Green Day`s bassist...

Usul · #1 01-15-2001, 03:30 PM

What is the name of the bass player for Green Day?How does he get that "bright" "punchy" tone found in most of their songs?From the videos I would say he is playing a Fender P bass,but I could be mistaken.Just wondering if it is his hands,strings,bass,amp,or a combo of all these things.

Thanks!

The_Bass · #2 01-15-2001, 04:17 PM

well... his name is Mike Dirnt.

I think he uses a P-bass most of the time... but I´m no expert

about his sound... ask him!

btw... he uses a pick.

ThePaste · #3 01-15-2001, 04:20 PM

Ask him how?

blinkbass225 · #4 01-16-2001, 03:16 PM

well i have 2 say that the bassist of greenday does have a good amount of talent. i find it hard to use a pick for a bass. see ya

Nomadic Herder · #5 01-16-2001, 04:25 PM

I find that turing the tone knob on your bass to about 5, and setting the mids down, the low down, and the high up on your amp gets his sound. Play a Fender P bass with a pick too.

arther daily · #6 01-17-2001, 04:42 AM

Green Day, hmmm - I just dont get it, what is so special?

It's like pussy-punk without any meaning.

Dave Siff · #7 01-17-2001, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by arther daily
Green Day, hmmm - I just dont get it, what is so special?

It's like pussy-punk without any meaning.

Hey, how about an "IMHO" before that statement, pal?
What's so special about Green Day? IMHO, they kick ass, they're the tightest live band I've ever seen, and Mike Dirnt plays some damn good, melodic bass. It's like punk, except with decent songwriting and musicianship.

arther daily · #8 01-17-2001, 08:19 AM

Hey, how about an "IMHO" before that statement, pal?
==> Yep, fair enough, apologies... and nice use of 'pal?'

I cant comment on their live show as I've not witnessed it, except on TV and yes they were tight. As for the bass, I shall give them another listen.

"It's like punk, except with decent songwriting and musicianship."
Surely that detracts from the point of punk?... or does it?

Greenday are being sued for Plageurism over the title track on their latest album, by an old UK punk band? - This is not intended to be a snidey comment, just of interest as I read it the other day.

**rickbass** · #9 01-17-2001, 09:04 AM

I've seen them several times and he usually uses a Precis. You mentioned the adjective "punchy" in regard to his sound. That's what P's are noted for and why I have always kept my pre-CBS darling.

You need a bass such as that to cut through Armstrong's massive chords; (notice the bassists in another "pop-punk," power chord band, the Ramones, used Precisions. Coincidence?).

There was a short period when Dirnt used a Gibson Ripper/Grabber, (I don't know the difference), and his sound went down the toilet.

davelowell · #10 01-18-2001, 06:26 PM

some his tone comes from his gk head and he does use p basses.

the difference between the ripper and grabber are the headstock shape, and the pickup configuration.

dave

**rickbass** · #11 01-19-2001, 08:49 AM

Thanks davelowell- I tried them both a ways back. I was never interested enough to bother with either. After trying them out, it took me less than a minute to know I didn't want either one.

Mikey96 · #12 01-19-2001, 10:45 AM

First off i also have to say that Dirnt rules on Bass, and green day are a great band, and have an awesome story behind them as to how they made it.

Secondly about that lawsuit, i think thats bogus, because i heard that the guy suing them, got his warning song from a kinks song, thats what muchmusic said at least. I think this is just one of those bitter greedy musicians, who does not respect the cycle of music, i mean there are only so many notes on a damn guitar and bass, now if the words were similar i could see a point, but once again ive never heard that guys song so. To add to that green day have put out tons of albums and never had a complaint like this, so for them to hear somebody's song (who ive never heard of, and i doubt they have), and say lets steal his song seems a little fishy to me.

RAM · #13 01-19-2001, 12:25 PM

I'm not particularly a fan of Green Day, but I had to learn a couple of their songs for an old band of mine. At the time, he used an aluminum-necked thing. I read an interview about that time where he said that he picked the strings so hard that he often breaks them! I'm sure that has something to do with his tone.

By the way, in regards to the "great bass player" crap...This is strictly my opinion, by I DO NOT respect bass players who spend literally weeks noodling around in the studio on acid trying to come up with something like "Longview"!

That is not talent...that's simple walking exercizes. Period!

Dave Siff · #14 01-19-2001, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RAM
This is strictly my opinion, by I DO NOT respect bass players who spend literally weeks noodling around in the studio on acid trying to come up with something like "Longview"! That is not talent...that's simple walking exercizes. Period!

Well, RAM, in fairness, the story I heard about Dirnt coming up with the "Longview" lick did not involve "weeks noodling around in the studio." He said he was tripping on acid and watching TV at his house when he came up with that line.
And as far as "simple walking exercises," you could say that about tons of great bass lines by lots of famous players.

RAM · #15 01-19-2001, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Siff
Well, RAM, in fairness, the story I heard about Dirnt coming up with the "Longview" lick did not involve "weeks noodling around in the studio." He said he was tripping on acid and watching TV at his house when he came up with that line.
And as far as "simple walking exercises," you could say that about tons of great bass lines by lots of famous players.

Okay, so he was at home on acid, rather than in the studio...he did spend weeks trying to come up with a bass line for that song.

What about that "simple walking exercizes" comment...who are you thinking of?

cole · #16 01-19-2001, 06:07 PM

this is your bass player. this is your bass player on drugs. any questions?

Chris3142 · #17 01-19-2001, 10:50 PM

Greenday isnt TOTAL punk... but i like to call them Diet Punk. not quite Punk ONE (that would be Blink 182) but diet punk.. they're not even caffene free. and as for guitar parts... the musicianship isnt all that great but mike dirnt is good at what he does and i think he should be respected. as for his tone.. for me to get it with my P bass i just kinda set everything flat on my amp, put the tone somewhere between 5 and 7 and play with a pick... on the d and g strings if possible.
chris

Mikey96 · #18 01-20-2001, 07:30 PM

I guess A.F.I. would be Jolt Cola then?

nickis thebest · #19 01-20-2001, 09:51 PM

heh coffee would be the dead kennedys

Chris3142 · #20 01-23-2001, 06:10 PM

come on.. i thought it was a good analogy.

they arent quite pop punk but they have a little pop thrown in there... they're losing their diet status and turning into punk one quicky though... warning is a bit to slow for my tastes, but mike dirnt is great, he compensates for billy joe... who isnt great at guitar. see ya

Chris