• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Am I tone deaf or tone dumb?

Shenron

Shenron

Jan 18, 2024
437
748
#1
I can definitely hear different bass tones in different songs. I got myself a Zoom B1four a couple of years ago to experiment with tones but I am not using it with the band. I even almost always just use the same pickup and tone knob position all down; with few songs exceptions when I open the tone a bit.

The weird thing is, on guitar I am addicted to effects, I cannot stand the pure clear sound of an electric guitar (I have to add at least a bit of reverb on clear, or otherwise some distortion), and I have to seek different tone+effects settings for almost every song.

On bass, I just don't seem to learn to care at all... what's wrong with me? 🙃
 
  • Like
Reactions: boss_nico, dbsfgyd1, LowActionHero and 1 other person
#3
Think of it like paint by numbers: bass is the black lines and guitar is the color. Without the lines all the color goes everywhere and becomes a mess. Without the color it's just a pale outline.

If you're using your bass to be the melodic lead instrument, then you want to have lots of color in your palette. If the bass is the harmonic structure, your fine being monochromatic with the tone because you're defining the lines (sonic color) with the note choices.

P bass with flats is the number 2 pencil of the sonic spectrum.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thom Fioriglio, floodwatch, djaxup and 9 others
#4
Considering most songs have very little effects added to the bass parts, you're probably so used to a pretty clean bass tone that it's what sounds right to you.

But if you want to make yourself hear the difference, go play some songs that have lots of fun effects on the bass. Your clean tone will suddenly probably stand out to you.

What genres or bands are you playing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: djaxup and red_rhino
#7
Geepers said:
You’re a musician, that’s what’s “wrong” with you. Congratulations. You know what you like and that’s the beginning and the end. Doesn’t matter what others say you should be doing/trying, you’re in your lane. More power to you 👍.
Click to expand...
Man, this is how I feel as well.

Bass doesn't exist to me if it's not my sound. I'm the opposite of the OP, though:)

That being said, I try things outside my comfort zone once in a while. But I always come back. I knew what I liked at 14 years old, and I'm 49 now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Element Zero, dmt and Dust2Dust
#10
I’m pretty much the same as OP Shenron: with guitar, I use a number of effects, but with bass, a clean P bass covers 90+% of what I want to hear.

That said, I wanted to explore and play with bass effects, so I eventually built up a bass pedalboard full of gizmos (which was a fun process/project), but really, in the end mainly I just use the tuner, lol. Meanwhile, I bought lots of different basses, too, experimenting with tones and feels.

And, after a bit of exploring, I verified what I really like. A solid basic clean bass tone of a certain famous EQ profile. Nevertheless, I actually play my SG bass with an aftermarket Bisonic-style pickup most often these days, because it’s a fun bass and it sounds so good on its own (it doesn’t fit as well as a P in most mixes, but I’m only playing alone at home these days, such is life in The Sticks).

If it sounds good it is good. Just be aware that different playing situations can call for different approaches. And also, it can be fun and educational (but expensive) to experiment. Speaking of money, on second thought, just stick to the sound you know works, lol. Seriously, if what you have works well for you now, you’re set. If later you find yourself needing a different sound, pursue it then.

Rock on :cool:
 
#12
For decades I dabbled in using effects on my basses but usually abandoned them as too fussy. I do use a Zoom multi-effect now for many gigs when I play a variety of pop/rock tunes, some that benefit from specific effects, like "Sledgehammer". Mostly, though, I default to either "Motown" or "Bassman" and do any fine tuning on the bass itself, be it passive or active. I find it interesting that active onboard systems are far more common and more versatile, overall, on basses than guitars, sort of divergent evolutionary paths.

BBB
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowActionHero and dmt
#14
Sharko said:
You’re fine
Click to expand...
+1

I often gig on very small stages and in these cases I have no pedals at all, just bass straight to the amp.
I get all the nuances I need from my instrument + hand position: I play harmonics on a couple of songs and the bridge pickup helps with that, I need a more “round” sound and so I pluck on the fingerboard, …

But I still like using FX sparingly if I have the chance: there is one song we originally recorded with a cello, when we do this live I mimic it with a swell effect, one other song has a “tool inspired” bass line which I like to play with a chorus, I have a slow spot where I love having some chorus and a delay ….
But all these “can work” also without any pedals, just the FX is the icing on the cake.

IMVHO
 
#15
I bring my pedalboard every time. A Zoom B3 and a couple other pedals, because I like to have ALL the options ALL the time. If something pops in my head I can try it.

But 95% of the time (or more) I'm sticking with a fairly vanilla base sound. Cuz that's what works and fits best.
 
#17
Shenron said:
I can definitely hear different bass tones in different songs. I got myself a Zoom B1four a couple of years ago to experiment with tones but I am not using it with the band. I even almost always just use the same pickup and tone knob position all down; with few songs exceptions when I open the tone a bit.

The weird thing is, on guitar I am addicted to effects, I cannot stand the pure clear sound of an electric guitar (I have to add at least a bit of reverb on clear, or otherwise some distortion), and I have to seek different tone+effects settings for almost every song.

On bass, I just don't seem to learn to care at all... what's wrong with me? 🙃
Click to expand...
Nothing is wrong with you. My mental ingrained idea of what a bass should sound like is a PB with rounds with the tone and pickup controls wide open, and then EQ’d at the amp to get the clunk out of it. Been using the same setting for the last 25 years. Nobody has complained or suggest I do anything different.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thom Fioriglio and djaxup
#19
I'm the same and you'll probably find many bass players who double on guitar to have similar conclusions, and for a lot of the same reasons as laid out in this thread.

One thing to try, since you're a guitarist too, is an A/B/Y pedal to split your signal chain into two amps, one colored, and one straight bass. I've got an amp that will biamp as well, but the split chain works for most signal chains. This lets you have a straight bass signal, in my case, mostly treble and upper mids rolled down, and then an effected signal into another amp. This reopened my mind quite a bit to new possibilities. :) I don't use this setup in my cover band, where I'm aiming more for tones that match the original songs, but it's great for my originals bands where I can open up and do whatever. :smug:
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrowlerBox

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back