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Making a String Demo

Jon Moody

Jon Moody

Sep 9, 2007
5,309
4,977
Kalamazoo, MI
www.justmoody.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
#1
I've been approached by a string company to make some demos of their strings for them. Apparently, they're fans of my pedal demos. I'm looking into doing this, and trying to figure out how to properly showcase the strings themselves.

So, I'm asking you fine folk; if you were to watch a video that's about a particular set of strings, what things would you want to see, what wouldn't you want to see, what would be of value, etc..
 
#2
I would like to hear the strings demo'd on a familiar sounding bass, with no EQ, compression, or effects on it. Through a neutral sounding amp or straight to the board. I would like to hear them played fingerstyle, slap, and with a pick, in the middle of the bass, by the bridge, and by the neck. I'd like to hear them played softly, what you would consider normal, and I'd like to hear them when you really dig in. Then maybe with some effects and EQs to show their versatility.

Also I'd like to hear how they sound in the mix of a band.
 
#3
I would also like to add that I'd love to see something besides slapping. Some straight up finger grooves would be great! I play with my fingers 90% of the time and a pick/my fingernail the rest.

I understand there needs to be slapping...just not the whole thing. lol
 
#4
Reinforcing points already made here... Definitely the 3 hand positions, fingerstyle, pick, slap. light and digging in. no effects, flat eq. Not worried how it sounds in a mix, I can infer.

One thing I'd like to add though is the difference of how they sound brand new vs lightly broken in, about 5-8 hours of use.
 
#5
No worries, I'm definitely not about slapping/popping as the sole audio in the vid.

I'd like to come up with a set of "stock" grooves if you will that I can use across the board. That way, it would allow you to better gauge how string A sounds compared to string B because I would be playing the same grooves. Same bass/amp setup is a must as well; I want the only variable to be the strings.

I could easily do a two-part video, where the first half is after being strung up and the second is after two weeks or so.
 
#6
Okay, here's the demo I was able to come up with. I hope it addresses many of the comments you all threw at me. Let me know what you think, and what changes you'd like to see out of the next demo.

The long term goal is that I will be using the same grooves for all of the videos, so then you will be able to use these demos to compare strings against each other (as in, how to Progressives sound compared to Pressurewounds, and the like).

GHS Strings - Progressives Demo
 
#14
knuckle_head said:
The BassTaster method is best . . .
Click to expand...

Really do not like those groves in fingerstyle. They totally do not use the Low E much at all. I'd much rather hear a combination of notes up and down the fretboard using all the strings than something that can be played on two strings. Like what Lakland did.

That's my suggestion: along with the direct to console/tape, no eq, familiar bass (like a jazz and/or p). Preferably a transparent 1 Meg input, passive setup with a short cord.
 
#15
sigmafloyd said:
Great video. My only feedback would be using a more neutral/common bass like a p bass if possible.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments. And for all of the guys that asked about a more neutral bass, the best I can probably do is my Warwick Corvette Std., which is a 5 string jazz style. The main reason I chose to use the Streamer LX is primarily because that's my main axe at this point, so it was based more out of comfort (and since I'm using it a lot, makes it easier to switch strings).

I'll see if that's a possibility (switching the bass). I know when the folks at GHS and I talked about this, the idea was to use the same bass over and over, so that, while it may not be the most neutral sounding, there would be a direct comparison between the videos (same bass, same grooves) that you could easily reference if you wanted to hear differences that way.

invalidprotocol said:
Nice. I'm digging the facial expressions on the fingerstyle - new. A point of reference beyond old strings is definitely the next step.
Click to expand...

Just for clarity, are you talking about a third audio sample, where the strings sound completely dead?
 
#16
One Bad Monkey said:
Thanks for the comments. And for all of the guys that asked about a more neutral bass, the best I can probably do is my Warwick Corvette Std., which is a 5 string jazz style. The main reason I chose to use the Streamer LX is primarily because that's my main axe at this point, so it was based more out of comfort (and since I'm using it a lot, makes it easier to switch strings).

I'll see if that's a possibility (switching the bass). I know when the folks at GHS and I talked about this, the idea was to use the same bass over and over, so that, while it may not be the most neutral sounding, there would be a direct comparison between the videos (same bass, same grooves) that you could easily reference if you wanted to hear differences that way.

Just for clarity, are you talking about a third audio sample, where the strings sound completely dead?
Click to expand...

Oops yes it was the finger style old.
 
#17
I like the idea of a demo. I like many of the idea's expressed. My suggestion is having the listener go back to each demo as he or she would like in the order they prefer. I don't think each lick should be long. The listener can listen to there favorites and go back to each one to compare. I also like the idea to use a few different basses. A P and Jazz type basses. A few finger styles along with picking and slapping maybe two fairly shorts of each. I think that would give the listener enough choices and easy to quickly go back and forth to each related lick. With strings there are so many. Flats, steels, etc etc. So keep it simple. Short and sweet of each string set.
 
#18
I think the lakland bass audio demos are a good starting point, showcase a bass with round and flats and with 3 styles; pick ,finger and thumb . That seems to be a good format. Hope that helps !
 

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