Give me some examples of effects used by Tony Levin.

[6stringbassist]

He seems to use a whole lot of effects.

I know he uses a lot of compression, and I've heard himusing chorus on with his fretless bass, but I was after examples of other effects on songs.

For example I know he uses a Big Muff distortion, on what particular song ?

And I've seen a photo of one of his pedalboards, showing an MXR Phase 90.

Thanks !

[20db pad]

The Peter Gabriel tune "Steam" is a good example of an "over-compressed" bass part. I recall him using a RetroSpec Squeeze Box, which is a long discontinued unit.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aphQNGOz7v8

[Eric!]

FUNK FINGERS!!

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by 20db pad

The Peter Gabriel tune "Steam" is a good example of an "over-compressed" bass part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aphQNGOz7v8

Yeah, that bass line is so over-compressed, it's inaudible!

[Eric!]

You can sooorta hear it better here

[kreider204]

delay on "Sleepless"

[20db pad]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Yeah, that bass line is so over-compressed, it's inaudible!

Which box did you say could get that sort of sound going that wasn't a RetroSpec?

On the OT regarding serious compression, I always liked the bass tone on Elvis Costello's "Every Day I Write the Book", where they say two compressors were used. I forget any other details than that.

[Swift713]

Tony has an Analogman dual compressor. A Ross clone and an Orange Squeezer in one box.

[bassyRyan]

To get something like the Ross, the Keeley is likely the best on the market. I know it's the best comp I've ever owned and is based on the Ross. I have not tried the Analogman but I hear great things about most of their stuff.

[Swift713]

Tony's use of effects on the Stick Man album is off the charts, tremolo, filters galore, ring mod, compressors, fuzzzzes, more filters, wah, keyboards, etc. My ear for effects is just not educated enough to identify with any certainty what's what but it's in there.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by 20db pad

Which box did you say could get that sort of sound going that wasn't a RetroSpec?

There are a few. At the cheaper end, the Exar Bass Compressor or the Jacques Fat Burner (veeery similar circuits, both made by Exar) are good choices. At the "gourmet" end, the Effectrode PC-2A and the FEA Opti-FET are amazingly awesome choices. Levin uses that Bi-Comprossor, but that's one of those instances where my tastes are very different than those of the famous and successful artist--I wouldn't recommend the Bi-Comprossor, but obviously Levin does.

Originally Posted by 20db pad

regarding serious compression, I always liked the bass tone on Elvis Costello's "Every Day I Write the Book", where they say two compressors were used. I forget any other details than that.

It's actually a very common technique in recording studios, for jangly guitar tone. Sometimes they run two AC30 amps in series, sometimes they run two LA-2A's or LA-3A's in series. A lot of the most popular "chiming" or "singing" or jangly guitar sounds on hit records were obtained with those methods. It's a very noisy process, though, so it only works in situations where you can carefully protect the gear from EMF noise, and professionally sculpt the remaining noise out of the recorded track.

[Mad Maestro]

Tony placed Pamper baby diapers under his strings between the pickup and the bridge for the second part of 'Don't Give Up'. This is called the "Super Wonder Nappy Bass" sound.

[Eric!]

Originally Posted by Mad Maestro

"Super Wonder Nappy Bass"

Reminds me of

[Commreman]

Tony also uses a vintage Boss OC-2. Listen to either "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel, or "Late in the Evening" by Paul Simon. Oh and yeah, TONS of compression!

[jamey]

so is the bass on "games without frontiers" over-compressed also?

[paradigm_shift]

When he was in New Zealand recently he was also using a Tech 21 red ripper...