Axe fx for downtuned bass G#

Hey all, just wondering if anyone can offer insight in creating tones for bass downtuned to G#. I use a light pick and it's a big low string, .158 i think and it always has a stiffness to it. I find it difficult to get something clear but still full and "squishy". Using a dingwall ng2. Other strings sound fine and tonally consistent but the big string is always a struggle. Have been using axe fx 2 and 3 since 2013 so know my way around it but have never been super satisfied with the bass tones i get. Guitar sounds great through a real amp.

Generally aiming for a Nolly type distorted tone using 2 amps in separate lines, one clean di type tone and then blending a high gain guitar amp. Sat down to try to make a single line clean tone tonight and was getting annoyed with that too. Tried the sv amps, clean guitar amps, bass cab, no cab.

Is it the same old story of going for an amp in the room instead of a recorded tone?
 
Well, dumb question since you say it sounds great through a real amp, but is the pickup height an issue for the low string?

I would recommend watching this:



I'm not sure if you've seen this video or not, but this might help you blend your sounds a bit better to clean up the sound?


Another tip would be to monitor the output level and make sure your low string isn't clipping the sound/going into the red (especially during muting)
 
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Hey all, just wondering if anyone can offer insight in creating tones for bass downtuned to G#. I use a light pick and it's a big low string, .158 i think and it always has a stiffness to it. I find it difficult to get something clear but still full and "squishy". Using a dingwall ng2. Other strings sound fine and tonally consistent but the big string is always a struggle. Have been using axe fx 2 and 3 since 2013 so know my way around it but have never been super satisfied with the bass tones i get. Guitar sounds great through a real amp.

Generally aiming for a Nolly type distorted tone using 2 amps in separate lines, one clean di type tone and then blending a high gain guitar amp. Sat down to try to make a single line clean tone tonight and was getting annoyed with that too. Tried the sv amps, clean guitar amps, bass cab, no cab.

Is it the same old story of going for an amp in the room instead of a recorded tone?
Did you try this?
Post in thread 'Dr Bonkers' Guide to Using Fractal Axe-FX 3 for Bass' https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...fractal-axe-fx-3-for-bass.172532/post-2085044

What are using as monitors?

What is your monitoring room like in an acoustic sense?

Remember, to reproduce one full wavelength of that note with no cancellations (provided that your monitoring can reproduce the fundamental of the note at 26 Hz and not just the harmonics), your room would need to be 43.5344 ft long. So if the note doesn't seem as full, the first question to ask is: if you record the note and listen to it in other rooms with other capable monitors (ideally with a large subwoofer), do you still hear the same lack of fullness?

If it sounds great through a real amp in the same room, what are differences between your Fractal system monitoring and your amp's cab in terms of the low frequency handling?
 
Curious what real amp and cab you're using? I've had no luck with a low F#. I have an SVT and 800rb with either a SVT810 or pair of Bag End S15s.

The normal strings all sound fine but the low F# is barely audible. I basically gave up.
 
Curious what real amp and cab you're using? I've had no luck with a low F#. I have an SVT and 800rb with either a SVT810 or pair of Bag End S15s.

The normal strings all sound fine but the low F# is barely audible. I basically gave up.
Are you saying you're tuning down almost an octave on your bass guitar?
 
Did you try this?
Post in thread 'Dr Bonkers' Guide to Using Fractal Axe-FX 3 for Bass' https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...fractal-axe-fx-3-for-bass.172532/post-2085044

What are using as monitors?

What is your monitoring room like in an acoustic sense?

Remember, to reproduce one full wavelength of that note with no cancellations (provided that your monitoring can reproduce the fundamental of the note at 26 Hz and not just the harmonics), your room would need to be 43.5344 ft long. So if the note doesn't seem as full, the first question to ask is: if you record the note and listen to it in other rooms with other capable monitors (ideally with a large subwoofer), do you still hear the same lack of fullness?

If it sounds great through a real amp in the same room, what are differences between your Fractal system monitoring and your amp's cab in terms of the low frequency handling?
The doc is right on. For low bass the monitoring system is often the real limitation. Normal monitors (regardless of specs . . hahah) don't really reach down that low. You need a real sub for that domain.

The amp probably has speakers that are designed to generate tones that low. I'll bet your monitoring system is shitting itself try to reproduce a 25.96Hz signal if you're tuning down to G# (G0). My Mackie 8's would just puke all over my monitoring desk if I even tried.

Get a keyboard or a midi synth and generate some tones at the same frequencies without overtones - create a pure sine wave at 25 hertz or so. See if it sounds muffled or quieter . . . if so you'll know it's your room or your speakers. And it's most likely your speakers.
 
I went down this rabbit hole too .... its deep and depressing but Ill share what I made.

This is my replica of Nollys rig in his 2013 bass rig video. I am also using a REAL B7K before the split like he does. If you dont have a b7k then try the precision drive model as a boost instead. The B7K in the axefx is broken and terrible - never use it.

Replace my Out3->In3 blocks with a precision drive and you should be good to go. You can edit the levels with the mixer or the individual amps.
Nolly.png

I think Ive gotten pretty close to the video tone.
 

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  • Nolly Bass.syx
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I went through a hellish period of trying to get the lowest string on my 5-string Warwick to ring as clear as the rest of them. The second I’d tune that thing down, I’d just get this overwhelming fundamental tone on any note played below the 5th fret. I went through $400 in bass strings in one month trying to resolve it. I’ll never try tuning a 34” 5-string down again. I’m surprised this is an issue with the NG-2, but I’m guessing your G# is maybe a bit too thick.

IMO, if you can‘t get the bass sounding killer across all strings using a very basic bass, tone, I’d investigate the string gauge of your G# until you found something that was already doing what you wanted instead of trying to dial something in/out to get around it. Ultimately, I realized my issue was my bass itself. It sounds GREAT with lighter strings in standard tuning, but absolute crap the second I tuned it down. My two main basses now are my Spector Pulse in CGCG and a Peavey Millenium 5-string down a whole step, then I just use the Virtual Capo to change tunings.

Good luck, mang!
 
Are you saying you're tuning down almost an octave on your bass guitar?
I have one six string with a low B and low F#, but the low F# is basically useless with the current setup/amps.

I've been considering getting a short scale six string bass and tuning it up so that the lowest string is F# in unison with my 8-string guitars, but haven't gotten around to it.
 
I have one six string with a low B and low F#, but the low F# is basically useless with the current setup/amps.

I've been considering getting a short scale six string bass and tuning it up so that the lowest string is F# in unison with my 8-string guitars, but haven't gotten around to it.
Huh, I didn't realise people were going that low. Having said that, my 7 string is tuned to drop G# so I'm not sure why I was so surprised. I guess, I was thinking more of a 4 string bass going down pretty much a full octave, which kinda blew my mind a bit, rather than an extended range instrument going lower, but nonetheless, I was sort of of the impression that things like 8 string guitars ended up playing in unison with the Bass (as you describe), rather than the bass going lower.

Interesting!
 
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Well, dumb question since you say it sounds great through a real amp, but is the pickup height an issue for the low string?

I would recommend watching this:



I'm not sure if you've seen this video or not, but this might help you blend your sounds a bit better to clean up the sound?


Another tip would be to monitor the output level and make sure your low string isn't clipping the sound/going into the red (especially during muting)

No, i hadn't seen that one. Not sure how i missed it. I haven't been using a crossover, had been separately processing the whole signal for clean/DI and then using a filter to remove the bottom end of the guitar amp distorted line. Will check this out though, thanks
 
Did you try this?
Post in thread 'Dr Bonkers' Guide to Using Fractal Axe-FX 3 for Bass' https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...fractal-axe-fx-3-for-bass.172532/post-2085044

What are using as monitors?

What is your monitoring room like in an acoustic sense?

Remember, to reproduce one full wavelength of that note with no cancellations (provided that your monitoring can reproduce the fundamental of the note at 26 Hz and not just the harmonics), your room would need to be 43.5344 ft long. So if the note doesn't seem as full, the first question to ask is: if you record the note and listen to it in other rooms with other capable monitors (ideally with a large subwoofer), do you still hear the same lack of fullness?

If it sounds great through a real amp in the same room, what are differences between your Fractal system monitoring and your amp's cab in terms of the low frequency handling?
No i haven't. Will have a look when i get home.

Monitoring is a pair of rokit 8s that i've been using for years but the amp is an ashdown abm500 with 8x10 cab. I've been through this a few times and now that you mention it, the monitoring is probably most of the problem. I started looking at better monitors a yr or so ago but was too tight to shell out for what i wanted.
 
Oh I forgot - Nolly says he uses a standard .130 for F# now as it sounds tighter to him.
A .130 for f#!? Someone mentioned the dominant fundamental and that it what it sounds like - very wooden and not stiff. I tried tuning my .158 down to f just to see if it was a tension problem as i'm not a bass player and lack perspective but it sounded terrible. Isn't .140 not far off a standard B?
 
I went down this rabbit hole too .... its deep and depressing but Ill share what I made.

This is my replica of Nollys rig in his 2013 bass rig video. I am also using a REAL B7K before the split like he does. If you dont have a b7k then try the precision drive model as a boost instead. The B7K in the axefx is broken and terrible - never use it.

Replace my Out3->In3 blocks with a precision drive and you should be good to go. You can edit the levels with the mixer or the individual amps.
View attachment 91707

I think Ive gotten pretty close to the video tone.

Thanks man, i'll check it out
 
No i haven't. Will have a look when i get home.

Monitoring is a pair of rokit 8s that i've been using for years but the amp is an ashdown abm500 with 8x10 cab. I've been through this a few times and now that you mention it, the monitoring is probably most of the problem. I started looking at better monitors a yr or so ago but was too tight to shell out for what i wanted.
The Rockit 8's are too shallow in the deep bass range to produce the fundamental or closer frequencies to that fundamental that you hear when playing with the Ashdown 8x10.

Perhaps getting the KrK subwoofer would help.

The Fractal can definitely produce that note with power and girth using the appropriate IR and monitoring that can produce frequencies in that range.
 
A .130 for f#!? Someone mentioned the dominant fundamental and that it what it sounds like - very wooden and not stiff. I tried tuning my .158 down to f just to see if it was a tension problem as i'm not a bass player and lack perspective but it sounded terrible. Isn't .140 not far off a standard B?
Check out the dingwall interview he did hes in the studio and mentioned it
 
The Rockit 8's are too shallow in the deep bass range to produce the fundamental or closer frequencies to that fundamental that you hear when playing with the Ashdown 8x10.

Perhaps getting the KrK subwoofer would help.

The Fractal can definitely produce that note with power and girth using the appropriate IR and monitoring that can produce frequencies in that range.
What low frequency is required to reproduce a low G#? I've done nothing with bass traps or treatment
 
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