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

[narud]

IMHO, no, maybe on a few songs, but back then there was a lot more thump, and low end in the music, so IMO the tone he plays with is a more late 90s- now sound. Remember back then, the amps were Ampeg, Acoustic, Sunn, Fender, the new kids were Peavey, not a Hi-Fi sound, heck I still own a Acoustic 370, with the 301 cabinet(don't use it). You may also want to take in account, round wound strings were a new thing in the 70s, aka Roto Sounds, most of us played with flats, and changed, as slap became the thing to do, thanks in part to Louis Johnson, and Musicman basses. MM's tone works for what he does, but for me it only works when I slap, and I was doing it when it first came out "Larry Grahm" playing a (Jazz, with flats). I don't slap as much as I did when I was younger, but it still is a crowd pleaser. As I stated before I am not knocking anyone for wanting to sound like that, but for me it would not work 24/7.

i use a late 70's jazz every weekend in a 70's r&b/funk dance group. have been for years. its sounded great for years

 

[gimmeagig]

I can immediately hear if a player has super low action . Sure it's easier to play like that but it doesn't sound as good.

 

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

56% of my tone comes from what im drinking on the gig.

Give me a gig!

 

[Brad Johnson]

IMHO, no, maybe on a few songs, but back then there was a lot more thump, and low end in the music, so IMO the tone he plays with is a more late 90s- now sound. Remember back then, the amps were Ampeg, Acoustic, Sunn, Fender, the new kids were Peavey, not a Hi-Fi sound, heck I still own a Acoustic 370, with the 301 cabinet(don't use it). You may also want to take in account, round wound strings were a new thing in the 70s, aka Roto Sounds, most of us played with flats, and changed, as slap became the thing to do, thanks in part to Louis Johnson, and Musicman basses. MM's tone works for what he does, but for me it only works when I slap, and I was doing it when it first came out "Larry Grahm" playing a (Jazz, with flats). I don't slap as much as I did when I was younger, but it still is a crowd pleaser. As I stated before I am not knocking anyone for wanting to sound like that, but for me it would not work 24/7.

Marcus hit the scene in the latter part of the 70's with that tone. Others had it at the time too... and even earlier. It worked back then, he kept using it and what was the 70's Jazz sound became known as the Marcus Miller sound decades later by people who didn't really know the genesis. Marcus had nothing on Mark Adams of the band "Slave" as far as sizzle.

Funny thing is that even back then lots of folks who didn't play like Marcus thought the Fenders of the time sucked because they were heavier and didn't sound like 60's Jazzes. So one man's "worse time period at Fender" was another man's golden ticket.


A couple of things... I think Stanley Clarke really put roundwounds on blast. Larry Graham brought slap to the masses with his Fender Jazz. When Louis Johnson first hit (after both of these guys) he was slapping on a P bass with what sounded like flats.

 

[woody357]

It's surprising how much of the sound is in the artist's technique and not so much in the instrument. I was at a clinic with Stanley Clarke, and of course he had his Alembic with him. But he grabbed a stock Fender Jazz bass that was hanging on the wall and damn if it didn't sound like an Alembic! He didn't even tweak any of tone knobs.

+1!!!!! That is what I have been saying about buying, stuff and changing pickup, and whatnots, it's in the handss, and tech. We can all play the same bass with same amps, with the same settings, doing the same line, and we will all sound different. Their sound is their sound!!!!

i use a late 70's jazz every weekend in a 70's r&b/funk dance group. have been for years. its sounded great for years

Whos said it wouldn't? My answer was about playing MM's tone in a 70s band, not playing a 70s Jass bass!

 

[woody357]

Marcus hit the scene in the latter part of the 70's with that tone. Others had it at the time too... and even earlier. It worked back then, he kept using it and what was the 70's Jazz sound became known as the Marcus Miller sound decades later by people who didn't really know the genesis. Marcus had nothing on Mark Adams of the band "Slave" as far as sizzle.

Funny thing is that even back then lots of folks who didn't play like Marcus thought the Fenders of the time sucked because they were heavier and didn't sound like 60's Jazzes. So one man's "worse time period at Fender" was another man's golden ticket.


A couple of things... I think Stanley Clarke really put roundwounds on blast. Larry Graham brought slap to the masses with his Fender Jazz. When Louis Johnson first hit (after both of these guys) he was slapping on a P bass with what sounded like flats.

Marcus did come on the scene around 78, played with the SNL BAND, but here really wasn't known for his tone or slapping. He really didn't get really known by the masses (bass players) untill he wrote and played on TuTu for Miles.

I agree about Stanley putting rounds on blast, but like I said it was around the eary mid 70s. I said Larry started the show with slap, and that he did it on a Fender Jazz using flats. I don't know what bass Louis Started with, but I do know he tried a Gibson Gripper or Grabber, then he got a MusicMan and peaple started to get slap happy. So if my memory is right it was Larry, Stanley, Louis, as far as who started it, and who started making it poppular to do. IMHO Marcus got it from them, and took it to a new level, and sound.

If you check most bass amps in the 70s didn't have tweeters, slap, and pop was more percus until Stanley, and that really changed it all. Larry is still the Grandfather of slap!!! He started the the dang thing.

I can't speak on 70s Fenders not being liked duing that time, I had a 70s P-Bass, and most of the bass players I knew had a P, or J bass, a few used Gibsons, and even fewer used Ricks. Now this is from the R & B scene in Philly during the 70s, I can't speak about other places, but I do know about Philly during that time!!

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I can immediately hear if a player has super low action . Sure it's easier to play like that but it doesn't sound as good.

Super low action works just fine for me. With extra light gauge strings.

 

[lucas vigor]

Super low action works just fine for me. With extra light gauge strings.

I am betting you have a super-controlled, light touch. That's a skill in and of itself.

I used to play low action, light strings. Years of upright has made me change to medium action, medium strings. If I play the one electric that I have strung super low and light, I find I have to really hold back and finesse the tone out of it. It's harder then it looks. My hands are very strong now, so I have to remind myself to play real light and delicate and let the bass do it's job, not so much my hands.

 

[gimmeagig]

Super low action works just fine for me. With extra light gauge strings.

Sorry, Sure low action works I know and extra light strings work too. I should have said "doesn't sound as good to my ears"
I can tell the difference in tone when somebody's action is set really low. It allows you to do some crazy s**t but it just doesn't get me exited

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I am betting you have a super-controlled, light touch. That's a skill in and of itself.

Yes I do. The next time I see you and I have my bass with me I think you would be shocked at how low the action is.

And on my standard basses(none sub contra basses) the gauges are B .110 E 080 A 060 D 040 G 030 C 025.

Sorry, Sure low action works I know and extra light strings work too. I should have said "doesn't sound as good to my ears"
I can tell the difference in tone when somebody's action is set really low. It allows you to do some crazy s**t but it just doesn't get me exited

I'm of the school that I don't care how low a bass players action is or how light or heavy their string gauges may be. I just respect them for their contribution to the instrument and the music they make with it.

 

[David Jayne]

I think the acoustics of the room play a big part as well. Elevators typically provide a scooped sound

LOL wut.....

 

[narud]

+1!!!!! That is what I have been saying about buying, stuff and changing pickup, and whatnots, it's in the handss, and tech. We can all play the same bass with same amps, with the same settings, doing the same line, and we will all sound different. Their sound is their sound!!!!

Whos said it wouldn't? My answer was about playing MM's tone in a 70s band, not playing a 70s Jass bass!

marcus tone is the sound of a 70's jazz bass. just like jacos is a jazz with the the neck pickup rolled off. its nothing spectacular.

 

[narud]

I can immediately hear if a player has super low action . Sure it's easier to play like that but it doesn't sound as good.

i sound fantastic with super low action thank you very much

 

[gimmeagig]

i sound fantastic with super low action thank you very much

yeah dude, you do sound fantastic.I checked you out on youtube playing that red Musicman. From what I hear that action is not Super Low.
Then again that all depends on what the definition of is is

 

[narud]

yeah dude, you do sound fantastic.I checked you out on youtube playing that red Musicman. From what I hear that action is not Super Low.
Then again that all depends on what the definition of is is

HA! everyones touch is different. some people make my basses sound like rattle city. how you attack and handle the decay of a note is really different when youre laying the strings on the frets.

 

[phillybass101]

Marcus also played with Lenny White when Lenny was doing his more commercial type of thing. I actually liked Lenny White's commercail albums. You can hear a developing young Marcus Miller.

 

[MSIMSBASS]

Man i love Marcus and wanted to have his sound when I was a teenager. But now I want my sound and love it when someone tells me man you got your own sound! I get
that Marcus has a great tone, but I think the more we focus on our own sound the
happier we will be with our own sound and just appreciate the Marcus', the Victor's etc... Let's focus on our own sound guys, the world is waiting on it...

 

[woody357]

marcus tone is the sound of a 70's jazz bass. just like jacos is a jazz with the the neck pickup rolled off. its nothing spectacular.

Marcus's bass was a modified 1977 Fender Jazz with A Bart preamp, not a stock Fender Jazz! The tone we associate with MM is not the tone you would have heard from a 70s Jazz back in the 70s, because most amps were not tuned to produce that sound back then, most didn't even have a tweeter or mid horn!

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Marcus's bass was a modified 1977 Fender Jazz with A Bart preamp, not a stock Fender Jazz! The tone we associate with MM is not the tone you would have heard from a 70s Jazz back in the 70s, because most amps were not tuned to produce that sound back then, most didn't even have a tweeter or mid horn!

The first pre Marcus put in his J bass was made by a company called Stars Guitars(the same company that made the J bass with three single coil pickups for Mark Adams of Slave), The company folded in the early 80's. Sometime in the early 80's during a sound check a DI blew out the Stars pre and from there he had a Bartolini pre installed.

 

[narud]

Marcus's bass was a modified 1977 Fender Jazz with A Bart preamp, not a stock Fender Jazz! The tone we associate with MM is not the tone you would have heard from a 70s Jazz back in the 70s, because most amps were not tuned to produce that sound back then, most didn't even have a tweeter or mid horn!

who cares about whether amps could produce the sound or not. people record direct. have been for ages. when i plug in a my 74 or my 80 jazz into my amp and turn up the bass and treble.....guess what happens. no bart pre needed.
heres sekou bunch on a late 70's jazz
Tom Browne - Thighs High - YouTube
sounds familiar?
heres marcus from the same era

just sounds like a 70's jazz in both cases