Chris McKinley
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2006
- Messages
- 568
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Keep in mind that what you can do in the studio is much different than the far more limited options you have playing live. That same thin but razor-sharp tone on MoP will virtually disappear live if EQ'd the same way, no matter what amp your using. It has to do with frequency dominance.
There's only so much sonic space to be had within the range of human hearing, and with several noise-making devices on stage competing, you've got to know your competition if you want to carve out your own spot and be heard.
Kick drums and low bass guitar are going to rule the range from about 60 - 150Hz. They can't help it; that's where their signal is strongest. The guitar's strongest range is between 80Hz to around 5kHz, with a noticeable peak between 500Hz and 3kHz. That makes the guitar a midrange instrument. Sorry, guys. I like crushing bass thump in my palm mutes, too, but on stage, that can't be the mainstay of my sound.
That also means that I'm sabotaging myself if I start cutting out the mids live. The "meat" of my sound will be gone, and all I'll have left are lows that have to compete with bass and kick drums and highs that are competing with vocals and cymbals.
All of this is why roadies and sound guys consistently report that that really great cutting sound that the guitarist had on stage live with the band sounded bass-less and a bit shrill when heard by itself in the sound check. It's okay to keep some low bass for percussive thump in your live sound, but for Recto guys especially, try substituting back in some mids in trade for some of that shrill Recto presence next time and see what that does for getting you to cut through the mix.
There's only so much sonic space to be had within the range of human hearing, and with several noise-making devices on stage competing, you've got to know your competition if you want to carve out your own spot and be heard.
Kick drums and low bass guitar are going to rule the range from about 60 - 150Hz. They can't help it; that's where their signal is strongest. The guitar's strongest range is between 80Hz to around 5kHz, with a noticeable peak between 500Hz and 3kHz. That makes the guitar a midrange instrument. Sorry, guys. I like crushing bass thump in my palm mutes, too, but on stage, that can't be the mainstay of my sound.
That also means that I'm sabotaging myself if I start cutting out the mids live. The "meat" of my sound will be gone, and all I'll have left are lows that have to compete with bass and kick drums and highs that are competing with vocals and cymbals.
All of this is why roadies and sound guys consistently report that that really great cutting sound that the guitarist had on stage live with the band sounded bass-less and a bit shrill when heard by itself in the sound check. It's okay to keep some low bass for percussive thump in your live sound, but for Recto guys especially, try substituting back in some mids in trade for some of that shrill Recto presence next time and see what that does for getting you to cut through the mix.