I was advised to use a Jazz Bass.. help!

[edpal]

Why not bring both to the studio and see what sounds best with your hands, and your band? I generally bring 4 basses to any recording dates, and I am sometimes surprised what we end up going with.

Best idea yet.

 

[Shedua511]

And kind of what I said too.
I got the response that it took to much time... personally I think it's the way to go, with digital recording there is not the time/money pressure we used to experience with tape.

 

[bkbirge]

I suggest next time you show up with an upright. "What are you looking at me like that for, this is my jazz bass!"

 

[edpal]

Hang on, so you have never used the MM on a recording but you are saying that the MM will cut through a mix better? I have used both, plenty of times.

When you say "cut through a mix". What mix exactly? Are all mixes the same? Are you saying because the MM is brighter to you in a high frequency that means it "cuts" through everything better to you?

You are saying I am cackling? lol, not sure what that means. Sorry man, but you don't even have experience recording with both of these basses. It really is eye opening how some basses record a heck of a lot better than you think when you use them in a session.

They BOTH record rather well, but the active pickups in a MM can work against the engineer and and the song sometimes, which is why the Fenders are still the top choice in the studio.

Judging a bass by hearing it solo or just thinking the brighter tone will cut better is a fast track to not having a good tone in the studio.

I've used Ps and Js for recording and it was fine. So yes, I was basing my thought of the MusicMan cutting through better on live sound I have experience, with both.

Now that the OP has explained they specifically want a mellower sound the JAzz request makes sense - no sense trying to dial in something that would be there naturally.

The "cackle" - when you start a one sentence response with LOL it pretty much indicates you're being derisive/dismissive from the get go. LEt's not get into a clusterbunch over it. PEace.

 

[darkstorm]

Ive allways concidered bands who use diff music instruments for recording then rthey use for live as losers. Theyre refusing to try to give peeps the bands sound. If a bands bass player and band like how a particulair bass sounds in the mix for bands sound. Use it for live and recording. Dont play these stupid games of using one for recording then not using it for live.

 

[drTSTingray]

The musicman is capable of a mellower sound than the Fender, dependent on playing technique. Fenders can be rather coarse sounding with the tone control wide open.

Last night I watched a televised performance from circa 1970 of the band Free. Superb all round sound and playing/singing but oh my, that bass sound - unique - perfect fit and a Gibson EB3 through a valve amp.

I thought of this thread and that we would have been deprived of such artistry had the current 'engineer' choices been in place then. Or are we just less artistic and too technical these days?

 

[AngelCrusher]

You just described the tone as a "perfect fit". Any decent engineer is going for just that. So it would not be an issue for that band situation.

 

[edpal]

The musicman is capable of a mellower sound than the Fender, dependent on playing technique. Fenders can be rather coarse sounding with the tone control wide open.

Last night I watched a televised performance from circa 1970 of the band Free. Superb all round sound and playing/singing but oh my, that bass sound - unique - perfect fit and a Gibson EB3 through a valve amp.

I thought of this thread and that we would have been deprived of such artistry had the current 'engineer' choices been in place then. Or are we just less artistic and too technical these days?

"Perfect fit" is not a reflection on possibilities, it is only what happened at the time. It's hindsight based on a singular positive outcome. Sort of like when nobody gets hurt on one an extreme adventure show. It doesn't mean that something else might not have fit better - or worse. Which is why the suggestion of bringing both to the studio is probably a good idea. But since the OP has indicated a mellower sound is wanted it might be easier to add to the J's sound than take away from the MM's.

Technology can cause us to fuss around way too much and lose sight of the basic artistry. And ditto for engineers...sometimes they seem to think the musicians are gadgets created to make THEIR artistic dreams come true. Modern society propels the idea that everybody gets a vote in everything. Employee don't get a vote, they get paid.

 

[bluesblaster]

If someone is paying you for your musical talent on a recording than dont argue with them, just play what your asked and maybe they will hire you again. Most engineers and producers are musicians themselves, in the time you waste discussing the tonal variations of various basses they could have cut the track already.

 

[JimmyM]

Ive allways concidered bands who use diff music instruments for recording then rthey use for live as losers. Theyre refusing to try to give peeps the bands sound. If a bands bass player and band like how a particulair bass sounds in the mix for bands sound. Use it for live and recording. Dont play these stupid games of using one for recording then not using it for live.

???

 

[dkelley]

Ive allways concidered bands who use diff music instruments for recording then rthey use for live as losers. Theyre refusing to try to give peeps the bands sound. If a bands bass player and band like how a particulair bass sounds in the mix for bands sound. Use it for live and recording. Dont play these stupid games of using one for recording then not using it for live.

bizarre! Yea, heaven forbid we use a great recording bass for live work even if it doesn't cut through the live sound as well as a great live gigging bass.

 

[DrSpunkwater]

You think by now recording practices would be able to handle the Stingray. It's been a staple long enough. But I can see how preamps would throw a wrench in the works. C'est la vie.

I think it'd be pretty funny if the J still didn't do the trick, and from out of nowhere comes a P. An hour later, the engineer says "Bass tracks done. Good job."

 

[JimmyM]

It's not a question of being able to record it. It's a question of preferring one sound over the other.

 

[georgestrings]

Ive allways concidered bands who use diff music instruments for recording then rthey use for live as losers. Theyre refusing to try to give peeps the bands sound. If a bands bass player and band like how a particulair bass sounds in the mix for bands sound. Use it for live and recording. Dont play these stupid games of using one for recording then not using it for live.

Maybe you can tell us your experience level, regarding recording and playing on stage, please - because the above quote sure seems like a lack of actual experience talking...


- georgestrings

 

[dkelley]

Maybe you can tell us your experience level, regarding recording and playing on stage, please - because the above quote sure seems like a lack of actual experience talking...


- georgestrings

+1 since I can't seem to word my sarcasm correctly in my own response lol

 

[bkbirge]

As a recording engineer I have zero problem with any bass someone brings in. If that person has been working a particular sound live with the band long enough then it can be considered part of that band's overall sound and it's my job to capture it. The engineer mentality of "must use a P bass" is silly. That said, P's sound awesome recorded a lot of times. But so does any other configuration in the right context. If the OP's engineer and producer both say "jazz" and the OP respects their opinions there's no reason not to give it a whirl. But there are lots of great records with the MM tone too.

 

[bluesblaster]

doesnt Tony Levin play a 'Ray most of the time ?

 

[Shedua511]

^^^ sure does, one of the most recorded bass players in history...

 

[Britbonic]

This is the way to go.

A lot of people here do not understand how hard it is to mix bass. The Fender bass is extremely popular because it is a very easy bass to mix for engineers. The MM is an active bass, and that changes things. Most likely these guys are adding EQ boost and cuts that fit the music.

This is why active basses are not always as popular in the studio. They may be boosted in the wrong frequency range and the engineer does not want to have to cut that range out and boost somewhere else.

Passive Fenders give the engineer so much control in the mix, and that is why they love the basses so much.

I get that passive Fenders are preferred, largely since they have been the most popular basses and most familiar to engineers and ultimately listeners. Also, their fundamental tone is so straightforward, it makes is easy to make adjustments in the mix. What I dont get is the notion that because MM's have active EQ that makes it so much more difficult. Of course if a player turns the EQ all the way up (I challenge anyone to pick up a MM at GC that isn't set this way when you plug it in) then there's a potential problem but I think generally most player boost or cut a little of eq as needed.

On my SR5, I usually boost a bit of bottom, then make slight adjustments to mids as treble as needed. It sounds and records really nicely - just like my jazz and PBasses! Any engineer who knows what they are doing should be able to record and EQ the MM to sound good.

 

[Snarf]

If someone is paying you for your musical talent on a recording than dont argue with them, just play what your asked and maybe they will hire you again. Most engineers and producers are musicians themselves, in the time you waste discussing the tonal variations of various basses they could have cut the track already.

This. The more time you save the engineer/producer/talent, the better, and Jazz and Precisions save time and effort in a big way.