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Nolly Getgood Explain His Sound
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I think it’s the reverse.
After years of guitarists pushing down into the low midrange trying to achieve a huge sound, now we have the bassist pushing the guitars up.
I think it sounds awful, there is a difference and what is the point of commenting?? or do you intend that youtube audio is bad no matter what you listen?
I get the idea, well i think it's just not for me. It prefer other type of sound and playing.
MDBass
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It was a pretty clear question: what is the point of spending your time commenting “that sounds awful” on a YouTube video?
What do you expect to achieve?
Sorry but no, what do anyone expect to achieve by commenting any video on YT?
I made a comment because it seems to be a new trend to have this kind of sound. A big trend!
And by commenting, i hope there is a real discussion on what type of sound is developed for this band in particular.
Not a tone usable in any situation. Plus this big trend makes bass player buy darkglass pedals in order to achieve that tone and finally it does not work every time because it is a tight combination of things that makes this tone great in this band.
But the bass tone by it self or in an other band... Well you can end up with a muddy overall sound.
I listened to his band and yes it is a great band tone, but again i don't like it because in order to achieve their sound, the bass sound is destroyed and it have to follow the guitar to retrieve its integrity.
Again it is my opinion.
MDBass
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If you actually wanted to start a discussion you’d ask a question.
You can get a similar tone with the Tech 21 DP-3X and a variety of other gear: this “trend” of bass tones doesn’t force anyone to buy anything from any particular brand.
You also completely ignored the technique advice from a world class engineer and bassist about how to play aggressively with a pick, which works even if you’re running a totally different bass tone: that’s actually what the video was about.
If you’re honestly suggesting that you said “this is awful” in order to start a proactive discussion, I really can’t take you seriously.
Ok, so if you read my comments on youtube or what i'm saying here is the same: I found this tone awful for some reasons ... blabla.
YOU are talking to like i'm a child.
And yes the DP-3X as the Darkglass X serie is capable of producing this tone and much more.
You know what? I acutally designed and build pedal like the Darkglass X/DP3X before it was produced, it is my main effect and it runs like Bi-amplified system but on a pedal/preamp.
I perfectly know how it works and what are the flaws of this kind of designs.
First flaw? It can destroy your tone to a point where you can not distinguish a E from a G. Mids are getting so lost in the signal that it become a grunting sound without any clarity.
Plus i'm ignoring the "world class" engineer advice on how to play aggressively because it is not my point.
I already had a discussion on this kind of tone on another forum about a darkglass pedal which is almost everytime advertised by this exact tone where you can not play without a guitar doing the same part.
Do you feel insulted or something? I'm not getting your reaction.
This could be said of any distortion. The X series has a mid boost, and the XUltra has an eq for your to boost mids if desired. So I guess it all depends on how you use it. I'd post some of MDBass's stuff to show that you're wrong, but frankly you obviously have something that you like and something you don't. But some of your claims are just wrong. I'd post some of my stuff as well, but I think you'd just dismiss it as awful, as it seems that might be the limit of your vocabulary. It's not hard to have manners and be civil, really it isn't.
Ok, i have a limited vocabulary because English is not my native language.
That said, am I being rude here? If so, it is not my goal and i apologize for that.
I am not taking a side in the dispute, but your writing in English reads as clearly as a native speaker.
Thank you Dr.Cheese, so based on that, How can be my opinion wrong?
Do I tell you how to think? No so don't tell how to think either.
I dislike this tone because without the guitar, i think it is lifeless and not usable in other conditions than this one.
Contrary to Dug Pinnick tone or Lomenzo or Entwhistle and even Sheehan! He demonstrated his tone can fit many situations.
Again, my taste, my opinion....I'm listening to Blood Eagle fom periphery and it is the perfect example of what i think.
Do I tell you how to think? No so don't tell how to think either.
I dislike this tone because without the guitar, i think it is lifeless and not usable in other conditions than this one.
Contrary to Dug Pinnick tone or Lomenzo or Entwhistle and even Sheehan! He demonstrated his tone can fit many situations.
Again, my taste, my opinion....I'm listening to Blood Eagle fom periphery and it is the perfect example of what i think.
MDBass
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Why would I be insulted here? I have nothing to do with the video in question at all.
You’re claiming that you said “this is awful” on a video of tips about how to play aggressively with a pick for heavy rock styles because you happen to not like the style of distortion the player was using.
Can you honestly not see why that’s a rather myopic and pointless response to that video content?
Of course, you can absolutely clip a signal enough and remove enough midrange from it so that the pitches are no longer distinguishable: if you’re genuinely not able to distinguish different pitches in the audio of that particular video though, you definitely have some hearing loss.
Last edited:
MDBass
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Ok, so my YT exact comment is:
I really don't like this kind of tone because i feel it is only shaped to leave maximum room to guitars. It feels empty and weightless. Take Doug pinnick with King's X, James Lomenzo, John Entwhistle... their tone is much more alive.
I don't understand how you distinguish the general term "bass tone" from bass technique.
Again I made this comment because many bass players thinks that tone is the best for Metal music and will try to replicate it without experiences.
And it ends up in many not exeprienced enough musicians destroying their bass technique, tone whatever how you want to call it because of this kind of video.
Nolly explained it in a the P4 video, he made the bass guitar as the foundation of the guitars and it became almost one instrument.
I understand you find my intervention pointless but at least there is one person who made a comment saying "not for me" and give other examples of great musicians on this video showing.
And thank you for taking my health in measure, i have no hearing loss or pitch perception issue.
I will not making any other comments here, you can of course send me a message and we can continue the discussion privatly.
Don't do that. It's just starting to get good!
Get it??? Get good? Nolly Getgoo...
Oh, never mind!
MDBass
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Technique and tone are two entirely different things.
Focusing on the style of distortion he’s using, instead of the techniques he’s discussing, really misses the point of the video: Lomenzo and other players whose tones you prefer likely play in a very similar way.
I don’t agree with your opinion about the bass sound being empty and weightless, but your actual comment is significantly more productive than simply saying “this is awful”, which is pretty pointless.
Cheers.
Hi Doc 
Doc Cheese goes metalhead.
Cool! 
Some guys sound like a synth, others don' t.
Nolly doesn' t!
John Entwistle said in an interview back inthe 80s:
"In a heavy metal band everybody plays lead otherwise it' s just a heavy guitar band".
Nolly does it!
A lot of TB members will be surprised to which amount guitars are filtered in today' s metal!
And the bass drum is reduced to a "plock" instead of the oooummphh that we used to know.
No question where to put your bass! You won' t get drowned, even when the guys play 7 strings downtuned!
You can go wild! Nolly does it! (on a good level!)
Synthesizer? I don' t know if that is the right way to describe it?
I think Nolly just does what a bass can do when you have enough "room".
Synth players (keyboarders) never asked for room.
(that's why metalheads rather shoot a keyboarder than play with one)
They just played their programed stuff and you had to get out of their way.
Nolly is not restricted to the tiny space between kickdrum and guitars, that can go too deep into bass territory
but he uses the whole spectrum. Deeper than the kickdrum and as close as you can get to the guitars.
Well, he is a good guitarist so the others let him do the job.
greetings
Wise(b)ass
Doc Cheese goes metalhead.
Cool! Some guys sound like a synth, others don' t.
Nolly doesn' t!
John Entwistle said in an interview back inthe 80s:
"In a heavy metal band everybody plays lead otherwise it' s just a heavy guitar band".
Nolly does it!
A lot of TB members will be surprised to which amount guitars are filtered in today' s metal!
And the bass drum is reduced to a "plock" instead of the oooummphh that we used to know.
No question where to put your bass! You won' t get drowned, even when the guys play 7 strings downtuned!
You can go wild! Nolly does it! (on a good level!)
Synthesizer? I don' t know if that is the right way to describe it?
I think Nolly just does what a bass can do when you have enough "room".
Synth players (keyboarders) never asked for room.
(that's why metalheads rather shoot a keyboarder than play with one
)They just played their programed stuff and you had to get out of their way.
Nolly is not restricted to the tiny space between kickdrum and guitars, that can go too deep into bass territory
but he uses the whole spectrum. Deeper than the kickdrum and as close as you can get to the guitars.
Well, he is a good guitarist so the others let him do the job.
greetings
Wise(b)ass
Definitely curious about your DP3X setting ! I never got that gnarl and grind with it but it can go from super clanky to dull quickly, need to make smaller adjustment maybe. What is the EQ thing or overdrive setting to achieve that ? :O
I think a lot of what Nolly talks about when he’s discussing a MIDI type synth bass is just plain consistency and he’s 1000% speaking from a studio/recording setting. That’s pretty much all he does now.
Nolly, while an outstanding musician (he’s just as good a guitarist as a bassist and is a better guitar player than the other guys in Periphery, who, BTW if you ever go to see Periphery, Nolly doesn’t tour with them), has more devoted his life to producing and recording these days.
For those of you who are producers and spend hours in the studio (I’m not, but the guitarist I play with is) it’s all about consistency for those guys. Nolly plays and mixes the way he does for that consistency on tracks. I’m predominantly a finger player but when I record I find I get much better and consistent attack with a pick and will often use one while recording (even if I use my fingers live or at rehearsal) for that very reason. Just the tone difference between your index and middle finger of the plucking hand is different. It makes no difference live but can be obvious in a controlled studio setting.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us bassists like/respect Flea from RHCP even if the music itself isn’t your cup of tea. On their albums, he sounds great. However, if you listen to his isolated bass tracks, they’re kinda all over the place due to his inconsistent attack and playing style. At times, he even sounds like a beginner with poor technique and muting skill. Nolly is a perfectionist who strives to eliminate those variables in his recordings. That’s the big difference between bass players who “just play” and those that spend 100x more time producing than playing.
Nolly, while an outstanding musician (he’s just as good a guitarist as a bassist and is a better guitar player than the other guys in Periphery, who, BTW if you ever go to see Periphery, Nolly doesn’t tour with them), has more devoted his life to producing and recording these days.
For those of you who are producers and spend hours in the studio (I’m not, but the guitarist I play with is) it’s all about consistency for those guys. Nolly plays and mixes the way he does for that consistency on tracks. I’m predominantly a finger player but when I record I find I get much better and consistent attack with a pick and will often use one while recording (even if I use my fingers live or at rehearsal) for that very reason. Just the tone difference between your index and middle finger of the plucking hand is different. It makes no difference live but can be obvious in a controlled studio setting.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us bassists like/respect Flea from RHCP even if the music itself isn’t your cup of tea. On their albums, he sounds great. However, if you listen to his isolated bass tracks, they’re kinda all over the place due to his inconsistent attack and playing style. At times, he even sounds like a beginner with poor technique and muting skill. Nolly is a perfectionist who strives to eliminate those variables in his recordings. That’s the big difference between bass players who “just play” and those that spend 100x more time producing than playing.
