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Double Bass Ron Carter

#41
TomSauter said:
You're not making a distinction between the sound that Ron gets from his bass and the sound he gets from his amp. He does not have a thin sound, but he has a rather twangy amp sound. He's also adamant about always recording direct. To me, when he started using an amp and pickup, his tone was different, but not his attack on the instrument.

As far as his live sound is concerned, I have a recording of him walking a blues from a master class from about a year ago. I'd be happy to post it if you are interested, although I don't know how and I'm not sure if that's against the rules.
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When I refer to "Ron's sound" -- that is, without the word "live" anywhere -- I am strictly referring to his sound on records. Whether this is a mic'd bass for the 64-68 quartet, or the amped/direct to board sound from more recent recordings, this is what I am referring to. I don't make a distinction between the acoustic sound from his bass and the sound from his amp, because I feel the era in question will simply do that for me. Part of Ron's "thing" is that he has a unique sound -- so how many modern records should I expect to hear where he's not getting his unique (pickup to amp, etc.) sound?

In any case, I'd really appreciate it if you could upload his playing from that master class :).
 
#43
Correct, Don.
RC said recently that when the Golden Spirals were no longer available, he was so dismayed at what was left that he almost gave up playing bass altogether. His Labella 7710's work fine for HIM on HIS bass. I don't think you can play arco with them, however. His quiver is there to only hold his snakewood peg when the bass is in transit. Again, another Carterism.
 
#46
Nick Ara said:
His Labella 7710's work fine for HIM on HIS bass. I don't think you can play arco with them, however. His quiver is there to only hold his snakewood peg when the bass is in transit. Again, another Carterism.
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I was using the 7710's and I could bow them. It took some getting used to and I wouldn't recommend them for orchestra (as you do get an occasional whale call) but I wouldn't say that they can't be bowed.
 
#49
On Friday night I heard a wonderful concert at Borough of Manhattan Community College, part of their "Lost Jazz Shrines" series, this one devoted to the Cafe Bohemia and the music of Oscar Pettiford. The personnel was Antonio Hart (as), Don Braden (ts), Sean Jones (tp), Robin Eubanks (trmbn), Patience Higgins (baritone sax), Leon Lee Dorsey (bass), Vincent Ector (drm) and the music director Eric Gould on piano. After 4 great tunes, out came Professor Carter to do some work on a Czech ease bass. His playing was phenomenal as usual, lots of chordal accompaniment (like a jazz guitarist) and soloing, lots of his signature right-hand pull-offs. He played Stardust, Tricotism, and Blues in the Closet (to name just a few of the more famous tunes). By the way, the Czech-ease sounded like a cello, using the Realist pickup into a large GK head and a Hartke 4x10.
 
#50
Don no offense intended - but Golden spirals ARE GUT wound with a tynex/nylon solutions- they are the same strings Charlie Haden uses - i studied with Charlie for a year and like Ron - he said those are ther only string he will use.. well Ron swtiched - but Charlie has them buried in locations all over the US ;)
 
#51
bassdogEmer said:
Don no offense intended - but Golden spirals ARE GUT wound with a tynex/nylon solutions- they are the same strings Charlie Haden uses - i studied with Charlie for a year and like Ron - he said those are ther only string he will use.. well Ron swtiched - but Charlie has them buried in locations all over the US ;)
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My point was that someone commented on the gut sound. The Golden Spirals sounded very nice, but they didn't sound the same as gut. I was using gut G and D at the time. I sat in on Ron's bass when he had the Golden Spirals. I bought them for myself. Like I said, on both basses, nice sound but altered a bit by the nylon.

Also, where in the world is Mel Graves? I used to hang with him when I went to San Diego. This was in the '70's, before he went to NYC with his composition grant.
 
#53
I think you can't get too caught up with strings and amps etc etc. Its the feel and what sound you get from your hands as to what comes out of the bass. I have heard get stuff come from bassist which use strings i would never use and amps i would not consider. But alot of the sound comes from your hands. As far as Ron, Its all about feel. I believe he sounds pretty much the same no matter what strings or amps he uses.
 
#55
Hi Don.

Sorry, I seem to have irritated you a bit. That wasn't what I was trying to do. I only asked because from your previous comment it wasn't clear to me whether everyone agreed what these strings were. I had some other information to offer, but if everyone agrees already, it's really not needed.

Brent
 
#56
i always thought ron sounded better on other artists sessions than his own. i, like many of you, consider rc a major influence.

for me..there probably will never be another live recording that offers so much music, with dynamics, soulful interplay between 5 musicians & unparralled ensemble bass playing, that literally drives the music & the quintet...as ron carter on miles live 1964, naacp concert..."my funny valentine, miles davis in concert". this is a classic that all bassists should own,
& wear the hell out. it's sick...how good this cd is.
 
#57
Mr. RC has been one of my absolute favorites for the last 35 yrs, and Miroslav Vitous as well. Completely different players that rule when they have the bass in their hands. RC's feel and inventiveness have left me tickled with his brilliance. My two favorite RC recordings are Rosa Passos "Entre Amigos", and Helen Merrill "Duets". On the Rosa Passos, the bass is only miked. The Helen Merrill is amazing. I wouldn't dare nick pick this guy, but I would love to pick his brain and get a little of whatever it is that he's got!
 
#58
Aaron Saunders said:
It's also a symptom of certain recordings versus another, though. For instance, I'm pretty sure I've mentioned my love of Warmbuttocks' tone on "My One and Only Love." By the same token, I'm not particularly a fan of the pickup-direct-to-board sound used on "Paulo" with Dick Hindman (although the playing and content are still mindblowing.)
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Thanks, as usual, for the comps Aaron! I've put on the record many times before how much i'm disatisfied with that direct to board S***. Why and how I let them get away with that, i'll never know. The same thing I wonder about Ron's intonation on some of that piccolo bass stuff. I'm a RC fan, especially the Miles stuff, but to be truthful, sometimes his intonation makes me feel, uncomfortable.
 
#59
He is fantastic with Dolphy and that Wayne Shorter band Miles Davis had. There is a great track on a Dolphy 2 lp set with him and George Duviver playing a great duo piece.
Other recordings, like his solo lp, are so bad they are a joke. The critic Kevin Whitehead said "Ron Carter played Bach and the pleasure was all his".
When he played Bach it sounded like a chamber ensemble playing Bach with Alan Silva soloing over it - which is kind of awesome even though it is not the intent.
 

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