Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[arepa_funk]

... Hungry Robot makes some interesting stuff, but I didn't love the pedal I had on bass.
This could be worth a look.

Slight zombie revival quote, thought I'd reply here since I picked up the Borderlands (lite version, no modulation section.) The controls are simple, Clean volume and Effect volume at either end, reverb decay (Ambiance) and LPF cutoff (Brilliance.) Having that LPF is clutch, really tames the brightness and overtones that can come up. The octave toggle switches on a three-octave shimmer that sounds really nice, almost organ-like. Brilliance knob is especially effective with that setting. The right footswitch is a sustain. Really dig this for creating pads.

Couple things I don't dig. The size is fine except its height. It's almost two inches tall! Don't know if this will be an issue when I load it on the board, but worth mentioning. Another thing is that there is no blend beyond each individual volume control. There isn't a way to run an effect in series into the reverb part of the circuit (as far as I can tell.) I had a fuzz going into the pedal, and when I brought the Clean volume full CCW, you could not hear it.

Last thing is a plus for me but might be a minus for other folks. There is a built-in glissando in the reverb part of the circuit. You can't control the speed of it but it's definitely there. I don't mind it and and can mix the clean with the reverb to give it a little more heft.

Big plus is that there is a dipswitch inside that can entirely replace the reverb algorithm with a delay one. In that mode, Ambiance is feedback and Brilliance is time. Haven't tried this yet, just glad it's an available option.

 

[JES]

isn’t programmed obsolescence wonderful?

I have a perfectly functional 2011 MacBook Air (ok, I modded the hell out of it), but it won't run the latest OS or version of Keynote. I don't need fancy stuff from it, just basic functionality. Frustrating.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

I have a perfectly functional 2011 MacBook Air (ok, I modded the hell out of it), but it won't run the latest OS or version of Keynote. I don't need fancy stuff from it, just basic functionality. Frustrating.

Puke ta cu lar

 

[monsterthompson]

I have a perfectly functional 2011 MacBook Air (ok, I modded the hell out of it), but it won't run the latest OS or version of Keynote. I don't need fancy stuff from it, just basic functionality. Frustrating.

Mine is 2015 and running out of hard drive space, so I can't update the OS which means I can't get the latest Safari security patch. The solution could have been to just run Chrome, but I've been budgeting for a new laptop, so I pulled the trigger when I saw the sale price at Best Buy.

 

[monsterthompson]

I still think masking in synths is so weird. Sounds A, B, and C are interesting. Let’s mix them. Wait. Where did sound C go? Oh, if I mute sound B then sound C comes back.

 

[JES]

I still think masking in synths is so weird. Sounds A, B, and C are interesting. Let’s mix them. Wait. Where did sound C go? Oh, if I mute sound B then sound C comes back.

Last night at the dad rock band practice, the lead guitarist couldn't make it and the lead singer kept screwing up a line because he could hear the harmony better. Same thing!

 

[Starthief]

Album release time!

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

26773724[/URL], member: 37282"]Last night at the dad rock band practice, the lead guitarist couldn't make it and the lead singer kept screwing up a line because he could hear the harmony better. Same thing!

Ouch!!
At least he realized it, I played an entire set with the amp on mute once and no one said a word.
Now that sux @$$

edit:
and played 4 songs at a recent rehearsal with my bass not even plugged in.
i definitely painted myself into a corner in that band.
How to bail without collateral damage with known « local » band that has connections everywhere.
me = idiot

 

[lesclaypoolsob]

Pigtronix swell/fade box Gloamer

This seems promising!

 

[JES]

Ouch!!
At least he realized it, I played an entire set with the amp on mute once and no one said a word.
Now that sux @$$

edit:
and played 4 songs at a recent rehearsal with my bass not even plugged in.
i definitely painted myself into a corner in that band.
How to bail without collateral damage with known « local » band that has connections everywhere.
me = idiot

That is brutal. I guess you were used to not hearing yourself? That would suck.

Space Guitar update: I spent the evening experimenting and the weird “pew” I was getting is gone. Seems to be a matter of: lower the pickup, switch out the strings. The best sounding ones so far seem to be Stringjoy Nickels. I suspect the Power Blades are not fans of flats.

I want to experiment more, but it’s a Heisenberg situation where I have to destroy the string in order to install it since the Mera headless system means you have to cut off the ball end. I also broke a few strings and even cut myself before I came to my senses and watched an instructional video. Luckily as a paid up Talkbass member I’ve got a basket of odds and ends strings to work with.

Also: synth area almost frozen.

 

[monsterthompson]

Ouch!!
At least he realized it, I played an entire set with the amp on mute once and no one said a word.
Now that sux @$$

edit:
and played 4 songs at a recent rehearsal with my bass not even plugged in.
i definitely painted myself into a corner in that band.
How to bail without collateral damage with known « local » band that has connections everywhere.
me = idiot

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

That is brutal. I guess you were used to not hearing yourself? That would suck.

Space Guitar update: I spent the evening experimenting and the weird “pew” I was getting is gone. Seems to be a matter of: lower the pickup, switch out the strings. The best sounding ones so far seem to be Stringjoy Nickels. I suspect the Power Blades are not fans of flats.

I want to experiment more, but it’s a Heisenberg situation where I have to destroy the string in order to install it since the Mera headless system means you have to cut off the ball end. I also broke a few strings and even cut myself before I came to my senses and watched an instructional video. Luckily as a paid up Talkbass member I’ve got a basket of odds and ends strings to work with.

Also: synth area almost frozen.

I was testing if the guitars and drummer where listening to me at all.
Clearly they were not.
If a pickup was causing me that much trouble it would get tossed instantly,you’re a patient man my friend.

 

[dukeorock]

So I listened to @uglybassplayer 's piece again. It is really different on speakers vs headphones. Way freakier on headphones. This might also be my favourite of your releases to date.

Same! Listened from a hotel lobby with way above average earbuds

 

[JES]

I was testing if the guitars and drummer where listening to me at all.
Clearly they were not.
If a pickup was causing me that much trouble it would get tossed instantly,you’re a patient man my friend.

The thing is, every bass is a system. We talked about this a few pages back: each new instrument needs some figuring out. And strings are a way easier and cheaper shift than a pickup, especially when it’s an unusual setup like mine. A friend of mine got a new Elric, plugged it in, thought “why does this sound like sh**?” and then put on a different set of strings and loved it.

Plus, there is just a lot less collective knowledge about what works and doesn’t for tapping than for fingers or pick, and on top of it, like you with the Lyra, I am aiming to do something different than what’s out on YouTube. So I have no choice. And there are very few off the shelf instruments and zero at a store to try. Anyway, it was 3 hours, and I learned to properly change strings.

The bandmates not listening suuuucks. I have been there. Were they also not listening to each other?

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

26779438[/URL], member: 37282"]The thing is, every bass is a system. We talked about this a few pages back: each new instrument needs some figuring out. And strings are a way easier and cheaper shift than a pickup, especially when it’s an unusual setup like mine. A friend of mine got a new Elric, plugged it in, thought “why does this sound like sh**?” and then put on a different set of strings and loved it.

Plus, there is just a lot less collective knowledge about what works and doesn’t for tapping than for fingers or pick, and on top of it, like you with the Lyra, I am aiming to do something different than what’s out on YouTube. So I have no choice. And there are very few off the shelf instruments and zero at a store to try. Anyway, it was 3 hours, and I learned to properly change strings.

The bandmates not listening suuuucks. I have been there. Were they also not listening to each other?

Agreed on the string process and learning to Interact with a new instrument.
Major props for going the path less travelled. Keep at it!!!!
Bonus is that you learned the proper way to change the strings, big win.

re: listening band
No one listens to anyone but themselves. Plus both guitards have the loud me me me syndrome.
My tone, my amp, my pedals , my my my…..
/end me
They told me off when I said they had to notch the EQ on both to fit in the mix and boosting lows just makes a huge pile of $!t3 for the sound techs and everyone involved. Read, completely burying me in the mix.

They aren’t at the level where you get comfortable and confident with your own playing and realize it crucial to listen to others. OPEN THOSE EARS AND STOP LOOKING AT YOUR BELLY BUTTON!!!!


I had once promised to never play with those types again, but like I previously mentioned I was a sub that ended up “permanent” member by my own fault and me ignoring red flags.

Again me=idiot
That’s what you get when you don’t have the people skills of the loud mouth A list players.

 

[Bob_Ross]

re: non-listening bandmates ...stop me if I've told this story here before:

late-80s/early-90s I was playing bass in a commercial pop band that performed live with a crap-ton of sequenced synthesizer parts. Drummer wore full-coverage headphones and was monitoring mostly the sequenced parts plus a click track.

Some two years into my tenure with that band the bandleader called a rhythm section-only rehearsal...the vocalist had laryngitis and the synth player/programmer was out of town, and he thought it would be a good opportunity to work out some details and/or do some male bonding, whatever... So it's just guitar, bass, and drums, with no click track, no cans, just three guys in a room

...and after the second or third tune the drummer looks at me and, with absolutely no guile, no irony, dead serious, says "Wow, you're good! I had no idea!"

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

re: non-listening bandmates ...stop me if I've told this story here before:

late-80s/early-90s I was playing bass in a commercial pop band that performed live with a crap-ton of sequenced synthesizer parts. Drummer wore full-coverage headphones and was monitoring mostly the sequenced parts plus a click track.

Some two years into my tenure with that band the bandleader called a rhythm section-only rehearsal...the vocalist had laryngitis and the synth player/programmer was out of town, and he thought it would be a good opportunity to work out some details and/or do some male bonding, whatever... So it's just guitar, bass, and drums, with no click track, no cans, just three guys in a room

...and after the second or third tune the drummer looks at me and, with absolutely no guile, no irony, dead serious, says "Wow, you're good! I had no idea!"

Epic

 

[Spectrum]

We've all been there. My favorite is the "your bass is too loud!" when you aren't even playing. Fortunately it hasn't happened to me very often, my last band the guys were pretty cool.

Personally, while sure I love the sound of my bass when I get a good tone, the fun in playing with other musicians is in listening to each other and the band as a whole. Why spend hours on a stage with a band I joined because I liked and not listen to it, especially when I'm in it? I only got into playing music in the first place because I listened to records and radio and enjoyed it, not because I wanted to make a racket that pisses off my family.

 

[monsterthompson]

I finally got around to doing a DIY project I received as a gift a while ago. You get some yarn and some conductive thread and you make those into pompoms, then you connect those to a small speaker in a cardboard box, powered by a 9v battery. Then you squeeze the pompoms and you get clicking out of the speaker that changes frequency based on how hard you squeeze the pompoms.
Invalid Link Removed

I worked on this with my mom yesterday. It took longer than I thought, even with two of us. Then end results aren’t terribly sonically interesting, and we possibly made the pompoms too dense with yarn. The payoff was the moment when we both realized how much effort we put into it and how “minimal” the sound result was, and we laughed at the idea this project should’ve been titled - How To Keep Two Idiots Busy For An Evening. This was followed by many inappropriate “ball squeezing” jokes.

 

[Spectrum]

I finally got around to doing a DIY project I received as a gift a while ago. You get some yarn and some conductive thread and you make those into pompoms, then you connect those to a small speaker in a cardboard box, powered by a 9v battery. Then you squeeze the pompoms and you get clicking out of the speaker that changes frequency based on how hard you squeeze the pompoms.
Invalid Link Removed

I worked on this with my mom yesterday. It took longer than I thought, even with two of us. Then end results aren’t terribly sonically interesting, and we possibly made the pompoms too dense with yarn. The payoff was the moment when we both realized how much effort we put into it and how “minimal” the sound result was, and we laughed at the idea this project should’ve been titled - How To Keep Two Idiots Busy For An Evening. This was followed by many inappropriate “ball squeezing” jokes.

I briefly searched for a video of this contraption and turned up empty.