pNut (311) and his magick tone coloring.....

[Damani311]

Still haven't got it! Been trying to find out what gives his tone that wah-ish ring to it........everyone keeps trying to sluff it off (it's all in his fingers), but I can guarantee you right now if I plug in a streamer stage two into an SWR amp/cab, it's going to come out sounding CLEAN

No Wah

CLEAN as purified ice.

Still guessing it's something along the lines of serious compression/envelope filters, not really a full blown effect but something in the signal chain that alters it.........just asking again, if anyone may know...................

Frustrating at this point I may never figure it out, he aggressively hides this fact as it's a pretty huge point of his tone IMO.

[Damani311]

Just an example, listen to a song like "Down" or "welcome"

tone is clean as strings on wood

Now listen to applied science....funk wah what?

[dougjwray]

From an interview provided by Guitar Center (readily available on the web):
(Maybe he forgot something...)

GC: Do you ever use any effects or processing live or recording?

P-Nut: I've got a Mo' Bass in my head setup as a backup amp. I actually did a lot of recording on From Chaos using the Mo' Bass just as a regular amp. I think it's based off of the same amp that I use, the Bass 750. So, I think that's why I liked it. I found out that it had a slightly different tone and it worked better on some songs while recording than my actual Bass 750. But, I didn't use any of the effects on it, which is mostly what it is designed for. It was just more for me to keep myself entertained while I was waiting to take another take or just getting through the day, just screwing around with it. I don't have enough practice with effects to really want to work them into our songs that much. I'm more of a fuzz guy. I have a Big Muff, that's pretty much my only effect.

[Damani311]

thanks, read it before, but tells me nothing

[Chinguschild]

well someone else shares my strugle. I would KILL to have that tone

[Damani311]

well i've gone as far as getting the SSII and the SWR gear, same gauge GHS strings........doesnt sound anything like it

Watched him play both live and on DVD.....nothing too special as far as technique

I talked to him about it, and all he would give up is "he plays pretty hard"

Don't think I'm going to find this one out until I have access to studio people that actually know what creates this

[dougjwray]

Maybe you could contact him through the 311 MySpace page and ask him directly.

http://www.myspace.com/311

It might just be a studio effect-- something he had no control over. But he might remember how it was done.
Just an idea.

[Baryonyx]

Yeah, it could have easily been added after he had recorded his parts.

[Stompin Tom]

During the breakdown or verse or whatever of Applied Science (I just listened for the first time), there's definitely some sort of envelope filter going on there... quality on youtube being what it is, its hard to tell... I'd say they split the bass signal leaving one 'clean' (sounds overdriven to me) and running the other through something like EH's Bassballs. Splitting the signal would make it more 'subtle'.

[dougjwray]

I played on a session where an envelope filter was added to one track after I'd finished recording it (days later... I wasn't present in the studio).
It was very annoying to me because, since it's triggered by touch and volume, you need to "play" an envelope filter. When I recorded the track, I had no idea they were going to add it later, so the result was pretty uneven ("wahs" in funny places, etc.). Not a good move by the producer, IMHO.
Anyway... yes, it can be added as a studio effect.

[Damani311]

Originally Posted by Stompin Tom

During the breakdown or verse or whatever of Applied Science (I just listened for the first time), there's definitely some sort of envelope filter going on there... quality on youtube being what it is, its hard to tell... I'd say they split the bass signal leaving one 'clean' (sounds overdriven to me) and running the other through something like EH's Bassballs. Splitting the signal would make it more 'subtle'.

yeah, i was almost going to believe it was really a clean tone until I really heard that A.S. part, and then I was screaming ******** for years to come (and still)

My guess is it's an envelope filter........but he definately has it on his live sound, but only on some songs......like I said something like "down" and "amber" it's clean, it sounds just like my bass.

But songs like "taiyed" and "applied science"......it drives me freaking wild.

Although it will make my year when someone figures this out finally.

Also, if you REALLY want to hear it, thick as it gets........311 Day 04, Stealing Happy Hours, in the middle..........almost a full blown wah if you ask me...........

He does use a Qtron small stone as an envelope filter, would this do the trick perfectly?

[bassplayertom77]

Sheesh! I'm still working on MY tone.

[lowendgenerator]

I would vote for studio trickery. A good set of ears and an expensive EQ can make the difference. I don't think people use enough parametric EQs in their live rigs. A little notch goes a long way.


I love P Nut's tone too!

[Damani311]

Still just gotta say this tone definitely appears live, alot....if you don't have the 2004 DVD I consider it a must own if you like 311.

Just to further attempt to clarify things, is it one of these in particular (I don't know what half of them are, let alone do):

http://www.311.com/Picture/PNuts-Ped...A10007009AF993

http://www.311.com/Picture/Hellborg-...A10007009AF99E

[bongomania]

The EBS BassIQ is an envelope filter. Everything else there is not.

Edit: The MXR Blue Box is a "weirdness generator". It's entirely possible that a touch of Blue Box would create a tonal movement or flavor that would be interesting but hard to identify.

[Stompin Tom]

Definitely the BassIQ envelope filter. It'll do something similar to this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpncRw7ridE

But it looks like it has more controls so you can get just the right amount of 'auto-wah' effect for the phrase you're playing.

[Damani311]

wow I have no idea why I couldn't find this out all the last three years I've been asking everyone

it seems remarkably simple.......but there it is on his equipment phase

Too bad they don't sell these things in stores! I guess I'll have to order it from musiciansfriend or something.....

[The Lurker]

this is the first word I've heard that he uses a Blue Box..... wonder if anyone could point me to an example of that?

[Damani311]

^^^^^ see my above post, the first link shows his pedal board and it's in the bottom center

For the record, just the EBS 3x is not cutting it.....to me it sounds just like a wah pedal with compression, close but this is not it.

Gotta try the blue box now........damn it's getting expensive ;p

[Damani311]

bah it can't be the blue box, that's almost a full blown distortion pedal

nothing for funky there :P

damn, the hunt goes on.......