tool sounds

SNOTROCKET56 · #1 05-03-2011, 01:13 AM

Prob been asked on here but whats a good way to get the tone like the bass player on the lateralus album?

EricssonB · #2 05-03-2011, 01:34 AM

That was so 2001. First I'd probably play a rubber band on a bent stick and run it through some FX then do some post-editing in the studio.

Oh and this:
A more accurate description of Justin Chancellor's live rig

SNOTROCKET56 · #3 05-03-2011, 01:55 AM

Haha never was really interested in the sound till recently it kinda grew on me

SNOTROCKET56 · #4 05-03-2011, 01:59 AM

Wow. That thing is f ing complex.......yikes. is there a way to get a little closer to it than having a mega ebsemble of effects?

EricssonB · #5 05-03-2011, 02:09 AM

Prolly start with EQs and the right combo of distortion. I'll bet that the multi-amp combination has a big part of it, although I've never experimented with that.

*owns one bass amp that doubles as guitar amp*

champbassist · #6 05-03-2011, 02:11 AM

A little advice: search the forums for Justin Chancellor (Tool's bassist). You'll find that searching for stuff will actually allow you to find what you want more accurately than if anyone answers it for you. His setup has been discussed to death over here.

Time for a Justin sticky already?

ZombieSpacebat · #7 05-03-2011, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by champbassist

Time for a Justin sticky already?

God yes.

Go read up on him if you want the long explanation of his rig, the short version of the story is that it's very difficult to replicate his sound without 2 key components: his Wal and his EQ. Then you have the pedals......

rockstarbassist · #8 05-03-2011, 12:18 PM

It's time for a Chris and JC merged mega sticky...

Joe_K · #9 05-03-2011, 12:54 PM

This guy knows a lot about tool sounds:

YouTube - Spain- Song made from sounds of electric drills

HTH

SNOTROCKET56 · #10 05-03-2011, 09:55 PM

Yea - im just looking for a little more of his tone in my playing, right now i have an ampeg 400 watt w/ a nice gk head and i really only use a boss overdrive pedal for a little extra noise - im just trying to get a little more distinct sound, and i heard a guy last week that had a little tool sound to his tone, and id like to encorporate some of that - any tips? i play punkish style and right now im playin a gretsch.....i like my sound for what it is im a basic player at heart but id like to shape my tone a little more to get a little more like that.....

ThorGodOfBass · #11 05-03-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNOTROCKET56

Yea - im just looking for a little more of his tone in my playing, right now i have an ampeg 400 watt w/ a nice gk head and i really only use a boss overdrive pedal for a little extra noise - im just trying to get a little more distinct sound, and i heard a guy last week that had a little tool sound to his tone, and id like to encorporate some of that - any tips? i play punkish style and right now im playin a gretsch.....i like my sound for what it is im a basic player at heart but id like to shape my tone a little more to get a little more like that.....

Best bet, throw in some fuzz/wah. Fender makes a decent one you can you on bass. It add a WILD sound and you can really go crazy with it. Otherwise, he's known for his digitech whammy, but that isn't really something we punk boys mess around with. :P check out the video interview his sound guy did w/ Dunlop TV lots of demonstrations, including the insane power of that duel amp setup.

rratajski · #12 05-04-2011, 04:04 AM

...man, and I was hoping this would be about saw, drill, and other tool-like sounds.

Oreomeister365 · #13 05-04-2011, 07:03 AM

While getting one of his wild and crazy pedals will give you one of his "sounds", 95 percent of the time his sound is mainly just a wal bass played with a pick...everything else is gravy. Some of his more memorable lines might have flanger and/or delay..

People are always so put off by his effects when by far, his most important sound is a really nice bass guitar played with a pick, no effects at all.

rockstarbassist · #14 05-04-2011, 11:26 AM

Yup. I've had 2 Wals. You pretty much plug in, tune to Drop D, nab the pick and you're about golden. If your Gretsch is a hollow or semi hollowbody, you're gonna have issues.

Closest other bass I've played that can sorta get there is a Spector with humbuckers and their 18V preamp (the 9V is a little too dark/growly, IME).

Also JC's attack is very distinct/unique. A lot of his sound is that too, which only comes from listening/practice.

And, what "little Tool sound to his tone" actually was there? That's not very specific. JC wasn't the only Tool bassist and pretty much per album his tone changes somewhat, whether that be because of production or gear or tracking techniques, etc..
Just way too vague.

SNOTROCKET56 · #15 05-04-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

And, what "little Tool sound to his tone" actually was there? That's not very specific. JC wasn't the only Tool bassist and pretty much per album his tone changes somewhat, whether that be because of production or gear or tracking techniques, etc..
Just way too vague.

I said in the initial post the lateralus tone. Im not looking to duplicate it just incorporate some stuff. Looks like ill need a wal....thanks for the help ev1 you guys rock!

Jared Lash · #16 05-04-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oreomeister365

While getting one of his wild and crazy pedals will give you one of his "sounds", 95 percent of the time his sound is mainly just a wal bass played with a pick...everything else is gravy. Some of his more memorable lines might have flanger and/or delay..

People are always so put off by his effects when by far, his most important sound is a really nice bass guitar played with a pick, no effects at all.

Yes and no.

He's ALWAYS got a Proco TurboRat running in his dirty rig.

Nothing else sounds like a Wal and that IS a big part of his sound, but Chancellor doesn't really have a traditional Wal tone - check out Mick Karn for that. And considering Wals go for $5000+ these days there are other basses that would get you in the same ballpark for MUCH less.

If I was trying to get a Justin Chancellor type sound on the cheap I'd go with a G&L 2000 with the mids boosted a bit, played with a pick and relatively fresh rounds and use a Turbo Rat in a blend pedal to approximate dirty and clean biamping and use a GK rig. Playing in drop D is also definitely part of that sound.

I've never attempted to cop a JC-like tone so others might disagree but that'd be the approach I would take.

Oreomeister365 · #17 05-04-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

Yes and no.

He's ALWAYS got a Proco TurboRat running in his dirty rig.

If I was trying to get a Justin Chancellor type sound on the cheap I'd go with a G&L 2000 with the mids boosted a bit, played with a pick and relatively fresh rounds and use a Turbo Rat in a blend pedal to approximate dirty and clean biamping and use a GK rig. Playing in drop D is also definitely part of that sound.

I've never attempted to get that kind of tone so others might disagree but that'd be the approach I would take.

And he's got a wal running into it, and the gain is very low. The wal is by far the most important part of his sound.

champbassist · #18 05-04-2011, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

Also JC's attack is very distinct/unique. A lot of his sound is that too, which only comes from listening/practice.

I think so too. Sometimes the grittiness of his sound seems to come from the pick slightly scraping the wounds of his string.

Happynoj · #19 05-05-2011, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

Yes and no.

He's ALWAYS got a Proco TurboRat running in his dirty rig.

Nothing else sounds like a Wal and that IS a big part of his sound, but Chancellor doesn't really have a traditional Wal tone - check out Mick Karn for that. And considering Wals go for $5000+ these days there are other basses that would get you in the same ballpark for MUCH less.

If I was trying to get a Justin Chancellor type sound on the cheap I'd go with a G&L 2000 with the mids boosted a bit, played with a pick and relatively fresh rounds and use a Turbo Rat in a blend pedal to approximate dirty and clean biamping and use a GK rig. Playing in drop D is also definitely part of that sound.

I've never attempted to cop a JC-like tone so others might disagree but that'd be the approach I would take.

This. My board has two parallel effects chains, with distortion/fuzz in both sides. If I kick in one and leave the other side clean, it gets me 60-70% there. It's not perfect, because I've got a DS-1 and a Muff, and I play a Warwick bass through a Warwick amp, but if for some bizarre reason my band threw in a Tool cover, I would be happy enough with the sound that I wouldn't go out and buy any new pedals for it.

JEDI BASS · #20 05-05-2011, 01:21 AM

I've seen a Tool tribute band called Opiate. They got the job done w/ a Schecter bass and an Epiphone guitar. Pretty much sounded EXACTLY like Tool. Audience members were scoffing at the gear before the band came out... these same folks were slam dancing a few minutes later and screaming for encores later. Bassist had a GK 4x10 and amp. So I say bullcrap to the Wal myth. No offense to anyone but a smart effective bassist can get the sound he wants out of cheap gear.