Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[theunknowndude]

That's a great milestone, I remember when I reached that point... I was listening back to some random mixes, and had to really concentrate to figure out if bass or synth. Yeah, that's worth the 3+ grand I've put into the board.

i wonder how creative I can get with lots of bass whammy, dirt, sy1, chorus and reverb...

My usual stoppage of bass and pedals for creativity had the issue of I kept creating the same whale noises over and over... think the sy1 will break that up a bit! (Still haven’t explored pigments on my laptop properly, I figure the small times I have access with it it will be years before I explore that fully )

 

[Spectrum]

i wonder how creative I can get with lots of bass whammy, dirt, sy1, chorus and reverb...

My usual stoppage of bass and pedals for creativity had the issue of I kept creating the same whale noises over and over... think the sy1 will break that up a bit! (Still haven’t explored pigments on my laptop properly, I figure the small times I have access with it it will be years before I explore that fully )

The SY-1 is certainly a big factor in making your bass not sound like a bass. It's so effective I almost feel like I'm cheating.

 

[cosmicevan]

Hell, if you hadn't quoted @steubig 's "Watery" tune I would've missed it entirely! It's good to have someone playing defensive free safety, catching anything that may have gotten past the rest of us

This thread moves fast and weaves in and out of topics...

 

[steubig]

This thread moves fast and weaves in and out of topics...

it doesn’t help that @Bob_Ross is doing a carlos castenda retreat, traveling beyond space and time, while hanging in arizona.

 

[lordradish]

i wonder how creative I can get with lots of bass whammy, dirt, sy1, chorus and reverb...

My usual stoppage of bass and pedals for creativity had the issue of I kept creating the same whale noises over and over... think the sy1 will break that up a bit! (Still haven’t explored pigments on my laptop properly, I figure the small times I have access with it it will be years before I explore that fully )

For me, it's all about the most un-bass sound you can make - the pad. My Enzo does that, and I actually use the EHX Mel 9 (Mellotron pedal) quite a bit, and process the hell out of it.

 

[lordradish]

And to go back to that string tension topic, I heard back from the luthier of my Miezo 18, about what would be optimal... Just thought ya might like to know, if this adds to the collective wisdom, here.

"About string gauge: when tuning to F1# I find .125 gauge to be the best at balancing tension and the overtones produced by a string vibrating at half the length it was meant for. A heavier gauge will not make a dramatic improvement in tightness and it will increase the amount of overtones. I have noticed that, some like the sound of the F# .125 and don't mind the slight loss of clarity. Others prefer a clearer tone and tune just half a step higher to G.​

 

[monsterthompson]

And to go back to that string tension topic, I heard back from the luthier of my Miezo 18, about what would be optimal... Just thought ya might like to know, if this adds to the collective wisdom, here.

"About string gauge: when tuning to F1# I find .125 gauge to be the best at balancing tension and the overtones produced by a string vibrating at half the length it was meant for. A heavier gauge will not make a dramatic improvement in tightness and it will increase the amount of overtones. I have noticed that, some like the sound of the F# .125 and don't mind the slight loss of clarity. Others prefer a clearer tone and tune just half a step higher to G.​

I called him today. I’m going 5 string E-C (+1 octave). I’ll probably trust him for tension and gauge. I believe he said 105-95 was reasonable on the E.

 

[steubig]

interesting that he recommends the F#, which is a whole step higher, to use a heavier string than the E.

 

[monsterthompson]

I’m going an octave higher. That’s the difference.

 

[steubig]

I’m going an octave higher. That’s the difference.

okay, so your low open E string is the 6-string guitar's low E and his is low F# is the second fret on a standard 4-string bass. is that correct? (so you're a 7th up.)

 

[monsterthompson]

okay, so your low open E string is the 6-string guitar's low E and his is low F# is the second fret on a standard 4-string bass. is that correct? (so you're a 7th up.)

That sounds right. I’ll be 12th fret E string. He’ll be 2nd fret E string.

 

[Bob_Ross]

it doesn’t help that @Bob_Ross is doing a carlos castenda retreat, traveling beyond space and time, while hanging in arizona.

Oh, it gets worse: About a week ago one of the people who we were staying with tested positive for COVID. The missus and I hastily (read: frantically) found an available AirBnB house in town and grabbed the bare minimum of possessions and are hunkering down for two weeks until Mr. Statistic is cleared by his doctor. So now I don't even have a bass with me! Talk about living off the grid.

Two weeks of solitude...

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Oh, it gets worse: About a week ago one of the people who we were staying with tested positive for COVID. The missus and I hastily (read: frantically) found an available AirBnB house in town and grabbed the bare minimum of possessions and are hunkering down for two weeks until Mr. Statistic is cleared by his doctor. So now I don't even have a bass with me! Talk about living off the grid.

Two weeks of solitude...

Grab the koala sampler app and go for walks getting field recordings??

Mr Statistic.

(Funny...not funny)

 

[cosmicevan]

Oh, it gets worse: About a week ago one of the people who we were staying with tested positive for COVID. The missus and I hastily (read: frantically) found an available AirBnB house in town and grabbed the bare minimum of possessions and are hunkering down for two weeks until Mr. Statistic is cleared by his doctor. So now I don't even have a bass with me! Talk about living off the grid.

Two weeks of solitude...

I heard that's how Bobby Mcferrin got his start.

 

[cosmicevan]

When are those Miezo's expected to be in hand? I am eager to hear some reviews.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

i wonder how creative I can get with lots of bass whammy, dirt, sy1, chorus and reverb...

My usual stoppage of bass and pedals for creativity had the issue of I kept creating the same whale noises over and over... think the sy1 will break that up a bit! (Still haven’t explored pigments on my laptop properly, I figure the small times I have access with it it will be years before I explore that fully )

It’s all about being creative with what you have.
I’m a huge hip hop head and beat maker nerd.
Some of the stuff made with only an old SP303\MPC2000 (or insert sampler of your choice) and a pile of records will blow your &*$# mind.
Pete Rock made both Pete Rock and CL Smooth albums on an SP-1200, max 12 secs on sampling.
DJ premier still uses the first MPC 60 and the wheels of steel.

Madlib once answered in an interview that he could use a broken TV set and an old beat up tape deck and make it work. I’m inclined to believe him at this point, the dude is a mad scientist.

This is an awesome read, very in depth article about the pause tape beat production.
All you need is a tape deck and a good ear.
https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2019/04/pause-tape-production-feature

Let that sink in a bit.

 

[steubig]

Oh, it gets worse: About a week ago one of the people who we were staying with tested positive for COVID. The missus and I hastily (read: frantically) found an available AirBnB house in town and grabbed the bare minimum of possessions and are hunkering down for two weeks until Mr. Statistic is cleared by his doctor. So now I don't even have a bass with me! Talk about living off the grid.

Two weeks of solitude...

jeezus. what the hell?

still, it might be a good time to go the ayahuasca phase.

hope you guys are okay.

 

[Spectrum]

Oh, it gets worse: About a week ago one of the people who we were staying with tested positive for COVID. The missus and I hastily (read: frantically) found an available AirBnB house in town and grabbed the bare minimum of possessions and are hunkering down for two weeks until Mr. Statistic is cleared by his doctor. So now I don't even have a bass with me! Talk about living off the grid.

Two weeks of solitude...

Why don't you have your bass with you? Can't someone bring it to your door with the groceries?

 

[steubig]

It’s all about being creative with what you have.
I’m a huge hip hop head and beat maker nerd.
Some of the stuff made with only an old SP303\MPC2000 (or insert sampler of your choice) and a pile of records will blow your &*$# mind.
Pete Rock made both Pete Rock and CL Smooth albums on an SP-1200, max 12 secs on sampling.
DJ premier still uses the first MPC 60 and the wheels of steel.

Madlib once answered in an interview that he could use a broken TV set and an old beat up tape deck and make it work. I’m inclined to believe him at this point, the dude is a mad scientist.

This is an awesome read, very in depth article about the pause tape beat production.
All you need is a tape deck and a good ear.
https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2019/04/pause-tape-production-feature

Let that sink in a bit.

as a corollary to the don’t need fancy gear thing…

when i first got netflix, i watched a doc series on indian folk music. it was a little glitzy, but there were a lot of folks who were just normal people making really high-level, heart-felt music.

i couldn’t find the guy from rajasthan who blew my mind, but consider this example:

 

[steubig]

Why don't you have your bass with you? Can't someone bring it to your door with the groceries?

time to order one?