Effects in Rap (and all other associated Genres)

Thunderscreech · #1 08-30-2009, 07:20 PM

FROM THE MAN WHO SERIOSULY ASKED ABOUT NU-METAL BASS COMES THE EXCITING SEQUEL!
Disclaimer: If this has been covered, the search did not show it. So it is the fault of the search engine and not me.

My friend and I have started a band, and we want to do a sort of really heavy industrial/rap/thrash (no, seriously) thing, kinda like Godflesh meets Eminem and Megadeth.

I know that lots of the Phat Beatz are a drum machine's kick (maybe a clone of the TS-808 or TS-909, whichever it is the Zoom MRT-3b does a good job), but for the actual bass I'm at a loss. Being a doom/sludge guy, I'm not used to this "clean" bass tone that's on lots of the hip-hop/rap/"R&b"/"G-Funk" stuff. and theres usually some synths or a synth doing bass stuff, but what can I actually use? Like, just the bass boosted on my BDDI or something? I don't think i'll need much, like maybe an LPF or something, but I really do not know. Outside of doom and sludge, I'm lost.

Thunderscreech · #2 08-30-2009, 07:40 PM

I can't believe I haven't been flamed for this.

Thunderscreech · #3 08-30-2009, 07:49 PM

Okay, really, now it's like a conspiracy.

plekan · #4 08-30-2009, 08:15 PM

There probably aren't a lot of hip hop listeners in this forum.

A lot of hip hop has computer generated or synthesized bass lines in it. Depends on how hard core the rap is. Most hip hop groups perform to tracks that have bass integrated into them. Thus, you could record electric bass lines into the track, but you will probably find more useful sounds off the databases that the studios have.

If there is electric bass in the tracks, it's usually in combination with some sort of different bass track. Often times, it lines up directly with the kick drum. There are a few great producers that utilize electric bass guitar in addition to their other types of computer generated bass sounds and it really helps certain tracks on the albums stand out from the others. Broadens their palate really. However, you will find some albums utilize the same technique for the entire album.

I would guess, and I know nothing about hip hop, they definitely utilize low pass filters on both computer and non-computer generated sounds. Maybe not all the time, but producers like to find that sound and dial it in for many tracks. It gives it their signature. They select the crossover frequency that matches the key of the song and go from there. That way it can really shake the car windows.

As far as hip hop artists that play with electric bassists, I'm finding that they use a pretty common p-bass into a tube amp sound, or sometimes a more clean ss amp sound, but definitely just really clean and tight playing. The fretless j bass sound is just too r&b for hip hop.

Now RAP, is a whole other story. I mean if you want to cross eminem with megadeath did you say? I mean you are opening up a whole can of worms. Both are pretty abrasive so pretty much any combination of synth pedals or octave/fuzz/filter combinations would work really well. It might be beneficial to eq up the sub-octaves after the octave and get yourself a subwoofer to add to your stack and really push those low frequencies. People want to feel the bass at rap shows.

Again, what the heck do I know? I'm just as interested to see what people say about your post.

Unrepresented · #5 08-30-2009, 08:19 PM

Rap has a fairly diverse set of bass sounds. It's got everything from samples of 60's and 70's funk breakdowns to synthesizers and keyboard tones from everything that's been produced in the last six decades. It borrows from everything.

My suggestion is to do the same. Be open minded.

bigchiefbc · #6 08-30-2009, 08:36 PM

If I were going to be doing rap bass lines, I'd probably use an oscillator (either an SYB or a Freqbox), an octave, and an lpf (probably the Moog)

diglo · #7 08-30-2009, 08:48 PM

All I use is my bass with the hi's turned back for a sub/dub sound. Far as effects, get a wah pedal and synth pedal. The sub is for more eastcoast style and the wah/synt is for down south and westcoast funk. Hip-Hop bass players don't rely on a bunch of pedals. Checkout the roots, outkast, tribe called quest and Dr.Dre for some examples. Hope this helps.

anthowl · #8 08-30-2009, 09:02 PM

also lots compression.

Mudfuzz · #9 08-30-2009, 09:03 PM

Filter [moog or FX25]
Octave
Some kind of light OD or fuzz so you can a fur when needed.
Another filter or EQ.
Also some way of getting a synth sound: either a synth pedal, a pedal combo like oct>fuzz>filter or learn keys

Mudfuzz · #10 08-30-2009, 09:08 PM

Actually I think my best Hiphop "bass sound" I ever used was a sample of Homer saying doh slowed down and run through a low pass filter

ryognbass · #11 08-30-2009, 09:14 PM

id go with a solid dark and gentle fuzz, compression, eq to scoop mids for slapping, octave down, and filter

rottenramone · #12 08-30-2009, 09:38 PM

a saw wave vco gives that west coast flava back in the 1990s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUwnOsTm96A

barbarbass · #13 08-30-2009, 09:42 PM

You shouldn't be flamed for this kind of question -- actually, some of the best bass parts I've ever heard have been on hip-hop records. As someone said above, just be open minded. But yeah, low-pass filter, and something to give it a little extra fuzz. And the comp (check out the dyna comp -- it's an orange stomp box).

Mudfuzz · #14 08-30-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rottenramone

a saw wave vco gives that west coast flava back in the 1990s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUwnOsTm96A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5DrKBNS8so and Instrumentalhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_DWjhozg6I

Thunderscreech · #15 08-30-2009, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudfuzz

Filter [moog or FX25]
Octave
Some kind of light OD or fuzz so you can a fur when needed.
Another filter or EQ.
Also some way of getting a synth sound: either a synth pedal, a pedal combo like oct>fuzz>filter or learn keys

So, like, A bassball into an MicroPog and then into the XXL B?

fightthepower · #16 08-30-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

If I were going to be doing rap bass lines, I'd probably use an oscillator (either an SYB or a Freqbox), an octave, and an lpf (probably the Moog)

+1, the sawtooth can get a lot of use for stuff like the snoop dog video, the octave+lpf is a great combo that can approximate 808 sounds, among other things. Im pretty sure Dr. Dre used a minimoog or moog source or something on a lot of those old tracks, and the Freqbox+LPF can really nail it. The SYB or clone into a lpf could probably do a good job on the Snoop track and other stuff of that speed also, better than a fuzz+LPF if you can play it clean, though a gated fuzz could do a pretty good job approximating that stuff as well. It's been almost a year since I had one and I wasn't too interested in the oscillator tones at the time, so I'd really like to try an SYB out again to see exactly what its tracking limitations are, especially under a filter where little flaws are often well hidden.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderscreech

So, like, A bassball into an MicroPog and then into the XXL B?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudfuzz

Also some way of getting a synth sound: either a synth pedal, a pedal combo like oct>fuzz>filter or learn keys

... although the bassballs has dirt and the micropog can really track anything so you might be able to get some interesting tones that way, but the standard basic setup is octave-fuzz-filter.

XXL · #17 08-31-2009, 12:22 AM

I just had some fun with MicroPog>HybridMessdrive>Bassballs

I had to mess with the trimpots on the Bassballs a bit to get it just right.

My EP-1 and its not working out to well for some reason with the Oct.fuzz.filter trifecta.

Though the phaser side of things gave me some interesting results.

DiscoFreq · #18 08-31-2009, 01:56 AM

Top Billin' by The Audio Two (late 80's hit) used a Digitech delay/sampler pedal to sample the beat (IIRC).

Jimmy Bones · #19 08-31-2009, 02:40 AM

I say stick with numetal.

gastric · #20 08-31-2009, 06:25 AM

Dr Dre Chronic 2001 is the only hiphop album I ever got into. But some sort of rap/hiphop band was on my list of unusual (for me) music to try playing bass in once I deced to go for effected/bass synth bass playing. It's always smooth, groovy, hooked bass lines. Unfortunately it's rare to find a rap/hiphop "band' with actual live musicians.