Upright-esk Sound Question

wallyburger · #1 01-13-2003, 12:27 AM

Hello all!

Been playing with a swing band now for a number of years and am getting closer to an upright-esk sound as time goes by. I have found with round wound strings, using the tips of my fingers on the finger board and rolling the strings vs plucking I am getting closer. Wondered if anyone had any other technique tips.

John K. · #2 01-13-2003, 12:33 AM

You can palm mute at the bridge with your hand and use your thumb.

I like putting some kind of cloth or foam or something underneath the strings at the bridge to dampen the strings, then play towards the neck. Playing with flatwounds also help.

PollyBass · #3 01-13-2003, 12:34 AM

Yeah, buy an upright.

wallyburger · #4 01-13-2003, 02:48 AM

Thanks!

I will play with the foam thing see what I can get out of it.

And yes, I have an upright. Have a very difficult time amping it to get over the 16 members of the band. Thinking of an EUB, but I want to try a few first. There is a lot of debate on sound quality.

PollyBass · #5 01-13-2003, 02:52 AM

Ah, good man, Ashbory??? yes? no?

NS design? yes? no?

wallyburger · #6 01-13-2003, 10:49 AM

I call it Beastley. Unknown origin. Probably has many origins. It came to me via the swing band I play for. A big hint. Worked fine for getting the chops back to a degree, but not worth the time, effort, and money to fix up. The band is 29 years old and Beastly has been fixed / modified many times. Time to invest in something that I can gig with.

PollyBass · #7 01-13-2003, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wallyburger
I call it Beastley. Unknown origin. Probably has many origins. It came to me via the swing band I play for. A big hint. Worked fine for getting the chops back to a degree, but not worth the time, effort, and money to fix up. The band is 29 years old and Beastly has been fixed / modified many times. Time to invest in something that I can gig with.

oh no, i'm so sorry, i was wonderin if you had THOUGHT of those options. I should have phrased it better.

Wrong Robot · #8 01-13-2003, 12:34 PM

that would be

"upright-esque"

Brooks · #9 01-13-2003, 01:45 PM

For me, fretless+piezo+flatwound strings+foam mute gets it really close.

wallyburger · #10 01-13-2003, 02:34 PM

Oops, Sorry Polybass, misread that.

I am looking at them now!

I had no idea of the number of possibilities! This will take some time and experimentation.

Wierd thing about fretless bass guitar. My intonation is really bad. I get behind an upright and no problem. Go figgure? Different skill set I guess. I was trained on old upright fingering methodology and had to learn the bass guitar as a very seperate instrument. I even had a huge mental block with reading on the guitar. It took me a good three years for any significient imprinting to occur where I didn't have to think about it. All worth it however, I am having a ball now!