In a band, the bass is supposed to be louder than the guitar, right?!?

Answer 1

In a normal situation you want to be able to hear both without either necessarily overpowering the other. Before worrying about cranking the volume try eq-ing the bass and guitar to give each other their own space. I've been in bands where you have fighting instruments and it is counter productive and generally doesn't sound good (just jumbled and muddy). Work on the eqs, then get the volumes.

Of course in certain situations you'll want some things louder and some things more just accenting. It depends on the song and what you're trying to do, but if you're looking for a general answer hopefully that will help.

Answer 2

It depends on the song and the sound you're going for. Even if the bass isn't louder it can still be more noticeable because the sound it gives off is not only so different than the other sounds the band is making, but also because it can shake the ground, especially if it's too loud. There's no right or wrong answer, it just depends on the sound. However, if you're having an argument with a friend and trying to prove a point, and this is coming from a bass player, when in doubt... TURN THE BASS DOWN!

Answer 3

This is why the need for a good sound tech is so important. While every instrument in a band should be heard distinctly, there should be an overall balance of sound, so no instrument dominates. The drawback: every group member has to put their egos away and turn down. Have an objective listener out front tell you who is louder or who needs to turn it up. When you're standing close to your own amp, often it's the other amps you can hear better, so you think that you need to turn it up. That's why good sound techs, engineers, and the like are in demand. You DO have a P.A. for your band, don't you? If your amps and drums are mic'd, the sound guy can take care of small differences there, too. And forget about hearing your monitor that well; unless you're in a nationally touring gig, that ain't gonna happen that often.

Answer 4

In a dance, the girl is supposed to dance better than the guy, right?!?

Seriously, it's like a dance. Sometimes one is more important than the other, but both should balance to each other. Drums too.

Mind you, I prefer when the bass is more felt than heard, but that's not a matter of volume, it's a matter of tone. Go for a better bass tone rather than being louder. A larger cabinet, better amp, more attention to the mids and lows. That's how to get a bass to do its job.

Answer 5

in any band, unless an instrument has a solo, all the instruments should be equal in volume so the sounds blend. the bass should not be louder than the lead guitar.

Answer 6

wrong. the bass is the low end instrument. if its louder than the guitar, it will "drown out" the guitar. bass is rythm and helps move the song along. if it was too loud, thats all you'd hear and it wouldnt sound right.

Answer 7

Nope, its suppsoed to be balanced, if you have multiple guitairs and they seem to be drownging the bass out, you may need to make it louder, but it depends on what the sound is too. It may be cool to have a louder bass if it is very simple and repetitive to stress the groove, on the other hand you may want it quieter if its too distracting and changing.

Answer 8

It depends on the music that is being. Hip hop and rap the bass is louder.

Answer 9

the bass just adds to the great guitar

Answer 10

Shouldn't be. Every instrument should blend together at the same volume. One exception is of course, when an instrument is playing a lead part; then it should be louder.