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Geddy Lee's best tone?
- Thread starter nick g.
- Start date
As a RUSH nerd, I am loving this thread. It's funny that there are so many positive comments for Signals. I justice recently came to the realization that that's my favorite album. I always thought it was Moving Pictures. But Signals was the first RUSH album I ever got. And recently listening to it, I fell back in love with every single bass line. Even started relearning some of the tunes for fun. Analog Kid is my all time favorite RUSH song.
In regard to tone, absolutely love the Signals Ric sound. It's so full and just gritty enough (and hard to reproduce). I love Geddy's tone these days but other than Clockwork Angels, I feel it's a little thin. What he did on Clockwork is masterful as he has found the boom and bite that Jazz basses can produce.
That said, his Ric sound on Cinderella Man is the quintessential Ric sound.
In regard to tone, absolutely love the Signals Ric sound. It's so full and just gritty enough (and hard to reproduce). I love Geddy's tone these days but other than Clockwork Angels, I feel it's a little thin. What he did on Clockwork is masterful as he has found the boom and bite that Jazz basses can produce.
That said, his Ric sound on Cinderella Man is the quintessential Ric sound.
Ged said on camera recently that he used to be all about treble with a little bass and over the years he's gone in the opposite direction. So there's your lo-fi tone. It's what he prefers now.
I tend to prefer his Wal era tone, but suits better in that 80´s music context.
His current overdriven Fender sound is also great being Snakes and Arrows probably my fav.
Hard to decide and that´s reflected in the variety of answers shown in the poll.
His current overdriven Fender sound is also great being Snakes and Arrows probably my fav.
Hard to decide and that´s reflected in the variety of answers shown in the poll.
so hard to decide. I listen to freewill and think, "that's the sound!". then I listen to big money and think "that's the sound!", then the new album and I think "damn that's good." I can't decide on this.
I take back what I said earlier - I listened to Clockwork Angels on a long drive this week, and I do like the bass tone. But overall, the sound on that album is a disaster. It's totally compressed, and the drums and bass sound like a big mushy ball in the center of the mix, with the guitars floating around the outside. It's terrible; the compression is as bad as, and the mix might be worse than Vapor Trails.
I broke the Signals/Moving Pictures tie! lol
It was tough, as the Power Windows tone as well as the Counterparts tones really are most stellar to my ears, but I gave the nod to Signals.
It was tough, as the Power Windows tone as well as the Counterparts tones really are most stellar to my ears, but I gave the nod to Signals.
I hear ya. I have 3 rush albums in my cd changer right now and when it switches from moving pictures to clockwork angels I have to drop the volume considerably. Its a typical LOUD modern album with all the usual complaints that come from mixing and mastering like that. But, as you said, the bass tone as a single piece is just NASTY on that album. In a good way.
My favourite Rush album is Caress of Steel.
Best tone is Signals. Especially Subdivisions and Analog Kid. Last time he used the Ricky, and he nailed it on that album.
Clockwork Angels is my least favourite Rush album. They can do way better. Lacklustre songs and a terribly dull mix.... Sorry guys, garbage!!!!
Best tone is Signals. Especially Subdivisions and Analog Kid. Last time he used the Ricky, and he nailed it on that album.
Clockwork Angels is my least favourite Rush album. They can do way better. Lacklustre songs and a terribly dull mix.... Sorry guys, garbage!!!!
I think I voted for Hemispheres, but anything between Caress and Hemispheres is great.
I like the new album OK. The songs have some great, epic ideas but they are over-composed, if that makes sense. "Let's throw in just one more chord change just to keep them guessing." No thanks.
I like the new album OK. The songs have some great, epic ideas but they are over-composed, if that makes sense. "Let's throw in just one more chord change just to keep them guessing." No thanks.
Totally agree. The sound on Clockwork Angels is abysmal. Remember when you could hear every drum of Neil Peart clearly? Not anymore.
Ooff. I'll be boring, I love all of his tones over the years, but his tone from Vapor Trails and on is probably my least. It almost feels too artificial for me, but there are times that it shines. Clockwork Angels would have to be my favorite of the three.
On second thought, just listened to Permanent Waves, I'm gonna go with that. Maybe a close fie between MP and Signals....or maybe..
On second thought, just listened to Permanent Waves, I'm gonna go with that. Maybe a close fie between MP and Signals....or maybe..
this is pretty much, word for word how I feel about Signals, and how I got into Rush as well. Very interesting. Analog Kid is probably 2nd to Natural Science as my all time favorite song...
It is also funny too cause A LOT of people at the time, and even later, complained that there was "no bass" on this album...that it was all synthesizer...
this is probably the closest to an honest answer I could come up as well. I chose Permanent Waves cause it has my most fav song, but this is more accurate for me
sadly I have to agree. I think that many albums of this era - not just Rush - are given an overproduced, falsely "big" sound by overcompressing.
I also feel liek they do the same thing to live shows as well. there is this false low end that muddy's up everything
Greetings from the North,
What is wrong with you people? lol
I prefer his early P & Ric sounds. 'Rush' & 'Fly By Night' bass tones are pure and simply marvelous. And that's not discounting any of his other outstanding work over the years. This is just my personal favourite period of Geddy tones. It's kind of awesome that since when I first saw them in 73/74 people are still talking about Geddy's tone.
Rezdog
What is wrong with you people? lol
I prefer his early P & Ric sounds. 'Rush' & 'Fly By Night' bass tones are pure and simply marvelous. And that's not discounting any of his other outstanding work over the years. This is just my personal favourite period of Geddy tones. It's kind of awesome that since when I first saw them in 73/74 people are still talking about Geddy's tone.
Rezdog
I agree with this too. The bass by itself im sure would sound killer, but the mix and mastering as a whole is kind of ****. The kick drum is so sub bassy that its sometimes hard to pick out the bass lines. Idk lol the mixing/mastering is nothing compared to Permanent Waves. That album is studio masterpiece.
I voted for Signals. It's not my favorite album of theirs, but Geddy's Rickenbacker sounds so great on Subdivisions and his Fender sounds amazing on Digital Man and New World Man.
If only my Jazz bass could sound somewhat like that...
If only my Jazz bass could sound somewhat like that...
