Marcus Miller's tone....secret revealed?

[apcbassist]

many, many, of us bassist long for that unexplainable tone best known as Marcus Miller's.

a recent comment started me thinking...

of course its the maple fret board! as ignorant as it may sound it...strangely seems true.

exhibit A.
Marcus Miller - Run for cover Cover slap bass - YouTube
exhibit B.
Marcus Miller - Scoop Bass Cover - YouTube
exhibit C.
Marcus Miller - Frankenstein [Bass Cover] - YouTube

tell me what ya think!

 

[Starrchild]

The maple fretboard is a BIG part of it.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

I think the big part of his sound is due to the fact that he is Marcus Miller.

 

[tdub0199]

I think the big part of his sound is due to the fact that he is Marcus Miller.

^ This....

 

[idoker]

I think the big part of his sound is due to the fact that he is Marcus Miller.

+1

Much of the "sound" is due to Marcus' technique. His exact set up could be duplicated, but his tone could still be hard to achieve.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I think the big part of his sound is due to the fact that he is Marcus Miller.

+1, my Marcus Miller tone sounds like Stephen...

 

[Starrchild]

I think the big part of his sound is due to the fact that he is Marcus Miller.

No doubt.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

+1, my Marcus Miller tone sounds like Stephen...

IMO that's a good thing.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

IMO that's a good thing.

haha me too, especially since I am trying to cop Jaco's sound.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

haha me too, especially since I am trying to cop Jaco's sound.

Awesome, I think almost everyone goes through the JACO phase. I tried & failed miserably.

 

[HoofHearted94]

Pretty close man! tone needs a little more booty, and you should use some DR hi beams and i think you'll have nailed it

 

[conqr]

How can TONE have anything to do with the person? You mean if MM slaps a G on the E string of his bass, hands it to me and I slap it, the TONE produced would be different?

The difference is in his vibe, feel, technique, interpretation heart soul etc etc, not actual tone of the instrument - that's electronics, materials, construction amplification, effects processing etc. I've heard many MM basses and on some setups, the tone is identical to MM's.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Ask Peter Muller how is it possible for him to sound so much like Marcus.


Invalid Link Removed

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Ask Peter Muller how is it possible for him to sound so much like Marcus.


Invalid Link Removed

Instead of the usual cryptic Jauqo answer, why not just tell us the answer yourself & save all of us some time. Including you.

Please. No offense,

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Instead of the usual cryptic Jauqo answer, why not just tell us the answer yourself & save all of us some time. Including you.

Please. No offense,

There's nothing cryptic at all about my post(s).


No offense taken.


This is what Marcus had to say about Peter Muller.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Nightvision]

A Jazz in the 70 spacing pickup position, EBS amp, fresh strings and talent. Pretty close IMO

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

So how does he sound like a Marcus Clone?

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Check out Peter's tone from his cd M-Vibez.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[pickles]

DR round core strings, perfect frets, and super low action are a bigger part of it than the maple. 70s J pickup spacing is key. Ash/maple next, ideally old. Onboard Preamp helps but not totally required. Then anybody with good technique should be able to get in the ballpark.

 

[rimbaud]

...Or marcus is Peter's clone?
"Eastbound" seems to be the tune that knocked out MM, released in 2003... and "Blast" was released in 2007, same oriental/asian influence, exactly the same tonality !!!.... funny

Peter