Music, Home Studio, Gigs, and Gear. Rockers Unite!

[Mendieta]

Here is an update to my music room (ex Living room). Notably:

• Santa brought my Son a bass. He is experimenting with it. His instrument is still the drums
• @crgildart helped me upgrade my son's drumset over the summer
• The piano is still there, but my daughter is also playing the sax now (starting, at elementary school)

Life is good!

 

[Bobalooski]

Santa got my son a nice bass amp. He's still primarily a drummer (like me) too!

 

[crgildart]

Broke the drums down Thanksgiving to make room for the holiday tree. Set them back up a couple weeks ago.. This time facing the wall. Got the PA set up to blast jam tunes through a couple stage monitors. Not doing anything with anyone at present.. We're all too busy for jam night but keeping the dust knocked off of them anyway.

 

[Bobalooski]

Broke the drums down Thanksgiving to make room for the holiday tree. Set them back up a couple weeks ago.. This time facing the wall. Got the PA set up to blast jam tunes through a couple stage monitors. Not doing anything with anyone at present.. We're all too busy for jam night but keeping the dust knocked off of them anyway.

You need a bigger kit...

 

[Plai]

You need a bigger kit...

Don't you mean a bigger cow bell?!?

 

[Mendieta]

Here is an update to my music room (ex Living room). Notably:

• Santa brought my Son a bass. He is experimenting with it. His instrument is still the drums
• @crgildart helped me upgrade my son's drumset over the summer
• The piano is still there, but my daughter is also playing the sax now (starting, at elementary school)

Arrghh, when looking at @crgildart 's minimalistic set up I realized I missed inserting my own pictures. I know did above!

Santa got my son a nice bass amp. He's still primarily a drummer (like me) too!

Nice, what did he get? I was thinking of buying some day the matching amp for the guitar tube amp in the picture (the Fender one). For now he is practicing with the smaller 8 inch combo Ibanez. It's a guitar one, solid state, but fine to get started.

You need a bigger kit...

 

[Bobalooski]

Got a 200w Fender Rumble combo.

 

[Mendieta]

Got a 200w Fender Rumble combo.

No kidding, I was thinking the same one, in 100w (mostly because the of the 12" driver, and it will look awesome with the guitar sibling, the Superchamp ...

 

[Bobalooski]

Rule of thumb for bass amps is 3x the guitar amp. The 100w would get drowned out above a 25w guitar amp. Plus a 100w will have trouble Being heard over the drummer.

 

[crgildart]

Rule of thumb for bass amps is 3x the guitar amp. The 100w would get drowned out above a 25w guitar amp. Plus a 100w will have trouble Being heard over the drummer.

That's where hot rods help out for home studios..

 

[Mendieta]

That's where hot rods help out for home studios..

I definitely want to stay friends with my neighbors! My amp (superchamp x2) is only 15W, and that's plenty. I never run the volumes higher than 30%, maybe 40%. And that's when we get loud. So, I'm thinking the 100W base one would save us some money and be plenty, but I would definitely research a lot before buying. Thx for the rule of thumb @Bobalooski ! Quite useful

 

[crgildart]

My PA does around 100 watts, have mikes but nobody here wants to sing so they are put up. Just use it for playing along to recorded stuff.. Bass amps are 50 and 15.. Guitar has a 30 watt Vamp and a Roland Micro Cube.. Just have Zoom for bass and distortion pedal for guitar.. old school..

Note the snow forecast on screen. My house is right in the middle!! Snow day and neighborhood skiing after work tonight!

Here's the PA and monitors.

 

[Bobalooski]

I definitely want to stay friends with my neighbors! My amp (superchamp x2) is only 15W, and that's plenty. I never run the volumes higher than 30%, maybe 40%. And that's when we get loud. So, I'm thinking the 100W base one would save us some money and be plenty, but I would definitely research a lot before buying. Thx for the rule of thumb @Bobalooski ! Quite useful

With a bass amp, it's more a matter of distortion than volume, really. The bass amp needs something called headroom, like with a stereo receiver, to deliver its instrument's sound clearly. Those bass sound levels, low E and all, are hard to reach. These amps all can be played at a very low volume but a good 500w, let's say, will also deliver it when played along side other amps and an amped drummer without distorting. Cost matters, for sure, but the value line - a personal consideration - should be measured as well. For my son, playing with a band whose guitarists use 50 or 70 ampers and a drummer who knows how to shade, the 200w, for what it's worth here, made sense, especially for lower volume venues when out gigging or at home practicing actually. But, of course, as they say...YMMV.

 

[crgildart]

Bass is meant to be FELT as much as heard.. That said, those low ends can be delivered at lower volumes and sup 100 watt rigs with the right effects rolled in. Just better to start with a more robust signal and real bass rig.

That threshold also shows when playing (listening to) recorded music.. There is a certain level/volume that is required before you can really hear the bass lines.. Much easier to hear vocals and guitar at lower volumes when listening to music..

 

[crgildart]

Don't you mean a bigger cow bell?!?

So a 4th cowbell bigger than the one over the Earth Ride?? Wouldn't that be a bit much? FWIW, most of the gigs I play are done with 5 piece and 3 cymbals, only ONE cowbell. Home kit is however much I can fit on the rug hahahaha..

 

[Bobalooski]

So a 4th cowbell bigger than the one over the Earth Ride?? Wouldn't that be a bit much? FWIW, most of the gigs I play are done with 5 piece and 3 cymbals, only ONE cowbell. Home kit is however much I can fit on the rug hahahaha..

What kind of music do you play?

 

[crgildart]

What kind of music do you play?

Played Zeppelin, Police, and Rush covers in the early 80s.. hard rock originals in one band and blues, LOTS of Steely Dan, Allman Brothers, Clapton, and southern rock in a different band late 80s through the 90s.. Gospel and Christian rock, including black Gospel in the 00s. Now just watching my kids learn and jamming along to classic rock and all of the above..

Couple of samples..



And an original..

 

[Mendieta]

Bass is meant to be FELT as much as heard.. That said, those low ends can be delivered at lower volumes and sup 100 watt rigs with the right effects rolled in. Just better to start with a more robust signal and real bass rig.

That threshold also shows when playing (listening to) recorded music.. There is a certain level/volume that is required before you can really hear the bass lines.. Much easier to hear vocals and guitar at lower volumes when listening to music..

How about tube vs solid state for bass? My understanding is that most bass players prefer solid state for all sorts of reasons, so it's really a few choosing tube amps for very specific reasons (related to the sweeter tone of a tube). Thanks for any info! (pinging @Bobalooski , too)

 

[Mendieta]

Any recommendations for a high quality drumstick set with different "gauges" ? This is for a wonderful kid who plays everything: rock, jazz, funk, classical music, tango, fusion, you name it So I am thinking: (a) high quality and (b) different sticks with different sensitivities. He does have a bunch: from "low volume" for home practice to everything through brushes. I am thinking something special. Many thanks for any ideas!

 

[crgildart]

Started up a dialogue with a neighbor and we're planning to start up some house jams after the Moderna Multivariant Boosters are out. Leen laying low but itching to play some music with other people again pretty soon.