Scott Reeder's tone on Birth To The Earth

Wespe · #1 11-09-2006, 02:46 PM

http://media.putfile.com/Kyuss-Bass-Envelope-Filter

I'm big into this band Kyuss, and I got even more obsessed by them when I heard this song. The tandem bass and guitar work sounds pretty killer, and there are some stints where Scott locks into the drummer really well. All this aside, what got me on this song was the fill that he did in this particular segment of the song above. I was curious as to how he got it. My biggest suspicion was running a distortion before an envelope filter, but I've heard that particular combo done so many ways and I'm not sure.

Aside from his tone, he's also a killer player. This song shows of his technical skills, but if you check out some of Kyuss' other material Scott can really groove. And to me, that seems almost unheard of in a mainstream metal band, and these guys were pretty popular in the 90's.

nad · #2 11-09-2006, 03:04 PM

I'm a huge fan of Kyuss (I've tracked down every studio recording they have best I can tell) and I've never heard of their song Birth to the Earth, are you sure that's not Atomic Bitchwax?

Either way, Scott Reeder is awesome, and so is that whacko Nick Oliveri.

Wespe · #3 11-09-2006, 03:06 PM

you aren't serious

f***

EDIT: It's Atomic Bitchwax, I feel like a douche.

nad · #4 11-09-2006, 03:11 PM

No big deal, at least you're right on that being a killer tone.

Check out Slo-burn and Unida if you love Kyuss, two of John Garcia's bands.

Wespe · #5 11-09-2006, 03:13 PM

I'll check them out. And you're right about Nick Olivieri being a killer bassist. It's a shame they don't turn him up all that often in QOTSA, though.

You got any clue about that tone, though?

nad · #6 11-09-2006, 03:18 PM

I think you're onto something with distortion + envelope filter, but I think I hear an octaver in there as well.

I still love new QOTSA, but Nick's bass was sorely lacking on their last album.

Wespe · #7 11-09-2006, 03:23 PM

I know what you mean. I'm still in love with Nick's playing regardless. His tone could be a bit more cutting, but again I think that has something to do with him not being turned up as much as opposed to his EQ preferences or his distortion tone. And maybe I'm wrong. He's a really intense player when he wants to be, but I think ever since the old members of Kyuss reformed into QOTSA it was only a matter of time until certain aspects of Kyuss that everybody liked began to kind of disappear.

Nick's playing is definitely much more basic, but I'm curious if that was a choice of his own or because of what he was told to play. You might recall that he went through a pretty bad divorce that got him kicked out of the band, and I'm not sure that he's back in QOTSA. I know he has his own project Mondo Generator, but I don't follow it all that much.

nad · #8 11-09-2006, 03:37 PM

I didn't know it was a divorce situation, I thought that Josh was just tired of Nick's drug use, huh. His tone was what did it for me, real monolithic stuff. Reeder was definitely groovier, but honestly I couldn't pick between the two if I had to. Anyone who can be interesting behind Josh Homme's wall of sound is a good player to me. I've heard one Mondo Generator album and all those Desert Sessions but it's all pretty meh to me, QOTSA and Kyuss have the good stuff from that camp, outside of Garcia's amazing stuff anyhow.

If you haven't, go to http://www.stonerrock.com/ and you can find all kinds of great bands. I'm violently in love with Electric Wizard and Colour Haze currently.

Matt Till · #9 11-09-2006, 11:03 PM

There is a big thread in recordings about Stoner Rock too.

Reeder > Oliveri

Just IMO. I try to base my tone and playing off Reeder in my band (King Bowman). But... I don't think we sound like Kyuss, but I've been writing some Kyuss esque material for the band, just isn't recorded yet.

Atomic Bitchwax is awesome, if you like them, check out Spiritual Beggars... tripppppy. Well, that and Monster Magnet, Ed Mundell's old band. A lot of people are turned off by Space Lord, but the first four albums are mind blowing heavy psych.

these_go211 · #10 11-10-2006, 11:25 AM

i heard that oliveri got the boot cuz he became just too unpredictable due to meth use. though i'm sure part of that was also josh homme's ego/power grab. i like qotsa a lot but would imagine josh would be somewhat of an egomaniac. i really dig oliveri's tone especially on 'rated r.' i think it was fender-p going into ampeg svt. when i saw them live he was playing thru 8 4x10 ampeg stacks!!