How can i get that double bass tone?

[Cymbalrush]

hi there

i'm in a band at the moment and we gonna be doing some recording soon. i'm not a DB player but i love its tone and one of the songs we play would suit the DB tone nicely.

does anybody know how to get a DB tone out of an electric bass? be it through - effects? compression? EQ?

i play a marcus miller jazz with the John East Marcus retro 01 pre-amp if its of any help.

thanks alot!!!







not sure if this thread is in the right place, sorry if it aint!

[Blacksack]

i got a pretty convincing db soun through my fretless peavy grind by raising tthe action and putting a considerable amount of relief on the neck and setting my eq flat and putting the tone at around 50%

[root fifth]

I use rotosound trubass strings they are on sale at musicians friend right now.Between them and playing up the neck some with my plucking hand.Then roll the bass up turn treble down.Put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge for fast decay.and watch upright players play alot of there tone comes from there stlye.

[RustyAxe]

Short answer ... you can't. But ... if you string it up with flats, use the neck pickup only, play at the end of the fretboard, dump the treble and mids and boost the bass a bit you might come close.

[stratovani]

I use my Hofner Icon for that DB tone. Neck pickup, a piece of foam under the strings, run it through a Boss GEB-7 EQ pedal set to accentuate the mid-lows, and most importantly, I play it like it was an upright, in other words single notes, root-and-fifths, and no intricate passages. Play it as if it really was a DB with high action and big gauge strings!

[Stanley Pugh]

Originally Posted by root fifth

I use rotosound trubass strings they are on sale at musicians friend right now.Between them and playing up the neck some with my plucking hand.Then roll the bass up turn treble down.Put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge for fast decay.and watch upright players play alot of there tone comes from there stlye.

+1

[phmike]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Short answer ... you can't. But ... if you string it up with flats, use the neck pickup only, play at the end of the fretboard, dump the treble and mids and boost the bass a bit you might come close.

+1 what he said.
Plus - mute the strings at the bridge with some foam or the palm of your hand.
I've heard it said you should also 'think double bass' while playing so your note choices will fit the groove as a real double bassist would play them. I'm still trying to learn that part of it.

[tdvt]

I'd say it's alot more about your playing than your P/U.

Flats do help though as well as the tone settings already suggested, but don't dial out all your mids.

I can get an upright vibe plucking with my thumb while pretty heavily muting the strings with the side of my palm. I get better results down towards the bridge. You can vary the decay by varying the pressure.

Also really simplify your lines & it will get more convincing.

[root fifth]

+1 for favoring the neck pickup forgot to mention that!

[tdvt]

Originally Posted by stratovani

Play it as if it really was a DB with high action and big gauge strings!

We were typing at the same time. I think this is key!

[mongo2]

I use a Hofner Icon violin strung with flats or an Icon Club strung with Labella nylon tapewounds, neck pickup, pluck up by the neck with the side of my fingers instead of the tips, and try to think like a DB player as far as right hand attack and note selection.

Uprighteous stand is optional:

[BassNoob1]

Try plucking with your thumb, too. I've heard of this being done, but I'm not sure how well it works. Give it a shot.

[Cymbalrush]

Originally Posted by root fifth

I use rotosound trubass strings they are on sale at musicians friend right now.Between them and playing up the neck some with my plucking hand.Then roll the bass up turn treble down.Put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge for fast decay.and watch upright players play alot of there tone comes from there stlye.

thanks fantastic. this sounds very doable! i appreciate the answer.

[pdshane]

Just want to chime in that I've been thinking about this problem for a while now and get a somewhat decent facsimile--note my careful choice of words--using a Fender A/E MIJ Precision with 100% piezo PU and almost zero treble with nylon tape wounds--although I found out yesterday when I changed strings to experiment further that GHS light gauge pressure wounds sound pretty good--going through a GK 600 head into a Fender 4x12. It's a midrangy kind of sound overall, and I've been wondering if it would sound a bit boomier through a 1x15, like an Acoustic B200 115. There's probably nothing that can be done to re-create the hollow, boomy, bloom and rapid decay of a real upright with a solid body bass, but I keep thinking that maybe it could be done by boosting the bass a bit more. I've even considered purchasing a 1x18 to experiment, but I don't have the dough yet to indulge in these whims. Sometime this year though maybe. Any thoughts on the type of head/cabinet/speaker size? I'd really be interested in hearing them. Thanks.

[BigOldHarry]

Get a fretless lightwave. Or a Rob Allen.

[pdshane]

I just got into work and re-read my post from yesterday. The real question is, I guess, is there some preferred combination of amp/speaker cabinet type that contributes to obtaining a closer approximation to an upright tone?

[dave2]

Originally Posted by root fifth

Put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge for fast decay.......

Where does one get this foam? at the foam store of course lol..

I'm wondering the same thing for playing my fretless 5 on a song or two and wanting the upright sound. Its a Stevie Wonder song called Ribbon In The Sky - yes its beautiful Stevie tune with an upright bass on the record. I'd love to be able to get close to that in a live situation.

Subscribed.... and happy new year!

Dave

[onosson]

Originally Posted by mongo2

pluck up by the neck with the side of my fingers instead of the tips, and try to think like a DB player as far as right hand attack and note selection.

+++1

[onosson]

Originally Posted by tdvt

Flats do help though as well as the tone settings already suggested, but don't dial out all your mids.

+1 this too, uprights have lots of high mid tone.

[BuffaloBass]

Trust your ears.

While it may seem counterintutive, the best I can come up with..

Valenti J5 with AERO/Audere Z6. Scoop all the mids out, take out all the highs, bosst bass a smidge , and its on the BRIDGE pickup ONLY in highZ mode. If you roll in neck, it gets much too "round". If you play agressively near the brigge , you'll get a classic burpy jazz/MM sound out of it, it has to be played on or near the fretboard.

Neer having done it live or even in a mix, it has not been tested, nor have the proper amp ( Mesa WA Scout) settings been determined.

The same setting, without the scoops) is used in HLowZ mode to mimic a Pbass. Yea, I know bridge pup. Counterintuitive. Tested that in a mix, its all 50's RB/Soul Pbass man. Pick it and it sounds like every 70's pop tune you ever did hear.

Oh, an y'all use foam; I use a , well I think it supposed to be a wristband, that is wrapped around the neck close to the nut. I'll use it to dampen gently for fairly detailed slap; this application, its past the nut, onto the 1st fret and cinched tight! Dampening not too gently.

YMMV, as always.

these setting may not even be correct to your ears and can't be exactly replicated unless you are using a Valenti J5 with Audere Z6 pre and a Mesa WA! So, back to point # 1...

trust your ears, Experiment.

Peace. out.


EDIT: the high mid tones mentioned might be why the bridge pickup seems to give a better upright sound when colored by a preamp.