And after picking up Michael Manring's Book of Flame (first time I ever listened to him) and digging the music and especially fretless tone of La Familia Sagrada I've got a bit of a fever for a fretless bass, probably 5 string.

Michael,
On the website it says you used a custom Zon Hyperbass ("Jr") on that song. Can you elaborate on that bass?

In particular, the bass has sitar-like tonality. Is that technque or was there an effect sucha a subtle flanger, etc?

Thanks for your time.:cool: :bassist:

I think Michael will be away for a couple of days, so I'll answer part of the question - the singing tone on LaSagrada comes from the fact that he's playing with a Capo on, if I remember correctly, so the nature of the contact between the string and the neck will change a bit. The odd tuning probably has something to do with it as well...

...it's a really great tune, a favourite of mine too.

cheers

Steve
www.stevelawson.net

Thanks Steve.

Thanks for the kind words about "La Sagrada…" guys. I played it on my main fretless, a Zon custom Sonus/Hyperbass hybrid. I used the same bass for many other pieces on The Book of Flame including "The Book of Living and Dying." The primary tuning is F#GBbG, but I used a capo at the seventh "fret" (it's a fretless), so that makes it C#DFD. For the beginning of the tune I used the rear pickup phase switch to put the two coils out of phase; if you listen carefully you can hear me switch it back to the normal position about a minute into the piece.

Thank you, Michael.

Your CD is one of those pieces that just melts the doors of the mind the music pervades your soul. It truly is a treat of existence to be able to experience your music.

You define the phrase "a gentleman and a scholar." :)

Thanks so much, Jim!

Michael (or anyone else)
I, too, have long been a fan of the tone on La Sagrada Familia. I notice that Victor Wooten gets a similar tone on Tali Lama. Is the tone strictly because of the capo? I have a great Pedulla Buzz that gets a very good mwah, but I just can't coax that tone out of it. I guess I can try a capo, but I wanted to check to make sure there wasn't something else I was missing.

Hi crhoton,

I don't think the capo has has a very dramatic effect on the tone -- it's really not much different from holding notes down with the fingers. I'm sorry to say I'm not sure what the problem might be for you -- The Pedulla Buzz is a great bass! If you aren't already, try using roundwound strings and mostly the bridge pickup.