Is it possible to get a mean sound without clank?

[Tupac]

All the "mean" tones all seem to require lots of clank. Rob Trujillo, Flea, Alex Webster, and like all have their action set as low as possible. This is what I'm aiming for. Is there really any purpose to mastering playing at the bridge or with high action if it will probably end up finding it's way down?

[mcm]

oh yes.....flats in the chromes flavor. low action and pull the hell out of it. done.

[Hamlet7768]

Depends on what you define as a "mean" sound. I think Billy Sheehan's tone is mean, as is Steve Harris's. Neither of them use a lot of clank to my ears.

That said, at least a bit of clank is good for a percussive edge. Bassists have been using it since John Entwistle and Chris Squire at least.

[bearhart74]

Tony levins funk fingers.. check him out on the Secret World video

[jabsys]

Originally Posted by Hamlet7768

Depends on what you define as a "mean" sound. I think Billy Sheehan's tone is mean, as is Steve Harris's. Neither of them use a lot of clank to my ears.

Steve Harris has loads of clank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSYuse9o8KI

[Hamlet7768]

Originally Posted by jabsys

Steve Harris has loads of clank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSYuse9o8KI

The jury is still out in my mind. I've heard what people think is clank is actually his fingernails scraping the strings, giving a pick-like sound. Listening to that, it does sound like there's quite a bit of clank, so I'm probably wrong.

[chaosMK]

Harris is one of the biggest clankers out there.

The answer is- No

Nothing will sound like clank going through a rig that gets along with a clanky sound (my preference is a tiny bit of overdrive on the front end for a spongey feel, cab with thick low mids to add punch and kind of cushion the clank frequencies). When they say "tone is in the fingers" this is really the case. You can't dial in or process that sound, it has to be pulled out of the bass.

I've been playing in prog metal bands since 2000 but have been doing a hip hop project for the past year or so. Totally different playing style. I went from an aggressive percussive RH style to more of a smooth/light attack that digs in a bit with very controlled muting and dynamics. It's opened up my playing a lot!

I use slightly different gear/EQ for both styles. What I've developed from hip hop doesnt really apply in my (pretty developed) aggressive sound unless I am doing lead-y kind of stuff.

I have pretty low action. I see no reason to raise it. I think you just need RH control and the right sound dialed in to not clank if u dont want to.

[Duckwater]

Originally Posted by Hamlet7768

The jury is still out in my mind. I've heard what people think is clank is actually his fingernails scraping the strings, giving a pick-like sound. Listening to that, it does sound like there's quite a bit of clank, so I'm probably wrong.

Indeed, he hammers the strings with the tips of his fingers with super low action and compression, maximizing his clank.

[Hamlet7768]

Okay, I stand corrected on Steve Harris and clank.

That said, I also have quite a bit of clank, and I play much closer to the bridge. It's mostly in how you dig in and set your action.

[grendle]

Originally Posted by chaosMK

Harris is one of the biggest clankers out there.

The answer is- No

Nothing will sound like clank going through a rig that gets along with a clanky sound (my preference is a tiny bit of overdrive on the front end for a spongey feel, cab with thick low mids to add punch and kind of cushion the clank frequencies). When they say "tone is in the fingers" this is really the case. You can't dial in or process that sound, it has to be pulled out of the bass.

I've been playing in prog metal bands since 2000 but have been doing a hip hop project for the past year or so. Totally different playing style. I went from an aggressive percussive RH style to more of a smooth/light attack that digs in a bit with very controlled muting and dynamics. It's opened up my playing a lot!

I use slightly different gear/EQ for both styles. What I've developed from hip hop doesnt really apply in my (pretty developed) aggressive sound unless I am doing lead-y kind of stuff.

I have pretty low action. I see no reason to raise it. I think you just need RH control and the right sound dialed in to not clank if u dont want to.

+1

only other way to get a good mean tone is to turn the clank into more of a boomp, ala ryan from mudvayne. thats more a mid growl but he hits closer to the bridge so the attack is less pronounced. still mean, but just a little less aggro. either way it's all in the attack and the mids. just my .02

[topo morto]

I have clank and quite a high action, I think.