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Saggy stage / Bad sound


Bottomgottem

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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
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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!

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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]

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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
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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
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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
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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.

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

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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?
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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. :idea::mad:

 

 

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.

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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
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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
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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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