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Deep and bright tone

#4
Ok. I have to raise the lows and the highs and cut the mids. Any other effects I should use? A good example for the bass tone I want is that one of Iron Maiden's El Dorado at EnVivo live. I know Harris it's Steve's bass and Eq but there might be a way I get close to that.
Thanks for replying!
 
#5
Harris uses a P bass with signature pickups, he runs straight in to some old PA power amps then in to PA speakers (which he also has on stage). This then feeds the front of house. They cut the high end about 5khz and above (from what I remember) and boost the mids and low end a touch. The clank you can hear comes mainly from Harris using his finger nails to pluck the strings rather then his fingers, which he grows longer especially for his aggressive three finger style. This all comes from an interview he did with Bass Player magazine earlier this year.

Basically boost the lo-mids and bass and play with a pick. Otherwise, with the B3 select (I think) the Eden head or the GK and boost lows and mids and crank the enhance or presence knob while playing aggressivly near the bridge.
 
#9
Metaltheocrashd said:
Thanks for the tips guys.

I still don't get something :P Bongomania said cut the mids, Jking said boost lows and mids. I will try both anyway. Any good Amp to get this tone?
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I don't know that I'd call Harris's tone "bright". Although I don't have that particular album. BongoMania's suggestion will get you deep and bright. But maybe not in a Steve Harris way. I don't know. Jking might be more like how I remember Harris sounding. Try em both.
 
#10
I don't know the Iron Maiden song in particular, but Harris doesn't use his fingernails in general or three fingers, 2 & thumb for chordal plucking. He did say that he grows his nails longer sometimes for recording certain parts in the studio & always clips them for playing live they would get shredded playing sets of Maiden songs.
 
#11
steve harris also uses a fresh set of rotosound flats every gig. a good alternative is to use some half-wounds to give you the best of both worlds. deep. bright. most of what you're looking for is easily done from your hands and where and how you attack the strings, to your bass and where you set the volume and tone from your pups and eventually to your amp and how much you eq the signal. experiment with it all, you"ll find your sound. but from what you mentioned some half wound strings will get you most of the way there.
 
#12
Every thing I mentioned comes from the man himself. Its was an interview with him and his bass tech. Like jtroska said, I wouldn't describe Harris' tone as bright, thats his attack rather then tone from the amp. I was playing with all the different amp models on my B3 last night and by using your B3 I would suggest the G-Kruger or the aguilar sim. the GK is very bright anyway so just crank the bass or the aguilar has a deep and bright switch, alternativly the BottomB on the B3 to boost treble and bass. It comes down to EQing, you have the gear to make it happen. The reason I mentioned the lo-mids aswell was so that you don't get totally lost in the mix like a lot of metal bassists the scoop the mids too much. Harris for example still hass a large presence in the mix.
 
#13
I agree with jking. Low-Hi boost can make the bass sound a bit empty and old style. If you give mids an up you can make yourself more present to the band mix... His strings is a plus. I've recently used flatwounds on my PBass and it made it sound closer to the tone I want. Thanks everyone for the replies guys :) I'll try everything on this post. It's nice to experiment anyway ;)
 
#14
bongomania said:
You just described a mid scoop. Just use any EQ, boost the lows and highs, cut the mids.

Of course in order to hear a deep low end, you need a decently big speaker cab, or good headphones.
Click to expand...

Thank goodness there is someone around here smart enough to make that recommendation. It is so easy for us to recommend our favorite pedals while forgetting basic signal processing. Bravo.
 
#15
Like bongo said, I dont think you need anything special to get this tone, just EQ it to taste. Yes you can get preamps, pedals and amps that can accentuate that kind of tone but I would try the EQ route first. I have to ask, are you doing this for playing around at home or are you in a band that gigs? Usually that sort of tone results in getting lost in a live mix. Yes, there are exceptions, but most times you need mids to cut through.
 
#16
I use that EXACT tone, and for that it is: Lows on +2; Mids on Centre; Highs on +1; and new ernie ball slinky roundwound strings. I found the best way to get yours 'clanks' heard was from new strings
 
#17
I think I know what tone your going for :hmm: kinda like Fieldy but usable :p
If that is the case you need loose strings (like 25-30 lbs) try going to Link Removed read up on them, look at their tension chart. Figure out what you want for strings first. If that does not immediately solve the problem then look into effects.
I'm not saying that effects are a last resort but they should be a tool for accent not a crutch.
Also I play with a dual 31-band eq, that piece of equipment has taught me a lot.
 
#18
I achieve this exactly, and purposefully by using:

Warwick Thumb bass w/active electronics and eq set flat
Ashdown Lomenzo Hyperdrive set to over-gain the high-mids w/mix set to 25% effect/75% clean.
Mesa M9, set flat.
Mesa 210 w/crossover set to 3k and tweeter turned down 1/3.

---very 'hi-fi'---

You may never achieve the clank you want if your bass/amp isn't set up for it or your playing style doesn't allow for it.

I have my action set fairly high, use high-tension nickle plated strings, and play finger style only.
However, I also hit the crap out of my strings, file my right hand fingernails moderately long, and use a very deliberate attack when I want extra clank (right into the board, like I'm bouncing the strings off the frets).

Very clanky, plenty bassy, plenty of midrange, not lost in a mix (I play with a loud metal-guitarist).
Sometimes I boost the eq a few dbs at 1000Hz (eq on pedal board) if I want to over emphasize the clank, sometimes.
Or sometimes I turn up the highs on the bass, sometimes.

I agree with most here though, play with your eq settings on the bass and amp.
Boost the highs/high-mids and bass a bit.
Drop the mids and boost the volume on the amp.

You never know what will work until you try though, so many variables with different set ups.
 

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