How do you get that aggresive geddy lee sound?

[Presto2112]

Does anyone know how to that aggresive geddy lee bass sound? I've been searching for ever for a pedal or something but its always too distorted like a guitar. Here are some videos to give you an idea on the sound im looking for

YouTube - Rush "Tom Sawyer" (Rush in Rio)

(skip to solo)

YouTube - Rush: The Pass (Rush in Rio)

Both from the rush in rio DVD

PLEASE HELP

[jgroh]

sansamp rpm?

[Robertron]

"Geddy would begin using the Fender Jazz Bass which is heard on Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals and the supporting tours."

..and..

"Lee's amps in the early days were arena-ready Sunn and/or Ampeg models. By the late seventies, his backline had evolved into a configuration of Ashly preamps and BGW power amps, which were run in stereo with his 4001 bass. The neck pickup was sent to one amp and set for a clean, bass-heavy tone, while the bridge pickup was sent to the other amp which was set with an exaggerated treble boost, and extra gain in the preamp. This defined Lee's bass sound from 1977 to 1982."

From wikipedia.

I'd use these as guidelines. Maybe not for you to invest in expensive gear, though.
What are the fundamentals in his sound? His tone consists of a treble-boosted high-gain tone mixed with a bass-heavy clean tone. There are a lot of pedals and pedal combinations that can help you mix this up.

A high-gain distortion with clean blend.
A distortion/overdrive in a clean blend.

Experiment!

Side: Between all my listening to Geddy Lee and Marcus Miller lately I'm GASing hard for a nice 5-String Jazz-type bass...

[avvie]

I got fairly close with the Ibanez PD7 bass overdrive pedal. It has three modes of overdrive with a switchable attack control.

And it's stupid cheap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_6oM3ijFg

The guy doing the demo doesn't do a very good job of it; it all sounds about the same... but I've had good results with mine.

[MikeBC]

All that has been already noted would help a lot. To me the first step would be to put on a set of Rotosound Swing Bass 66 stainless steel round-wounds. Then see where to go from there. Those strings have a very distinctive sound no matter what other gear you are using. Could be wrong but I believe those are the strings he is using.

[faulknersj]

His jazz basses had 70's spacing on the bridge pick-up and his tone always sounds like a favored 70's spaced bridge pup to me. It has the barky grindy growl that just slices through any mix.

[propel]

IMO most of it comes from how he plays. I just saw them live last Wednesday (AMAZING show and great tickets ), and I had my eyes on his hands the whole time. His right hand technique is really something to behold, he reeeally digs in deep into those strings. Obviously fresh rounds, soloing the bridge pup and some OD will help very much in getting you there, but unless you really go at it with your fingers, I think it'll always be off the mark; the tone is in your hands, so to speak.

As others have pointed out before (this isn't the first time this is asked here ), Geddy Lee sounds like Geddy Lee on pretty much any bass. There are nuances in the tone, but be it his p-bass on their first album, his Rick in the late 70's or the Jazz aftewards, his tone remains quite similar throughout IMO. So before investing in a million different effects (which isn't a bad thing, mind you), put on some new strings and check out how he plays in live videos and try to emulate that.

ps.

When really digging in, I get damn close with my 4001

[cableguy]

Originally Posted by MikeBC

All that has been already noted would help a lot. To me the first step would be to put on a set of Rotosound Swing Bass 66 stainless steel round-wounds. Then see where to go from there. Those strings have a very distinctive sound no matter what other gear you are using. Could be wrong but I believe those are the strings he is using.

This and use any tech 21 sansamp pedal and you should be able to get close. If you run the sansamp bass driver di in front of your amp you can use the blend knob for mixing the tube emulation in. The tech 21 website even has some sample sound settings (not Geddy's) that will get you close. Keep the tone controls fairly flat on the pedal and use your amp for the EQ.

[Mark Olson]

Mungo Jerry says you should use a cranked tube amp, and nothing else is an acceptable solution.

[bigtexashonk]

I find a heavy right hand attack does the trick. An aggressive heavy tap similar to Entwistle's technique.

[kokoshmusun]

avvie, do you have any problems switching the pd7 on and off. I heard about this problem and although I've been wanting to get this pedal, I'm hesitant.

[stflbn]

Digging in and playing aggressive with your right hand gives the best aggressive tone IMHO. That's where most of it comes from.

[tangentmusic]

Isnt it true that Geddy also changes his strings before every show?
That would keep his Jazz Bass at it's brightest, snappiest tone for sure.

[Muzoid]

Originally Posted by MikeBC

All that has been already noted would help a lot. To me the first step would be to put on a set of Rotosound Swing Bass 66 stainless steel round-wounds. Then see where to go from there. Those strings have a very distinctive sound no matter what other gear you are using. Could be wrong but I believe those are the strings he is using.

+1

...and that is correct, Geddy uses 66's

Plus Geddy is not afraid of hammering the strings with his fingertips, smacking the string on the upper frets for a quick 'clack" and/or against the pup...I do this on songs I need aggressive bass sound, yet it's not physically very intensive on the fingers, so you won't wear out. Good way to get a 'piano-ish' timbre.

[avvie]

Originally Posted by kokoshmusun

avvie, do you have any problems switching the pd7 on and off. I heard about this problem and although I've been wanting to get this pedal, I'm hesitant.

Nope, can't say I have (knock on wood), except for one time when a bandmate kicked it out from under the tarp and into the rain... wouldn't turn on for a couple of months then, but it healed itself


I'd like to add that the above posts about Geddy's finger attack are spot on. If you're playing a lot your fingers will get really calloused and will start feeling like hammers instead of flesh... soon you won't feel the strings very much but it will sound like you're beaating the heck out of 'em!