Some of you all said that the Djent bass sounds like a synthesizer. Nolly Getgood states here that his goal is to make his bass sound like a MIDI instrument. That Darkglass tone does sound almost like a digital synth from the Eighties.
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Nolly Getgood Explain His Sound
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Some of you all said that the Djent bass sounds like a synthesizer. Nolly Getgood states here that his goal is to make his bass sound like a MIDI instrument. That Darkglass tone does sound almost like a digital synth from the Eighties.
I like that tone too, but I could only use at my practice space at home.
I kind of wonder if maybe I should stop being so close minded and play around with that sound to see what I come up with. I don't have very many restrictions on the type of music I play since I do it all by myself for fun (poorly at that). I wonder if that synthy sound would work well with hip hop or r&b.
I wouldn’t peg you as a “djent” fan, Doc...
It would have been funny if Scott grew a beard for that interview.
It would have been funny if Scott grew a beard for that interview.
The DG tone isn't just what it does with a Dingwall. This video has some sounds on the X Ultra with this amazing Sandberg. Doesn't sound anything like Nolly's tone.
As I commented on the video also, I find this notion of sounding like a midi track funny. So why not actually use one? I'm being serious. If it works for Meshuggah and their programmed drums, it might as well work for other instruments.
I can get a player pushing himself to be as consistent as a machine. He will fail, but the goal is worthy.
Why is it a worthy goal? Honest question - I try to play every tune a bit differently every time, hoping to be cognizant of what's happening in that particular moment.
Maybe depends on how you define "consistent"?
They have a few videos using that bass and I am consistently impressed with how good it sounds. To me it sounds more throaty and "P" like than most pbasses. I tend to find that my interest in the way that most basses sound is focused around what the mids sound like. I love most in not all Cirrus examples and this Sandberg sounds great. I understand that what I like isn't for most people, but it is what it is.
While there are exceptions to every rule, it is much more common in the metal scene to attempt to play every part and every song as consistently and exactly "correct" as possible, every time. The impact of the instruments locking together precisely in the manner in which the parts were written is generally considered more important than any concept of freshness or spontaneity. A player who tried to "play every tune a bit differently every time" would probably be fired from most metal bands pretty quickly.
Granted, this does not mean that most metal players actually attempt to play as consistently as a machine, and even among the general metal crowd bands like Nolly's get criticism from some folks for being too mechanical at the expense of groove.
I think the midi comment is figurative rather than literal. He's not saying he wants to be a midi signal, he's going for accuracy in the execution of his bass lines that have accuracy/consistency like midi.
The fact we are out to achieve different things is what gives music it’s diversity and distinctiveness.
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I was really talking about the Darkglass box, but the bass sounds great too.
Truth. If all music sounded the same I'd have given up on it long ago.
True, but "machine" and "music" are two words I typically don't associate with each other. But as they say, different strokes for different folks. If some people think it is good, then it is good for them.
Yes, I understand it to be figurative. However, if he is as meticulous as he describes, the difference from a purely mechanical midi track is merely in the knowledge that a human played it. They might be indistinguishable to the listener.
Of course he still would have to be able to play the lines live. And sample all his different sounds, which in the end would be more work than recording everything measure by measure.
