Remember a time when you didn't really care what the bass sounded like?

Humbucked · #1 08-03-2009, 08:31 AM

I gots to thinking the other day, of a more innocent time... when thoughts of '...what amp is that?' and '...hey, are they roundwounds?' wouldn't cloud the pure enjoyment of what the bass was actually doing in a song...

I admit to sometimes looking at my rig (the latest one), my collection of pedals (many and varied), leads, connectors, picks of just the right gauge, strings, my basses (the latest, pricey additions after about half a dozen aquisitions) etc... and asking myself whether I am able to enjoy listening to bass without intellectualising about the sound.

You know what I mean? Back when you didn't have a clue what bass/amp/pedal/preamp/gadgetry Steve Harris/Paul Simenon/Jamerson/Gene Simmons/Jaco was using... AND DIDN'T CARE.

Somewhere the innocence was lost. Who was it who said, 'you can never go home'... ?

Go on, flame away...

DeluxeRed · #2 08-03-2009, 08:42 AM

That's simple: when I stopped just listening and started DOING. And, like anything else worthwhile, it's a lot harder to do than it looks like from the outside. I found the variety of ways to express a musical notion--different tones, techniques, beats, styles--was much broader than I had imagined just passively listening. And that achieving that expression was hard work, both in playing and presenting a usable signal, for recording or live, that sits well with the other components of the song.

I myself like knowing what's going on under the hood in most aspects of my life. I have no desire to "go back".

PSPookie · #3 08-03-2009, 08:45 AM

I hear you.

I went to a Gov't Mule concert a few weeks ago and I spent most of the show thinking about how to do what they were doing instead of just enjoying.

I still had a blast, but sometimes I wish I could just turn that part of my brain off for an hour or two.

LiquidMidnight · #4 08-03-2009, 08:50 AM

I've pretty much been a tone nazi since I started playing bass. I really didn't get into gear until later in my playing career, which was probably good: Those early years were spent on learning how to play rather than trying to get the coolest gadget. However, I really was into tone.

Jim Campbell · #5 08-03-2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humbucked

I gots to thinking the other day, of a more innocent time... when thoughts of '...what amp is that?' and '...hey, are they roundwounds?' wouldn't cloud the pure enjoyment of what the bass was actually doing in a song...

I admit to sometimes looking at my rig (the latest one), my collection of pedals (many and varied), leads, connectors, picks of just the right gauge, strings, my basses (the latest, pricey additions after about half a dozen aquisitions) etc... and asking myself whether I am able to enjoy listening to bass without intellectualising about the sound.

You know what I mean? Back when you didn't have a clue what bass/amp/pedal/preamp/gadgetry Steve Harris/Paul Simenon/Jamerson/Gene Simmons/Jaco was using... AND DIDN'T CARE.

Somewhere the innocence was lost. Who was it who said, 'you can never go home'... ?

Go on, flame away...

a lot of people earn their living convincing you that you need this gizmo or that amp/string set/pickup etc...i can remember when just plugging into an amp without a guitar in the other channel was a rare luxury......but i don't remember it being any less enjoyable......

certain sounds i miss,like a fender reverb played clean,a hammond b3/leslie...i've heard a lot of lousy tone come from a lot of pricey gear over the years but i suspect that the rooms are the culprit mostly...ice hockey rinks were never meant to be concert halls.......the average bar band these days has more gear than the beatles had at shea

Humbucked · #6 08-03-2009, 09:07 AM

I guess I should add that my post wasn't so much about the desire to improve technically, or get better gear... it was really just a sorry assed lament that I can still remember a time when I'd hone in on what the bass was doing on a record and just soak it in and love it for the melody, timing, space, narrative... without understanding a lot about it. Not to say I understand everything now, don't get me wrong...

We (I include myself here) just seem so bloody obsessed by tone, grit, crunch, dirt, more more more... that the plain old beauty of a nice melody may pass us by because it ain't ticking all the sonic checkboxes in our mind.

Have you listened to the stuff you got off to way back when? Chances are, the bass sound was crap (or the recording of it sucked), but you didn't care...

MakiSupaStar · #7 08-03-2009, 09:27 AM

I love my sound. I love that I'm still hearing stuff that surprises me.

DudeistMonk · #8 08-03-2009, 09:50 AM

I can't settle on a tone cause I can't settle on a style/band... So I got the cleanest rig I could find and got a Bass POD. This was I can just keep exploring.

...but yeah I remember when I couldn't even recognize that, that "Waaaaahhhmmm" sound comes from a fret-less.

MonetBass · #9 08-03-2009, 10:03 AM

I remember a time when I didn't really pay attention to sound, sure. Looking back, I wish I had, because now I realize that certain tones go better with certain types of music. It pays to make your sound 'fit in'.

James Hart · #10 08-03-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humbucked

Somewhere the innocence was lost. Who was it who said, 'you can never go home'... ?

You sure can! I hit the wall you are reflecting on in the mid 90s... and due to a few other 'life choices' I put the bass down for a little while. I ended up learning to be a fan of music again... and in the process found a deeper emotional tie to what I listened to than I'd ever felt when I was younger. Now when I listen it's with that innocence you feel you've lost, but on a subconscious level, I find my brain connects all the pieces instinctively.

Bruce Lindfield · #11 08-03-2009, 10:55 AM

I can remember getting dragged to discos by girls...

When I was much younger and was into Led Zep, Yes etc.

I realised there was some great funky basslines - even if it wasn't the sort of music that heavy metal guys were "supposed" to like!

So while everyone was dancing away and laughing - I was listening to the bass lines and thinking about why they were so great!!

lousybassplayer · #12 08-03-2009, 11:17 AM

I recall thsoe days. I wasn't a bass player. We as musicians are lucky enough to be able to pick out nuances, neat little tricks, unique lines and other musical subtleties, which is cool, but we tend to lose the non-musician's ability to hear a song as one thing and just a song, since we know how to break it down to nearly a molecular level. I am not sure which is better, an argument could be made for either I suppose, but there are times when I do miss being able to hear a song and not have to consciously avoid dissecting it.

aborgman · #13 08-03-2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humbucked

I gots to thinking the other day, of a more innocent time... when thoughts of '...what amp is that?' and '...hey, are they roundwounds?' wouldn't cloud the pure enjoyment of what the bass was actually doing in a song...

I admit to sometimes looking at my rig (the latest one), my collection of pedals (many and varied), leads, connectors, picks of just the right gauge, strings, my basses (the latest, pricey additions after about half a dozen aquisitions) etc... and asking myself whether I am able to enjoy listening to bass without intellectualising about the sound.

You know what I mean? Back when you didn't have a clue what bass/amp/pedal/preamp/gadgetry Steve Harris/Paul Simenon/Jamerson/Gene Simmons/Jaco was using... AND DIDN'T CARE.

Somewhere the innocence was lost. Who was it who said, 'you can never go home'... ?

Go on, flame away...

I always care (and cared) what the bass sounds like.

That never involves any thoughts about equipment or how he is achieving said sounds though.

MJ5150 · #14 08-03-2009, 11:37 AM

I don't care now.

-Mike

Jared Lash · #15 08-03-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aborgman

I always care (and cared) what the bass sounds like.

That never involves any thoughts about equipment or how he is achieving said sounds though.

+1. I certainly wasn't the gearhead I later became, but I always noticed and enjoyed different bass tones (and guitar tones and the way the drums were produced) but I do catch myself watching/checking the gear of the bass player when I see live acts and have to remind myself to relax and just enjoy music.

rap138 · #16 08-03-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I don't care now.

-Mike

yeah, I still don't care, but I'm quite simple, never been bothered much about 5 stringers or plus, fancy amps and cabs, just a loud combo and a cheap bass is good enogh for me.....then again, I'm not very good at it either

MJ5150 · #17 08-03-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rap138

yeah, I still don't care, but I'm quite simple, never been bothered much about 5 stringers or plus, fancy amps and cabs, just a loud combo and a cheap bass is good enogh for me.....then again, I'm not very good at it either

It can get to a point where it ruins music for you if you let it. I know a few guys who are "musicians", and sometimes they just criticize a song or album to the point where it's no fun to even listen. I mean really, why bother listening if you're going to be so critical?

I'm glad I don't know so much about bass that I could cast a critical ear on someones tone or playing quality.

-Mike

**Pacman** · #18 08-03-2009, 02:51 PM

moved to miscellaneous.

Humbucked · #19 08-03-2009, 08:31 PM

I guess I should add, I wasn't talking about MY bass sound...

I was referring to the sound of whoever was playing the stuff i was digging at the time...

Pilgrim · #20 08-03-2009, 08:40 PM

If you remember when you didn't care - then think about it, because THAT'S EXACTLY HOW YOUR AUDIENCE FEELS.

They don't care about or notice the little things that you think make such a difference. That's why it's pointless to obsess about minor details.

Me, I just play the way it sounds good to me. My ears are better educated than they used to be, and I keep learning new things. But I never forget how little it matters to the audience. You have to make a big, audible change in sound before they will notice it.