A Bassist’s Take on the “I Can’t Hear the Bass” Problem

Hello. I'm Tetsuro Mieno, the bassist for the Hammond organ instrumental band BANANA NEEDLE.

The other day, I got a message on Line from my mom.

Mom: "Tetsuro, which sound are you? I can't hear the bass."
Me: "It's the low notes! The deep sound!"
Mom: "I know that much! I'm saying I can't hear it!"
Me: "Are you listening with earphones?"
Mom: "I'm listening to YouTube through my smartphone speakers."
Me: "..."

It was the moment I decided in my heart to give my mother some earphones or headphones.

Smartphone speakers...
Even for someone like me who has been playing bass for 20 years, the bass sound is unidentifiable through them.
They’re the ultimate arch-nemesis of a bassist (laughs).

Aside from my parents, the number of people listening via smartphone speakers has been increasing lately, hasn't it?

People listen to proper audio sources or YouTube with earphones, but for performance videos on social media, they use the speakers...
I think there are many people like that.

According to an article I read a long time ago, smartphone speakers mainly reproduce frequencies from 800Hz and above.

Now, let's take a look at the frequencies displayed on a compact bass effects pedal.

BOSS / GEB-7 Bass Equalizer

Every household needs one
The "handy-for-anything"
BOSS Equalizer.

The frequencies are written above the knobs,
and for 800Hz and above, only the three knobs on the right apply.

To use an old-school term, setting the center knob of a graphic equalizer to the middle and
boosting both the left and right sides is called "Don-Shari."

Since the left side represents the lower frequencies (bass) and the right side represents the higher frequencies (treble):

"Don" is the bass.
"Shari" is the treble.

This means that a smartphone speaker only reproduces the "Shari" part of the bass.

A bass without the "Don" is like sushi without any toppings...
(Someone give me a rewards point for that one!)

It’s easy to understand if you imagine a bass amp at a live house: they are bigger and thicker than guitar amps.

The reason they are so huge is because the speakers inside are large.

I’ve also heard that they play a role in vibrating the air inside the cabinet.

That’s a bass amp for you. Everyone’s favorite single 15-inch speaker.

AMPEG / RB-115 Bass Combo Amp

Without a speaker large enough to support it, that "Bass" sound cannot be reproduced.

In order to hear the "Don" range properly, I wish they would just make smartphones the size of a bass amp...

But setting such unrealistic things aside.

Isn’t it a better strategy to change your gear between stage use and video use for media likely to be heard through social media or smartphone speakers?

★★★

Yes, I'll give that three stars.

After all, audio in social media videos gets compressed, and there's no point in uploading a boomy, cool sound if it’s almost inaudible.

So, here is some recommended gear for social media!!

STERLING / RAY4 Mint Green Electric Bass

STERLING, inheriting the DNA of the Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay!

Of course, the original is also the best ★★★

MUSICMAN / StingRay Special Charging Green

The one-and-only Music Man sound!!

DINGWALL / Combustion 10th Anniversary Maple

DINGWALL, the pioneer of fanned frets.

Contrary to its appearance, it provides an outstanding sound very naturally.

Because of the fanned frets, it also looks "BAE" (great on social media)!!

TECH21 / Sansamp Bass Driver DI V2 Standard Preamp

The ultimate standard in preamps!
I think the reason everyone loves the SansAmp sound is because of the characteristic high-end components.

It has a solid high-end that remains pleasant to the ear.

I often see people on social media with a vintage-style Precision Bass cranking a SansAmp for that punchy, aggressive tone.

Darkglass Electronics / Vintage Ultra V2 Bass Preamp/Overdrive

More modern than a SansAmp, Darkglass has a bit more of an "edge" that catches the ear.
Bring that aggressiveness to the forefront and let it rip!

D’ADDARIO / EPS165 ProSteels Bass Custom Light 45-105

Changing your strings from nickel to stainless steel makes it a bit easier to get those highs.

And, it doesn't have that harshness you get from boosting the EQ. (Personal opinion).

If you've only ever used nickel, give these a try.

As I was introducing them, I realized that all the items mentioned above aren't just for social media; they are all things that display great power on the stage as well.

It’s fun to think about choosing gear based on the specific application, isn't it? ★★★

See you later!

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