Black Velvet - effects?

Black Sheep · #1 04-27-2010, 09:23 PM

Does anyone know what is used on the song "Black Velvet" as far as effects? Nice playing, nice tone, and the subtle effect is sweet.

jimmyb · #2 04-27-2010, 11:08 PM

Not sure of the effects, but i'd be interested to hear the info as well. I agree the tone is sweet. Pretty sure the bassist is playing a fretless, but I could be wrong.

BKBassDude · #3 04-27-2010, 11:15 PM

The general consensus on that tune is that it was a keyboard bass on the actual recording, but the tone shouldn't be hard to cop with a bridge p/u fretless and some good eqing. A pick and some phaser/flanger/chorus might help your cause.

bassteban · #4 04-27-2010, 11:21 PM

I got close enough for my bad ears w/a dry fretless.

My 8-yr-old daughter saw me watching the video to learn the tune- seeing the 80's-bustier-sporting hussy, she said, 'I don't like her...'

PhatBasstard · #5 04-28-2010, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKBassDude

The general consensus on that tune is that it was a keyboard bass on the actual recording....

I've never heard that...and after hearing and playing the tune for 20+ years, I seriously doubt it.

There are just too many subtleties to the notes and too many varied attacks. I would be highly surprised to find out this is a keyboard.

As far as the OP's question: I've done this on fretted and fretless. Obviously favoring the back pickup. A little chorus and a hint of reverb about nails it. You may have to boost some mid depending on your bass and/or amp's regular tone.

bongomania · #6 04-28-2010, 12:59 AM

Link to a decent-quality recording of it?

Black Sheep · #7 04-28-2010, 05:43 AM

Definitlely the effects are mostly very subtle, but when I heard it in the car the other day, it sounded like just a few short parts of the song had some enhanced effect, like a slow chorus or subtle envelope or something... And maybe there is a low cut or something because most of the song I did not hear that effect that pronounced.

jgroh · #8 04-28-2010, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhatBasstard

I've never heard that...and after hearing and playing the tune for 20+ years, I seriously doubt it.

There are just too many subtleties to the notes and too many varied attacks. I would be highly surprised to find out this is a keyboard.

As far as the OP's question: I've done this on fretted and fretless. Obviously favoring the back pickup. A little chorus and a hint of reverb about nails it. You may have to boost some mid depending on your bass and/or amp's regular tone.

Yeah Allanah Myles (spelling?) confirmed that it was a keyboard that played the bass. You can google that and find the interview where she talked about it.

We play this song now and as much as I want to use my fretless for it, it often doesnt make sense to switch basses in the middle of a set for one song. So I favor the bridge pickup and run some very subtle chorus and can nail it.

stflbn · #9 04-28-2010, 06:08 AM

When I was using my m9 I had a complex scene built with chorus or phase, reverb and a touch of octave up pitch shift that nailed the tone.

Now I just favor the bridge pickup, roll back the treble some and dig in harder than normal while using more of a fretless 'slide into notes' approach with my left hand. If anything... playing it cleaner without effects helps things stand out more live.

pasta4lnch · #10 04-28-2010, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

Yeah Allanah Myles (spelling?) confirmed that it was a keyboard that played the bass. You can google that and find the interview where she talked about it.

there is definitely a link to that effect somewhere on TB - I remember reading it (w/ much disappointment)

edit:
lots of info here

73jbass · #11 04-28-2010, 06:31 AM

Play it on a fretless,no effects,and favoring the bridge pickup.

DWBass · #12 04-28-2010, 06:54 AM

My old band's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Hj10gUfzg

PhatBasstard · #13 04-28-2010, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasta4lnch

there is definitely a link to that effect somewhere on TB - I remember reading it (w/ much disappointment)

edit:
lots of info here

I must say, I'm stunned. I've been playing that song before it was even a big hit (I knew it would be

) and I never would have guessed it was a synth.

I do not find the lines un-basslike as someone stated, so that wouldn't have been a tip off.

As far as the key discussion in the other thread, this song got soooooo overplayed in Vegas that I played it in several keys on several gigs (sometimes last second). I always had a 5 or 6 handy so transposing it properly wasn't a problem. 95% of the bands here would just simply play it in Em rather than Ebm. On the rare occasion a singer just had to have it detuned it would normally get played in Dm. I probably had to play it in Ebm maybe a handful of times in 20+ years.

DWBass · #14 04-28-2010, 11:43 AM

Well, the original is in Eb but I've come across so many guitarists who had issues playing it in that key! Some even refused to play it in that key!

PhatBasstard · #15 04-28-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Well, the original is in Eb but I've come across so many guitarists who had issues playing it in that key! Some even refused to play it in that key!

It's not about wanting to. On a standard tuned (E) tuned guitar it cannot be played "properly" in Eb.

Bob C · #16 04-28-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

Yeah Allanah Myles (spelling?) confirmed that it was a keyboard that played the bass. You can google that and find the interview where she talked about it.

I googled it, and didn't find that confirmation yet. Could be true, but it sure sounds like a bass guitar to me.

**lowendfriend** · #17 04-28-2010, 06:59 PM

I agree with fretless and bass. I wouldn't be surprised if that little funny riff was actually synth. Now that I think of it, the fingering almost has to be keys. I slowed that puppy down on BestPractice a dozen times and couldn't come within a country mile.

My crew likes to play it in E. BTW, BestPractice lets you record the mp3 in the off timing or key....comes in real handy.

That's one tune I'm really glad to have the B string for.

bongomania · #18 04-28-2010, 07:07 PM

Bob C, please click on the link posted a few posts up, and read page 2 of that thread.

Bob C · #19 04-28-2010, 07:43 PM

Okay, sorry about that. I Had been following this thread, but suddenly fell behind.

I went back and followed that link. If Alanna Myles really did say that, and the guy that posted on TB really played on the album, then I guess it's true.

But to say it's obvious that that is a synth simply isn't true. And all this Eb business reminds me of a recent "Just buy a 5 string" thread. A whole lot of talk about Alice In Chains' "Would", blah blah.

Most bands that cover songs in Eb tuning (songs by SRV, Kiss, Van Halen, etc) just play them in E.

Anyway, shame on me for not reading the whole thread.

PhatBasstard · #20 04-28-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowendfriend

I agree with fretless and bass. I wouldn't be surprised if that little funny riff was actually synth. Now that I think of it, the fingering almost has to be keys. I slowed that puppy down on BestPractice a dozen times and couldn't come within a country mile.

I still don't get this. That riff is not a hard fingering at all.