Thanks for the tip, did not know they were abrasive. It works great to dull the sound, guess I will put a piece of thin cardboard under it.
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General tips for DB-ish sounds from ABG please?
- Thread starter Maxra
- Start date
It depends on the type of music and DB sound you are going for... playing technique has a lot to do with it... palm muting near the bridge will help a lot for "swingier" sounds... you might want to swap in a regular flatwound string for the E...
The single most effective step in approximating a double bass sound on a bass guitar of any kind is plucking up close to or even over the fret board. String type comes next.
It won’t sound like a double bass - no bass guitar will, but the playing style and location can provide something of the character of a double bass.
It won’t sound like a double bass - no bass guitar will, but the playing style and location can provide something of the character of a double bass.
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buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Maybe just look for other foam/sponge with similar density?
Reading opening posts, on the other hand, is *so* 2023.
A few ideas…
1. Try plucking over the end of the neck rather than over the body.
2. Don’t be afraid to play open strings. Upright bass players aren’t.
3. Most important - technique is an important part of emulating the upright vibe. So to better create sn illusion of that vibe it’s best to try to approach and play your bass lines like an upright bass player would rather than as a bass guitarist. The upright bass scale length ranges between 41.5 and 43.4 inches. Which is considerably longer than even a 36” extended scale bass guitar. And the playing position is obviously different. So the shape of an upright bass line tends to wander more up and down the neck rather than across the strings like on an electric. And an upright player’s choice of notes is affected by those considerations.
4. Here’s a trick - try draping a towel over a stool, stand your ABG upright on it, lean it back towards you, and play it standing for a bit. I think you’ll find your whole perspective will broaden considerably once you try playing bass that way.
5. Less is more. There’s an adage in the jazz world that says: “Make every note count.” Forget all those electric bass pyrotechnics you killed yourself to master. Pick only the best notes to play. Let them bloom. With upright bass the feel is everything.
6. Don’t reinvent the wheel, steal the plans instead. Best way to get a sense of the subtle (and not so subtle ) differences in the upright vibe is to listen to as many upright bass players as possible.
1. Try plucking over the end of the neck rather than over the body.
2. Don’t be afraid to play open strings. Upright bass players aren’t.
3. Most important - technique is an important part of emulating the upright vibe. So to better create sn illusion of that vibe it’s best to try to approach and play your bass lines like an upright bass player would rather than as a bass guitarist. The upright bass scale length ranges between 41.5 and 43.4 inches. Which is considerably longer than even a 36” extended scale bass guitar. And the playing position is obviously different. So the shape of an upright bass line tends to wander more up and down the neck rather than across the strings like on an electric. And an upright player’s choice of notes is affected by those considerations.
4. Here’s a trick - try draping a towel over a stool, stand your ABG upright on it, lean it back towards you, and play it standing for a bit. I think you’ll find your whole perspective will broaden considerably once you try playing bass that way.
5. Less is more. There’s an adage in the jazz world that says: “Make every note count.” Forget all those electric bass pyrotechnics you killed yourself to master. Pick only the best notes to play. Let them bloom. With upright bass the feel is everything.
6. Don’t reinvent the wheel, steal the plans instead. Best way to get a sense of the subtle (and not so subtle ) differences in the upright vibe is to listen to as many upright bass players as possible.
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At least the acoustic bass can bring along all that extraneous string and fingerboard noise that is so predominant in the DB sound.
You do know those things are extremally abrasive right? Hopefully you are putting something between the Magic eraser and the top of the bass...Otherwise, the Magic Eraser will eat through the finish.
You could say that it would magically erase the finish.
Back on topic, instead of trying to sound like a DB - which isn’t going to happen - think about the request itself.
If someone asks you for a DB sound, ask why and find out what they are looking for.
Most people who don’t play bass who ask for it don’t know what one would really sound like anyways.
Do they just want no highs? Do they want less sustain? Are they looking for the playing style?
Heck, just getting a DB to sound like a DB when amplified is complicated.
I jam with some Bluegrass players. My solution is Labella Flatwounds and a bit of foam under the bridge of my Micheal Kelly acoustic. I've tried to mimic an upright attack to some degree and it's not bad. It will never sound upright but it's close enough to be accepted.
That's why I use window-insulation foam and felt.
Seriously, I can't be the only one.
There’s really no reason why a P-Bass with flats shouldn’t be accepted either.
I bet bluegrass using electric instruments could actually sound good.
There’s a lot more sustain on a DB than most people think. Technique really matters - just listen to chicken pickin’ on a Fender Strat or Tele for a great example of being able to play with how much sustain there is.
I know they would be okay with me using electric but since everyone is using traditional acoustic instruments I prefer to keep the vibe.
Good idea.
Someone I know had an acoustic jam awhile back and asked me if I had a P bass with flats.
I told him I had something better, an Exotica with tapewounds.
I'm a big fan of MTV Unplugged, especially the Alice In Chains and Nirvana episodes.
Always thought a bassist using a solid-body bass in some of the other shows stuck out like a sore thumb. Hey, why not stand up while playing that P bass, too?
OP — I’ve spent more time on chasing the DB tone than I care to admit (borderline OCD). Lots of research here on TB, videos on YouTube. I bought a fretless Rob Allen Mouse (many consider it the closest to DB), then an acoustic pedal (emulator) — ditched a MarkBass amp for a more “nuanced” one, etc. This for a straight-ahead jazz ensemble and gigging trio. Drummer and pro pianist don’t care about tonal differences — and drummer says, “you say it sounds like a DB, but I don’t hear that” (in terms of the Rob Allen). This was after A/B’ing Rob Allen against DB recordings to come close in my head. In fact, I’ve gotten more compliments when I’ve played fretted basses (“there’s more definition” I’m told).
That being said, I prefer fretless. So, switched back to my fretless P-bass with flats. From research here, added a compressor pedal and touch of reverb — and I think it sounds great. Against my favorite jazz recording, looping a section and repeating it myself — it sounds really close to my ear. Close enough that no one else would likely notice/care other than “wanting” the aesthetic look of an upright.
So, I’d suggest trying some things you learn in this thread — tweak things against your favorite recordings (for the sound you’re chasing) — get to 80-90% of the way, and stop chasing the elusive extra 10% that is likely impossible due to not having air circulating around a 6 foot tall box of wood. Again — not many really notice the subtle tonal differences in the mix — other than perhaps the visual expectation for a DB. Hope this helps.
p.s. While you may not be speaking about jazz— this excellent video I saw recently seems to hit a lot of the themes of this thread (whole video is good, but at 6:20 is the crux of his argument):
That being said, I prefer fretless. So, switched back to my fretless P-bass with flats. From research here, added a compressor pedal and touch of reverb — and I think it sounds great. Against my favorite jazz recording, looping a section and repeating it myself — it sounds really close to my ear. Close enough that no one else would likely notice/care other than “wanting” the aesthetic look of an upright.
So, I’d suggest trying some things you learn in this thread — tweak things against your favorite recordings (for the sound you’re chasing) — get to 80-90% of the way, and stop chasing the elusive extra 10% that is likely impossible due to not having air circulating around a 6 foot tall box of wood. Again — not many really notice the subtle tonal differences in the mix — other than perhaps the visual expectation for a DB. Hope this helps.
p.s. While you may not be speaking about jazz— this excellent video I saw recently seems to hit a lot of the themes of this thread (whole video is good, but at 6:20 is the crux of his argument):
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