Palm Muting for Upright-ish Tones

[bucephylus]

For reference, Ed Friedland has an invaluable Palm Muting lesson on YouTube.



IF you can get to it through all the frustratingly terrible commercials that YouTube has decided we “need” to hear. I swear, YouTube has gone from a great resource to GIGO pretty swiftly after being incorporated in Google. What a train wreck. As they wallow in their entitled Silicon Valley trough.

OK, enough belly aching.

Anyhow, what I wanted share FWIW is that I have found that I can get WAAAAY more of the “Rubber Ball” / “Flat Tire” upright tone with Palm Muting if I use my J Bass with the pups balanced and a bit of tone scoop, vs the P Bass. I’ve been using the P for my R&B oriented gigs lately; but, have since discovered that the J is more faithful to an upright-ish tone than the P, which tends to be too much of a good thing while palm muting.

Just thought I’d share.

 

[Papageno]

Just saying: palm muting on GB sounds like palm muting on BG, not like upright bass...

To be more specific: palm muting on a J bass is one among the many different sounds you can get on a bass guitar, and is none of the many different sounds you can get on a double bass.

There no such thing one can call the upright bass sound and that one could imitate with some other instrument.

And it is good so.

 

[5StringBlues]

Agree 100% on the J. bass versus P. bass statement.

 

[Wannabebass]

That was a fantastic lesson. Seldom discussed techniques that absolutely will expand your range of sounds and expression. So much to learn and so little time!
Ed Friedland is a bass treasure!
Thanks for posting.

 

[sean_on_bass]

For reference, Ed Friedland has an invaluable Palm Muting lesson on YouTube.



IF you can get to it through all the frustratingly terrible commercials that YouTube has decided we “need” to hear. I swear, YouTube has gone from a great resource to GIGO pretty swiftly after being incorporated in Google. What a train wreck. As they wallow in their entitled Silicon Valley trough.

OK, enough belly aching.

Anyhow, what I wanted share FWIW is that I have found that I can get WAAAAY more of the “Rubber Ball” / “Flat Tire” upright tone with Palm Muting if I use my J Bass with the pups balanced and a bit of tone scoop, vs the P Bass. I’ve been using the P for my R&B oriented gigs lately; but, have since discovered that the J is more faithful to an upright-ish tone than the P, which tends to be too much of a good thing while palm muting.

Just thought I’d share.

The uBlock adblock plugin for Chrome fixed my youtube ad issue, at least on the PC.

 

[bucephylus]

Just saying: palm muting on GB sounds like palm muting on BG, not like upright bass...

To be more specific: palm muting on a J bass is one among the many different sounds you can get on a bass guitar, and is none of the many different sounds you can get on a double bass.

There no such thing one can call the upright bass sound and that one could imitate with some other instrument.

And it is good so.

OK. I will try to be more accurate.

Classic studio recordings using upright, such as Shout or Ring of Fire, tend to have a short envelope to the pizz notes, which lends a particular rhythmic aspect to the bass lines from that time. Palm muting is a technique with Bass Guitar, which somewhat emulates that kind of note envelope.

You are correct that Bass Guitar is an entirely different instrument from the upright bass. I was not aware I had implied anything to the contrary; but, thank you for any clarification, that may have been appropriate.

 

[Papageno]

OK. I will try to be more accurate.

Classic studio recordings using upright, such as Shout or Ring of Fire, tend to have a short envelope to the pizz notes, which lends a particular rhythmic aspect to the bass lines from that time. Palm muting is a technique with Bass Guitar, which somewhat emulates that kind of note envelope.

You are correct that Bass Guitar is an entirely different instrument from the upright bass. I was not aware I had implied anything to the contrary; but, thank you for any clarification, that may have been appropriate.

Thanks for clarifying your point. I agree that palm mute is a technique to play notes that have a short envelop. I don't agree that short-sustained notes are typical double bass sound.

Here is another classic upright bass studio recording. I don't think one could say "it tends to have a short envelop to the pizz notes"...

The palette of different sounds you can get on a double bass is extremely diverse, and depends on many factors such as string type and, above all, the player's technique. I would say that most DB players strive for, and do play, long-sustained and legato notes.

 

[bucephylus]

Thanks for clarifying your point. I agree that palm mute is a technique to play notes that have a short envelop. I don't agree that short-sustained notes are typical double bass sound.

Here is another classic upright bass studio recording. I don't think one could say "it tends to have a short envelop to the pizz notes"...

The palette of different sounds you can get on a double bass is extremely diverse, and depends on many factors such as string type and, above all, the player's technique. I would say that most DB players strive for, and do play, long-sustained and legato notes.

I was certainly not referring to Eddie Gomez type upright tones. I am well aware of the Spirocore etc tones. And, Stella is a great tune; but, if it got played at most of my gigs, it would clear the dance floor.

I provided a couple of examples.

BTW, LOVED your reference clip. WONDERFUL upright tone, and masterfully played. And, those sound more like Helicores, which I prefer; because they are better for arco. But, that’s me. His bass sounds great in any case.