Doobie Bros' Long Train Runnin'

bassteban · #1 09-08-2006, 06:45 PM

Just heard this old nugget today(NOT for the first time), & the bass' tone is so sweet. Can anyone tell me what bass, strings, amp & last but certainly not least, player( I know that part is a dumb question- sorry

)did that?

malicous · #2 09-08-2006, 06:55 PM

I have a funny story about that song. It used to be my father's favorite song when I was about 6 years old, and he used to blast it on our home stereo. I had not heard for many years, and I never tried to play it or learn it or anything like that, but about 2 years ago, I was in the studio laying down a bass line for a local singer's CD, and when I came into the control room to listen to the playback the producer said to me "so, you like the doobie brothers?" and I said "no". Then he made me listen to the bass line, and sure enough, it was almost identical to the long train running bass line. It is amazing what children's minds pick up. Anyway, total hyjack, but I thought it would be a cool story.

BillyB_from_LZ · #3 09-08-2006, 07:00 PM

Bassist is/was Tiran Porter

Not sure what he used in the studio... I've seen him play a Jazz Bass through an Acoustic 371 (370 head + 301 cabinet (1x18 folded horn)) in concert. I've also seen photos of him playing a Thunderbird (IIRC).

I too love the bass line to that song...and China Grove among others.

bassteban · #4 09-08-2006, 07:40 PM

Yeah, I love me some Doobies. Does/did Tiran use flats? That's what it sounds like to me.

BillyB_from_LZ · #5 09-08-2006, 10:02 PM

Seek out an interview with him from Guitar Player (pre Bass Player days) from the '70s...that might offer some insight.

Guitar Player used to have an artist index on their web site which seems to have disappeared. I have to go to my local library tomorrow, I'll see if I can get more info on when that article was published.

I also found this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiran_Porter

gfab333 · #6 09-09-2006, 02:09 AM

Good info post Billy B. Ah yes, the good days back in the 70s when the pick and flats were King. I've heard that back in the day, many studio engineers demanded that you use a Fender bass and a pick when you walked into a session. This supposedly provided the most articulate bass tone on recordings with the then available technology (ofcourse, Jamerson and a number of others were exempt from that rule).

Porter indeed had a great recording tone.

bassteban · #7 09-09-2006, 07:18 AM

Yeah, I had a short-scale Les Paul bass that had a very similar tone; probably due in part to fairly dead strings. But after reading in some of the aforementioned pieces that Tiran often played Gibson, I wonder if I need to become obsessed w/the Thunderbird.

BillyB_from_LZ · #8 09-09-2006, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassteban

But after reading in some of the aforementioned pieces that Tiran often played Gibson, I wonder if I need to become obsessed w/the Thunderbird.

Between Tiran's work and a couple Gov't Mule CDs (Dose and Life before Insanity) I'd say that's a real good idea!!!

JimK · #9 09-09-2006, 11:30 AM

Way back when-
I recall seeing Tiran Porter playing either a black Fender P(Toulouse Street-The Captain & Me) or a Gibson EB-something(I think you see a rear view of it on the What Were Once Vices... album cover).
I do recall it being a double-horn Gibson when they played on In Concert.

Porter laid done some nice, tasty & sometimes deceptively difficult lines/parts...at least that's my take.

thephilosopher · #10 09-09-2006, 12:34 PM

I LOVE that line! So funky..