How did he get that tone on this recording? Please help.

Greg_S · #1 03-16-2013, 05:29 AM

Can anyone please take a listen to the sound of the bass on this song and give me some idea of how to replicate it? Is it a pedal, a rack gear of some sort, an amp . . . . what? I need to have this sound!

Chris Janson - "Better I Don't"

Thanks everyone/anyone!

BboogieXVII · #2 03-16-2013, 10:12 AM

Do you mean this version?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFtVmAa9d4U

It sounds fairly straight forward to me, mid range growl I would call it. Just a nice rig with the mid high and mid lows slightly more dialed up and the bass and highs slightly dialed down. It's a good sound that cuts through the mix, however he got the tone I think it's good. Perhaps it's a GK amp.

I'm not an expert on this sort of thing, so there may be plenty of better explanations.

Greg_S · #3 03-16-2013, 12:34 PM

Thanks. I think there is some modification done to get this tone, such as an effect, so I'm still hunting.

IPYF · #4 03-17-2013, 03:49 PM

Just sounds like an overdriven tube amp to me. It's compressed and processed but if I had a single guess I'd say it's a picked Precision through an SVT.

christianharger · #5 03-17-2013, 03:54 PM

yeah, definitely a P-bass played pretty hard with a pick. About 50% on the tone knob I'd say... and tube amp for sure.

I'm not a country fan, but this track is really cool. especially the bass work.

but to be honest, I'm not hearing anything that indicates the use of effects.

Greg_S · #6 03-17-2013, 05:23 PM

Thanks again. I don't use a pick but I do play pretty aggressive. Tried these settings on my mike lull p5 and its pretty close.

christianharger · #7 03-17-2013, 07:00 PM

Yeah man - playing with a pick is something I never used to do. For some reason I thought it was just something that those guitarists-playing-bass people did. The truth is that there just certain sounds that you just can't get without a pick. Same goes for guys who primarily use picks - can't replicate a finger sound with a pick.

There's nothing quite like palm muting a line with a pick and a P-bass.

lowfreqgeek · #8 03-17-2013, 07:09 PM

Pbass, rounds, and a heavy pick will get you there. Maybe roll off the tone a bit, but those are the ingredients. Sounds like a Detuned 4 string, rather than a 5. They tend to have more growl, IME.

There's some compression on there, too. That could just be some natural tube compression from an amp.