feel good inc

gruda · #1 11-12-2009, 03:18 PM

i can not figure out how to get that bass guitar sound on this song? what effects should i use?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Np4yq0VJs

thanks

M@ddest_H@tter! · #2 11-12-2009, 03:19 PM

none...that all clean!

RickenBoogie · #3 11-12-2009, 03:20 PM

Chorus.

bigntasty · #4 11-12-2009, 03:22 PM

Sounds like there may be an octave pedal in there.

Gonzo476 · #5 11-12-2009, 03:24 PM

You just need to find a flying V bass like the one in the video

/jk

Great song BTW

Dan_T · #6 11-12-2009, 03:30 PM

The strings are a little loose, and played with a pick if I remember correctly. I've used a vt bass when my band has played it to add a little overdrive and tone shaping, and it sounds pretty good in context.

lowregister · #7 11-12-2009, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigntasty

Sounds like there may be an octave pedal in there.

That's what I thought.

gruda · #8 11-12-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzo476

You just need to find a flying V bass like the one in the video

/jk

Great song BTW

i have a flying v and it still no work

gruda · #9 11-12-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan_T

The strings are a little loose, and played with a pick if I remember correctly. I've used a vt bass when my band has played it to add a little overdrive and tone shaping, and it sounds pretty good in context.

whoooooosh right over my head, but it sounds like ur on to something

Mingus Addict · #10 11-12-2009, 03:49 PM

Honestly I think it may be a bass and a synth really tightly doubling each other. Listen to the rap part of the song. To me, it sounds like some mod/pitch wheel action on the fills.

To do this on just bass, I would use an octave pedal (very small amount of octave blended in), and maybe even a fretless bass.

bassman1185 · #11 11-12-2009, 03:55 PM

There was a bass player article on how to play this line a while back. I'll see if it mentions any effects. If I remember, though, it sounded pretty compressed.

scotch · #12 11-12-2009, 05:43 PM

Isn't it simply a bass & guitar playing in unison? Kind of a "weedy" clean guitar tone + a compressed, clean & fat bass tone? Doesn't sound like a pick on the bass to me, just a little chorusing/phasing from the guitar being slightly out-of-tune (strings pulled a bit).

FreaqyFrequency · #13 11-12-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotch

Isn't it simply a bass & guitar playing in unison? Kind of a "weedy" clean guitar tone + a compressed, clean & fat bass tone? Doesn't sound like a pick on the bass to me, just a little chorusing/phasing from the guitar being slightly out-of-tune (strings pulled a bit).

I'm inclined to agree. I don't hear any modulation, only an overlying guitar and perhaps an octave down.

scotch · #14 11-12-2009, 06:06 PM

I remember the first time I heard this song (wow, a loooong time ago!)- I remember thinking: "Cool, Gorillaz is using tic-tac bass!" (an old 60's country trick, believe it or not!)

Dan_T · #15 11-12-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruda

whoooooosh right over my head, but it sounds like ur on to something

The VT Bass is an effect by Tech 21. It basically makes you sound like your playing through a really nice amp. It can add lows, and give you some overdrive, which works to get pretty close to this song. Good enough for live playing at least. I keep mine on almost all the time.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/tech-21-vt-bass.htm

scotch · #16 11-12-2009, 10:03 PM

I dunno, respectfully. Thats a pretty darned clean tone! Maybe a tiny bit of 'fur' on the bass, but that's definitely not the signature component of the tone. There's definitely octaves happening!

The easiest way to get close would be an octave up pedal w/ a blend control. The problem is, the higher part chokes/mutes slightly different than the bottom part. There's almost a fraction of a moments' delay between the 2 parts (which makes me think it's a doubled part!). Plus, it really feels "looped" in editing.

scotch · #17 11-12-2009, 10:52 PM

'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley has the same basic thing going on. The Gorillaz tone is punchier w/ the bass higher in the mix, but the Gnarls tone has a cool legato thing going on w/ a little more of the guitar mixed in.

I'm sure there's some synth in the Gorillaz mix as well, but overall it really sounds like clean guitar & bass to me!

M@ddest_H@tter! · #18 11-13-2009, 04:36 AM

I think it would also help to be like Murdoc.....aka the Anti-Christ!

scotch · #19 11-13-2009, 06:33 AM

I just listened to the track at full volume. It's really basic. Clean guitar played in unison (sounds like a hollowbody neck pickup w/old strings or muted strings). Bass w/ lots of compression & little (if any) 'dirt' w/ the tone rolled off significantly. Certain spots in the song sound like they've been cut/paste looped, but much of the track is a performance (actually played through...).

Trying to do both parts live would be tricky. If you get that dark, thick bass tone- an analog octaver wouldn't work well. Maybe a POG set to octave up? Honestly, it would be easier to play a baritone guitar w/ an octave down with a tone control. Still, part of the 'magic' of the parts is that they're only about 90% tight! Its cool how in the slide-ups, at the end of some of the phrases, the guitar kind of 'frets out' & only the bass decay is there.

What a great tone!