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Agressive technique or just a badly set bass?

#4
I can get the same sound by dialing up the treble roll off on my bass. I usually have it all the way down because i play a lot of reggae. But when we play some rock tunes i need that 'string attack' sound, i dial it up a bit. If your job in a gig isn't in jeopardy, i tell them to eat it!
 
#8
Sounds to me like technically proficient bass playing, combined with rounds and a fairly high treble level. What I hear is basically playing style, not frets. It's not my style, but I have no problem with it. Seems like solid bass playing with an audible playing style.

That said, there are plenty of playing situations where I would not use this much attack - and I'm sure that's true for you as well.

Tell them they can go pound sand.

It's like the baseball umpire said of calling pitches: '"They ain't nothing until I call 'em." You're the bass player - you call 'em.
 
#9
Well I do have severe tinnitus combined with high frequency loss, so maybe I dont hear all the treble. Let that be a lesson to all you youngsters out there about using ear protection.
 
#10
Honestly, if you're doing a Rush cover, I'd say hit that bass harder! ;)
But seriously, I think the whole attack problem your having isn't really that big of a deal. I have a feeling that along with the presviously mentioned explanations it also has to do with the fact that Geddy Lee jazz basses (which I assume you're playing in the video) are really bright instruments with their combination of single coils and a maple neck, which brings out a much different attack from a lot of basses. Even with some EQ they're gonna have that sound to them.
My advice to you, tell 'em to go fly a kite!
Rockin' playing dude. Great cover :)
 
#11
Like I said, I think the bass sounds great. Guitarists dont know jack. Lol! The pups are EMG JVX's straight into a presonus usb. Check out some of the other vids. Thanks again for the kind words...
 
#17
stugotz said:
Help me out here guys, I LOVE the way my bass sounds but lately I have been getting some slack for all the fret noise. I embrace the noise as part of my sound. Heres a clip, please feel free to comment. Thanks...

http://youtu.be/Qb6L3TB5hUs
Click to expand...

Sounds great to me, I wish I could sound like that on a fretted bass.

As for hearing loss, I also have a lot of hearing damage, but in my case it's something having to do with low frequencies (above a certain volume everything is a loud blur and I can't distinguish any bass notes. A low E sounds the same as a note as high up on the G string as you can go). So I need a sharp tone with heavier mids and less fundamental, I usually go for something like this:
https://soundcloud.com/unclejane/bunny6
just so that I'm able to hear my notes. And I can't play at normal volumes anymore.

As for why you're getting grief, maybe they're just jealous lol. Or they just want a more traditional tone. When I was gigging, the only basses I had were a pair of Ricks (a 4001 and a 4003s). C&W was the only style of music that made money at all where I gigged (Austin, TX) and I was kind of screwed because of those basses. I could -ish get a good C&W traditional tone, but couldn't nail it like the Fender guys.

But still, your tone sounds great to me, so I say keep on keeping on...

LS
 
#19
+1, sounds good to me. I also like to play with a more aggressive technique and find that "noise" to be a key part of a raunchy rock tone. However, I have found that my live tone is better off when I turn off the tweeter on my cab and keep the treble down just a hair -- this eliminates most of the less musical/piercing artifacts of the fret clacking while keeping the attack and tone.
 
#20
I like your sound man, I wouldn't worry about it to much. You may try more of a horizontal attack on the strings instead of being so vertical if you are really worried about it.
 

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