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Double Bass Realist Soundclip/Christian Mc Bride

Ric Vice

Ric Vice

Supporting Member
Jul 2, 2005
14,301
12,475
Olivette, Missouri
#1
I had the opportunity see Christian McBride with the Ray Brown Tribute last night. He was using a Realist Sound Clip into a GK MBE. Christian was phenomenal, but I'm not enamored with the sound of that pickup. I was close enough to the stage to actually hear it coming from the amp. In that setting it emphasizes the mid range in a very ugly way. Just my opinion though.

Ric
 
#2
I'm surprised, Christian generally doesn't use the Soundclip. I assume he was renting a bass, as he has the regular Realist (and the AMT mic, which I haven't seen him actually use) on his bass, which actually was Ray's. He also doesn't usually play through a GK, probably just the house amp.
 
#3
rosskratter said:
I'm surprised, Christian generally doesn't use the Soundclip. I assume he was renting a bass, as he has the regular Realist (and the AMT mic, which I haven't seen him actually use) on his bass, which actually was Ray's. He also doesn't usually play through a GK, probably just the house amp.
Click to expand...

Rosskratter,
Well, that was my thought as well, but I thought that the tailpiece of his bass had a little CMB on it, it was pretty small but that's what it looked like. The GK MBE was a house amp, actually it used to be my amp. Whatever the configuration I'm not enamored with the Gage Soundclip.

Ric
 
#4
Just got back from Christian's show with Inside Straight at the Jazz Kitchen in Indy-- which was amazing by the way :) I was about 15 ft. from Christian and had an awesome view. It looked like he was using the Gage soundclip, AMT mic, and his Epifani amp. The sound was really good... Maybe I wasn't close enough to be able to hear the soundclip more exclusively, but it was a quality sound. It was funny though cause he said it was a new "axe" he was using and he wasn't quite used to it yet... you couldn't tell it though.
 
#5
dbass87 said:
Just got back from Christian's show with Inside Straight at the Jazz Kitchen in Indy-- which was amazing by the way :) I was about 15 ft. from Christian and had an awesome view. It looked like he was using the Gage soundclip, AMT mic, and his Epifani amp. The sound was really good... Maybe I wasn't close enough to be able to hear the soundclip more exclusively, but it was a quality sound. It was funny though cause he said it was a new "axe" he was using and he wasn't quite used to it yet... you couldn't tell it though.
Click to expand...

DBass 87,
Well one of the differences between the St. Louis Performance and the one at the Jazz Kitchen would be the Epifani vs the GK MBE since we were both close enough to hear the amp. The other would be that he only had the Gage Sound Clip into the MBE and if the AMT was running FOH only in St. Louis I was so close to the stage that I wouldn't have heard it. Since the Epifani has two channels I'll just bet that he was running both into the amp. Christian's Playing and Musicality trumped the sound coming from the amp anyway, I just personally did like the tone quality, but I've never been thrilled by the MBE anyway. Next time he comes I'll offer my amp.

Ric
 
#6
ok... So you think he was running both to the amp, and then running the amp to the house, as opposed to sending mic to FOH and soundclip to amp? I guess I should have looked closer at how everything was hooked up haha
 
#7
When I've seen him the AMT hasn't been connected to anything, there's been a separate mic in front of the bass, usually a house mic from whatever club he's playing. The Realist goes to the amp, from which there's also a DI into the house, and the mic goes straight into the house. From what I gather, Christian has purchased a new bass for touring ("CMB" on the tailpiece, "new axe"), rather than having to rent one in each city, or take Ray's bass on the road. This must be why he has started to use the Soundclip.
*edit*
The mic I've seen on Christian's bass, at many New York clubs, has been the Sennheiser MD 421 II. I assume that it's one of the many house mics at all these clubs. The signal chain is listed above.
Sennheiser MD 421 II | Sweetwater.com
 
#8
rosskratter said:
When I've seen him the AMT hasn't been connected to anything, there's been a separate mic in front of the bass, usually a house mic from whatever club he's playing. The Realist goes to the amp, from which there's also a DI into the house, and the mic goes straight into the house. From what I gather, Christian has purchased a new bass for touring ("CMB" on the tailpiece, "new axe"), rather than having to rent one in each city, or take Ray's bass on the road. This must be why he has started to use the Soundclip.
*edit*
The mic I've seen on Christian's bass, at many New York clubs, has been the Sennheiser MD 421 II. I assume that it's one of the many house mics at all these clubs. The signal chain is listed above.
Sennheiser MD 421 II | Sweetwater.com
Click to expand...

yeah, he was definitely using the AMT mic at this gig, and I assume running it to FOH. But if he is using this new bass for touring, I wonder why he doesn't still use a Realist with it- do you think he's just experimenting a bit? or is the Realist not as conducive for travel?
 
#9
dbass87 said:
yeah, he was definitely using the AMT mic at this gig, and I assume running it to FOH. But if he is using this new bass for touring, I wonder why he doesn't still use a Realist with it- do you think he's just experimenting a bit? or is the Realist not as conducive for travel?
Click to expand...

It was the same situation in St. Louis the AMT was running into the house or at least connected, because I could see the cable running from the AMT to the floor and the little red pilot light was on. As far as the Sound Clip vs the Realist, if I'd just gotten a brand spanking new bass to tour with I wouldn't want to put it on my new instrument either if I didn't have to. Sounds like the total problem in St. Louis was the MBE, which makes sense to me, I was the previous owner and never liked the amp. Just my opinion though, other players love em.

Ric
 
#10
Ric Vice said:
It was the same situation in St. Louis the AMT was running into the house or at least connected, because I could see the cable running from the AMT to the floor and the little red pilot light was on. As far as the Sound Clip vs the Realist, if I'd just gotten a brand spanking new bass to tour with I wouldn't want to put it on my new instrument either if I didn't have to. Sounds like the total problem in St. Louis was the MBE, which makes sense to me, I was the previous owner and never liked the amp. Just my opinion though, other players love em.

Ric
Click to expand...

ok cool, makes sense..
 
#11
dbass87 said:
yeah, he was definitely using the AMT mic at this gig, and I assume running it to FOH. But if he is using this new bass for touring, I wonder why he doesn't still use a Realist with it- do you think he's just experimenting a bit? or is the Realist not as conducive for travel?
Click to expand...

I think the Realist is fine for travel, just that the Soundclip is far more adjustable and has different tone controls. Also if he's renting a bass he can just put it on in a matter of seconds, rather than having to take the strings and bridge off to mount the regular Realist.
 
#12
I'm interested in the chatter about this pickup and don't want to derail, but is it true the Christian has a bass that belonged to Ray Brown? I know John Clayton has the violin corners bass that you can see and hear on "We Get Requests" among other places. But, I know there were other basses, didn't realize that Christian had one, though that would make sense.

Just curious.
 
#13
TroyK said:
I'm interested in the chatter about this pickup and don't want to derail, but is it true the Christian has a bass that belonged to Ray Brown? I know John Clayton has the violin corners bass that you can see and hear on "We Get Requests" among other places. But, I know there were other basses, didn't realize that Christian had one, though that would make sense.

Just curious.
Click to expand...

Ray Brown had two basses at the time of his death. The one mentioned above went to John Clayton, the other to Christian McBride. However, the one with the open tuning heads was sold by Ray, before his passing, to an orchestral player in Canada. So yes, John Clayton does have the one from We Get Requests, and Christian has the other one.
 
#14
dbass87 said:
Just got back from Christian's show with Inside Straight at the Jazz Kitchen in Indy-- which was amazing by the way :) I was about 15 ft. from Christian and had an awesome view. It looked like he was using the Gage soundclip, AMT mic, and his Epifani amp. The sound was really good... Maybe I wasn't close enough to be able to hear the soundclip more exclusively, but it was a quality sound. It was funny though cause he said it was a new "axe" he was using and he wasn't quite used to it yet... you couldn't tell it though.
Click to expand...

This is heartening, because I'm going to see him tonight in SLC. I can't wait!
 
#15
rosskratter said:
Ray Brown had two basses at the time of his death. The one mentioned above went to John Clayton, the other to Christian McBride. However, the one with the open tuning heads was sold by Ray, before his passing, to an orchestral player in Canada. So yes, John Clayton does have the one from We Get Requests, and Christian has the other one.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that makes sense on a lot of levels. I had the privilege to hear Ray play live a few times before his death and I don't think he was playing with the bass the John has on those dates, at least not the second one when I sitting butted up next to the stage. (What a thrill that was.) It also was certainly not the one with the open machine heads that is featured in his method book.
 
#17
I saw a video of that band on a recent morning show out of St Louis [ Saw the clip on For Bass Players Only] and at first I thought he was playing a Shen. Then I saw a side view and it's a Chadwick Folding Bass which is a Shen, only altered for travel. I just got done working on one and I recognized the heal. That would answer the CMB on his tailpiece... [CFB]
Ray had a few other basses in his later years.... Stuff that wasn't that expensive that he felt safe traveling with and so my guess is Christian got the next one in the lot. John Clayton did get the French one that is on "We get Requests".
 
#18
Mark Carlsen said:
I saw a video of that band on a recent morning show out of St Louis [ Saw the clip on For Bass Players Only] and at first I thought he was playing a Shen. Then I saw a side view and it's a Chadwick Folding Bass which is a Shen, only altered for travel. I just got done working on one and I recognized the heal. That would answer the CMB on his tailpiece... [CFB]
Ray had a few other basses in his later years.... Stuff that wasn't that expensive that he felt safe traveling with and so my guess is Christian got the next one in the lot. John Clayton did get the French one that is on "We get Requests".
Click to expand...

The last time I had the good fortune to see Ray Brown he was using a smaller bass than the instrument that's on We Get Requests and his bass method. Ray could have played a cardboard box and it would have been exquisite.

Ric

Incidentally, Jimmy Blanton's bass resided here in St. Louis with his cousin Wendell Marshall for many years. As I understand it the instrument now resides in California.

Ric
 
#19
Mark Carlsen said:
I saw a video of that band on a recent morning show out of St Louis [ Saw the clip on For Bass Players Only] and at first I thought he was playing a Shen. Then I saw a side view and it's a Chadwick Folding Bass which is a Shen, only altered for travel. I just got done working on one and I recognized the heal. That would answer the CMB on his tailpiece... [CFB]
Ray had a few other basses in his later years.... Stuff that wasn't that expensive that he felt safe traveling with and so my guess is Christian got the next one in the lot. John Clayton did get the French one that is on "We get Requests".
Click to expand...

You nailed it, Mark. Christian is indeed using the Chadwick Folding Bass on his current tour. This is why he's using the Gage Realist Soundclip.

I've followed Christian extensively through the years. His AMT mic goes through the house and monitors only, not the amp. The DI goes direct to the amp which only he can hear. The only time his DI ever goes through the house and/or monitors (always as a blend with the AMT) is for high-volume bands, i.e. the Corea/McLaughlin "Five Peace Band", his old band (the CMB with Keezer, Gully & Blake), Sting or Pat Metheny's Trio.

I feel bad saying that I don't like the Gage Soundclip at all. I've heard it a number of different times and it always sounds the same no matter who's playing it. If there's anyone I could imagine who could quell the high/midrange evils of the Gage soundclip, it would be McBride. I'm pretty sure he's only using it out of necessity since he's using the Chadwick Folding Bass.
 

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