Eh, it depends.
My cab seems to contribute the most to my tone, followed by my amp. I've changed basses and sounded about the same.
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A heretical revelation?
- Thread starter Dave Bassincus
- Start date
My cab seems to contribute the most to my tone, followed by my amp. I've changed basses and sounded about the same.
You are halfway there grasshopper.
You don't need fancy recording gear either.
I've used a Boss compressor into a Korg Pandora on tracks with
Gavin Harrison
Jerry Marotta
Pat Mastelotto
Bill Bachman
You don't need fancy recording gear either.
I've used a Boss compressor into a Korg Pandora on tracks with
Gavin Harrison
Jerry Marotta
Pat Mastelotto
Bill Bachman
Not that I like the forest better, more like I've developed a different appreciation of my tree when considered in the context of a forest.
I believe your point is that the characteristics of the best bass for the job depend upon the job at hand; no?
Recording and live performance both tend to have somewhat different needs; and further, different performance situations or recorded parts require different characteristics of the various instrumentation, including the bass.
We have here on TB a wide spectrum of bass players and entertainers. Popular music has a deep culture of individual expression; and that purpose is often orthogonal to and even at odds with ensemble conformity. This tension is part of the qualities that make our popular music both fresh and exciting.
There are certainly MANY bass parts and roles which require no more than a good solid sounding instrument played well. It is certainly possible to overthink that concept. There are also bass voices which derive or evolve from the midst of many unsuccessful experiments to become something new and special.
We should be mindful and respectful of this diversity, which is a good thing. IMO
I am no expert, but for the average recording I can't make out "tone" as such. Unless the mix features the bass guitar (as opposed to bass frequencies) I don't think I can tell one tone from another. So sure, I can hear Waters' tone in Money, but not really JPJ in Rock and Roll.
Possibly that's just my own limitations, but I have found tone-chasing a little odd for that reason.
Possibly that's just my own limitations, but I have found tone-chasing a little odd for that reason.
Interesting that it can vary sometimes within the same band. Like I can't hear JPJ's tone so much on Rock and Roll that well, as you mentioned, but I can hear his sound really well on "Whole Lotta Love" and "Heartbreaker."
Doner Designs
Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
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- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
I think the reason engineers like passive P basses is that it's hard for a clueless bass player to mess up his tone too much.
Like a grilled cheese or scrambled eggs - hard to screw it up.
Like a grilled cheese or scrambled eggs - hard to screw it up.
Songwriting and production are two possible aspects of bass players' roles. Of the many other aspects there are many tools for those many jobs. Can a bassist cover most roles with only a P-Bass? Yes! Are there commercial guys that need a 5, 4J, 4P, and a fretless? Yes! That commercial perspective may not avail itself to a songwriter/producer because they can just as easily conceive and produce music within their own voice or framework free from the demands of multiple artists, producers, and/or engineers.
My perspective is less often that of a writer/producer. I could potentially be playing jazz combo on upright in the morning, pop/country during the day on a P-Bass, and gospel on a Smith 6 at an evening rehearsal. That's not every day, but it is every week. What sucks is playing upright when I want to to play P-Bass and P-Bass when I need a Smith 6. They're means to an end, but I prefer to cover those bases well. One of the more respected working commercial bassists, Ed Friedland, has gear for days and a very keen ear for detail. It doesn't seem to block him at all.
You're not wrong unless the sounds you're getting suck.
And "suck" really depends on what everything else sounds like, in my experience. Sometimes what sounds awesome with one mix will sound godawful in another.
While I understand and basically agree with the premise of the thread. I must be happy with the sound and feel of my instruments to perform at my best. I've found my 4 string, now I just have to find my 5 string and fretless.
For live playing, I lucked into all 3 of my amp/cab rigs and now just have to find a good compressor and possibly an overdrive.
For live playing, I lucked into all 3 of my amp/cab rigs and now just have to find a good compressor and possibly an overdrive.
Now you have got it, if you sit in the mix well, you have done your job
, not gear-heads.
I'd agree. The gear is the least important part of bass playing.
I've posted this story before: I was at a presentation and the guy asked us, who's spent more than $1000 on a bass? All hands went up. Who's spent more than $1000 on an amp? A lot of the hands went up. Who's spent more than $1000 on lessons? No hands went up. We usually neglect the most important component in our signal chain.
Maybe part of the problem is that many bass players are heads down at the back of the band and don't see the bigger picture. Others believe they must strive for the "sound in my head" and don't see that they have a great sound already.
THIS. You get what you want without any additional tweak/piece of gear ? Good for you.
But sometimes you don't. Sometimes you have very specific needs that can't be covered with just "a passive bass into an amp with the EQ flat" (how boring would that be?)
And don't lecture me about adjusting my technique, unless you can explain to me how to emulate an overdrive with my hands
Processing IS going to happen. I'd rather have it on my side, rather than leave it to someone else.
Maybe part of what bothers me is the industry that has been built up to cater to bassists; it needs to feed itself by making us get the latest version of a pickup, preamp, etc.
I'm not suggesting that everything can be done with a P-bass, and having a number of tools in your toolbox is wonderful. A Hofner fills up space differently than a P, and based on the arrangements and other instruments, it might be better to use one over the other. That's a real difference. But should someone be depressed about their sound because they have ceramic magnets in their pups when they're convinced Alnicos will give them the smooth tone they want? Not really, IMHO. Throw some drums and guitars over that, and the audible difference probably comes close to 0%. And it's that needless hang up that can only be (momentarily) fixed by a new gear tweak that I'm talking about.
I'm not suggesting that everything can be done with a P-bass, and having a number of tools in your toolbox is wonderful. A Hofner fills up space differently than a P, and based on the arrangements and other instruments, it might be better to use one over the other. That's a real difference. But should someone be depressed about their sound because they have ceramic magnets in their pups when they're convinced Alnicos will give them the smooth tone they want? Not really, IMHO. Throw some drums and guitars over that, and the audible difference probably comes close to 0%. And it's that needless hang up that can only be (momentarily) fixed by a new gear tweak that I'm talking about.
This, active basses serve their purpose for a lot of us, and I keep active and passive basses around for that reason. In some settings it does make a difference, in some settings it doesn't. The same could be argued between P and J basses, using effects vs. Straight to your amp, using fingers or pick, playing elaborate melodic lines or pounding the root, playing bass (and music in general) is about knowing when to use what's in your toolbox.
Agreed. Its like a movie with tons of special effects but an empty story. Not too interesting. Almost exhausting, actually.
You're right, but as a non-songwriting bassist I really have nothing else to occupy my mind. Thus I obsess over gear and tone.
I recognize the pointlessness of it all but what am I supposed to do, give more mental energy to my regular job? Haha, no. I'd rather think about basses.
I recognize the pointlessness of it all but what am I supposed to do, give more mental energy to my regular job? Haha, no. I'd rather think about basses.
