Bottomgottem Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 One of my bands has picked up a fairly regular gig at a bar with a very poorly built stage. The stage is very small; about 8' x 6'. It appears to have been built with nothing but a center support and the outside framework under its sub-flooring. As a result, the stage is very hollow and bouncy. And my bass sounds like crap on it! Pretty much every note below the C blooms and swells and everything above that sounds dead in comparison. I cannot seem to EQ the problem away. I have to believe that the hollow floor is causing the trouble. I have seen other groups play there and have caught hints of the same problem. My bottom cab. is a 1x15 that sits directly on the floor with no castors or feet to speak of. Setting my rig off the stage is not an option. Neither is boosting my signal to the mains and turning down the stage sound. We are working with a particularly bad house P.A. at this venue. I am considering building a short riser (think table with really short legs) to isolate my cab's. contact with the floor as much as possible. This is the only solution that I can think of and would very much appreciate any input I can get on the matter. Thanks My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamy ALB Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Take a walk way out front when you are playing or get somebody else to play your bass while you FOH. The sound may be perfect out front, I have found this in some of the box's I have played in. Putting the cab on some sort of rise should help and also keep the cab out of any corners, maybe try moving it somewhere different on the stage. Lastly if your amp is just your monitor try pulling the bass back on the eq. Good luck! http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Bitter/185235472447 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Gollihur Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Isolation is a good thing, the Auralex Gramma http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_gramma/sound_isolation_gramma.asp was designed for this function, they go for around $50 retail. You can consider using other methods or materials to isolate the cab from the stage. 1000 Upright Bass Links, Luthier Directory, Teacher Directory - http://www.gollihurmusic.com/links.cfm [highlight] - Life is too short for bad tone - [/highlight] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATM Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 I'm thinking that building a riser will not help unless you can put a buffer somewhere between the amp the the "stage." Just a riser will still transfer the soundwaves down into the stage. ATM http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/atmofmn/Bass/DeepThoughtsBS.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted September 29, 2005 Author Share Posted September 29, 2005 SeamyD: Tried that very thing. The effect was not as harsh at the back, but it was still there. Bob: The Auralex Gramma looks like it may be a serious possibility. This solution will also lessen the chance that I will lose a finger or two at the table saw. I did not know that these things existed. Thanks for the tip. ATM: I suspect that you are right. Being the top-notch designer that I am , my plans should probably include some kind of foam or rubber to cover the top of the riser, and rubber feet underneath. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 You could build some sort of hover machine to make your cabs float on a pillow of air. That would help. Of course the Auralex would probably be a bit cheaper and easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MvW Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 another vote for the Gramma pad...it's light and very effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Gramma. Yup. Good stuff. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted September 30, 2005 Author Share Posted September 30, 2005 Davio, this little fellow was in the crowd and he managed to levitate my rig for the last two sets, thus solving the problem. Then he used some kind of mind trick on me and charged me $150 for his services (materialistic little frog). The force was strong with that one. http://web.mit.edu/course/21/21w765j/Spring98/eliza/Yoda/yoda-arm.jpg My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOWBOY Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 might i suggest the traditional low buck standby before you buy or build a riser try parking your gear ontop of one or two of these handy multi-pourpose objects http://www.amazingrecycled.com/arp00614.jpg MILK CRATES strong light and just the right height milk it does a bassplayer good http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v736/LOWBOY/goth-T.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATM Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Man, I can only imagine what that would do to my playing... http://prodtn.cafepress.com/4/27437594_F_tn.jpghttp://prodtn.cafepress.com/4/27437594_B_tn.jpg ATM http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/atmofmn/Bass/DeepThoughtsBS.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Bottom, you're my hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Get a truckload of sand and fill in the space underneath the stage. That will help a lot. Good luck at getting permission to do this from the owner of the club. But you could threaten to get an OHSA inspector in there because you are in a dangerous situation on a flimsy stage. Maybe that will get results. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Originally posted by jeremy c: But you could threaten to get an OHSA inspector in there because you are in a dangerous situation on a flimsy stage. Maybe that will get results. Yes, but those results might be not getting asked back to that club... Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Originally posted by wraub: Originally posted by jeremy c: But you could threaten to get an OHSA inspector in there because you are in a dangerous situation on a flimsy stage. Maybe that will get results. Yes, but those results might be not getting asked back to that club... Peace, wraub And would that be a bad thing? Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 I don't know. What's the guarantee? Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DONUT Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 A club here in Duluth remodeled some time ago and built a beautiful new addition complete with a really nice dance floor and a stage....................built over an empty swimming pool. I use a keyboard stand for my cabs and my amp goes underneath on the floor. A Gamma would be cool. Anything that keeps the vibration from the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted September 30, 2005 Author Share Posted September 30, 2005 Hey, Jeremy, you are on to something there. The building and safety inspectors around here are pit bulls when it comes to stuff like this. The thought of me falling through that stage has crossed my mind from time to time. However... Wraub, the guarantee is one of the more attractive aspects of this gig. And since my drummer and guitar player are pros and I am but a sniveling weekend warrior, I had better not do anything to jeopardize the cash. The playing for pay situation in this area can get pretty dismal, especially in the winter. I will approach the manager with this issue, though, and talk to some of the other (or fatter) musicians who work there and see if they will back me up on this. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted September 30, 2005 Author Share Posted September 30, 2005 Originally posted by LOWBOY: might i suggest the traditional low buck standby before you buy or build a riser try parking your gear ontop of one or two of these handy multi-pourpose objects http://www.amazingrecycled.com/arp00614.jpg But then I won't have a coffee table! My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2112 Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 I have put the Auralex Gramma into use for just this situation have the guitarist get them too! Might I sugest the Hover deck also from Auralex for your drummer. Open the pod bay doors HAL! This my stupid web site. http://home.comcast.net/~mark2112/ Can we just be on Central Daylight saving time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlrush Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Hey Bottom, Why not try a scrap of carpet. That would surely deaden the box you're playing on top of. Maybe even two layers. Carpet stores, or paint stores that sell carpet sometimes have scraps that the installers bring back. Jim Visit my band's new web site. www.themojoroots.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlrush Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 BTW, if you try this route, don't ask the people in the front of the store. Most of the time they'll just tell you no. Pull up to the back of the store and look for the guy who does the actual cutting. He's the one who will help you. Visit my band's new web site. www.themojoroots.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisOfDoom Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Go buy yourself an Ampeg SVT-CL/810 rig. Put the cab face down the stage. Turn the volume to 11. Play "Iron Man". After the stage collapses, they'll probably build a new one. -Chris Hobo Libido on MySpace Bipolar Express on MySpace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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