Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[monsterthompson]

so what’s the Nordy « slam » pickup of choice?

My Zen Blade in the bridge is no joke. I can't imagine what the meaner options are like.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

My Zen Blade in the bridge is no joke. I can't imagine what the meaner options are like.

Zen Blade spiteful ex??

 

[emjazz]

My Zen Blade in the bridge is no joke. I can't imagine what the meaner options are like.

The Big Blade is the single coil/more aggressive version.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

My Zen Blade in the bridge is no joke. I can't imagine what the meaner options are like.

The Big Blade is the single coil/more aggressive version.

 

[dukeorock]

Nearly pulled the trigger on the Erica Synths Black Sequencer. Haven’t purchased any eurorack modules in over a year and was determined to steer clear of that money pit

 

[monsterthompson]

X-Post from my NBD thread. Just a simple play-through. Nothing ambient except my experimental sense of time and bold use of finger noise and fret buzz.

Here's a clip of the raw sounds. Fret buzz, finger noise, and all. These should give you a decent idea of the sounds across most of the fretboard. The zero-fret makes the open strings sound very much like the fretted ones
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Pattern 1 Neck
Pattern 1 Bridge
Pattern 2 Neck
Pattern 2 Bridge

Tuned D G C F A# but I didn't change the bridge from the E A D G C tuning it started in, so the fret buzz is a bit more noticeable unless I fret dead-on (or even choked up for a bit of left hand mute).
Bridge and Neck were normalized, but the clips recorded about 10dB apart. The coils in the bridge pickup are wired in series while the neck is in parallel.

 

[theunknowndude]

Kind of cross posted from the show your pedalboard thread…

the downer is pretty awesome, had to find a sweet spot as it’s pretty touch sensitive… barely digging in on the wave folder side it’s like a throaty overdrive with a touch of growl that gets a load more attack / growl/fuzz as you dig in… slapping is just one big wall of chaos like white noise that degrades. I can see lots of time lost just messing with it!

 

[monsterthompson]

Kind of cross posted from the show your pedalboard thread…

the downer is pretty awesome, had to find a sweet spot as it’s pretty touch sensitive… barely digging in on the wave folder side it’s like a throaty overdrive with a touch of growl that gets a load more attack / growl/fuzz as you dig in… slapping is just one big wall of chaos like white noise that degrades. I can see lots of time lost just messing with it!

I have considered the Downer a few times. Good to hear good things.

 

[steubig]

X-Post from my NBD thread. Just a simple play-through. Nothing ambient except my experimental sense of time and bold use of finger noise and fret buzz.

Here's a clip of the raw sounds. Fret buzz, finger noise, and all. These should give you a decent idea of the sounds across most of the fretboard. The zero-fret makes the open strings sound very much like the fretted ones
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Pattern 1 Neck
Pattern 1 Bridge
Pattern 2 Neck
Pattern 2 Bridge

Tuned D G C F A# but I didn't change the bridge from the E A D G C tuning it started in, so the fret buzz is a bit more noticeable unless I fret dead-on (or even choked up for a bit of left hand mute).
Bridge and Neck were normalized, but the clips recorded about 10dB apart. The coils in the bridge pickup are wired in series while the neck is in parallel.

do i recall that you said the action was pretty tight? i ask cause you also tuned down a full step. further on this line of thought, i recall that i thought that the strings would be pretty heavy for the pitches involved.

(long preamble there, sorry)

do you think you’ll stay with these gauges or go to something lighter?

(hope this doesn’t sound dickish)

you can hear the potential in there.

 

[theunknowndude]

I have considered the Downer a few times. Good to hear good things.

Didn’t find too many demo’s of it but the pedals and effects one on YouTube is pretty much exactly how it sounds (and with the waveform - kind of clean at noon, kind of a saturated overdrive at counterclockwise and the synthy wave folder at clockwise )

 

[Bob_Ross]

Here's a clip of the raw sounds. Fret buzz, finger noise, and all.

Thanks for that. I love how my ear goes "It's a guitar! Wait...no it isn't."
Was that plucked fingerstyle, or played with a pick? If the former, you can really hear the string tension!

 

[lordradish]

X-Post from my NBD thread. Just a simple play-through. Nothing ambient except my experimental sense of time and bold use of finger noise and fret buzz.

Here's a clip of the raw sounds. Fret buzz, finger noise, and all. These should give you a decent idea of the sounds across most of the fretboard. The zero-fret makes the open strings sound very much like the fretted ones
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Pattern 1 Neck
Pattern 1 Bridge
Pattern 2 Neck
Pattern 2 Bridge

Tuned D G C F A# but I didn't change the bridge from the E A D G C tuning it started in, so the fret buzz is a bit more noticeable unless I fret dead-on (or even choked up for a bit of left hand mute).
Bridge and Neck were normalized, but the clips recorded about 10dB apart. The coils in the bridge pickup are wired in series while the neck is in parallel.

Okay, this may motivate me to get my own test recording out, as my Miezo sounds VERY different. Got a jam with the synth duo tonight, but hopefully, I'll find some time Sat night.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Okay, this may motivate me to get my own test recording out, as my Miezo sounds VERY different. Got a jam with the synth duo tonight, but hopefully, I'll find some time Sat night.

I want an album from that duo!!!

 

[lordradish]

I want an album from that duo!!!

Yeah, so do I.

We did an 18 minute piece last time that definitely qualifies. Hoping to get more, tonight.

Of course, the main reason there's no album ties into that eternal 'is this good enough?' conversation that rears its head around here, sometimes.

 

[JES]

The Big Blade is the single coil/more aggressive version.

I ordered neck versions of the Zen Blade and the Big Blade. Will try them both and decide. The instrument is quite bright so the Zen might be enough. Or I might not like either. There is only one way to know!

 

[JES]

Nearly pulled the trigger on the Erica Synths Black Sequencer. Haven’t purchased any eurorack modules in over a year and was determined to steer clear of that money pit

Money on utilities is well spent, though.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Yeah, so do I.

We did an 18 minute piece last time that definitely qualifies. Hoping to get more, tonight.

Of course, the main reason there's no album ties into that eternal 'is this good enough?' conversation that rears its head around here, sometimes.

I very sure you guys are going to be able to something that’s dope. But, yeah, the doubt is always in the back of our minds regradless. We are always our own worst critics.
I have hours of crap recorded, can you imagine how much my crap stuff must suck!!!!!!!

I ordered neck versions of the Zen Blade and the Big Blade. Will try them both and decide. The instrument is quite bright so the Zen might be enough. Or I might not like either. There is only one way to know!

Choosing pickups, the necessary evil. Bite the bullet and try them. Buy, Flip and sell, repeat.
I’m more than happy with my P style pickups. J style, I think ill never be 100% satisfied.

 

[JES]

X-Post from my NBD thread. Just a simple play-through. Nothing ambient except my experimental sense of time and bold use of finger noise and fret buzz.

Here's a clip of the raw sounds. Fret buzz, finger noise, and all. These should give you a decent idea of the sounds across most of the fretboard. The zero-fret makes the open strings sound very much like the fretted ones
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Pattern 1 Neck
Pattern 1 Bridge
Pattern 2 Neck
Pattern 2 Bridge

Tuned D G C F A# but I didn't change the bridge from the E A D G C tuning it started in, so the fret buzz is a bit more noticeable unless I fret dead-on (or even choked up for a bit of left hand mute).
Bridge and Neck were normalized, but the clips recorded about 10dB apart. The coils in the bridge pickup are wired in series while the neck is in parallel.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS! It's exactly what I needed. You apologize for your playing but these demos are never about the playing. At least for me. In fact, demos like Steve Arroyo's I find utterly useless because of the unending barrage of notes.

I totally heard what I needed to hear. The bridge pickup sounds GREAT. So does the neck, but this has convinced me to try the Big Blade first to see if I get more growl. Or the whole thing might sound too "metallic" with touch style. Only one way to know....

 

[steubig]

is it good enough?

sometimes it depends on what day you’re listening.

a few days back i decided to listen to some of my bandcamp stuff.

stuff i hated a few months ago i thought was pretty good; and stuff i liked then, i hated now.

 

[JES]

Choosing pickups, the necessary evil. Bite the bullet and try them. Buy, Flip and sell, repeat.
I’m more than happy with my P style pickups. J style, I think ill never be 100% satisfied.

Actually, I have a few instruments where I am 100% satisfied. The G&L MFD split coil in my custom 4-string is the perfect sound for that instrument. It sounds like "me" and it feels like the sound leaps off the fretboard. There are some others (all in that tonal neighbourhood though sometimes with alnico pickups rather than ceramic). The touch guitar is just a whole other world, though. The current pickup is the clearest I've ever heard, and sounds totally sweet solo, but I'm not sure that's what I'm going for.