Hi-fi tone & rock: Mutually exclusive?

[MysticMichael]

Just a little something I've observed since I've joined TalkBass:

[peeve]

Seems that with a lot of players, when you say "rock", they immediately think: "lo-fi". Something old-school like a P-bass through an SVT. Or maybe a Thunderbird through a Mesa rig. Operative words: buzz, grind, crunch and thump.

Is it just me, or this an overly simplistic, narrow, even stereotypical concept of good rock tone?

While I've certainly enjoyed these familiar classic rock tones at various times, my personal playing preference is more modern and hi-fi. And by that, I don't mean "all treble and no bass", cheesy solid-state tone - or any of the usual put-downs. I mean very clean, smooth, full-range, balanced, detailed tone with presence, sensitivity, dynamics and depth. More like Greg Lake's clean Jazz Bass tone from the early King Crimson records, but maybe more contemporary.

Anyone else feel as I do, that modern, processed forms of rock music - especially experimental or progressive - call for modern bass tone? That this qualifies as "legitimate" rock music - every bit as much as does classic "crunch"? And that hi-fi tone and rock music are not mutually exclusive?

[/peeve]

MM

[IanStephenson]

Totally get what you're on about.

My tone is about presence, and punchy mids, so there's lots of pitch, rather than the classic thump and rattle. It works well for most kinds of rock music provided there's space to punch into - i've had problems in the current band with two loud/distorted guitarists was there's so little sonic space left, so i'm left looking for space. to cut better i've added a little distortion, though I prefer a clean sound, the distortion works well in the mix.

I'm useing groundwounds which takes away the top end zingyness, but on the Kubicki with mid-boost there's loads of tone. For me it's all about PITCH. I want to be able to hear the notes I'm playing, rather than just a rythmic rumble with fretbuzz.

It works best in a 3 piece where you can step up, and contribute to the melodic/harmonic structure, rather than a bigger band where you have to play more of a fixed role.

Dave LaRue's Steve Morse Band stuff demonstrates this nicely (which there are parts which are certainly jazz and there's plenty of slapping there's plenty of straight rock too).

Ian

[Pennydreadful]

I don't think it's that uncommon to see guys in rock bands using more "hi-fi" tones, but I do think it's a lot more common in "progressive" sub-genres.

[Stuggi]

I at least can't take that trumpy no-trebs and mid sound some guy's are doing, I like a bit of crackle and pop on top of a ground shaking solid bottom.

[SoComSurfing]

I haven't been keeping up w/ what's going on in rock music lately, but I remember two late '90s bands that were great examples of what would probably generally be considered "hi-fi" bass tones:

Hoobastank - MTD & Aguilar
Alien Ant Farm - Ken Lawrence & SWR

And then, of course, there's 311's Warwick & SWR. A little cleaner and clearer than POD's Warwick & Eden.

[jimb213]

Yeah, the late 90's and early part of this decade had lots of hifi bass in rock bands. Incubus, I Mother Earth, probably most "rap metal" bands...

I personally have a "grindy hifi" sound with my rock band - full and punchy, but definitely has a bit of dirt. It is a 3-piece right now, so like someone above said, I can play a more prominent role than a bass player in a band with 2 wailing guitars.

[Vic Winters]

Justin Chancellor has a pretty hi-fi sound, and tons of people here cream themselves for his sound.

[Jezz8me]

i have to deal with what tones i can get at the moment with limited gear/ money and basic skill.

i like the tones english Atern-Rock bands use though; Muse especially which is just the best toned band ever but i also like the more simplistic tones of The Arctic Monkeys, The Frattellis ect