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Another "How do I get this tone?" thread.

#2
fresh Round wounds, P Bass, and Ampeg SVT or a software simulation thereof.
Seems to have a bump i the upper mids around 1000 hz or so -that growl.

keep in mind that nailing a recorded tone is impossible
unless you can replicate exactly the gear used to record.

your bass , strings, amp will only approximate , so don't obsess.
In fact pick many different tones you hear
see how close you can get with your own stuff
You'll learn your own gear better that way.
 
#6
99% of rock band members will dig a P Bass with fresh roundwounds BUT in my experience your rig is the most important. Every time my band mates did not dig my sound it was because I was playing a crappy or underpowered amp. To give you an example, regardless of the bass you plug into a SVT II Pro, it will sound pretty much the same (fantastic). I have heard some Mustangs that sounded insanely punchy through the right amp.
 
#7
So... I've decided I don't care what the band wants! HA!
Not really, but I've tweaked a few things and I've come up w/ a sound that I really like so I'm going to try it out at next practice(we had to take a couple weeks off for other things). It's kind of the opposite they are pushing for, as far as components, but sounds punchy and aggressive with the more vintage tone I was looking for.
What I had:
Mustang w/ flats and a large block of foam, tone control about 25%
amp controls: approximately flat

What I think they wanted:
P-bass w/ rounds, tone control @ 100%
amp controls probably up a bit here and there

What I'm trying at next practice:
Mustang w/ flats, a smaller bit of foam(much less damping than before), tone control @100%
amp controls: gain/drive: WAY up; bass: Fairly down, mids&treble: up.

It adds a strong grindy aggressive mids to the thump that I like. I had to dial the bass frequencies back a bit or it gets really muddy.
If it's not enough, I'll switch to rounds. I've got a set of nickles, but I"m kind of interested in steels? Seems like a swing way too far.
I've tried semi-rounds and I don't know how but they are the darkest, sludgiest sound ever made. Seriously, the bassline to "Happy" sounds like dirge. ...on downers. ...buried in soft peat for three months
...and that coming from a guy who plays flats w/ foam!
 
#8
People say this all the time, so I'm sure you know, but--your tone can all go out the window once you're trying to fit it into a band.

I still suck at dealing with this. Usually my goal is just to keep the bassline clear without being too loud, which is enough of a struggle on its own once there's that blanket of guitars across the middle of the spectrum.

So I take this kind of tone-chasing at home more as an exercise in getting to know my equipment so I'm ready to redo it all quickly once I'm in rehearsal.... But your mileage may vary.
 
#9
bfields said:
your tone can all go out the window once you're trying to fit it into a band.
Click to expand...

not can go out the window
but will go out the window

chasing tone in your bedroom is a pointless waste of time
if doesn't sound good in the mix, it is useless.
also the larger the ensemble, the less your timbre will matter.

about EQ knobs:
Bass is generally for comensating in boomy/muddy rooms, not tone.
Highs will get swallowed by guitars and cymbals
Mids will usually deliver what you want to punch through the mix
(I prefer multiple or adjustable mid frequencies -I think the Ash down has it but not the portaflex)
 
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