Ask JMJ a question thread

[Zachass]

Hey JMJ, it's great to have a bassist of your talent and flashy dressing skills here to answer our questions. Thank you. I love the bass line you did on Debra off of Midnight Vultures. Would you mind explaining what bass/recording technique/effects you used to get that real thumpy, funky sound?

[TaySte_2000]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

Yes. My sound sucks, fer shizzle.

Oh yeah I had to turn the lights on when I put the 30 days of night OST on it sounds like a fun experience recording soundtrack stuff, I'll have to check out the devil's rejects stuff tonight.

For a reverb have you considered the TC Electronic's Nova Reverb might be a more workable solution than a Fender Tank but also Vanamps might be worth a look they do real spring reverb.

Was thinking when your working as a producer obviously your in a similar mindset as a bassist thinking about what is best for the song so how much do you push artists in breaking the boundaries like when a bass player will walk in with a jazz and just play root notes all the way through a song.

Also do you think you are guilty of favouring any one instrument while producing, just tweaking the bass so it's a bit louder here and there

and finally what did you do while working with Garbage did you only work on Beautiful Garbage and did you play on all the tracks etc, just struggling to find info on this album.

Cheers for the info so far I'm finding it very very interesting and can't wait to turn up to the studio for my next album with 7 basses

[TaySte_2000]

Can you run us through your Ima Robot live setup some hella good tones/sounds on that 1st album.

[JohnDavisNYC]

hey justin,

really dig all your work, and i was wondering how you generally approach 'sound design' with your basses and pedals? it seems like you have a lot of experience with analog synthesizers, and obviously pedal use and pedal order can make the bass/pedals function very much like a modular synth...

i guess i'm just curious how you got started using pedals heavily on bass, and how you conceptualize sounds.

(i'm guessing it is sometimes just stepping on something and having cool sounds, and sometimes hearing a sound in your head and logically thinking through how to achieve it? )

keep up the great playing.

cheers,
john davis

nerve/phonograph

[The Lurker]

Originally Posted by jetpackbassist

+1. it was great to see a bassist speak about the art of the bass from a producer's standpoint... ie, knowing what notes to play, where on the neck to play them, the importance of a good groove, when it's cool to branch out and get crazy with different sounds, etc. i really enjoyed that vid! good stuff for those of us searching for The Pocket rather than the fastest slap lick possible.

you truly are an inspiration. thanks again!

+1. It was a very welcome change from the whole jazz fusion slapfest thing.

[Swimming Bird]

JMJ,

Thanks for taking the time to indulge us effects geeks.

On board 4 I saw an AdrenaLinn (I think)... how are those? It seems like it would take tons of getting used to/programming, but is it worth it?

Do you use your Deluxe Memory Man often? I've got one on my board, but I have a hell of a time not overdriving it, especially in combinations with other pedals... any solution?

Hm, one more reason to check out 30 Days of Night - I loved the graphic novel, but haven't been to a movie in ages. So many scores coming out by rockers right now. I'll probably end up seeing There Will Be Blood just for Johnny Greenwood. Anyway, this gives me hope in 'making it' as an ambient musician -- thanks JMJ. Heh, screw law school anyway.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

Thanks....I've read posts from you on these boards in the past and learned things from you too, sir.

That's why these forums can be so useful. Everyone gets valuable insight from them.

anytime, glad I could help

and yeah, forums like these are such a value... I wish I had this kind of resource when I was starting out.

I'm going back to lurking while listening to "Midnite Vultures"

[dubmon]

Hi JMJ,
Just curious, with all the options (basses and effects) you have in your arsenal, what do you often grab when you know you're going to be playing more "straight" bass? Y'know, like on something like the Dixie Chicks, etc. Do you still bring the effects, multiple basses, amps, or do you ever just show up with a couple basses and a DI and cable and maybe a few stomps?

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by XXL

I was wondering if the 1st tour you did with Beck was after or for the Odelay release..

Oh and I really like to know what envelope filter you picked up first

I joined with Beck in April 06, as Odelay was being finished, so yeah....almost got to play on that one, wish I did!

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by Zachass

Hey JMJ, it's great to have a bassist of your talent and flashy dressing skills here to answer our questions. Thank you. I love the bass line you did on Debra off of Midnight Vultures. Would you mind explaining what bass/recording technique/effects you used to get that real thumpy, funky sound?

Thanks, dude. Your screenname is amazing.

That bass line was a borrowed '50's Kay upright, very cardboard-y sounding. Recorded with an SM7, I think.

That was a Dust Brothers production, not sure what the recording chain was otherwise.

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by TaySte_2000

Oh yeah I had to turn the lights on when I put the 30 days of night OST on it sounds like a fun experience recording soundtrack stuff, I'll have to check out the devil's rejects stuff tonight.

For a reverb have you considered the TC Electronic's Nova Reverb might be a more workable solution than a Fender Tank but also Vanamps might be worth a look they do real spring reverb.

Was thinking when your working as a producer obviously your in a similar mindset as a bassist thinking about what is best for the song so how much do you push artists in breaking the boundaries like when a bass player will walk in with a jazz and just play root notes all the way through a song.

Also do you think you are guilty of favouring any one instrument while producing, just tweaking the bass so it's a bit louder here and there

and finally what did you do while working with Garbage did you only work on Beautiful Garbage and did you play on all the tracks etc, just struggling to find info on this album.

Cheers for the info so far I'm finding it very very interesting and can't wait to turn up to the studio for my next album with 7 basses

Devil's Rejects was pretty sketchy too....lots of taiko drums, bowed cymbals (like 30 days), and my usual shizz. I remember being totally head-down sitting on the floor getting a stupidly evil sound out in the tracking room at Conway and Rob Zombie standing right over me with a huge grin. Talk about job satisfaction.

Tried the Nova, not springy enough, returned it. At least the Holy Grail gets a little closer to that vibe. I'll checkout the Sole-Mate! That looks waaaay closer to the vibe, thank you.

I do like to push boundaries, but I haven't found myself in a production scenario that I could do that, except maybe for the new Ken Andrews solo album. (www.kenandrews.com). Got the bass to do some fun stuff, but also went wild with guitar sounds, did some neat techniques. Like three guys playing the same thing at the same time, like a small chamber orchestra (the song "Allergic), to get that Cocteau Twin's sort of sound, but with a live approach. Lots of super far-away mic'ing, keyboards through lots of pedals then amped. Nothing innovative, ultimately. Just fun. As I'm getting started in that line of work, I'm really trying to make cool sounding, contiguous "albums", in the old school way. I think the innovative thing will come to the fore when there is the time and inclination to do that with all parties.

With Garbage, I did the whole album, yes. And I played on about ten or eleven songs. The rest were done by Duke or Steve, the guitarists.

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by TaySte_2000

Can you run us through your Ima Robot live setup some hella good tones/sounds on that 1st album.

Thanks! One of my favorites. Studio: T-Bird through B-15R, Marshall JTM-45 with Tube Screamer always on into Fender ToneMaster cab, and Evil Twin DI.

Live, photo attached. T-Bird and Ripper through pedalboard into Radial DI into two SVT 4 Pros, both bridged, one driving SVT410-HLF, one driving 810AV.

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by JohnDavisNYC

hey justin,

really dig all your work, and i was wondering how you generally approach 'sound design' with your basses and pedals? it seems like you have a lot of experience with analog synthesizers, and obviously pedal use and pedal order can make the bass/pedals function very much like a modular synth...

i guess i'm just curious how you got started using pedals heavily on bass, and how you conceptualize sounds.

(i'm guessing it is sometimes just stepping on something and having cool sounds, and sometimes hearing a sound in your head and logically thinking through how to achieve it? )

keep up the great playing.

cheers,
john davis

nerve/phonograph

Hi John! I don't have an approach for sound design, really. I don't have a real method, I just like to experiment with combinations of effects with synths and bass. Midnite Vultures is a tour-de-force of Roger Manning, Beck, myself, Tony HOffer and Mickey Petralia spending half a year exploring that world. I started out by being an Anglophile, and wondering how to get sounds on Joy Division, New Order, Wire, Cocteau Twins, Chameleons UK, Love & Rockets, and My Bloody Valentine records, but do them on bass.

I dunno...I just dive in, it's not a particularly analytical process.

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by Swimming Bird

JMJ,

Thanks for taking the time to indulge us effects geeks.

On board 4 I saw an AdrenaLinn (I think)... how are those? It seems like it would take tons of getting used to/programming, but is it worth it?

Do you use your Deluxe Memory Man often? I've got one on my board, but I have a hell of a time not overdriving it, especially in combinations with other pedals... any solution?

Hm, one more reason to check out 30 Days of Night - I loved the graphic novel, but haven't been to a movie in ages. So many scores coming out by rockers right now. I'll probably end up seeing There Will Be Blood just for Johnny Greenwood. Anyway, this gives me hope in 'making it' as an ambient musician -- thanks JMJ. Heh, screw law school anyway.

AdrenaLinn is fun, presets are bad, but it is DEEEEP. I use the internal drum machine to trigger fuzz gates opening and stuff like that. Memory Man distorts big time. Tough one, can't get around it. I used it a lot on tour with Air, but it was not a clean thing most of the time.

[TaySte_2000]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

Thanks! One of my favorites. Studio: T-Bird through B-15R, Marshall JTM-45 with Tube Screamer always on into Fender ToneMaster cab, and Evil Twin DI.

Live, photo attached. T-Bird and Ripper through pedalboard into Radial DI into two SVT 4 Pros, both bridged, one driving SVT410-HLF, one driving 810AV.

Just to clarify which pedalboard

[TaySte_2000]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

AdrenaLinn is fun, presets are bad, but it is DEEEEP. I use the internal drum machine to trigger fuzz gates opening and stuff like that. Memory Man distorts big time. Tough one, can't get around it. I used it a lot on tour with Air, but it was not a clean thing most of the time.

Another recommendation then either the Diamond Memory Lane or the Subdecay Echo Box (When it's released) they'll take everything you can throw at them

[jmjbassplayer]

Originally Posted by dubmon

Hi JMJ,
Just curious, with all the options (basses and effects) you have in your arsenal, what do you often grab when you know you're going to be playing more "straight" bass? Y'know, like on something like the Dixie Chicks, etc. Do you still bring the effects, multiple basses, amps, or do you ever just show up with a couple basses and a DI and cable and maybe a few stomps?

I grab a p, a j, and a hollowbody (Starfire, probably). Maybe an octave pedal and a Sans GT2 or ParaDriver DI. That's about it. When I did that 5-night stand in November with the Chicks here in LA, it was P, Starfire, Mesa rig, and a Boss Tuner. :-) Photo attached, with my tech Donny. :-)

[TaySte_2000]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

I grab a p, a j, and a hollowbody (Starfire, probably). Maybe an octave pedal and a Sans GT2 or ParaDriver DI. That's about it. When I did that 5-night stand in November with the Chicks here in LA, it was P, Starfire, Mesa rig, and a Boss Tuner. :-) Photo attached, with my tech Donny. :-)

Is he hiding from you because you've just asked him to rewire all your boards and run them on batteries that need changing every night ala fruciante

[dubmon]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

I grab a p, a j, and a hollowbody (Starfire, probably). Maybe an octave pedal and a Sans GT2 or ParaDriver DI. That's about it. When I did that 5-night stand in November with the Chicks here in LA, it was P, Starfire, Mesa rig, and a Boss Tuner. :-) Photo attached, with my tech Donny. :-)

Thanks! Now that is a tasty set-up. Tasty playing on the Chicks album too!

[rkingly]

Best thread yet!!
Thanks JMJ, You're one of my favorite players!