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Claudia
Lokahi
USA
152 Posts |
 Posted - 06/01/2012 : 02:39:12 AM
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Hi gear-heads. I need help. I have this LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI and no clue, NO CLUE, how to use it. But when I play slack key, my bass strings are way too boomy while using my AER amplifier, so I need to do something, quick! Tonight we are performing in Tommyʻs "Aloha in the Crypt" series and the acoustics in the church crypt are exacerbating my boominess problem!
I have lurked in these Da Kine Music Gear topics and much of the time, explanations are way too jargony and technical for me, hence the title of this thread. Would a ʻPatcher help a girl out? I am looking at this Userʻs Guide and my eyes are already glazing over from some of the terms like EQ, XLR etc...and, Iʻm sorry, Reid, I still donʻt understand "gain," although you have gamely tried to explain it to me.
I am using either my Martin 00028EC or Grimes Beamer model acoustic guitar, plugged into my AER Compact 60.
I use my instrument cables from guitar to Baggs to AER. Or was I supposed to buy some other kind of cable for the Baggs to AER connection?
Although eventually I will need a thorough tutorial on all things pre-amp, for today, I have just one goal: reduce boominess from lowest string, which I tune to D or C depending on slack key song. I see from manual, I should start with Notch control. Oh boy......
I always learn so much from all of you and appreciate any tips you can give me! Mahalo!
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ricdoug
`Olu`olu
USA
513 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 04:09:33 AM
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Aloha e Aunty.
The notch alows you to "notch" out the offending frequency. Turn the Notch all the way counterclockwise and rotate the ADGB knob to isolate the string you want to reduce the volume on. Then slowly turn the Notch control clockwise until that string is balanced in volume with the rest of the strings. The parametric Mid sweep may also help as a second "notch" also. If all the low notes are boomy, try turning the Low knob counterclockwise. If you need quicker assistance, give me a ring at (760)458-6656 . I have my L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic D.I. in my car so I can run out and reference it. Ric
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It's easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission! |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 11:36:18 AM
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Aloha e Claudia,
Gain is just how much bigger things get. It's like magnification in a telescope or binocular. If your binocular is a 10x40, it has 10x magnification. If you have an amplifier with 10x gain, then the signal comming out (like from the Baggs unit) is ten times bigger that whatever was at the input (from your guitar). The other thing about gain is that, by convention, people talk about it in units of decibels. For audio power purposes 10x signal amplitude gain (what we are talking about here) is 20 decibels. I will not diverge into the reasons for using decibels as opposed to just simple linear multipliers (like 10x)(there are a couple of reasons), but gain is just how much magnification of a signal occurs in the thing that is providing the gain. Of course the word "volume" or "volume control" is often used as a synonym for gain. On your baggs, the gain control is labeled "VOL" at the upper right.
You should moderate the General Boominess of the whole bass region of your guitar using the LOW knob first (with all the other knobs set to zero). The notch is primarily intended to tweak out isolated "wolf tones" (just one narrow frequency range). Since your boominess exists at both G and drop-C on the lower string this is not a narrow region, so the LOW knob is likely to help the most. After getting the best overall compromise with the LOW knob you can try tweaking out a low wolf tone area with the notch with a method like riddoug suggests.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 06/01/2012 11:46:39 AM |
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ricdoug
`Olu`olu
USA
513 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 1:16:47 PM
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| The gain is a small knob next to the input jack on the PADI. Turning the low to nine o'clock and notching (-) the A seems to have done the preliminary trick for Claudia. I'm sure she'll report in after her gig. Good luck Claudia! Ric |
It's easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission! |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 5:21:06 PM
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quote:
The gain is a small knob next to the input jack on the PADI.
Yes, I forgot about the little input "gain" control next to the jacks. Both the VOL control and the little knob on the side near the jacks are gain controls. The litte knob is "input gain" and is meant to adjust the input level from the guitar to a level that works best within the PADI. This makes it equivalent to the "trim" control or input "level" control on multi-channel mixers or Amps. The VOL control is the output gain. Both of these controls together determine the total gain (amplification/magnification - For Claudia: like having two magnifiers one in front of the other). For weak output guitar pickups (like some passive contact units) the little gain knob should be set toward the high (clockwise) side. For high output guitar pickups (like active ones) the little gain knob should be set toward the low (counterclockwise) side.
The internal circuitry for the PADI works best with a certain range of signal levels and that is the reason for the little "gain" control on the side (to get the input levels to the right range).
Unfortunately, without any level indicators (since the PADI does not have level meters) you have to set these two gain knobs experimentally. The input gain control setting and the master gain setting on your amplifier are both going to make a big difference on how you set the two gain knobs on the PADI. If you are getting a lot of hiss you probably have the PADI gain and/or VOL set too low and your amp gain set too high. If you are getting a lot of distortion the input gain on the PADI is probably too high or the input gain on your amp is too high or both.
In any case it would be nice to know how your gig went.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 06/01/2012 5:32:53 PM |
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Tommy
Akahai
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 2:36:34 PM
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Aloha kakou e ricdoug a e Lawrence,
Tommy from the Crypt here. Thanks for your help with Claudia's question. She sounded great on Friday! Trimming the bass is crucial in this space which really IS a Chapel under the sanctuary of a magnificent neo-gothic Church in NYC. It was built so that a whisper would be heard by all--so imagine what an amplified guitar, built to sing out, would sound like... A little help from the Baggs was indeed needed. I'm sure Claudia's on her way to a long, happy, relationship with this piece of equipment-she sounded so nahenahe that night.
Mahalo,
Tommy |
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Claudia
Lokahi
USA
152 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2012 : 02:30:49 AM
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Taropatchers to the rescue! Thank you, Ric, for letting me call you that day. Admin (Andy) called me at home when he saw the post too. It was all very helpful, although when I got to the venue and set everything up and was running through my slack key songs, Taropatcher Bill Wynne said "But you've cut ALL the bass out!" so Bill and I tweaked it some more. I am viewing this all as a work-in-progress, as I learn a little at a time. But your help was invaluable! Mahalo!
Still perplexed about how to manage all the variables: gain and volume on the amp, and gain and volume on the Baggs, then volume on the Grimes guitar.
So then on Sunday, we played the annual Hawaiian picnic in Central Park. We aren't allowed to bring in a generator, so all the amps have to be battery-powered. I have my little Roland mini cube - tried to rig the Baggs to that and what came out? Absolutely nothing - no sound at all. Flummoxed by this as well. So I just plugged directly into the Mini-Cube directly (no Baggs) and the bass was too boomy again. SIGH. I'm such a rube about sound issues, but I push on.....IMUA |
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ricdoug
`Olu`olu
USA
513 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2012 : 2:34:53 PM
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"work-in-progress" is a good description for sound in general, Claudia. It's always nice to have a musician, like Bill Wynne, to give you feedback on what it sounds like from the audience perspective. There are so many factors that affect sound from a stage to the listeners. While surfing Steven Espaniola's revamped website, I see he uses an L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic D.I.:
http://www.stevenespaniola.com/newplot.pdf |
It's easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission! |
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Tele295
Aloha
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 1:35:39 PM
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| Does anyone have some suggested EQ settings on the ParaDI for an ukulele? I'm using a Baggs Five.0 pickup |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2013 : 01:34:22 AM
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I don't think giving setting will do any good because it is something you have to do by using your own ears. In my case with classical and steel string guitars, I cut a lot of mid and low bass. It is probably going to be different for every individual.
In my case, once I found the sweet spot (to my way of hearing it) it works on everything. I do not change it much anymore. |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 12/14/2013 01:35:25 AM |
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ricdoug
`Olu`olu
USA
513 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2013 : 4:24:14 PM
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| It varies by ukulele. Right now I have a general idea where to start, for my ears. The Volume and Gain are crucial to getting a full balance, without noise. Ric |
It's easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission! |
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Topic |
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LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI for Dummies
