Why Do Live Sound Engineers Use DI for Bass?

Date:2020/1/4 16:36:32 Hits:

When playing larger venues, sound engineers usually mic the guitar cabinets, but ask for a DI signal for the bass, even if there’s a bass cabinet on stage. Why not mic the bass cab too?

There are several reasons. With a guitar cabinet, the cabinet usually contributes substantially to the sound. (Some argue that the cabinet and speakers have more of an effect on the tone of the amplifier than any other single factor.) The bass cabinets tend not to contribute nearly as much to the bass tone, so it’s not as vital to mic. Also, since the bass frequencies can often be trouble frequencies, getting a direct feed gives the sound engineer more control over exactly what will get fed to the main P.A. system. Finally, due to those troublesome frequencies, some rooms don’t interact well with bass frequencies, and the sound at the cabinet can be unfortunately muddy. In those cases, the DI offers a cleaner signal. So while a bass cabinet may be a great way for a bassist to monitor his or her tone onstage, the sound engineer will likely want a DI feed for best results through the P.A. — or may request a DI in addition to a mic on the cabinet.

Prev:Should I Adjust My Guitar’s Neck Myself?

Next:Ernie Ball Music Man Unveils 2017 Lineup

Leave a message

Message List

Comments Loading...

Products Category

Products Tags

Fmuser Sites

Why Do Live Sound Engineers Use DI for Bass?

Leave a message

Message List