How do I get that tone on Sweet Emotion?

[gjbassist]

I'm learning Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion for a possible new song for my band. I have the notes down but I'm having trouble getting the intro to have the same tone. What is going on there? Is it an effect, the way Tom plays it, a certain type of bass? I just can't figure it out.

 

[jerry]

Always sounded like a nice P-bass tone to me.

 

[KramerBassFan]

Sting Ray with Flats?

Pretty sure thats what he used...

 

[dougjwray]

"Sweet Emotion" was released in 1975, and the first Music Man basses weren't available until 1976. (Unless Tom had a prototype or something.)
It sounds to me like a Precision with flatwounds, played with a pick. There's some EQing going on, too, to emphasize the pick attack. That's my best guess.

 

[KramerBassFan]

Maybe i'm thinking of Mama Kin or Same old Song and Dance... I'm not sure.

Either way, something OL SKOOL ought to do the trick for you.

But yeah, Flats and a Pick should do the job... in 1975 Aerosmith still never had any money, so its unlikely that Tom had anything fancier than the stock bassist gear of the day - P Bass, SVT and Flats.

 

[Kink Rimson]

I think the key with this one is to play quite gently, up near the neck, and very relaxed. The rocking out comes later.

 

[dan stanton]

Sounds like a phase shifter to me.

 

[TechZilla]

I think the key with this one is to play quite gently, up near the neck, and very relaxed. The rocking out comes later.

This works for me

I also play it with my fingers I can't make it sound right with a pick.

 

[JMacBass65]

Sounds like a phase shifter to me.

Agreed, sort of.

In addition to the P w/ flats and pick, there is clearly an effect of some sort, sounds phasey to me, but I would be open to it being something else too.

Tom might not have had it in his bag of tricks, but a studio most certainly would have.

 

[Ric5]

I'm learning Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion for a possible new song for my band. I have the notes down but I'm having trouble getting the intro to have the same tone. What is going on there? Is it an effect, the way Tom plays it, a certain type of bass? I just can't figure it out.

To me that's a pretty ordinary bass tone on that song. Most basses and bass rigs can reproduce that tone.

 

[Mooblar]

I have no idea what he used on that song, but he did make generous use of a Gibson Thunderbird during that period.

 

[John Wentzien]

51 style "P" finger plucked. no phase on the bass..

 

[bigntasty]

I happened to catch them on American Bandstand back in the mid 70s, and if I remember right he used a Telecaster Bass (natural w/ maple fretboard). I know that was a long time ago, but I remember really wanting one of those for awhile after I saw it.

 

[SlingBass4]

51 style "P" finger plucked. no phase on the bass..

+1...no bout adoubt it

 

[kevbassman]

51 style "P" finger plucked. no phase on the bass..

I agree. I hear no phase on the bass. My band does this song, and I play with the fingers...but on record it's definitely a pick, good old school 70's punchy stone.

 

[John Wentzien]

I agree. I hear no phase on the bass. My band does this song, and I play with the fingers...but on record it's definitely a pick, good old school 70's punchy stone.

You are hearing "slap" from the fingerboard,,,,no pick

 

[Chai]

I was hooked the first time I heard that line! I've always seen him play it fingerstyle up higher on the neck, never with a pick--in videos and live. I've seen him play it on several different kinds of basses too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUAtaGDBakA

Not sure what kind of effects he used, but I think definitely uses something.

 

[PhatBasstard]

Not sure what kind of effects he used, but I think definitely uses something.

I always use Flange with a slow sweep. Never sounds as authentic without it (just the bass riff).

 

[dan stanton]

Digging way back here, but IF I remember correctly a lot of studios in the 70' used a frequency-based phase shifter. Unlike a "normal" phase shifter, it would be tuned to a certain key. Also would not start phase shifting until a note was played. Maybe that morphed into the flanger, but not sure.

 

[Papazita]

I think it was played using that "Emotion" auto-slap patch on the Boss GT-6b...