Sound files of 5520

VroomVroom · #1 10-09-2008, 08:16 PM

In the spirit of offering a dose of what I'm asking of others, here's my baby. First...of course...a picture speaks a thousand notes.

The goods: figured myrtle over ash, maple/purpleheart & purpleheart, Bartolini & Bartolini.

Notes on the recordings: all were made using my trusty M-Audio MicroTrak 24/96 at various gigs. The box sits right in front of me, hence the bass-heavy mix. The bass was run through my Epifani 502, in the top channel with all eq settings flat. In the first two recordings I'm running through an Epi 210UL and in the last three you're hearing a 410UL. The instrument is eq'd with blend, mid & treble right in the middle, with the bass at ~7-8.

As always, if you like the lines, credit the bass; if you don't, blame the bassist.

Here we go...

Small group bossa.

Small group swing. Be warned: there is a bass solo, and purty it ain't.

Large group R&B.

Small group jazz... ...but with the 410 cab.

Big group R&B.

I think the bass was wearing MTD strings for all of the recordings, but I can't remember for sure. I absolutely love this instrument, and it particularly shines in small group settings. The tone using the palm-mute technique is probably my favorite. The only thing I have trouble finding is a good slap tone, especially trying to cut through full rhythm & horns. I can make it cut, but I don't like the tone...still experimenting with that one, which means I lean on the mighty Sadowsky for those types of gigs.

I would LOVE to hear other Roscoes, so please post those files! FYI - if anyone needs a web host for samples, feel free to email/PM me. Let's hear 'em!

Connor · #2 10-09-2008, 08:57 PM

beautiful bass & tone

CliffD · #3 10-09-2008, 10:49 PM

Hey Jerry,

First off thanks for posting the clips! They certainly help make the Roscoe forum very cool. I dug your small group jazz and swing clips! You've got a great sound and style. I'll certainly post clips in, oh about 6-8 months!

Cliff

XavidmanX · #4 10-15-2008, 09:38 PM

Great bass and tone. Makes me miss my Roscoe.

Kwesi · #5 10-20-2008, 07:56 PM

sounded great! I think i heard maybe one slapped note in there and it sounded nice though it kinda got buried in the mix. I never knew what to expect from Roscoe only because i've never heard one before but now i know for sure that they aren't just eye-candy

The bass and the band(s?) were awesome. I really dug the jazz, swing, and bossa tunes and that solo kicked.

VroomVroom · #6 10-21-2008, 09:34 AM

Thanks, folks! Kwesi - you are far too kind, my man. You're right about the slap tone - I'm not sure it's there on this bass, at least with the EQ settings I prefer. But that's okay. I don't get calls for a lot of slap, but when it's gotta' be there, I can call on the Sadowsky or the MTD. Otherwise, this instrument is incredibly versatile. I can get so many great sounds out of it across the entire sonic range, and from a playability standpoint, I'm just a HUGE fan of the SKB. The bass just wants to play itself!

Listening back to these samples reminds me that I'm lucky to play with some incredible musicians. That R&B band with the horns just hits hard, and you've got to love a piano player who will sneak in a wicked montuno in between quotes from Gershwin and Lennon & McCartney.

Gard · #7 10-21-2008, 10:00 AM

Jerry killer stuff...and yeah, you're right, nothing like a piano player that can lay down a good montuno!

(Makes me miss my latin gig days....sigh....).

FYI, the wood, pickup, and electronic choices can absolutely affect getting a good slap tone, and with the combo you've got, it is tricky to find that sound (it can be done!). If someone were looking for a more slap-friendly sound, I'd make recommendations to go with a swamp ash body, Bart CB pickups, and either the Bart 3-band or Aguilar OBP-3 preamp...I can tell you from experience, that is nasty...

VroomVroom · #8 10-21-2008, 10:11 AM

Thanks, Gard - I really appreciate the feedback. Ok, so clue me in here, if you would. Swamp ash: check. Bart 3-band: check. Do I have CB's? Excuse the ignorance.

FYI - slap tone isn't high on the list, so I don't want to overrate it or make it sound like a disappointment. I bought this bass because it just sounded better and better each time I played it, and it really brought me back to my old SKB-3006 in terms of playability. String spacing, neck radius, yada yada...there's just nothing like a Roscoe! It gets a workout on nearly all of my jazz dates. The only time the topic of "versatility" comes up is on the dates where it goes from jazz to R&B/disco/rock/etc. And on the majority of those, the Roscoe is still totally spot-on. It's just when "Car Wash" or "We Are Family" (I know, I know...but it pays the bills) gets called where I encounter issues.

It's really a trade-off. Do I try to dial in warmth on the Sadowsky for the first three sets, or do I crank the EQ on the Roscoe for the few spots where it needs to cut more? In a perfect world, I just bring two basses...which I've done. But as you city guys know, playing, say, the Fairmont in San Francisco...you need everything in one trip, you're setting up in a tiny corner of a tiny room, and lugging two instruments just isn't in the cards.

Anyway...I just love this instrument and it still brings a smile to my face every time I plug it in!

VroomVroom · #9 11-09-2008, 05:01 PM

Here's one more from a gig last night. Warning: bass solo!

EQ on bass and amp is completely flat, with the pickup blend right in the middle. Epi 502 & UL310 (Series II).

Trio Bossa

RocketMusic · #10 11-10-2008, 09:42 AM

Wicked solo! Man, you're all over that thang

VroomVroom · #11 11-10-2008, 09:52 AM

Greg, you're too kind - thanks, man! See, this is the problem with Roscoe instruments. They sound and feel so incredible that you're inclined to play lots and lots of notes.

Actually, I was way too note-happy, but I have an excuse... I just played two tunes on fretless, and I was so happy to play without worrying about intonation that I kinda' got loopy.

That's my story, anyway.

RocketMusic · #12 11-10-2008, 10:19 AM

Yeah, I did the same thing at the first gig after I'd upgraded the electronics on my (shhhhh) warwick thumb NT. It was like cotton had been pulled out of my ears... I could hear myself so well, I decided I wanted to hear a LOT of myself

Way too many notes that night, but it was a total blast.