What is this bass phenomenon called?

lungimsam

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My Starfire isn't the only one this happens on. So I don't think it is the bass.

Here it is:
You are playing with in-ears, triple drivers at home or on stage, and all the notes are discernable and clear, and then all the sudden you hear the note being played, but you cannot hear what note it is?

I find this maddening when playing with in ears. I know I am playing the right note, but the note sounds wrong or cannot be discerned by the ear at all. It is almost like a weird wave cancelling phenomenon. But instead of the note going away, it sound like no note. A "no-note" but the bass sound is there. But you are fingering the correct note. Pups and bass set up is correct. Pups not too close or too far.

Making the bass and the mix as bright as possible helps, but it still happens from time to time.

Anyone know what this is called and how to stop it from happening? It can happen when playing with an amp live, too.
 

mellowgerman

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I've had plenty of experience with not being able to hear myself, or having certain notes be "boomy" depending on the space/room I am playing in, but I'm not sure if I've experienced what you're describing.
However, a long-winded, nostalgic story from my past, which may or may not be relevant, comes to mind...
Some years ago I lived with a couple of band-mates in a house owned by the guitarist's father, Marty, who also lived there. He was a long-time bassist and audiophile. He knew an incredible amount about sound, electronics, speakers, etc. and I learned a ton from him; we would often have long conversations over gin and tonics about amps, pickups, and everything that goes along with it. At one point, the drummer of the band he played in got an electronic drum kit. It was easier to carry around and hypothetically easier to blend in a mix. Pretty quickly though it became apparent that depending on how the electronic tom drums were tuned/configured, they would do some wacky frequency-cancellation warble thing whenever Marty would play the same pitch on his bass.
Does your drummer by chance play an electric set? Or maybe a similar thing is occurring with an electric keyboard in the band?
 

lungimsam

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Thanks, Mellow

It happens with any combo and also when I play alone. Earbuds with LiveMix , studio phones, or amp.

One time, I was in a music store once trying out a bass and even that one had it real bad. Another time, doing same, no prob.

Flatwounds. Rounds. Doesn’t matter if new or old strings. Brand doesn’t matter. Set doesn’t matter.

Hope nothing is wrong with my ears. I don’t think there is. Hearing checked out fine last time checked and “no-note” happens less these last couple years.
 

Nuuska

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Hello

Interesting subject - how about standing waves in the room - but that does not explain it with earbuds . . .
 

mellowgerman

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Does it happen when you listen to recordings of isolated/solo'd bass too? Or is it typically only when you yourself are playing?
 

Nuuska

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Hello

More wild guesses - first let me ask more questions.

- are you always wearing the in-ears?
- how loud are you playing, when amplified?
- is it always same note - or is it anywhere through the neck?

The wild guess I have is - are you holding the bass tight enough to get body-sound via bones - then you get acoustic sound via air - these two interfere. This you can easily test at home by picking that note tightly clutchin your bass and then again with the bass laying on couch.
 

edwin

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Your ears are out of phase with your bass amp. Happens to me all the time. A flip of the polarity takes care of it.

Of course, it could be dead spots on your bass.
 
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