I'm relatively new to bass having been a guitar player for years. I joined this forum and have already learned a lot. One thing that strikes me is all the talk about distortion on bass. Is this mainly a metal thing, or is there lots of classic rock stuff using distorted bass tones and I'm not catching it?
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Distortion on bass
- Thread starter aim9guy
- Start date
I would say it's *mainly* metal and prog, but a bit of OD can brighten things up and not really be noticed as OD at all. It can especially make other effects pop out more, like an envelope filter or flanger. So it can be pretty subtle. Or on the other end of the spectrum you could be going for Geezer Butler's Sabbath tone- crank it up!
It doesn't have to just be metal. Listen to some old Ben Folds Five, Robert Sledge's bass was totally fuzzed out on most of their songs.
Opinions may vary but it is certainly not just a metal or even a rock thing and certainly now new maybe resurgent. Distorted bass lines god way back to classic 60's rock and some older 60's country tunes and lots of 70's R&B and funk had pretty heavy tones.
If you listen to isolated bass parts on youtube, you'll find an overwhelming number of "clean bass parts" are actually pretty saturated to help it stand out in the mix. Here's one example:
Distortion/fuzz on bass is like any other fashion, comes and goes. Sometimes it's part of the bass player's unique sound ---- Billy Sheehan with his saturated Rotosound/Amgeg SVT (sorry Hartke now) sound. Same with Geddy Lee and his Sansamp sound.
tocs100
Utah Bass of Doom, Metal DJ @ leafpileradio.com
I do like a very small bit of overdrive on my bass, the main thing to remember is to not let the od/distortion drown out your tone. Remember, you're a bass player, keep to the low frequencies (In general). Some distortions drown out the bass frequencies and accentuate the highs. I like the MXR Blowtorch because there's a lot of control over what frequencies it affects and the mix with regards to your clean sound. But try a few out.
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.
TalkBass' resident Bongo + cowbell player
I like that edgy sound it adds. Not as overdriven or saturated as with guitar distortion ala tube screamer... I noticed the distorted bass tone on the new Rush material...very cool. Thanks for the replies.
it is suprising how many bass tracks are overdriven, distorted.. whatever. It really depends on where the bass is sitting in the mix whether you notice it or not. I like to be pretty present in the mix with whatever band i'm in. I like people to HEAR all the changes in tone distortion pedals do.
- Jan 21, 2012
- 665
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- endorsing artist hard luck king guitars and knuckle head strings
Let's see I have a wooly mammoth a big muff a Rat king and a phat phuck b on my board. Yea I like a little dirt here and there. Wonder what would happen if turned em all on and then turned my mod factor to a ring mod. Hmmm probably nothing good or I'll travel time.
And honestly where I came to love od and fuzz on bass wasn't with metal stuff. In fact the last time I played in a metal band i used a mostly clean light grit tone.
And honestly where I came to love od and fuzz on bass wasn't with metal stuff. In fact the last time I played in a metal band i used a mostly clean light grit tone.
