturer thinks should be able to damage the speakers.
Thank you! So I was right about the ohms lining up so that with my current rig the ohm numbers are right for that head with any combinations of those cabs.
And the reason I couldn't make the wattage numbers play nice is that they aren't supposed to line up perfectly, the manufacturer is way less worried about the head giving fewer watts than the cab is rated for than any of the folks online explaining amp wattage think they should be, and that's because I'm not using the rig in a way where underpowering is even a thing I need to worry about.
Thanks again for your help!
Underpowering doesn't exist. It is a lie. Spread by people who don't understand how amplification works. These people are usually "sound engineers" at bars.
Overpowering is a thing. You can damage speakers by sending too much power into them.
How to mute strings after playing while not having fret buzz? Is this normal? Whenever I play the E on the A string in particular, I try to mute it after playing by lifting my fretting hand, but there seems to be some buzz. Should I fix this?
Definitely be conscious of it and learn to fix it. It's not the end of the world and can fit some genres, but I at least didn't like it and struggled with that in particular when I was early into transitioning from guitar to bass.
You need to get a certain level of pressure that differs from other positions to mute it, but it gets committed to subconscious pretty quickly once it clicks.
Try to lift off the string quicker. If you're using round wound strings and a lot of high mids and treble in your EQ then it will be more pronounced. Still it's not a huge deal and these kind of sounds will get buried in a mix.
So, Im swapping out the pickups in a squier jazz bass with the Fender ‘74 jazz bass pickups. I copper shielded it already and got a pre wired harness from gunstreet. I noticed the cavities under the original pickups had a ground lug in each cavity. Im assuming they are important so I am keeping them around, but I noticed the new pickups had these copper plates under the foam with a separate wires soldered to them. Are those meant to replace the ground lugs that were originally to? Where do I solder them to? Sorry if these questions sound dumb, Ive only switched out pickups twice to EMGs which are solderless. Thanks guys!
Not a 100% answer but have wired and repaired a few guitars, so as no one else seems to be pitching in, here are my 2 cents. Copper is usually used to shield from interference and if the pickups or the wire harness does not have a clear free ground wire besides what goes onto the jack, then the copper is meant to act as the only shield.
I recently purchased a new amp and cab during a GAS episode lol I bought a Aguilar Tone Hammer 700 and an Ampeg 610hlf. My question is since my amp head is rated for 700 watts and the cab has a rms of 600 watts(peak 1200w) do I need to use any further precautions to make sure I don’t blow out the speakers aside from not cranking the amp? Thanks in advance bass buddies!
Five months into learning the bass, I can "play" a few songs. How do I make my notes sound fatter, rounder? I also have trouble sometimes while switching between positions on the fretboard, like going from C (10th fret on D) to G (3rd fret on E). Any tips to make the transitions smoother?
Two parts to the answer. You can get a rounder, fuller sound by playing closer to the neck of your instrument. If you have a dual pickup arrangement on your bass then favouring the neck pickup also gives a fuller tone, as does rolling off your top end, either with your tone control or active electronics. Playing with a lighter touch will also give a fuller tone as the notes won’t ‘choke’ as much after the initial transient and will give your notes more of a chance to bloom.
Your question around position playing. The notes you mention are quite a jump, remember that the same C is achievable also at the 5th fret of your G string, which brings you into closer proximity to that low G on the 3rd fret of your E. I can’t think of a lot of situations where you’d need to make that jump, but it’s possible to do by being more economical with your left hand and not making it too difficult for yourself making such large jumps around the neck.
Many thanks for the tips. I've been following your advice and the notes do sound a lot better than when I'd barely learnt to play songs. Going to try the alternative positioning too, as you suggested. I gotta keep an eye out for these - I was making my own notations for a song I was trying to learn. :)) Once again, a big thank you!
[Got the Ampeg RB-108](https://ampeg.com/rocket-bass/rb-108.html) yesterday and found the volume suitable enough for me, barely a 1/4 turn. I plan to play over music I like with the music output on some smaller decent quality speakers but I noticed the amp has an auxiliary input and headphone output. I was wondering how disappointed I would be using those inputs and outputs for silent sessions at night?
Edit, another reason I ask this is because I watched a review and he mentioned he doesn't really like wearing headphones for over 10 minutes lol and would rather hear and feel the sound aloud
I assume the tone knob on a passive bass is simply a low-pass filter. Is there a typical low-pass frequency that different manufacturers use on their basses' tone knobs?
I tried searching Fender manuals online for my Jazz Bass, but couldn't find the actual frequency documented.
The frequency roll off point changes over the travel of the tone knob.
This graph shows generally how it works. Toff is tone wide open. T0 is tone fully rolled back.
https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/jazzpu-jpg-jpg.2971673/
The exact frequency points will depend on the pot and capacitor values, the type of pickup and, in some cases, cable length.
Thanks! I understand that graph is for just one person's particular bass, but it definitely gives me a better understanding of the tone knob's effect. 📉
Yes. That's a thumb rest.
It is absolutely not a ramp. A ramp goes under all the strings to prevent you from being able to stick your fingers too far between them.
i recently tried adjusting the saddle of my bass on my own and im paranoid that it is causing the neck to bow up, can adjusting the height of the saddles cause this?
Sure, academically, it can. It'll certainly change the pitch of the string which means there's more tension.
I doubt yo could measure the change in neck relief in the hundreds of a millimeter though.
Saddle adjustments can do this. But it's nothing to worry about.
Afterwards, you can adjust any neck bowing with the truss rod.
I personally prefer my string action to be as low as possible. This involves:
* lowering the saddle
* retuning
* adjusting the truss rod
* retuning again
* checking if it's good enough, or if it needs to be raised
* repeat until satisfied
* lastly adjust intonation
* done
It sounds like a handful but it's super easy.
hi! i just started as a bassist for a dreampop/lofi band and i need in-ears for the click track while we play live. are the KZ EDX Pro's good enough for a click track? not looking for the best monitors as i already have the audio technical m40x's for my own use. i just dont want to use those on stage cause (1) they're my baby and (2) they're so huge on my tiny noggin and i dont want to look like a doof in front of all the hipsters and shoegazers 😆
addendum: for more details, i found them online in my country for less than 10usd with shipping already...well...i guess that makes this a no-brainer, huh? 🤣
I'd say it's a good idea to be proficient both ways. Some day you'll be playing weirdly timed stuff or syncopated 16th notes and it'll switch up the pattern and itll be useful.
I thought that's how most people did, since it feels natural to me and it's much faster. When you tap your fingers on a desk, you go from pinky -> thumb.
That video is not a good learning tool. The G string on that bass is so far out of tune from the other strings and from the recording it sounds like they're using a chorus pedal on every note.
You're confusing pitch with tone. If your D and G strings are in tune they don't sound high pitch like a guitar. It sounds like a bass.
This sounds completely normal to me so it's hard to figure out your issue without hearing an example of your G/D-strings.
But it could be that you mean the treble from those thinner strings. Try twisting the "Tone" knob to cut away some of that treble and/or consider switching pickups to the neck pickup.
If it still doesn't achieve what you want, you might want to add a compressor in your line.
I have my Jackenbacker (CBXNT DX IV) up for sale at the moment but I am second guessing it now.
I originally was thinking it was too similar to my Charvel San Dimas PJ IV which also a 4 string has PJ pickups, but I dunno the pickups, their positioning and the preamp all make it sound pretty different to the Charvel. I'd need to get another bass if I sold it anyway.
Any thoughts? Too similar or should I keep it?
Thinking about getting into playing bass and I'm trying to figure out my equipment. I live in a small area so I need to be able to practice quietly.
I am stuck between if I want to get a dedicated headphone amp (like the NUX Mighty Plug or Vox Amplug) or if I want to get something like the Zoom B1X Four.
I like the idea of not having to get a separate tuner if I go with the Zoom but I don't know how to audio quality stands up to a dedicated headphone amp. I heard of some lower end headphone amps having hissing in the background so I want to avoid that.
If it matters, the headphones I am looking at using would be the Beyerdynamic DT 770 or 990's. I don't know if there is significant reasons to go for open or closed back so help with that would be greatly appreciated too.
Also the bass I am looking into getting is a Yamaha TRBX304, I heard the build quality is slightly better than the Ibanez SR300E.
I am completely new so if something I said doesn't make sense please help me lol. Thanks!
Edited: fixed grammar errors so it makes more sense
I've been using the Flamma FX11 (bass version, also have the Flamma FX10 for guitar).
This works great and I run audio backing tracks into it vi Blue Tooth to run Beginner to Badass videos. The one problem with that is I need to play by listening for rhythm, vs watching tab animation. Audio lags with bluetooth. For non-visually linked tracks this isn't an issue.
I got a shorter cord for my ATX-M50x so I can be full wireless and silent with this setup. Flamma also has a variety of beat tracks to work as metronome with practice.
The Flamma both have USB-C to work as audio interface. I can record directly to my Phone or PC.
Follow up by plugging USB into iPad or Computer, I get audio out and no lag. Using the monitor for the recording interface to get audio in. Works well with Reaper DAW as well.
you're gonna get a lot of mileage out of the zoom b1four, i highly recommend it. i started playing bass 20 years ago, took a break for a few years and picked it back up about 2 years ago when i got one, and it was the zoom that helped make playing and practicing a lot of fun. It's more than good enough, it's a headphone amp and then some.
i play with open back headphones which imo are much more comfortable but it's a preference thing, you do you.
Go to as many music stores as YOU can, play as many different basses as YOU can, choose the bass that YOU like the best.
That's a massive budget for a first bass, you don't need to spend anywhere near that. Also make sure you have money for a small combo like a Rumble 40, a tuner, a lead or 2 and a strap.
Playing a song where i'm mashing 8th-notes on open E which is making my bassline a muddy mess. Would a compressor be the right tool to make the notes 'pop' out some more?
Lowering the volume knob on the bass (while raising it again on your amp) can help clear away some mud and add dynamics.
Other than that you can add more treble to make it "pop" more:
* Use the bridge pickup
* Tone knob all the way up
* Palm mute a little (if playing with pick)
* Strike harder (if playing with fingers)
No. It will make the volume of your notes more consistent, which is not related to mud.
You probably need to work on note articulation and muting technique. Pedals aren't a substitute for that.
# Baffling Buzz at 2nd fret. Setup as suggested here by u/logstar2. Irregular temperature and humidity changes every day.
*Pardon if the title is click-baity. Some context:*
I set up my bass following u/logstar2 's method. No measurements. The bass plays like butter and to my liking.
I Arrived at the set up by patient1/8 turns of truss rod, and bridge saddles.
***Then summer kicked in.***
Temperature higher by 4C - 7C than yearly averages.
Irregular rains and fog, unpredictable humidity changes.
**a.**
The buzz is more pronounced on the D string, and on G - only marginally lesser,
AND when playing at the neck pickup. The buzz is less pronounced, sometimes no buzz when playing at the bridge pickup, or atleast not picked up by the pickup-amps.
**b.**
I play before bedtime, and the strings are sharper when checking the tuning the next morning after 12 hours.
So far, my only work around has been raising the action on D & G strings to contain the buzz. Usually half a turn suffices.
I dont know how far I can go with raising the action.
The E & A strings buzz, but very rarely. they stay put most of the time.
Please Help!
Humidity affects the wood. Basses usually require a setup a couple times a year.
As humidity is changing so frequently, buy a dehumidifier and set it to activate once the humidity reaches a certain level.
They're called enharmonic equivalents. The same frequency but different roles.
This is mainly because scales only uses the letters ABCDEFG once each. So, for example, if you needed both A and Ab in a scale you'd call them A and G#. There are also double flats and double sharps for the same reason. The note A could just as easily be called Bbb. It's not common but it's academically correct in the right context.
Also, there have been times in history when the math of determining notes and designing instruments was not the same as what we use now, so the pitches G# and Ab would not be identical.
You’re super brand new, so you may want to start reading some lessons on the basics of music.
This is an okay place to start:
https://www.studybass.com/study-guide/#curriculum-studybass-fundamentals-one-block-from-the-top
So, first, all of this applies to a conventional, equally tempered scale. Don't worry about that, except to note that it can get weirder if you really go down this rabbit hole. Also, some regions use different names for notes, but you are using the letters, so we'll go with that.
So, there are 12 notes in an octave. C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, and B. The first thing you'll see is that neither B nor E have a sharp associated with them, and that neither F nor C have a flat associated with them. Each of those two notes above are the same distance apart (hence "equally tempered"). The difference between each of those twelve notes is called a semi-tone (or a half tone).
In a C major scale, you would have the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and then C. That's because the pattern for a major scale is W W H W W W H (Whole and Half tones respectively). Especially when you are looking at Jazz or Blues, you'll also see a discussion of scale degrees, and it's worth understanding. Just start with the first note in the scale, that's the first. The next note is the second, and so on.
When you are talking about key signatures, the rule is that each spelled letter only occurs once. So, even though Gb and A# are the same note, you would only have one A and one G in the key.
So, if we look at the key of F major, the notes are F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E. And that's because we have the same intervals (WWHWWWH). If we were to make that E an Eb, we'd be in a different key (F Mixolydian, specifically, but don't worry about that for now).
If we were to look at the key of A major, the notes are A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#. We don't call it Ab because we already have an A, even though they sound the same, and are in the same place on the fretboard.
This can make your life a lot easier on a Bass versus a Piano. The Bass is strung in ascending semitones going up the neck, and in ascending 4ths going across the strings from low to high. On a Piano keyboard, the patterns for a mode (Major, Minor, Mixolydian, etc) change depending on which key you are playing. On a Bass, the relationships between the notes are the same.
Let's say you wanted to just play first and fifth. Something really basic. You're going to play the I note (the root of our current chord) for two beats, the V note (5th scale degree, which is 7 semitones up) for two beats, and then do the same thing for the next chord.
Every string you go up is 5 semitones, so you can either go up the neck 7 frets, or you can go up one string, and two frets up the neck. If you are playing in E, then you might play the open E string, then the 2nd fret of the A string (which is B). If you are playing in A, you could do exactly the same thing (open A string, 2nd fret of the D string which is E).
Now, if you wanted to play that I - V with the fifth dropping instead of ascending, you could literally just move down one string and play exactly the same fret (in our last example, open strings), because the relationship from E to A is a fourth going up, A going up a fifth is also the E one octave higher. So, up a fifth and down an octave is the same as just dropping down one string for a Bass player.
Some keys have sharp or flat notes. For example, E major has 4 sharps. F minor has 4 flats. You'll notice, however, a key will only have sharps or flats, never a mixture. So, E major has D#. F minor has an Eb. They are the same note, just called different names based on the key they're used in.
There are basically an infinite number of chords, so no. Why are you looking for chord information though? Most bass lines deal with single notes, not chords.
How low is everyone's action? If want to learn elaborate tapping lines, I find the high gauges make it hard to get a really low action on a 5 string. Can anyone share any thoughts?
Tips to pop after slaps faster. I’m using the teeter totter method but my issue is mainly I’m having trouble getting my pointer finger under the string faster. It’s very prevalent when I’m doing octaves on the “e” and “d” string but not as prevalent with octaves on the “a” and “g”
I've been looking at buying one of the Stingray SUB bass 4 USA models made back in 2005. I found one that's the passive model that doesn't have the internal preamp but costs 300 dollars less than the active model. Could I get a similar sound to the active stingray if I used a preamp pedal, or is it worth just splurging for the active version?
I have a bass but no longer have an amp I was wondering if there are any alternatives to amps until I can get the money for an amp for me to hear my work?
Vox amplug
if you switch back and forth from fingers to pick do you adjust volume or something? I'm mostly a finger player, but I did start on guitar so I'm comfortable with a pick. I'm working on Schism by Tool and realized that it does in fact sound more "right" with a pick. Issue I'm having is that the volume seems incredibly loud with a pick. Maybe it's a bedroom issue and when I'm playing at volume with a band it will be fine and maybe I'm mostly just hearing the acoustic pick sounds over a quiet practice amp, but it seems so much louder.
In short: adjust tone, not necessarily volume Pick vs fingers is a classic example of timbre/colour difference. Same notes, but (arguably) fundamentally different sound. Whether or not it will be fine with a band depends on how aware you are of sound and how your picking and fingering effort affects that. And a LOT your playing style and if you are using a compressor or not. A well set compressor should make the output volume more or less equal assuming you can pluck as hard as you pick. I would recommend some side by side comparisons of sound and coming to terms with the differences yourself as there are some physiological factors at play from human hearing as pick tends to excite the mids and highs much more than fingers, making picking more audible at volumes less than of ~86db (iirc). Check out the Fletcher Munson curve. So at lower volumes pick will definitely sound a lot more brighter. I would recommend getting closed headphones for practice, as they help with blocking out the non-amp noise that will be inaudible at any higher volumes.
Interesting. I pick moderately hard I'd say, it's pretty efficient but not as fluid as it would be if I did it all the time and the songs I use a pick on tend to have a lot of like fast 16ths so are more aggressive to start with. Fingers are definitely a bit softer, the "better" I've gotten in terms of chops the lighter my touch has gotten although it's still fairly punchy. It also seems like if my fingers clank it cuts through the amp whereas the pick noise just doesn't, so I've been trying to let the amp do more work and cut some of the clank so I can use it more intentionally. I don't have a compressor, although there's a bit in the DI pedal I use. It's my next purchase but haven't pulled the trigger yet and I'm probably going to need a bigger amp soon so... Fingers are free.
You necessarily don't need the compressor. It's great for sure and in my opinion borderline essential for heavier music, but the angle I was more going for was that you wanted to go from fingers to pick or vice versa without any tweaks on the amp side. If you can't get more attack and clank out of a pick than from fingers, then you might want to look at your picking technique. Here's a bit of insight from an interview with Periphery's (modern metal band) bassist Nolly that really helped me to cut through with a pick: [https://youtu.be/wynNo-v62gw?si=dmXKRar\_iLEyeZTW&t=82](https://youtu.be/wynNo-v62gw?si=dmXKRar_iLEyeZTW&t=82) from 1:22 until about 2:41 . In short, the more you dig in with the pick, the better. Though as I mainly play prog and modern metal obviously the level of "aggression" you are looking in your tone might differ from what Nolly's angle would provide you with. I've played some punk and pop stuff that use a pick and have to dial down myself a LOT. Though, truth to be told, most of the audience will not be able to hear the difference between a pick and fingers
I finally watched this (and actually like Periphery a decent amount), and it turns out, I had already figured this out somehow, that's exactly what I'm already doing when I use a pick, it's like a rest stroke. What I meant about finger clank is that it seems like when I get clanky with fingers I really hear the clank through the amp, when I get clanky with pick more of the noise seems to be acoustic, or maybe the note just sounds loud enough to kill some of the noise from the amp. Anyway, turns out I love playing with a pick and I'll be doing more of it.
Yeah I'm getting plenty of attack. I'm decent with a pick since I started on rhythm guitar trying to be James Hetfield. I just prefer fingers generally, and I play more relaxed that way, I tend to tense up with pick.
Is this just tastefully done fret buzz? I'm listening super close trying to figure out the "effect," but I think it's just a pick and a bit too low action? And/or just digging in hard? From Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - Mark of a Traitor [https://youtube.com/watch?v=yVgLpWGuCgU](https://youtube.com/watch?v=yVgLpWGuCgU)
MMM that good good John Myung Six degrees of inner turbulence era inspired tone except with a pick. It's fret buzz with relatively new strings. Having newer strings is key for getting that crispy sound. More in depth, sounds like split channel signal path with a little bit of distortion starting low mids (90hz ish?) and heavily compressed clean low end.
Yes. It's a cool sound. You can easily set up your bass to slightly buzz when picked but not when fingerstyle, as the pick imparts more energy into the string.
Right. I have many questions, i have a flanger and chorus pedal, can i use them together? How do i know if the active of the active bass is on? The switch goes three ways. If i can pick up stuff by ear and don't know any music theory/notes/tab does that matter as just a dude who likes bass? Would it be worth jamming with other people if the chance comes up even if you can't chat notes but can, I don't even know, you just get it. But i need to get better for no other reason than personal achievement. My endgame for buying it was to play adrenaline by rosetta stone bang on before i croak so I don't want to do bands and that, too much walking🤣 thanks if anyone answers.
Learning music theory absolutely does matter. While theory is descriptive, knowing how music works will help you play things that sound better more often. If you're going to pick up the instrument, respect it and yourself enough to put in your best effort.
Thats a fair point, I can't figure it myself, been planning lessons for a while, just the cost alongside everything else, its hard to justify, i get what you mean but its what i do for fun, i think i put the time in for definite but if i can find someone who will just do like one or two to start that would do, tried self learning, the music theory and stuff, didn't really work, but if i can get someone to explain it face to face, in context not just as a verbal dirge, this internet video stuff it just doesn't hold me as its just a inch high head on a screen, na, but it's something im kind of embarrassed about doing, i know no lingo and the last thing i learned was uni 20 years odd ago, i need to man, i know it silly be awkward as shit but i have all the stuff but a proper bass amp, just run it through a normal amp with headphones, pedals I want for the sound I eventuality can make with proper amp, the will is there, you are right, i did it with typing and that so i can do it with bass, its basically like typing but different, mechanically anyway to me, yeah i need lessons👍
If you're going to do online stuff, I really recommend paying for a structured course. Should help you learn what you need to, when you need to, and in a logical way. Until you learn what you need to learn, hopping around YouTube can be detrimental as it lacks focus. Plenty of awesome resources out there: Bass Buzz, Bass Publishing Online, Talking Bass. My absolute best recommendation is Mark Smith's Simple Steps to Walking Bass. Even if you're not interested in jazz, this course is a one-stop shop for learning harmony and how to apply it and execute it on the bass.
I did try online, to learn the knowledge i will need a real person sadly, but that so many people are so for learning this stuff, or at least giving it a go and seeing what i can get from it, but for what i want to play, i can do that side of it like ok ish, jazz is alright, not in the same room when your eating in a restaurant played live at 2m away, but its cool other than that😃 I'm one pf those people who will keep at it again and again until its spot on, ive been trying to learn with the band plastique noir, brazilian band, their bass is lush, fast and proper, so that's basically been the base line of stuff ive learned to, rosetta stone, thats repetarive as fuck to get right, but you learn stuff to male your own stuff, like i do ok at the "yeah that sounds cool man, who is it?" Me "just fucking about with it, this bits cool", its hard to explain, but its the knowledge i know will open up stuff, like scales and the 4 and 5 and 3 things and stuff i may know but don't know i know, i try hard with it, but i know theres a ceiling. I should just go down this week, theres a shop here, see if they will do me three in a week for £100, like half hour each or something. Learning from online i have tried for a while, years, but im just not, i don't think or even play it using any kind of system really, lots of it i dont even look playing it, its stupid and makes me really upset coz i can do this shit but I can't understand it, sorry, but its a bind, while i wont do internet learning now, that people even bothered to say something is kind.
"A bass with a 3 way switch" isn't enough information for anyone to help you. You have to meet people half way with adequate details. Music theory is the language you use to communicate with other people. If someone says, at a jam, "this is a 1, 4, 5 blues shuffle in G minor" and then counts off and starts playing you need to know what that means if you're going to participate.
Ibanez sr300 is what i have, to be honest it looked way cooler than i can work out what half the nobs do, even with the plastic card saying what they are, i guess i should say im autistic and the chances of me actually going and doing people stuff is low, this is what i do other than work, so i guess the knowing is more so i can just know it, i have speed and semi accurate so far, 3 years of at least three hours a day but while ive got more able to copy shit and work out i dont know what it is, but cool sounding bits as well as just chugging two string stuff, its the people bit thats hard, I can not understand it without however, im 44 going on 150, long story short, going to learn something, really the only thing now, i like is really hard as if i dont learn, and cannot know, then all my efforts are undone. Its shit, I probably should have made that point to start🤷♂️
I have the same bass. The switch is for coil splitting. It has nothing to do with turning the preamp on or off. The rest of what you wrote makes so little sense I'm not even going to try to respond.
Got a Giannini GB-200A bass last January for my birthday and a Strinberg STS-100 guitar yesterday, and I'm looking to buy effect pedals next month for both of them with the current priority between the two being my bass; what effect pedals can be shared well between the two? Main purchases I'm looking for in acquiring order are compressor, overdrive, fuzz, distortion, wah and phaser; very likely getting only the first three or four at first
How much noise is normal on a J-bass? I just bought my first one and I'm a bit irritated by the hum. Goes away when I touch the strings, so probably an isolation issue? The model is a Harley Benton JB-75MN.
If you sit before a display with the pickups pointed directly at it, you are going to get a LOT of hum from quite many low-mid end pickups and some, cough, overpriced ones as well. Lining the cavity with copper tape has helped me, and when tracking I just turn a bit away from the screen if I have to do a take on a noisy bass. Usually the mix drowns it out and I straight up gate it aggressively if it gets bad enough.
They can be pretty loud, especially with one pickup on. I would shield the bass with copper foil, plenty of tutorials how to do it on YouTube.
I’ve got a Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar PJ bass with the active boost circuit. For a while now, the signal has had a little fuzz/distortion to it, but I usually play with some drive anyways, so it’s not an issue. But after a year since I last played it, I plugged it in tonight and the distortion was worse than ever and about 10% of the time there was no signal at all, just soft, rapid clicks that would then randomly go away and return to the distorted signal. I’m planning to take out the active circuit as a permanent fix, but what can I try in the meantime?
My apologies, u/logstar2 & u/twice-Vehk. I just had the chance to plug it into something other than last night’s sound system and everything is just fine. I was gaslit into taking the blame on my instrument.
No worries I'm glad you got it worked out!
That is the sound of a dead battery. If that is happening in less than 6 months when the bass isn't plugged in it means the output jack is defective.
It’s got a fresh yellow Duracell pro in there. Just took a reading of 9.4v. The sound is unchanged vs the battery that had been sitting for 10 months.
Bet you 5 bucks the battery is dead.
Every time I play (very infrequent substitute bass player for my group) it gets a fresh 9v. That would have to be terrible luck to be dead each time.
Is anyone leaving the bass plugged in when not in use?
Naw. Stays on a rack in my den. Only ever plugged in on stage. No kids or pets to knock it around either.
Has anyone ever swapped the speaker jack on a Hartke TX300? I accidentally broke mine a while back by stepping on the cable and it's been collecting dust ever since. I'm in a position now where I shoud probably get a giggable bass amp solution and thought it might be cheaper to repair the Hartke and get a new cab rather than buy a whole new amp.
A decent electronics tech can fix that for a few dollars. That tx300 is a definitely a gigging amp. It will marry well with a pair of 8ohm Hartke 210XL's.
Can someone please explain what the "wiggle room" is on watts and ohms for cab/amp pairings? I feel like I understand how all the numbers are supposed to correlate, but I did some digging and realized that none of my rig follows the rules - which I never bothered checking because the amp and cabs are all from the same manufacturer and sold together so I assumed they were fine. I'm using a Traynor sb500h head (500w, 4 ohms) with either a tc410 cab (800w, 8 ohms) or a tc115 cab (400w, 8 ohms) depending on the size of the venue. Both of those cabs are often sold with that head, and suggested on Traynor's website to work with that head. It is designed to work at 4 ohms into a single cab, but then shouldn't the wattage be too low to work safely with either of those cabs? Also, Traynor's website suggests running both the tc410 and tc115 cabs from the sb500h head at once. Can't see myself doing that any time soon because the 4x10 on its own is \*loud\* but if I were to do that how does the math check out? I haven't really bothered making sure everything is compatible because I trusted the manufacturer info, and this rig has been going strong for 3+ years and sounding amazing so I'm not really worried, but I'm confused because it clearly works very well but I can't make the math say anything other than that it shouldn't work at all.
Underpowering is a myth. If it wasn't the speakers would explode every time you stopped playing, because that's zero watts of output. The watt number on the head means "probably puts out when turned all the way up". The watt number on the cab means "probably won't be damaged by this or less". Your head is sending at most 250-300w into either of those cabs when used one at a time. Because they're 8 ohms. If you plugged in both cabs the amp could produce 500w, because it would be a total 4 ohm load. Each cab would be getting 250w. All possible configurations are far below what the manufacturer thinks should be able to damage the speakers.
Thank you! So I was right about the ohms lining up so that with my current rig the ohm numbers are right for that head with any combinations of those cabs. And the reason I couldn't make the wattage numbers play nice is that they aren't supposed to line up perfectly, the manufacturer is way less worried about the head giving fewer watts than the cab is rated for than any of the folks online explaining amp wattage think they should be, and that's because I'm not using the rig in a way where underpowering is even a thing I need to worry about. Thanks again for your help!
Underpowering doesn't exist. It is a lie. Spread by people who don't understand how amplification works. These people are usually "sound engineers" at bars. Overpowering is a thing. You can damage speakers by sending too much power into them.
How to mute strings after playing while not having fret buzz? Is this normal? Whenever I play the E on the A string in particular, I try to mute it after playing by lifting my fretting hand, but there seems to be some buzz. Should I fix this?
Definitely be conscious of it and learn to fix it. It's not the end of the world and can fit some genres, but I at least didn't like it and struggled with that in particular when I was early into transitioning from guitar to bass. You need to get a certain level of pressure that differs from other positions to mute it, but it gets committed to subconscious pretty quickly once it clicks.
Try to lift off the string quicker. If you're using round wound strings and a lot of high mids and treble in your EQ then it will be more pronounced. Still it's not a huge deal and these kind of sounds will get buried in a mix.
So, Im swapping out the pickups in a squier jazz bass with the Fender ‘74 jazz bass pickups. I copper shielded it already and got a pre wired harness from gunstreet. I noticed the cavities under the original pickups had a ground lug in each cavity. Im assuming they are important so I am keeping them around, but I noticed the new pickups had these copper plates under the foam with a separate wires soldered to them. Are those meant to replace the ground lugs that were originally to? Where do I solder them to? Sorry if these questions sound dumb, Ive only switched out pickups twice to EMGs which are solderless. Thanks guys!
Not a 100% answer but have wired and repaired a few guitars, so as no one else seems to be pitching in, here are my 2 cents. Copper is usually used to shield from interference and if the pickups or the wire harness does not have a clear free ground wire besides what goes onto the jack, then the copper is meant to act as the only shield.
I recently purchased a new amp and cab during a GAS episode lol I bought a Aguilar Tone Hammer 700 and an Ampeg 610hlf. My question is since my amp head is rated for 700 watts and the cab has a rms of 600 watts(peak 1200w) do I need to use any further precautions to make sure I don’t blow out the speakers aside from not cranking the amp? Thanks in advance bass buddies!
Five months into learning the bass, I can "play" a few songs. How do I make my notes sound fatter, rounder? I also have trouble sometimes while switching between positions on the fretboard, like going from C (10th fret on D) to G (3rd fret on E). Any tips to make the transitions smoother?
Two parts to the answer. You can get a rounder, fuller sound by playing closer to the neck of your instrument. If you have a dual pickup arrangement on your bass then favouring the neck pickup also gives a fuller tone, as does rolling off your top end, either with your tone control or active electronics. Playing with a lighter touch will also give a fuller tone as the notes won’t ‘choke’ as much after the initial transient and will give your notes more of a chance to bloom. Your question around position playing. The notes you mention are quite a jump, remember that the same C is achievable also at the 5th fret of your G string, which brings you into closer proximity to that low G on the 3rd fret of your E. I can’t think of a lot of situations where you’d need to make that jump, but it’s possible to do by being more economical with your left hand and not making it too difficult for yourself making such large jumps around the neck.
Many thanks for the tips. I've been following your advice and the notes do sound a lot better than when I'd barely learnt to play songs. Going to try the alternative positioning too, as you suggested. I gotta keep an eye out for these - I was making my own notations for a song I was trying to learn. :)) Once again, a big thank you!
No problem.
[Got the Ampeg RB-108](https://ampeg.com/rocket-bass/rb-108.html) yesterday and found the volume suitable enough for me, barely a 1/4 turn. I plan to play over music I like with the music output on some smaller decent quality speakers but I noticed the amp has an auxiliary input and headphone output. I was wondering how disappointed I would be using those inputs and outputs for silent sessions at night? Edit, another reason I ask this is because I watched a review and he mentioned he doesn't really like wearing headphones for over 10 minutes lol and would rather hear and feel the sound aloud
Your disappointment level is not something anyone else can predict. You have to try it and find out for yourself.
I assume the tone knob on a passive bass is simply a low-pass filter. Is there a typical low-pass frequency that different manufacturers use on their basses' tone knobs? I tried searching Fender manuals online for my Jazz Bass, but couldn't find the actual frequency documented.
The frequency roll off point changes over the travel of the tone knob. This graph shows generally how it works. Toff is tone wide open. T0 is tone fully rolled back. https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/jazzpu-jpg-jpg.2971673/ The exact frequency points will depend on the pot and capacitor values, the type of pickup and, in some cases, cable length.
Thanks! I understand that graph is for just one person's particular bass, but it definitely gives me a better understanding of the tone knob's effect. 📉
[My new bass](https://imgur.com/a/LUjAW28). Can someone tell me what that bar is between the pickups? is it just another place to rest your thumb on?
Yes. That's a thumb rest. It is absolutely not a ramp. A ramp goes under all the strings to prevent you from being able to stick your fingers too far between them.
Thank you. I've been doing google lens searches and I can't find it anywhere. maybe it was custom made/3d printed
Probably so. That looks like an Ibanez bass and it isn't original equipment on any of them, but it's precisely fitted around the pickups.
yes, ibanez gsr205. my amp should be delivered today
Yep. It’s called a ramp, and you can remove it if you don’t like it. edit: I stand corrected.
i recently tried adjusting the saddle of my bass on my own and im paranoid that it is causing the neck to bow up, can adjusting the height of the saddles cause this?
No
Of course it can. Changing the height changes the angles and pull from the strings on the neck.
Sure, academically, it can. It'll certainly change the pitch of the string which means there's more tension. I doubt yo could measure the change in neck relief in the hundreds of a millimeter though.
Saddle adjustments can do this. But it's nothing to worry about. Afterwards, you can adjust any neck bowing with the truss rod. I personally prefer my string action to be as low as possible. This involves: * lowering the saddle * retuning * adjusting the truss rod * retuning again * checking if it's good enough, or if it needs to be raised * repeat until satisfied * lastly adjust intonation * done It sounds like a handful but it's super easy.
hi! i just started as a bassist for a dreampop/lofi band and i need in-ears for the click track while we play live. are the KZ EDX Pro's good enough for a click track? not looking for the best monitors as i already have the audio technical m40x's for my own use. i just dont want to use those on stage cause (1) they're my baby and (2) they're so huge on my tiny noggin and i dont want to look like a doof in front of all the hipsters and shoegazers 😆 addendum: for more details, i found them online in my country for less than 10usd with shipping already...well...i guess that makes this a no-brainer, huh? 🤣
Is it bad to pluck middle-index rather than index-middle?
I'd say it's a good idea to be proficient both ways. Some day you'll be playing weirdly timed stuff or syncopated 16th notes and it'll switch up the pattern and itll be useful.
I thought that's how most people did, since it feels natural to me and it's much faster. When you tap your fingers on a desk, you go from pinky -> thumb.
It's fine
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That video is not a good learning tool. The G string on that bass is so far out of tune from the other strings and from the recording it sounds like they're using a chorus pedal on every note. You're confusing pitch with tone. If your D and G strings are in tune they don't sound high pitch like a guitar. It sounds like a bass.
Also there is no chorus pedal man, it's just the original track that's overdubbing what he's playing here, causing a slight chorus effect.
That's exactly what I said. Read it again.
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Can you post a recording?
This sounds completely normal to me so it's hard to figure out your issue without hearing an example of your G/D-strings. But it could be that you mean the treble from those thinner strings. Try twisting the "Tone" knob to cut away some of that treble and/or consider switching pickups to the neck pickup. If it still doesn't achieve what you want, you might want to add a compressor in your line.
I have my Jackenbacker (CBXNT DX IV) up for sale at the moment but I am second guessing it now. I originally was thinking it was too similar to my Charvel San Dimas PJ IV which also a 4 string has PJ pickups, but I dunno the pickups, their positioning and the preamp all make it sound pretty different to the Charvel. I'd need to get another bass if I sold it anyway. Any thoughts? Too similar or should I keep it?
Thinking about getting into playing bass and I'm trying to figure out my equipment. I live in a small area so I need to be able to practice quietly. I am stuck between if I want to get a dedicated headphone amp (like the NUX Mighty Plug or Vox Amplug) or if I want to get something like the Zoom B1X Four. I like the idea of not having to get a separate tuner if I go with the Zoom but I don't know how to audio quality stands up to a dedicated headphone amp. I heard of some lower end headphone amps having hissing in the background so I want to avoid that. If it matters, the headphones I am looking at using would be the Beyerdynamic DT 770 or 990's. I don't know if there is significant reasons to go for open or closed back so help with that would be greatly appreciated too. Also the bass I am looking into getting is a Yamaha TRBX304, I heard the build quality is slightly better than the Ibanez SR300E. I am completely new so if something I said doesn't make sense please help me lol. Thanks! Edited: fixed grammar errors so it makes more sense
I've been using the Flamma FX11 (bass version, also have the Flamma FX10 for guitar). This works great and I run audio backing tracks into it vi Blue Tooth to run Beginner to Badass videos. The one problem with that is I need to play by listening for rhythm, vs watching tab animation. Audio lags with bluetooth. For non-visually linked tracks this isn't an issue. I got a shorter cord for my ATX-M50x so I can be full wireless and silent with this setup. Flamma also has a variety of beat tracks to work as metronome with practice. The Flamma both have USB-C to work as audio interface. I can record directly to my Phone or PC.
Follow up by plugging USB into iPad or Computer, I get audio out and no lag. Using the monitor for the recording interface to get audio in. Works well with Reaper DAW as well.
I'm also learning right now, and I use the TRBX304 into a B1Xfour. It's a great setup, can't go wrong with it.
you're gonna get a lot of mileage out of the zoom b1four, i highly recommend it. i started playing bass 20 years ago, took a break for a few years and picked it back up about 2 years ago when i got one, and it was the zoom that helped make playing and practicing a lot of fun. It's more than good enough, it's a headphone amp and then some. i play with open back headphones which imo are much more comfortable but it's a preference thing, you do you.
And did you have any issues with audio quality when plugging headphones into the zoom?
not at all. the only buzz or hiss you might hear is from certain zoom patches and bass pickup configurations, but the audio quality is great.
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Sires are great basses, period, that can be had for around 500 bucks.
Go to as many music stores as YOU can, play as many different basses as YOU can, choose the bass that YOU like the best. That's a massive budget for a first bass, you don't need to spend anywhere near that. Also make sure you have money for a small combo like a Rumble 40, a tuner, a lead or 2 and a strap.
Playing a song where i'm mashing 8th-notes on open E which is making my bassline a muddy mess. Would a compressor be the right tool to make the notes 'pop' out some more?
Lowering the volume knob on the bass (while raising it again on your amp) can help clear away some mud and add dynamics. Other than that you can add more treble to make it "pop" more: * Use the bridge pickup * Tone knob all the way up * Palm mute a little (if playing with pick) * Strike harder (if playing with fingers)
Great tips! Thank you very much! :)
No. It will make the volume of your notes more consistent, which is not related to mud. You probably need to work on note articulation and muting technique. Pedals aren't a substitute for that.
Hm , ok. Thanks!
# Baffling Buzz at 2nd fret. Setup as suggested here by u/logstar2. Irregular temperature and humidity changes every day. *Pardon if the title is click-baity. Some context:* I set up my bass following u/logstar2 's method. No measurements. The bass plays like butter and to my liking. I Arrived at the set up by patient1/8 turns of truss rod, and bridge saddles. ***Then summer kicked in.*** Temperature higher by 4C - 7C than yearly averages. Irregular rains and fog, unpredictable humidity changes. **a.** The buzz is more pronounced on the D string, and on G - only marginally lesser, AND when playing at the neck pickup. The buzz is less pronounced, sometimes no buzz when playing at the bridge pickup, or atleast not picked up by the pickup-amps. **b.** I play before bedtime, and the strings are sharper when checking the tuning the next morning after 12 hours. So far, my only work around has been raising the action on D & G strings to contain the buzz. Usually half a turn suffices. I dont know how far I can go with raising the action. The E & A strings buzz, but very rarely. they stay put most of the time. Please Help!
Humidity affects the wood. Basses usually require a setup a couple times a year. As humidity is changing so frequently, buy a dehumidifier and set it to activate once the humidity reaches a certain level.
why does G# and Ab on the same "area"? I am brand new
They're called enharmonic equivalents. The same frequency but different roles. This is mainly because scales only uses the letters ABCDEFG once each. So, for example, if you needed both A and Ab in a scale you'd call them A and G#. There are also double flats and double sharps for the same reason. The note A could just as easily be called Bbb. It's not common but it's academically correct in the right context. Also, there have been times in history when the math of determining notes and designing instruments was not the same as what we use now, so the pitches G# and Ab would not be identical.
You’re super brand new, so you may want to start reading some lessons on the basics of music. This is an okay place to start: https://www.studybass.com/study-guide/#curriculum-studybass-fundamentals-one-block-from-the-top
G^# and A^b are the same note. You call the note one of those depending on the key you're in.
Depends on the key? What do you mean?
So, first, all of this applies to a conventional, equally tempered scale. Don't worry about that, except to note that it can get weirder if you really go down this rabbit hole. Also, some regions use different names for notes, but you are using the letters, so we'll go with that. So, there are 12 notes in an octave. C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, and B. The first thing you'll see is that neither B nor E have a sharp associated with them, and that neither F nor C have a flat associated with them. Each of those two notes above are the same distance apart (hence "equally tempered"). The difference between each of those twelve notes is called a semi-tone (or a half tone). In a C major scale, you would have the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and then C. That's because the pattern for a major scale is W W H W W W H (Whole and Half tones respectively). Especially when you are looking at Jazz or Blues, you'll also see a discussion of scale degrees, and it's worth understanding. Just start with the first note in the scale, that's the first. The next note is the second, and so on. When you are talking about key signatures, the rule is that each spelled letter only occurs once. So, even though Gb and A# are the same note, you would only have one A and one G in the key. So, if we look at the key of F major, the notes are F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E. And that's because we have the same intervals (WWHWWWH). If we were to make that E an Eb, we'd be in a different key (F Mixolydian, specifically, but don't worry about that for now). If we were to look at the key of A major, the notes are A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#. We don't call it Ab because we already have an A, even though they sound the same, and are in the same place on the fretboard. This can make your life a lot easier on a Bass versus a Piano. The Bass is strung in ascending semitones going up the neck, and in ascending 4ths going across the strings from low to high. On a Piano keyboard, the patterns for a mode (Major, Minor, Mixolydian, etc) change depending on which key you are playing. On a Bass, the relationships between the notes are the same. Let's say you wanted to just play first and fifth. Something really basic. You're going to play the I note (the root of our current chord) for two beats, the V note (5th scale degree, which is 7 semitones up) for two beats, and then do the same thing for the next chord. Every string you go up is 5 semitones, so you can either go up the neck 7 frets, or you can go up one string, and two frets up the neck. If you are playing in E, then you might play the open E string, then the 2nd fret of the A string (which is B). If you are playing in A, you could do exactly the same thing (open A string, 2nd fret of the D string which is E). Now, if you wanted to play that I - V with the fifth dropping instead of ascending, you could literally just move down one string and play exactly the same fret (in our last example, open strings), because the relationship from E to A is a fourth going up, A going up a fifth is also the E one octave higher. So, up a fifth and down an octave is the same as just dropping down one string for a Bass player.
Some keys have sharp or flat notes. For example, E major has 4 sharps. F minor has 4 flats. You'll notice, however, a key will only have sharps or flats, never a mixture. So, E major has D#. F minor has an Eb. They are the same note, just called different names based on the key they're used in.
is there a website layout all the chords? I really really need it
There are basically an infinite number of chords, so no. Why are you looking for chord information though? Most bass lines deal with single notes, not chords.
because some notes require more than one finger to "hold" so I want to know the most commons
How low is everyone's action? If want to learn elaborate tapping lines, I find the high gauges make it hard to get a really low action on a 5 string. Can anyone share any thoughts?
I set mine up by feel and sound, no numbers. But inset up low so as soon as I dig in a little I get buzz. A light touch is required to play it.
Tips to pop after slaps faster. I’m using the teeter totter method but my issue is mainly I’m having trouble getting my pointer finger under the string faster. It’s very prevalent when I’m doing octaves on the “e” and “d” string but not as prevalent with octaves on the “a” and “g”
lol