Orion .. why do people say its so hard?

[PrimusNut]

I see a lot of people saying that Orion is a very hard song to play.... I actually find it quite easy... takes a while to learn tho.

Also, how do you play it? Pick, thumb, fingers? I find that using my thumb gives a nice warm sound that sounds more like the recording itself, altho using a light touch with the fingers over the neck is just as good.

[diechris]

i never heard about it being hard to play... but i do think its a very well done piece.. and i think thats where most of the hype comes from..

[PrimusNut]

Yeah I figured I just read what people said wrong. I know it is very well written. Awesome song anyway.

[Poop-Loops]

How do you play the solo with your thumb? Just like a pick?

[ALiP BoB]

and what effects to you use throughout the song?
Intro etc2.

[TheInsane]

Originally Posted by ALiP BoB

and what effects to you use throughout the song?
Intro etc2.

Most of it is probably just bass/preamp/amp. The little melodic bass thingy in the beginning (starts 01:43) is distortion and a bit of flange. The bass solo (which to many think is guitar) at 06:35 is obviously distortion.

[Nino Valenti]

Originally Posted by TheInsane

The bass solo (which to many think is guitar) at 06:35 is obviously distortion.

I always thought that was guitar, too.

[Joesick]

It's hard to remember all the sections, it was put together by Cliff Burton like a classical piece, with 8-part muscly harmonies and stuff.

Awesome song, and not too technical

[BrandonBass]

i dont remember a bass solo in the song

[Joesick]

You need to listen for about 6 minutes
You may have gotten bored by that point.

I only found out the other day that there's a solo on Damage Inc

[TheInsane]

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

i dont remember a bass solo in the song

Most seems to think the bass solo is the melodic diddle during the mellow part. However I dont think that would really classify as a solo per se. The bass solo is really what you hear at 06:35 into the song. You can hear the change in sound a little bit. Thats because its a distorted bass playing the rest of the solo.

[ALiP BoB]

Originally Posted by TheInsane

The bass solo (which to many think is guitar) at 06:35 is obviously distortion.

I thought Cliff used a muff? Which is a fuzz? What distortion?

[Jonny B]

Wah w/distortion. Cliff broke out the distortion/wah whenever he had the chance. There are a lot of little tids and bits that Cliff did that most people assume is guitar. The solo in Orion is a very tasty piece.

[TheInsane]

Originally Posted by ALiP BoB

I thought Cliff used a muff? Which is a fuzz? What distortion?

This is what "guitar worlds bass guitar" wrote:

If it hadnt been for the spoken introduction - "bass solo take on" - odds are that most listeners would have mistaken Burtons fuzzed-out "(Anasthesia) Pulling Teeth" for aguitar piece. It wasnt just that Burton playes to fast and so high ; his phrasing and tone were totally outside the traditional bass vocabolary.
Back the, Burton was playing a Rickenbacker 4001 through a Ampeg SVT 1540HE head - a classic "lead bass" combination - allthough he would eventually switch to an Alembic and then an Aria pro. His solos - particulary on "Anasthesia", "Seek and destroy" and Ride the lightnings "for whom the bell tolls" - also made heavy use of effects. Burton was one of the few bassists around to use why-wha (specifically, a Morley Power Wha) an he dirtied his tone with a Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, a vintage distortion pedal typically used by guitarists. He also liked guitar-style Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cabinets, although he grounded their midrange roar with the beefy bottom of the Mesa/Boogie 1x15's.
By the time the band made master of puppets, in 1986, Burton was pushing the envelope still further. Describing the intro to "Damage Inc", he told thrash metal, "its about eight or 12 tracks of bass, a lot of harmonies and volume swells and stuff". He was also proud of his bass solo in orion, although he jokes, "No one will probably be able to tell that it's bass, but it is".

As read that again they mentioned a bass solo in seek and Destroy. I have to check that one out. I wasnt aware of it.


Edit: I listened to SaD and I didnt hear a bass solo. The other songs involve solos and/or lead bass though.

[ALiP BoB]

So he DID use a Muff. Distortion is just a nick for it.

Right?

[TheInsane]

Originally Posted by ALiP BoB

So he DID use a Muff. Distortion is just a nick for it.

Right?

I think a Muff is a specific version of a distortion pedal. Im not sure but I think so.

[jsbass]

Every bassist should know how to atleast play the interlude, its rather simple but man it sounds good.

[mvw356]

i had another listen to orion, i'm pretty convinced that the lead bit from 3:45 to 4:04 is bass too. any opinions?

Is this song hard to play? well, relative to what is really the question. compared with enter sandman it is hard to play, compared to pastorious or wooten it's really easy.

[mvw356]

i had another listen to orion, i'm pretty convinced that the lead bit from 3:45 to 4:04 is bass too. any opinions?

Is this song hard to play? well, relative to what is really the question. compared with enter sandman it is hard to play, compared to pastorious or wooten it's really easy.

can anyone tell me where there is lead bass on seek and destoy?
i can't hear anything

[Flongoid]

Originally Posted by TheInsane

Most of it is probably just bass/preamp/amp. The little melodic bass thingy in the beginning (starts 01:43) is distortion and a bit of flange. The bass solo (which to many think is guitar) at 06:35 is obviously distortion.

I do beleive it's also got 3 tracks of bass. 1 doing the bassline during the solo, 1 doing a lower part of the solo, and one doing a higher part

EDIT: The lead bass in Seek & Destroy is not a solo as such, it's just little bits in the chorus. Like after James shouts 'SEEK AND DESTROY' and there's just a lot of E notes, there's little bass fills. One is distorted and wah and sounds a bit 'roary'. The other is neither and is just eighths - e d b a# a b a# a - all in the same octave.