"Drifting"?

[Angus]

Hey Steve!

I recently downloaded "Drifting", and man, i was very impressed! Great song, great playing! This is definitely some of the coolest solo bass work ive ever heard! Few questions though!

How do you get those sounds that come around 3:59 and go through pretty much the rest of the song? The ones that fade in and out, primarily. Very cool! Is it just an effect, or different use of artificial harmonics, or something else? Its very cool! Ill definitely be ordering all your CDs soon!

Ooo, another quick question. Why do you use flats on the Modulus? I remembe you mentioning it before in another thread. Does it have to do with the better harmonic content? Just curious. I love your tone, though! Makes me want to put Lane Poors in my Modulus.

Anyway, thanks! Ill have to order the CDs! Im very impressed!

[Steve Lawson]

Originally posted by MegaAngus
Hey Steve!

I recently downloaded "Drifting", and man, i was very impressed! Great song, great playing! This is definitely some of the coolest solo bass work ive ever heard!

Thanks very much - I really appreciate your encouragement!

Few questions though!

How do you get those sounds that come around 3:59 and go through pretty much the rest of the song? The ones that fade in and out, primarily. Very cool! Is it just an effect, or different use of artificial harmonics, or something else? Its very cool! Ill definitely be ordering all your CDs soon!

Let me just check which bit you mean...

...ah, that's done with an E-Bow+ and a fairly long delay - the E-Bow sound has no attack and therefor works really well with delay to create great long blankets of sound. The bleepy sounds are E-Bow through a pitch randomising effect on the Lexicon MPX-G2, which is an amazing unit.

Ooo, another quick question. Why do you use flats on the Modulus? I remembe you mentioning it before in another thread. Does it have to do with the better harmonic content? Just curious. I love your tone, though! Makes me want to put Lane Poors in my Modulus.

Anyway, thanks! Ill have to order the CDs! Im very impressed! :D

The flats take away that growl that everyone else seems to love but I don't really go for in a big way, and do change the sound of the harmonics. I've got rounds on my 4 string fretless at the moment, and find the the harmonics get lost on it, whereas on the flats they've got loads of presence and sustain, as you'll hear where you get the album... :o)

Thanks again for your comments, I'm glad you like the track - do let me know what you think of the rest of the album when you've got it.

For anyone who doesn't know, Drifting is available as an MP3 on my web-site, along with the rest of the album in Real Audio...

cheers

Steve
http://www.steve-lawson.co.uk
http://www.solobassnetwork.org.uk