Ben Orr's sound

[EriktheRed]

I asked in another forum, but maybe this is a better one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o_JNTPs--Y

Anyone have any idea how Ben achieved the sound he got out of his stingray in the short solo toward the end?

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by EriktheRed

I asked in another forum, but maybe this is a better one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o_JNTPs--Y

Anyone have any idea how Ben achieved the sound he got out of his stingray in the short solo toward the end?

Do you mean that little 8th-note sequence beginning at 3:39?

No offense, but that's hardly a solo.

I think it's just Ben using a pick near the bridge, bright humbucker, and Elliot Easton doubling the part on guitar.

Anyone hear something I don't?

[maxschrek]

Not sure here, but on the studio recording of the same song it sounds to me like he's using an Octave pedal or bass synth pedal of some sort. Cool bass line.

T

[EriktheRed]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

Do you mean that little 8th-note sequence beginning at 3:39?

No offense, but that's hardly a solo.

I think it's just Ben using a pick near the bridge, bright humbucker, and Elliot Easton doubling the part on guitar.

Well, whatever you call it, I've heard that sound on a couple of other songs and always thought it was a keyboard. I only have a single split-rail pickup, but I'll give picking near the bridge a shot with the bass and amp set as high as possible.

[jaywa]

I never knew Ben Orr sang lead on that song. Thought it was Ocasek... they sound a lot alike.

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by EriktheRed

Well, whatever you call it, I've heard that sound on a couple of other songs and always thought it was a keyboard.

On the studio version I'm almost positive it was a keyboard.

[JimmyM]

Ben Orr was not much for effects live except for chorus, and he did that line on several different basses throught the Cars' live days, and it always sounds the same. The night I saw the Cars in 79, he did it on a Precision, I believe. On this night in 84, he definitely used a Precision:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p6a7CiP2bM

On the studio version, it's being doubled by something doing an octave down and a keyboard synth. Can't tell what the octave down is. But live I don't hear the octave down, and on that clip I posted, I can't even hear a synth doubling it. You could use an envelope filter and an octave box to recreate the studio sound to a certain degree. But on the live clips I don't hear any effects on the bass at all. Just whatever bass through a mic'ed SVT. That's what it sounds like to me.