Hi folks, I’ve been having some trouble with the live sound of the BB. When I go out of the mono to a DI box or even straight in to my mixer, the sound lacks punch. there’s lots of high mids and highs, but not much “meat and potatoes” as one sound guy put it recently. He had to boost the low mids and lows to get a nice fat sound.
Has anyone else had this trouble?
Others have complained, and I do also, of the boominess of the toms, but that’s been solved through velocity changes or volume changes. I’m specifically talking about the over-all eq of the pedal.
Is there any way to change the eq on the output stage of the pedal? has anyone else noticed anything like this?
This is not currently possible in the current software version. Though, you can manually edit the WAV files from the drumsets you wish and then manually replace them through the BBManager. This process is not yet automated.
Yes I agree it would be possible to fix this by eqing each individual sample but that would be a pain in the butt. I’ll probably try purchasing a multi-band EQ pedal to put after the BB to give it some umph. At first I thought it was just the sound guy who didn’t know what he was doing, but recently I played in a location with a pretty good sound guy and he specifically told me that the signal was lacking a lot of bass and low mids. when he brought those up, it sounded much better. And, in my own PA there is much less bass and low mids that I would expect. My acoustic guitar has more bottom end than the BB through my own system. So, we’ll try an eq to simplify things with the sound guy.
Does it not sound the same as in all the demos? Tons of people have commented on the quality of the samples and sound. I have had to cut the lows on mine when playing live, to dull the “boominess”, each to there own, I guess everyone has there own tastes.
Psalm40, I totally agree. I’ve read the posts on the boominess, and I agree that, through headphones, the toms are way boomy. but the low end, kick drum ETC isn’t really pronounced.
Now, this may have something to do with the fact that I’ve always run it mono out.
Some time in the next couple of days I’m going to run some tests, running in stereo through my PA and comparing against some other sounds such as commercial recordings just to see how things compair.
IMHO, the EQ should be done in the sound system (assuming you have no issues with the wav files of the drums). But most PAs don’t have the low end freq response for drums which can be down to 35hz. For loud low end response you need lots of amp power (1000s watts) and huge subwoofers. I can’t afford it or carry it. I would choose an Aphex Aural Exciter over multiband EQ if you want a small PA to achieve the low end of a huge system. The Aphex can give the big bottom that is missing in small systems without requiring big watts and big speakers and enhances aural clarity. I use an older Aphex 204 and 3 Behringer B212D biamped speakers for 1650 watts. There low end cutoff is 65hz. The Aphex adjusts in the needed low end and enhances the high end clarity. My BB drum kits have lowered tom volume. Drum forum: “kick drum emphasis on nearly every rock recording is artificially produced through EQ and compression, so the final spectra of the kick drum is left to the discretion of the producer”. And if you’ve been to a big concert, they don’t mic the drums out through two 10" speakers with 300 watts.
“…as one sound guy put it recently. He had to boost the low mids and lows to get a nice fat sound.” Sounds like the sound guy was doing his job. The signal leaving the BB is pretty neutral, lending itself to further processing, should it be desired, but it’s certainly not required in all situations.
Well, the thing that really prompted me to write is that I was playing through a mid-sized festival PA. I don’t know the particulars, but lots of power, subs, and stacked mains. On other nights they were hosting loud multi-piece rock bands.
but when we plugged in the BB (I told them it was a drum machine) it sounded thin and wimpy! On one night the sound tech commented on it and, after some tweaking, he was able to eq in some lower spectrum.
In other situations I haven’t had good sound professionals, and, on my little solo gigs, (2 ported 10’s two-ways, but I have 500 watts THANKYOU!) I don’t expect it to sound huge, but I crank up the low end on the BB channel and it’s passable, but not great.
Read up on the Aphex optical big bottom and see if it interests you. It’ll do the job of the BBE as well. You might pick up a used Aphex 204. My disclaimer was “assuming you have no issues with the wav files of the drums”. I don’t know of any issues with GG wavs but I haven’t had them on a big system. I haven’t done BB on PA system outside either.[SIZE=4] If you get another chance on the big system again have a non GG drum set on the BB for comparison . Also would be interesting to try some compression.[/SIZE]
Actually, I did have another set, Analog Drums split sticks. It wasn’t any better.
I’ll try all of those options. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll get back to this event this year. It’s a local holiday festival which ends on Sunday, and I doubt I’ll have to fill in before then, but, one never knows.
I ran a spectrum analysis straight from the WAV file on the BB kick in the brushes set, it has a major component at 50hz. The standard set kick at 55hz. I compared the wav files playing from BB MGR with the output from the BB pedal. No freq losses that I could see. When I get the time I’ll set up a condenser mic and look at the spectrum for the kick out of my speakers which have a low freq cutoff at 65HZ.
Interesting topic, I’m wondering if the cheapo guitar cable I’m using to hook up the BB to the mixer isn’t having a negative effect on the quality of the sound. Maybe some of the specialized cables from Monster would be beneficial, like the one that intended for a bass guitar http://www.monsterproducts.com/Monster_Bass_Instrument_Cable.
My rule of thumb is don’t get the cheapest and don’t get the highest priced. If you have a low end cable this should help. I didn’t find any freq specs on it just now. I was wondering about this bass cables hi frequency capabilities.
I hear ya, I’ve looked at their very very expensive guitar cables and wondered “really?” In theory what they’re describing makes sense from what little I know of signal handling, but show me a spectrum analysis guys…
I’m currently setting up my BB for live use. I will run both outputs of BB and they will run through both an EQ and compressor. In my initial assessment, I don’t think I would attempt live play without being able to EQ and compress the sound. I’ve used EQ and compression on the BB in the studio and it’s a HUGE help.
I believe in using Compression & EQ on both counts but I have a great sound with my BB wired at the end of my Pedalboard chain. I come through the main part of my pedalboard with my guitar signal using compression, EQ, Sonic Maximizer to get a split signal (one side dry, the other thru the BBE) and then direct into the BB, then on to my looper and then to the final Alesis Multi 4 mixer. This all feeds into a Kustom 72 Coupe All Tube Amp (72Watts clean) and the other side into a Fender Deville 212 All Tube Amp. (Clean) I have a little “Cheater Box” between the Looper & Alesis Mixer that I use to actually antennuate the BB through a Volume/Tone Circuit. The Volume cuts the “High Output” from the Pedal and the Tone Controls cut the “Hard Crash” from the Cymbals. The "Lows including the Bass Drum come through at just the right Volume with no “Boominess” and the Highs really sound great slightly attenuated with the “Cheater Box”. This sound works out great for me and is very full through both “High End” amps at any volume. The amps are “Awesome” together and the BB just sounds great through the whole system. Couldn’t ask for a better combination and I am really critical about my sound. The Volume and Tone are both set at about 40% and the sound is very smooth and even. Of course, the guitar is lower in volume as well which I generally boost a little bit with a Compression Pedal or BBE Boosta Grande. I have about 3 Delays along the way with overdrive & distortion if I want to use them and that’s all ahead of the BB. Having a ball with mine with all the new upgrades. I guess I am lucky with just the right combination with no hum and a good sound. Good luck to all of you on your conquest. I have acquired mine and Lovin’ it. Thanks again David Pakouz.
Sincerely, Fingerstylepicker.
but that would be a pain in the butt. I’ll probably try purchasing a multi-band EQ pedal to put after the BB to give it some umph. At first I thought it was just the sound guy who didn’t know what he was doing, but recently I played in a location with a pretty good sound guy and he specifically told me that the signal was lacking a lot of bass and low mids. when he brought those up, it sounded much better. And, in my own PA there is much less bass and low mids that I would expect. My acoustic guitar has more bottom end than the BB through my own system. So, we’ll try an eq to simplify things with the sound guy.
I don’t expect it to sound huge, but I crank up the low end on the BB channel and it’s passable, but not great.