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As bassists, one of our greatest challenges is to get the sound we hear inside us out into the real world. We sit for hours tweaking EQ until our sound is just right. Then, we hit the stage in a real, live venue and BAM!, the EQ Demon makes the bass rig sound like the World's Largest Ball of Mud. So, what happened?

What happened is that the room - and perhaps the stage - have their own idiosyncrasies. See all that carpet and those curtains behind the stage? They suck up highs. Or the wall of mirrors left over from the club's days as a "gentlemen's club" reflect the highs so well that's all you hear. Or the stage is flimsy and turns into a subsonic maximizer and all you hear is rumble.

Do any of these sound familiar? If so, you've already found yourself in a situation in which EQ-Man could have saved the day. Keep reading and you'll learn how You Yourownself can become a sonic superhero, able to fix even the weirdest room anomalies with the click of a knob.

The ability to select a frequency band to massage helps immensely when dialing in a room. The following steps are based on my experience with Eden's original EQ system, which features 3 semi-parametric control sets (plus Bass & Treble controls). However, they'll work with any amplifier that has semi-parametric EQ. Even with standard EQ (no frequency adjustment) you can do wonders if you know what to do. Here's how:

1. As you're loading in, take the time to check out the stage and the main room. Make a mental note of anything that might affect your sound.

2. Set your rig up as you normally would; turn everything on and make sure it's all working properly.

3. Using the longest cord you have, step well away from your rig. If possible, step out into the main room so you can hear your sound out where others will hear it.

4. While playing, ask yourself, "Self, what's different about my sound?" You may notice that the bottom sounds bigger (or smaller) than normal, or that all your highs are gone, or there's a weird honk in the mids.

5. Now that you know where the problems are, return to your amp and prepare to twiddle knobs - but with a mission in mind.

6. Determine which frequency band affected by the room, then the corresponding control set. Rotate the frequency knob to the approximate frequency. If the problem is too much of that frequency, boost the level to at least 3:00 (on a clock face, that's straight out to the right).

7. While playing, rotate the frequency knob until you find the problem area. Because you are emphasizing the problem (by boosting) the offending frequency will jump right out as you pass through it. Once you've found the offending frequency, you can then return the level to FLAT and cut from there until you've tamed the wild band.

8. If the problem is not enough of a frequency band, reverse the process and cut that range by setting the level control to 9:00 (straight out left) before searching for the problem area. Again, the problem area will fairly scream out at you when you cross through the affected frequency band.

Here's a shot of the Frequency Adjust knobs on an Eden amplifier. Notive how the bands overlap,
which helps when dealing with two frequencies that are very close together. The smaller numbers
were added using PhotoShop to make it easier for new users to know where to set the controls.
Edenite Stuart Holme (known as UnstoppableBassMonolith on our forum) created this graphic for
use on the Eden web site. Thanks, bro!

The secret is to overemphasize the problem band. Too much means you boost before searching. Too little means you cut first, then search. While it may seem counterintuitive, this system really does work better than the its opposite. Once you've done it a few times, you'll be able to dial in almost any room within a minute or two.

If you're like me, and have played the same clubs numerous times, you can save yourself some headaches by making note of the settings for any particular room in your journal. (You do keep a work journal, right? RIGHT?!?!) Then, next time you play that room, you can refer to your notes and re-set your EQ. You may still need to do some minor massaging, but at least you'll be much closer to perfect if you can easily recreate the EQ settings from your last visit.

One last thing to think about: Bass Coupling. In this context, I'm talking about how flat surfaces increase the amount of bass apparent in the room. Every flat surface - floor, back wall, side wall - adds 3dB of volume to the low end. Set your cabinet directly on the floor, and you add 3dB. Shove it right up against the back wall and get another 3dB. Wedge it into the side wall and add yet another 3dB. You can see how easy it can be to overemphasize the low end.

So, if you notice the low end is overly-monstrous, see if you can move your rig instead of EQ-ing. You can tame your low end simply by pulling the cabinet away from the back wall, or by setting your cabinet on a stand or crate. Conversely, if the low end is weak and puny, try moving the cabinet closer to the wall(s), or take the wheels off so that it sits directly on the floor.

There you have it, fellow Thumpers - a quick and easy way to dial your rig into any room. With a little practice, your friends and admirers will soon be calling you EQ-Man. Well, probably not. But your band mates might stop complaining about the bass tone. And that in and of itself is a Very Good Thing.

Until next time,

Aim High. Play Low.™

Lane on Bass