Anthony Vitti, a professor at the Berklee College of Music, offersd adage for bass players to live by: "Anyone can play the notes. The real good players control the notes." Instrument selection is key in controlling notes, says Vitti. Some basses are made for use in certain genres, but time spent with any well-made bass can result in superior sound. Even brands and cost aren't the best indicator of quality; Vitti uses Fender Jazz Basses as an example and says some give high-quality sound while others deliver terrible sound. Research each instrument's quality and spend time trying it out to find your ideal bass.
Equalizer levels for bass sound play a large part in how the bass sounds and, more importantly, how the bass fits in with other instruments in a mix. Bass player and manufacturer David King recommends first addressing the high tones from the bass. Considering that guitars and cymbals will dominate most of the high tones, avoid trying to boost high and mid tones on bass instruments but instead let these instruments represent their part of the low and mid tones. On the other hand, do not boost the low end to "fatten" the bass sound. Instead, King recommends, fit a particular song with an appropriate tone and then tweak the tone from there without boosting any one section of low, mid or high tones.
Take the acoustics of a room into consideration when dealing with bass sound in a live setting. For smaller venues, King recommends staying out of a house mix completely and instead using a large amp as a single point of sound. According to King, this technique will prevent wave cancellations around the room. If you require deeper bass, position the amp against a back wall and move it up from there to achieve the desired sound. If you play several different styles during your musical sets, talk to local sound people at a venue to see how these styles react to the particular room. Keeping written notes of each particular venue will also help cut through the hassle of trial and error with sound upon return visits.
When you're at the sound board, any tool at your disposal can mean the difference between sound that is exemplary and just ho-hum. Audio Production Tips recommends using a bass compressor when dealing with bass sound. Bass compressors help control dynamic range and keep bass players from sounding "erratic." Shoot for a level and controlled sound. Using a compressor allows you to set a high ratio and lower thresholds so notes don't unexpectedly "pop" out of the mix. Compressors also afford the use of limiting an instrument's signal, which can actually cut out unwanted playing and sounds from the instrument if used correctly.