There's just no pleasing some people.
I'd be quite happy to play bass like Geddy without having the surgery required to sing like him.
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Listen to this guys tone ( RUSH Content )
- Thread starter bobm2112
- Start date
I'd be quite happy to play bass like Geddy without having the surgery required to sing like him.
when your intonation is out, its the higher notes that will sound more off..
in addition I think he had a few notes that were just plain wrong, but its been 20 years since I worked on rush covers
also for some this is an incredible feat to play this song, and for others we learned how to play this song in the 70's...
I had a 73 rick checkerboard binding horseshoe and correctly placed neck pick up, ran it into a 64 VoxAC30, the munch is not that had to get, tube amp an play into the string
he did have a nice tone but lets not get carried away here kids
in addition I think he had a few notes that were just plain wrong, but its been 20 years since I worked on rush covers
also for some this is an incredible feat to play this song, and for others we learned how to play this song in the 70's...
I had a 73 rick checkerboard binding horseshoe and correctly placed neck pick up, ran it into a 64 VoxAC30, the munch is not that had to get, tube amp an play into the string
he did have a nice tone but lets not get carried away here kids
The "Guitar Hero" Bass Line on Expert level is actually more difficult than the actual bass line.
As for the "matching Geddy Lee's tone" gentleman, what would really be impressive is if he also sang while playing.
Z
One of the great things about TB is the expert opinion posted by so many great bass players.
How lucky we are.
How lucky we are.
Well, this is certainly an interesting thread.
I am the bass player that you are discussing. My name is Rob. nice to meet you all. Sorry if it is bad etiquette to participate in a thread where I am the topic of discussion.
Anyways, some points were made in this thread that need addressing.
1. The intonation is off. Good ear. I was flitting back and forth between Cb tuning and standard tuning in order to play Arch Enemy, and it set my intonation off considerably. I definitely need to invest in a tuner to get the intonation correct. The Rick needs attention for sure.
2. This is also one of my vids where I am slightly out of tune. It comes from playing one mp3 and then another in sucession without checking the tuning first. I played a series of tunes that day, and Farewell was the last (I usually save Rush tunes for last). But once a vid is made, I pretty much stick with it...good, bad, or ugly. If you want worse tuning, look at my "Two Minutes to Midnight" video. In that one, I set my bass down to adjust the camera and it moved on of my tuning machines on the D string...lowering a half step. Embarassing, but my most-watched video (go figure!).
3. I have no idea what I am doing theory-wise, and I am entirely an ear player, and untrained, so the first few times I dink with a tune (like the opener), I am bound to make some mistakes. But like I said, once made, I do not take videos back. It's pretty much hit and miss with me. I play with 95% passion and 5% technical know-how, and I am quite happy being "that guy".
4. The tone comes from the Rick's pick-ups being fried beyond imagining, which requires a LOT of gain (through my Digitech BP80) in order to bring out the full Rick sound. There is so much gain that is slightly distorts the signal when the strings are struck hard. It is my style to play hard on the strings, so the combination gives that throaty growl. It's a tone that bass players appreciate, but guitar players hate...lol. For a warmer sound, I use a Schecter Stiletto Elite 4.
5. Thanks to all of you for your comments, positive and negative. It is always intresting to get a message that you are being discussed by complete strangers. We have a great community of bass players on youtube, and I have made a lot of friends (who call themselves the "LRRGs" becuse they like the idea of "Living Room Rock Gods"), plus I have the largest audience I have ever had in my life. For a living room player like me, it is 7th heaven. But make no mistakes, I am no perfect, nor do I profess to be...not trying to impress anyone....I'm just having a lot of fun and amazed that I get the attention I do.
6. Sing? What, are you kidding me? My voice sounds like a flushing toilet. Want proof?
An original I wrote a while back in the spirit of S.O.D., called "The Vowel Song"
See what I mean.....Geddy Lee I am not, in voice OR bass playing. Just a cheap fascimile that loves playing.
7. Yes, I registered to post this.
I am the bass player that you are discussing. My name is Rob. nice to meet you all. Sorry if it is bad etiquette to participate in a thread where I am the topic of discussion.
Anyways, some points were made in this thread that need addressing.
1. The intonation is off. Good ear. I was flitting back and forth between Cb tuning and standard tuning in order to play Arch Enemy, and it set my intonation off considerably. I definitely need to invest in a tuner to get the intonation correct. The Rick needs attention for sure.
2. This is also one of my vids where I am slightly out of tune. It comes from playing one mp3 and then another in sucession without checking the tuning first. I played a series of tunes that day, and Farewell was the last (I usually save Rush tunes for last). But once a vid is made, I pretty much stick with it...good, bad, or ugly. If you want worse tuning, look at my "Two Minutes to Midnight" video. In that one, I set my bass down to adjust the camera and it moved on of my tuning machines on the D string...lowering a half step. Embarassing, but my most-watched video (go figure!).
3. I have no idea what I am doing theory-wise, and I am entirely an ear player, and untrained, so the first few times I dink with a tune (like the opener), I am bound to make some mistakes. But like I said, once made, I do not take videos back. It's pretty much hit and miss with me. I play with 95% passion and 5% technical know-how, and I am quite happy being "that guy".
4. The tone comes from the Rick's pick-ups being fried beyond imagining, which requires a LOT of gain (through my Digitech BP80) in order to bring out the full Rick sound. There is so much gain that is slightly distorts the signal when the strings are struck hard. It is my style to play hard on the strings, so the combination gives that throaty growl. It's a tone that bass players appreciate, but guitar players hate...lol. For a warmer sound, I use a Schecter Stiletto Elite 4.
5. Thanks to all of you for your comments, positive and negative. It is always intresting to get a message that you are being discussed by complete strangers. We have a great community of bass players on youtube, and I have made a lot of friends (who call themselves the "LRRGs" becuse they like the idea of "Living Room Rock Gods"), plus I have the largest audience I have ever had in my life. For a living room player like me, it is 7th heaven. But make no mistakes, I am no perfect, nor do I profess to be...not trying to impress anyone....I'm just having a lot of fun and amazed that I get the attention I do.
6. Sing? What, are you kidding me? My voice sounds like a flushing toilet. Want proof?
An original I wrote a while back in the spirit of S.O.D., called "The Vowel Song"
See what I mean.....Geddy Lee I am not, in voice OR bass playing. Just a cheap fascimile that loves playing.
7. Yes, I registered to post this.
Welcome to TB, Zodiak! And thanks very much for the clarifications, not bad etiquette at all as far as I'm concerned. 
BTW, whereabouts are you from?
BTW, whereabouts are you from?
Cool! Welcome to TB, Rob.
Yeah some of the stuff in the intro is a whole semitone off but I am usually willing to look past that depending on the rest of the song.
I was going to critique your technique and how much string noise you had but being that you're completely self-taught and learned these by ear, I can't help but congratulate you! Thanks for your contributions. Great tone. And keep up the good work!
Yeah some of the stuff in the intro is a whole semitone off but I am usually willing to look past that depending on the rest of the song.
I was going to critique your technique and how much string noise you had but being that you're completely self-taught and learned these by ear, I can't help but congratulate you! Thanks for your contributions. Great tone. And keep up the good work!
He plays that weird. I always learnt to play it 4 -> 5 on the E, then 2 -> 3 on the A, not 4 -> 5 -> 7 -> 8 on the E. Personally I don't see what he's rabbiting on about John the Fisherman being hard to play, all I used to learn on bass was Primus though...
Yeah, I have a "clack" when I play on the Rick. Another side offect of the age of the pick-ups. When I bought it back in '87, my two biggest influences were Steve Harris and Geddy. I loved this Rick because it blended both the punch of Geddy's tone with the clack of Steve's. It has always been my "sound".
I play weird? Why, yes I do! You should see me do "Kalamazoo" or "Del Davis Tree Farm". I do a lot of playing on the E string for those, as well. I have just always found it easier to separate the parts of the riff by string.
I play weird? Why, yes I do! You should see me do "Kalamazoo" or "Del Davis Tree Farm". I do a lot of playing on the E string for those, as well. I have just always found it easier to separate the parts of the riff by string.
It was so obvious about the intonation thing but I'm glad to see you here and I thought you did a great job.
Just get one of those pitch-correctors!
Hey Rob, welcome. Man, I cut my teeth on that ol' Rush material, and for the most part, it was on a red 4001 just like yours (mine was vintage 1974). There is a black streak that runs deep through my soul as a result of selling that Rick about fifteen years ago for WAY WAY WAY less than it was worth. Truly one of the stupidest things I have done in my 40 years. Your videos remind me of the absolutely amazing sound that comes from a Rick. As I watched you play, I could almost feel that fretboard. Good gawd, I gotta get another one some day. 
Heh. Welcome to talkbass! Personally, I think your stuff's pretty damn good, I'd love to be able to play that well and have the guts to put it online for dissection by a bunch of my peers.
Maybe someday! 
The "tough crowd" was in response to a comment that was removed saying that I and the guy who posted my video were completely tone-deaf. A little hyperbolic.
Overplaying By-Tor? You might not want to see any more of my videos because I overplay just about everything. After all, the videos feature the bass, and I make no claims at faithful replication. Indulgence, chance-taking, and over-the-top buffoonery are my trademarks. I make no apologies, especially since my subscribers like my body of work for precisely these reasons.
I bought my Rick from a guy who had no idea what he was holding. $450 used, and it is a 1974, as well. I love that instrument. It plays itself....I'm just a warm body strapped to it.
Overplaying By-Tor? You might not want to see any more of my videos because I overplay just about everything. After all, the videos feature the bass, and I make no claims at faithful replication. Indulgence, chance-taking, and over-the-top buffoonery are my trademarks. I make no apologies, especially since my subscribers like my body of work for precisely these reasons.
I bought my Rick from a guy who had no idea what he was holding. $450 used, and it is a 1974, as well. I love that instrument. It plays itself....I'm just a warm body strapped to it.
Part of the intonation problem might be that Farewell to Kings isn't tuned exactly to A440 if I remember correctly,and it varies a bit through the album.So cut the guy a little slack will ya? (lol) It's actually nice to see someone covering a Rush tune besides YYZ for once.
