Listen to this cover of 'Dig' by Mudvayne

Nickthebassist · #1 05-05-2005, 07:51 AM

http://www.mudshovel.net/Home.htm
It's rigth at the bottom. It's Barkatozzz's band, and he's given me some info on how he got that tone. It's a Musicman Sterling with the bass on full, mids nearly full, and treble just a little above flat. The pickup switch is in the down position. Now, I can't afford a Sterling, or try one out(nobody stocks them round here), so I was wondering how I could go about getting CLOSE to that tone with my warwick? I know it can be done, and this death metal band I might be joining want me to have this kind of lightly overdriven tone. ANy help would be great.

Nickthebassist · #2 05-05-2005, 08:12 AM

Ok thanks. I'm sure I can get pretty damn close. I've heard plenty of warwicks sound like that.

bassicinstinct · #3 05-05-2005, 08:31 AM

Please accept this post in the spirit in which it is written

Each time you attempt to "emulate" someone else's sound/tone/eq/etc you are in danger of approaching your instrument from a "paint by numbers" perspective rather than from the point of view of having an infinite pallete of "colours" at your disposal.

There are NO shortcuts. The fact of the matter is that if you listened to five different bassists playing the same song/bassline on the SAME bass through the SAME amp with the SAME settings in the SAME room, you would be likely to hear 5 completely DIFFERENT "sounds".

I know it's all been said before, but it IS largely in the fingers/technique. Joshua is quite right (IMHO) that you do need to spend time (a lot of it!) "getting to know" your instrument/s. Once you have begun to do so (and that never really "stops") you will instinctively have a much better handle on how to achieve different sounds.

Good luck with it all.

Nickthebassist · #4 05-05-2005, 08:38 AM

I don't have any tone in my fingers. It changes completely bass to bass, amp to amp. I just play, I don't have any specifically unique technique. :-(

bassicinstinct · #5 05-05-2005, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthebassist

I don't have any tone in my fingers. It changes completely bass to bass, amp to amp. I just play, I don't have any specifically unique technique. :-(

You missed out the word "YET" !!

It WILL come if you stick at it.

Trust me - I'm not a Doctor.

**Vorago** · #6 05-05-2005, 11:16 AM

Ah I read that Nick was covering Dig, would be cool

But, why should you buy a Sterling to get close to a Warwick thumb, when you have a Thumb??

I'm missing something here

bassicinstinct · #7 05-05-2005, 11:21 AM

Interesting question.

scourge · #8 05-05-2005, 11:22 AM

maybe its my headphones, but I'm not completely turned on by that sound. Sounds kinda farty to me. I'm not familiar with the original, so I don't know how close he is. Some of the other tunes sound better to me.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #9 05-05-2005, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scourge

maybe its my headphones, but I'm not completely turned on by that sound. Sounds kinda farty to me. I'm not familiar with the original, so I don't know how close he is. Some of the other tunes sound better to me.

That sounds like a recording mishap, not the bass. You get that sound when your bass level is too high when PC recording-it starts farting/distorting out. If it is just the bass though (or a farting amp), and not the recording, then it's one of the worst bass tones I've ever heard.

flea claypool · #10 05-05-2005, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthebassist

I don't have any tone in my fingers. It changes completely bass to bass, amp to amp. I just play, I don't have any specifically unique technique. :-(

OH GOD!!! if only jaco was alive he would give you a spanking

Nickthebassist · #11 05-05-2005, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flea claypool

OH GOD!!! if only jaco was alive he would give you a spanking

I'm afraid that sounds perverted.

Nickthebassist · #12 05-05-2005, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

That sounds like a recording mishap, not the bass. You get that sound when your bass level is too high when PC recording-it starts farting/distorting out. If it is just the bass though (or a farting amp), and not the recording, then it's one of the worst bass tones I've ever heard.

Hmmm? I like it. I like farty sounds from the bass.

Nickthebassist · #13 05-05-2005, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorago

Ah I read that Nick was covering Dig, would be cool

But, why should you buy a Sterling to get close to a Warwick thumb, when you have a Thumb??

I'm missing something here

Because my warwick sounds like crud? I've done everything to try and stop the click, but it stays. I'm getting more and more pissed off with it.

refinedbass · #14 05-05-2005, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorago

Ah I read that Nick was covering Dig, would be cool

But, why should you buy a Sterling to get close to a Warwick thumb, when you have a Thumb??

I'm missing something here

I was thinking the same thing. Personally, if I was gonna do a cover tune, I would rather sound more like the original than someone who played a cover of the original.

EDIT:Posted a second too late, Sorry

Have you tried different strings. Martinie uses DR's. That may get you more of the sound that you're looking for.

Nickthebassist · #15 05-05-2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by refinedbass

I was thinking the same thing. Personally, if I was gonna do a cover tune, I would rather sound more like the original than someone who played a cover of the original.

EDIT:Posted a second too late, Sorry

Have you tried different strings. Martinie uses DR's. That may get you more of the sound that you're looking for.

yes but how do I get Ryan's tone? Doesn't he go through the guitarists amp and stuff?

Nickthebassist · #16 05-05-2005, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by refinedbass

I was thinking the same thing. Personally, if I was gonna do a cover tune, I would rather sound more like the original than someone who played a cover of the original.

EDIT:Posted a second too late, Sorry

Have you tried different strings. Martinie uses DR's. That may get you more of the sound that you're looking for.

Hmmm. I want a way to stop the damn click first.

**Vorago** · #17 05-05-2005, 01:03 PM

Maybe ask someone, a more accomplished bassplayer, to have a look at it while you are playing. It could be your bass but it could also be your technique.

Nickthebassist · #18 05-05-2005, 01:10 PM

Hmmm. It doesn't do it with any of my other basses.

refinedbass · #19 05-05-2005, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthebassist

yes but how do I get Ryan's tone? Doesn't he go through the guitarists amp and stuff?

From the searching that I've done, he plays through Custom Ampeg 8x10's that were made specifically for him and Warwick Thumb NT's, 4's and 5's. He detunes his basses quite a bit from what I've read.

i.e.- 4 String is C-G-C-F
5 String is G-C-G-C-F

Here's an old TB archived thread that may answer some of your questions.

Brendan · #20 05-05-2005, 01:31 PM

Yeah, it sounds like it's a recording flaw more than a "tone." Sounds like the mic bottoming out.

Nick, from what I remember he uses stock Ampeg heads, custom Ampeg cabs, and stock Warwick Thumbs. Part of his tone is that he detunes pretty heavily through Ampeg. Surprisingly enough here (and this is gonna shock you) Ampegs are known for being the growly/dirty heads. Remember a while ago when I suggest sell everything and get an Ampeg? Well, if you're after Martini's tone, then it's the way to go.

You'd think for all the waking hours you obsess about growl, you'd be a bit less cluless ast to how to go about getting it.