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Freaky Frequencies
Two soundmen have questions about different scenes – one is
Scandinavian, and one deals with bluegrass. Maybe they should get together,
pool their knowledge, and get their clients to collaborate – on
some Scandinavian bluegrass!
Is that what they play at the Ice
Hotel?
Hello
This is a question from NORWAY.
THAT’S VERY NICE, BUT LEAVE THE CAPITALIZATION TO YOURS TRULY,
OKAY?
I can’t hear my bass man and what he plays.
IN MY BAND, THE DIRTY OLD SOUNDMEN, THE BASS PLAYER HAS TWO AMPS, ONE
ON EACH SIDE OF THE DRUMS.
WE ALL HEAR HIM THAT WAY.
THE PEOPLE DOWN THE STREET ALSO HEAR HIM!
What frequencies do you use to split the bass guitar from the bass
drum in a PA mix.
I THINK I SERMONIZED ON THIS SUBJECT PREVIOUSLY, BUT FOR THE RECORD,
I OFTEN ADD SOME 630/800 AND A TOUCH OF 1.6K TO THE BASS, WHEN I AM
DEALING WITH PLAYERS WHO HAVE AN ULTRA-“BASSY” SOUND WITH
LITTLE DEFINITION.
THEY THINK THEIR TONE IS WONDERFULLY OMINOUS, BUT THEY DON’T REALIZE
IT DOESN’T WORK IN A BIG ROOM THE WAY IT DOES IN MOMMY’S
BASEMENT.
I have tried to boost the bass drum around 80hz.
I KNOW THAT WHOMPING THE SUBS FEELS REALLY SEXY, BUT YOU MAY FIND THAT
ADDING SOME 150 TO THE KICK IS WHAT WILL TRULY MAKE IT STAND OUT.
NOT TOO MUCH. YOU DON’T WANT TO BE BT!
Are there other basic tricks to split instruments and vocals in a
PA mix?
YES, MADS, THERE ARE.
BUT THE UNIVERSAL GUIDEPOST IS YOUR EARS.
PLEASE EXPERIMENT, BUT DO SO GENTLY.
ANY ADVICE I GIVE YOU WOULD ONLY BE NULLIFIED BY THE WIDE VARIETY OF
TONALITIES PRESENTED TO YOU BY DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTALISTS AND SINGERS.
USE YOUR PARAMETRICS TO SEEK THE “CENTER” OF THE GIVEN INPUT.
TRY IT IN THE ADDITIVE MODE TO FIND THE UGLIEST PART OF THE SOUND, AND
THEN MINIMIZE THAT.
LOOK FOR THE SWEET SPOT AND ACCENTUATE IT.
Best regards
Mads Aure
SAME TO YOU, MY YOUNG FRIEND!
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE NOT IN QUITE AS MYSTIFYING A FIX AS OUR PAL PAUL
HERE IS …
I had a problem this past weekend running sound at a bluegrass festival
that I'm not used to encountering – high end feedback between
songs, but not during songs.
THAT IS VERY BIZARRE, PAUL! I CONFESS I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A SIMILAR
PHENOMENON.
It is very subtle but it's there.
THOSE ARE SOME EXCELLENT EARS YOU’VE GOT THERE, SOUNDMAN!
ANY POSSIBILITY OF TOO MUCH SYSTEM COMPRESSION/LIMITING? SO IT CLAMPS
DOWN WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE PLAYING, BUT OPENS UP WHEN THEY STOP?
If I mute the instrument mics, it sounds fine.
THERE’S YOUR CULPRITS, THEN!
AN EXPERIENCED GUY LIKE YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE FREQUENCY THAT IS FEEDING
BACK, AND THEN NOTCH IT OUT OF EACH INSTRUMENT, OR GLOBALLY ON THE GRAPHIC.
SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Constant tweaking doesn't seem to do any good.
WELL, YOU KNOW, PAUL, ABUSING ILLEGAL STIMULANTS CAN BE PROBLEMATIC.
WHAT ARE YOU ON NOW, DAY THREE?
I HEARD THEY JUST BUSTED YOUR GIRLFRIEND DOWN AT THE 7-11, TRYING TO
BUY OUT THEIR ENTIRE STOCK OF SUDAFED AND DIMETAPP COLD PILLS.
BEHAVE YOURSELF, YOU MANIAC!
STICK WITH YOUR “FREEDOM SMOKE” – NOBODY EVER STARTED
HEARING VOICES, OR HAD THEIR TEETH FALL OUT, FROM TAKING A FEW HITS
ON THEIR OFFICIAL TOMMY
CHONG BONG.
HEY, I BET THOSE THINGS ARE COLLECTOR’S ITEMS NOW!
WHERE WAS I?
THAT’S RIGHT, YOUR FEEDBACK PROBLEM …
I'm using five SM58's for vocals, and five C1000’s for instruments.
Four 15”/1” wedges across the front.
OKAY, I DON’T MEAN ANY OFFENSE TO MR. AKG OR HIS RELATIVES, BUT
IN MY EXPERIENCE THE C1000
“SEES” EVERYTHING ON STAGE.
WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT, I USED TO USE THEM FOR DRUM OVERHEADS, UNTIL
I REALIZED THEY WERE ALSO FUNCTIONING AS GUITAR, BASS, AND WEDGES OVERHEADS.
THEIR WEBSITE CLAIMS THAT THEY SUPPLY A POLAR PATTERN CONVERTER TO MAKE
IT HYPERCARDIOID. I NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING, BUT IF YOU HAVE ONE,
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY USE IT.
And of course, everyone in the band used to play rock’n'roll,
so they want monitors that will rip their heads off.
THE AKG WEBSITE ALSO TALK ABOUT A PRESENCE BOOST ADAPTER, THAT ACCENTUATES
5 TO 9 K.
HEY, THOSE ARE SOME NICE FREQUENCIES TO JACK UP WHEN YOU ARE STANDING
IN FRONT OF A LOUD WEDGE!
AGAIN, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS DEVICE, BUT IF THERE IS ONE ON YOUR
MICS, I WOULD RECOMMEND REMOVING IT.
What do I need to do to fix this, besides shoot bluegrass musicians.
Thanks,
Paul
WELL, I’VE GIVEN YOU ALL THE SUGGESTIONS I CAN COME UP WITH. IF
THOSE DON’T WORK, YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK THE MAD CANINES OVER ON THE
L.A.B.
ONCE IN A WHILE, AS THEY PILE THEIR MANIC-OBSESSIVE SHITE HIGHER AND
DEEPER, A NUGGET OF INSPIRED TRUTH IS ACTUALLY UNCOVERED.
BUT NOT TOO OFTEN.
LUV -
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
