You know, if you hit a note with a certain fervor you get a thump, but if you hit it with a bit more fervor you get a clank. Is that clank considered bad technique, or can you clank as long as you're consistent as to when you clank in a given bassline?
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Is it considered bad technique to clank?
- Thread starter BusyFingers
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DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Clank is only bad technique if you are aiming for no clank (within reason). Plenty of guys use clank to their advantage. Mind you, they are primarily rock and metal players. Most jazz cats are anti-clank.
Clank is sometimes good and sometimes not.
If you like clank in your music it is good technique.
If you can't play without clank when needed it is bad technique.
If you like clank in your music it is good technique.
If you can't play without clank when needed it is bad technique.
To be frank, clank can stank but when you spank the plank a clank that stanks may not be rank or tank. Take that to the bank.
Anything you don't do on purpose is bad technique.
Clank is technique. Do it when you want to, don't when you don't want to. If you can't clank on command (and only on command), practice until you can.
Of course, setting up your bass, the strings you have on, it, etc. all affect this. But you are in control of those things as well. I generally don't play out on really fresh strings, as they clank a bit too much - I like at least a week on strings when I play out. I also practice the week before a gig with the bass I'm going to play, so I can calibrate my technique to that bass with those strings.
Of course, setting up your bass, the strings you have on, it, etc. all affect this. But you are in control of those things as well. I generally don't play out on really fresh strings, as they clank a bit too much - I like at least a week on strings when I play out. I also practice the week before a gig with the bass I'm going to play, so I can calibrate my technique to that bass with those strings.
It is and it isn't. I don't care for the clank myself, but it's hard to call it bad technique when Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, Rob Trujillo, and a host of other hard rocking bassists made it their stock in trade.
For the most part, I don't want to clank. I've been working to clean that up with busy basslines, but was just curious what people thought. I used to listen to Iron Maiden and Steve Harris had a nice clank at times.
This is a good point, but though I like to write rock bass lines I am not quite to the clank end of the rock spectrum.
Ask fans of Chris Squire or Gaddy Lee.
I used to be a rabid Yes and Rush fan growing up in the 80's. I should check to see where they clank and how consistently they clanked, or if it just happened randomly because of the fury with which they were playing for the recording.
