MM Stingray and heavy metal

dude from linklin park plays a ray?

 

Alot of guys use stringrays if memory serves, Disturbed, old dream theatre, etc.

I think they sound cool, experiment with that eq, hand placement, and string choice

 

before switching to a different bass, i'd say try experimenting with different eq (bass and amp) settings. also, maybe try something like a SABDDI or an ampeg or mesa tube preamp.

have you and your band actually heard how your tracks sit in the mix? i'm not saying to get rid of your producer, but listening to yourself might help you figure out where the tonal deficiencies are. (or maybe you'll think the producer is full of it )

 

Cliff Williams of AC/DC
John Deacon of Queen
Tim Commerford of RATM and Audioslave ( though he uses many basses)
Tod Hamilton has one somewhere I know.
The guy from Disturbed

And the reason I want a Ray, and then a Wal afterwards: Justin Chancellor of Tool.


Hmm, well have you tried any effects or fiddled with your EQ? Try to pull more of a darker growl out of the Ray? Because I've used them for songs from Tool, Audioslave, NiN, Mastodon ( Troy Sanders uses an Ibanez I think) and the Stingray always pulls a perfect sound for me, but I'm not in a band =\ If you are looking for more of a growl, again put a few effects to get more of the low end, and I use a pick for more of a punchier feel.

I think that when I use my fingers I just hear a more funk groove than with a pick.


Anyways, I'm trying to think of what is considered a "metal" bass. Because when you try to instead use your amp to pull out that growl, any bass is a metal bass. Martin Mendez of Opeth uses a Fender Jazz, Nikki Sixx used Gibson and Fender Precisions as well as Frank Bello of Anthrax. I cant remember what Rudy Sarzo played but i'm trying to prove my point. Just because the Stingray is what it is doesn't mean it can't play metal music.

 

sarzo played a peavey sarzo

 

Aw dammit, before I typed that I typed "Peavy Sarzo played" and erased the Peavey part to replace it with Rudy, and totally forgot after that -.-

Too many drugs.

 

Tons of guys have used Rays. As I Lay Dying, Unearth, ... I can't think of more right now. However I have seen a ass load use rays. It's just like a J-bass, everyone uses them. Not many players endorsed by MM, this doesn't mean they don't use them to record/play. One more band is Atreyu.

 

ray for metal, why not? its got a flexible preamp, you should be able to coax some metalish tones outta it. go for it.

 

I'm pretty sure Stefan Fimmers of Necrophagist plays a Stingray, and they can't be anything but metal!!! I say, make it work! If someone says it can't be done, prove em wrong by doing it AND amking it cool!

 

The dude from Chevelle uses a Ray too. Try it through a sansamp too. A sansamp can get great metal tones.

 

yeah, i have had this problem in the past. the ray just didn't work. unfortunately, i didn't have another bass at the time. looking back, i wish i had. it just sounds "different". side note..........lots of folks play the ray, but that doesn't necessarily mean they record with em. schlate.

 

I think my question would be,

Do "you" like how your bass sounds in in the context of the band? Have any of your bandmates indicated that your tone is a problem?
If not, then you should consider your tone as part of the bands overall makeup and deserves to be represented on the bands recordings.

If it's only your producer that has the problem. Then it sounds more like he would rather have a kneejerk reaction and have you use something else that he already knows "works" rather then produce the band how it really is.

my 2cents.

 

I'd say take the EQ and scoop the hell out of it; as in Max out the highs and lows and drop the mids as a baseline (no pun intended)

I hate using picks and a pick may be the key to getting that clinky metal tone

 

Obtain an SR HH and switch it to the middle position .

 

I just got stung by a Stingray today and plan to use it for a load of styles -- including a lot of metal, since I had no other bass that IMO sounded like a "metal bass"
FWIW

Mark

 

Then he'll get destroyed in the mix.

 

...and lets not forget Mark "The Animal" Mendoza from Twisted Sister!!

JR

 

Why be afraid of trying something "new" ? You will be heard in the mix with this Stingray, and the final record result might be very nice. You aren't exactly redefining the metal genre by playing a stingray bass in the band. I'd say go for it. Make the engineer widen his horizon