Hi, it's Geoff Chalmers here from discoverdoublebass.com.
That's the home of video double bass lessons online.
So if you haven't been to see the website yet, you can go and check that out after this.
Now, today I'm continuing on with my series of real world gigging tips to help you get
set up on your gig in the right way.
What you should be looking out for, what you should do on the gig, and how you can handle
things like feedback and setting up your app and stuff.
I've got one here to demonstrate all of that for you, so let's get sticking to the details
now.
Well, my first tip for you is that when you get to the gig, set up on the hi-hat side
of the drummer, so the hi-hat is in between you and the drummer.
And as they're playing you will be able to clearly see what they're doing in terms of
the snare drum and you'll probably be able to see the bass drum as well, possibly their
feet.
But if you were to set up on the other side, the right cymbal is in between you, which
can kind of mask exactly what they are playing on the rest of the drum kit and it puts you
further away.
I like to be as close as possible so I can really hear what they are playing and lock
in with them.
The other thing you should bear in mind is that ideally you will be set back a little
bit so the drummer is able to see the keyboard player or the guitar player.
Usually, there will be another instrumentalist to your left if you're set back a little bit,
and if you're too far forward, then you will be obstructing their sight line.
Countless gigs I've been asked to move further back, and of course it's tricky because you
generally have the amplifier directly right behind you so you need quite a lot of space.
So I try to get in there early and get the amplifier right back so I can kind of position
myself between the drummer and usually the keyboard player or guitar player.
When you're not playing and you need to do something with the bass, you need to put it
down, it's a good idea to make sure that you've got room for that and there's a few different
options.
I just want to quickly highlight a few dangers with each.
If you put it against a corner, just make sure that you're not near any radiators.
That's of course really important.
But leaning it in a corner is a great solution if you've got access to one.
Leaning it on the floor or just laying it down is really good, but I would suggest retracting
the end pin, because as people are moving around the stage it's very easy for someone
to knock the end pin and then start the bass moving and potentially damage it.
It's also possible that people might knock over music stands.
That happens all the time.
And if your bass is on the floor, it's a potential problem.
So whilst I generally do just lay it on the floor, I try to keep an eye on it and make
sure there's no music stands that can be knocked or the end pin has been retracted so there's
less chance of damaging it.
Of course, you could always take a double bass stand.
It's just something extra to carry and it takes up more room on the stage.
So I generally don't bother.
But that's an option for you as well if you really want to make sure that your instrument
is out of harm's way.
Now, the bow, of course, is really fragile.
So you need to make sure that you're putting that in a case before you put it back into
a double bass case.
So effectively you're going to need something like this.
But they're just too fragile to leave out on the stage and don't leave them on your
music stand.
If you're not using your bow, put it back in the case.
I would really recommend that because they're expensive and really easy to damage.
Now, let's have a look at the amp itself and how you should be setting that up.
Speaker wise I've got a Euphonic Audio Wizzy M-Line cab, which has these side ports, and
it makes it really easy to hear.
I find that the sound is great and I use an Acoustic Image Clarus single channel amplifier
as well.
And I love both of these.
I've had them since 2008.
I think I bought both of them.
So yeah, terrific gear if you're looking for double bass amplification, Acoustic Image
or Euphonic Audio make great amps and cabs.
Now, there's a couple of things you need to bear in mind.
Usually I'd have the amp directly behind me and I generally have my amp on the floor.
There's a handle at the bottom of the cab, which pulls out and angles the whole thing
back.
So I like that as it sort of directs it a little bit more towards me and it also reduces
any boominess that you might get from the amplifier being in direct contact with the
stage, particularly hollow stages.
They can become quite boomy.
It's also worth bearing in mind that if you're in a corner, that will probably be acting
as a natural amplifier anyway, so just go easy on the volume.
And if you're struggling to hear yourself, shove it on a bigger crate, put it on a chair,
and have it directly behind you, and that way it will be closer to your ear and you
will be able to better hear the sound, as well as hopefully reducing any of the boom
that you would have if it would be in contact with the floor.
Now amplifier wise, I always set my EQ completely flat, but it's going to depend on what your
bass naturally sounds like with the pickup.
I use a Fishman Full Circle pickup and I'm really happy with the natural acoustic sound.
I'll only take stuff away if there's an issue.
So if there was a really boomy sound or too bassy or something, I might reduce the low
end or possibly reduce the mid if it sounded a bit nasal perhaps.
I might turn the mid down.
But generally I leave the EQ flat, but there is one switch that is amazing for sorting
out feedback that you need to know about, and this is a high pass filter, which is also
known as a low cut filter.
And essentially what it will do is remove the extreme low-end frequencies.
So below the E string, notes that you're not going to or pitches or frequencies you're
not using anyway, and it will just tighten up the sound of the bass and essentially make
it less boomy.
Now, I'll always start with it off, but if the room that I'm working in is too boomy
or I'm struggling to hear the bass clearly, I will use this high pass or low cut filter.
I also have a pre-amp.
It's an HPF, I think, I will put a note on the screen, while I use while I'm using a
borrowed amplifier as well because this is so important to me and for cutting [SP] feedback
is absolutely essential.
Well I hope that's helped you and if you have any tips of your own, any suggestions about
how to set up on a gig that I haven't covered, please join the conversation and leave a comment
below this video.
It would be great to hear your thoughts.
Keep practicing hard.
I'll see you next time.