When is the right time to consider compressing the bass guitar for live performance?

[Ryan.]

[sharnrock]

When you are having trouble controlling the volume, or some notes seem louder than others. Like low E's for example. Most bass rigs have some type of compression built in. Are you using a DI on the bass or mic? Is this your band or are you doing sound for others?

[Mogwix]

I almost always compress the bass guitar.

[Ryan.]

 

When you are having trouble controlling the volume, or some notes seem louder than others. Like low E's for example. Most bass rigs have some type of compression built in. Are you using a DI on the bass or mic? Is this your band or are you doing sound for others?

 

 

We have a DI, a mic, and his cab. In an effort to lighten our load, we may just remove his cab from the equation and go DI all the time.

[Mutha Goose]

I rarely compress bass. One of the only times I do is if they have bad slap technique. (recording is a whole nother story though).

[soul-x]

I think most rock bass can use some compression. But lots of bassists already have that sound as part of their bass rig, be it in non-linear preamp sections or an actual compressor. So as always, it depends on what it sounds like.

[Coaster]

i usually will run the bass through a limiter and then hopefully have it never trigger. its just there for an uh-oh moment or in stylistic case i may use it and dial down the ratio a little.

 

really good bass players dont need compression.

 

sometimes style demands a little bit of slammed sound but usually the player provides this, not me

[Crownman]

I always run a compressor on a bass line. How much I do or don't use it all depends on the band and the player.

[agedhorse]

I only compress bass when the music and/or playing style lends itself to compression as an improvement.

[Vinny D]

Always run a DBX160 on every bass player I work with...myself included!

[Coaster]

i've been known to employ the extremely non-subtle 163 on occasion

[soul-x]

i've been known to employ the extremely non-subtle 163 on occasion

 

I don't think I'd ever use one on anything else but, an old-style DBX just is the gritty rock bass guitar sound.

[Coaster]

yeah it works great for that. ts a really wild limiter imho; i found a pair under a pile of stuff covered in dust. the person that owned them said take'm, gett'em outta here.

 

i did that and put the pair in my rack they look really good under my white 4203's from the same era. old stuff is neat

[Coaster]

i wouldnt lie. i saw at PSW that the same kind of eqs i have were used at a 1980 queen show. i really didnt know they were THAT old but i guess theyare.

 

[agedhorse]

I do a fair amount of shows where bass comp is not required or desired by the player. It really depends.

[witesol]

I always keep a channel or 2 of comp avail for sources that may need some taming. depends on the size of the show. If you turn off the bass channel and there is a substantial amount of bass right off the onstage rig, the comp is sort of working in parallel mode and is less effective. if the sound rig is supplying most of the bass, and the player's technique is unsteady, I'll plug that comp in. simple.

[jlb]

I may run a comp/limiter if the band has players that alternate bass duties during a performance.

[twostone]

As other mentioned it depends on the bassist playing style because some bass player tend to pluck harder with the playing hand then others. Then you got those bass players that roll in with fridge size bass rig that is way more rig for the gig and not only can their rig carry the room but it can carry the room 1/4 mile down the street to.

[Unalaska]

I'm a bassist and prefer non compressed. But as a soundperson I have to listen to each situation and decide what gets what. There is no hard answer.

[Rezrover]

Compress the DI, leave me alone on stage.

[agedhorse]

 

Compress the DI, leave me alone on stage.

 

 

I don't think anybody was talking about compressing the bass's stage amp/sound.

[bassred]

 

i usually will run the bass through a limiter and then hopefully have it never trigger. its just there for an uh-oh moment or in stylistic case i may use it and dial down the ratio a little. really good bass players dont need compression. sometimes style demands a little bit of slammed sound but usually the player provides this, not me

 

I don't think you can qualify bass players as 'really good' because they don't need compression. Most of the pros I've worked with or spoken to use it and many pro rigs have it built-in....

 

I always have mine on, just very subtle use. I don't know that you could 'hear' a difference with it on or off, but I like having it in-line. I also have pretty good control with my right-hand attack, but I have used a comp for years live and in the studio.