Showed up with a p bass once. The guy specifically wanted a lefty p bass. I told him I was a righty but he wanted a lefty p bass strung right handed.
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Showed up to recording session without a Fender...
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The real dead spot is above the 5th fret all the way to the 21st fret... you don't need those, they are for guitar playersShowed up with a sound gear five and an SX Jazz. Not an eye was bat at all.
*edit to correct spelling and add correct sarcastic winking face for political correctness
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Arrived with a couple basses (neither of which were Fenders), had a terrific session and once finished the engineer asked if I wouldn't mind leaving my Avalon U5 behind. I politely declined, packed up and went out for a well deserved 6 pack of Yuengling.
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I have only recorded one time with Fender; No, I'm no studio pro, but I've done my share of recording / studio stuff. Not once did an engineer complain about the instrument I played.
I think that this "ya gotta have a fender" is a myth.
In the mid 90's my band recorded our debut album and I brought the fretless Wal Mk II that I'd used when the songs were written and when we gigged to polish them up.
The producer looked at the engineer and said, "it's going to take a lot longer to try and get the sound right with that thing compared to a Fender". Without missing a beat our singer said, "well, that's why we're paying you."
The producer looked at the engineer and said, "it's going to take a lot longer to try and get the sound right with that thing compared to a Fender". Without missing a beat our singer said, "well, that's why we're paying you."
I think you guys may be on to something there.
The entity who is paying for the session calls the shots. In high-dollar contract-negotiated sessions at top-tier studios, it is often not the artist paying for the sessions or calling the shots. Far from being a myth, it is common for producer/arranger and engineer at that level to insist on a change of equipment if what the performer brings isn't tracking as well as they need it to. I'm not saying it's always a Fender bass that gets the nod, but that mentality is a reality in certain situations.
Sorry, I know that was way too serious for this thread. Let the regularly scheduled snark and hilarity resume.
Yeah, quite honestly I've got a lot more of the "you need to have a Fender" from bandleaders going for a certain look or sensibility (or just being demanding for seemingly arbitrary reasons) than I ever have in recording situations. I HAVE had producers ask me to try different basses to capture a particular vibe. For years I worked with a hip-hop collective in the Bay Area and depending on the track (when there was actual bass and not a sample or synth part) I'd use a P with flats, an MTD, an active jazz, an upright, a hollowbody Guild and probably a few others I'm forgetting.
And again, more serious than this thread warrants but I see it like this - if this is MY recording session I'll bring what I want. If I'm working on something for someone else I'll do whatever I can to make them happy.
...And then the G-string started sounding thin and tinny...
I think you guys may be on to something there.
The entity who is paying for the session calls the shots. In high-dollar contract-negotiated sessions at top-tier studios, it is often not the artist paying for the sessions or calling the shots. Far from being a myth, it is common for producer/arranger and engineer at that level to insist on a change of equipment if what the performer brings isn't tracking as well as they need it to. I'm not saying it's always a Fender bass that gets the nod, but that mentality is a reality in certain situations.
Sorry, I know that was way too serious for this thread. Let the regularly scheduled snark and hilarity resume.
Oh, I get that if I put together a proper studio, I'd keep a decent P and a decent J on hand - but unless a guy showed up with a real POS or something really zany, why would I care?
Lol rgr that! Working on the last Resurrection EP before the full release years back, I brought my MTD535, and my American Jazz V to Redroom. The engineer said "Wow that Tobias is beautiful!...If you could please just put that back in your car that would be great...we're taking your Fender and plug it into one of my 1073s...." Heck on the Order Of Ennead releases on Earache I wasn't even allowed to play fretless, they handed me the house 5 string fretted, even though the prepro there wasn't a single micron of intonation issue (see link below).
Only producer I've ever worked with that gave a poopie was Ted Malia (REM's Automatic For The People, etc...) it was like 1993 recording the Negative Outlook demo, I had a Tung-oiled Carvin koa neck/body ebony board 5 string fretless, 9v active, using a Mesa 400+ and a 2x15 in a road case. About 15 minutes into tracking he asked the whole band to wait outside. An hour later ask everyone else to go home but me. He explained that he just didn't understand why he couldn't get the same sound coming from the Amp/Cab with his low frequency mic or the Amp's DI to get anything usable on the recording. He asked if I would stay (on his dime) and help get the tone right. After about 4 hours we ended up using just a sm57 off center on the top 15 of the cab, and mixed in the DI line from the amp. He just rolled off everything under 200hz and he had it. Wish more guys were like him.
Everyone these days just wants you to bring a Passive Fender, plug it into whatever 1073 clone they have, and use the effn SansAmp plugin to clean up the lows and add gain as needed, at least in metal (40 hours on drums, 10 hours on guitars and 2 hours on bass, isn't that what everyone gets?
). Honestly the ToneHammer DI or something similar that has midrange frequency and control sounds way better imho.
With just a regular DI or pre like an ISA One into GuitarRig, Amplitube 3 - Fender, and Mark Studio, I found that you can just use that signal into StudioDevil bass plugin to tweak the DI sound as needed. As always just throw a 57 on your cab and be done. Esp in 5 Strings, or Eb or lower tunings the 57 gets so close at least for me. Again this is in the context of metal, and fretless.
On a final note, I was never able to get a DI sound that worked for me out of my 535, until I changed the HR5.3 and MTD Spec Barts to Aguilar DCB's and an OBP-3 18v p/p. At first through the amp the pickups sounded a bit off, until I realized that the Barts had an inherent low-mid colouration that was no longer present with the Aguilars. All you hear flat is the natural sound of the instrument. So I tried the MTD just Direct and all the sudden it was crystal and right, all the muddy low mids were gone. Don't get me wrong, through an amp the active Barts sound killer, but just like the EMG 85/81 for Guitar, they're a nightmare for an engineer.
Here's a link to the demo version of As If A Rose I Wither, with Santiago Dobles doing some insane leadwork at the end. Starting at about 1:38 you can really hear the bass tone I like to use. To get this I did you my MTD when it still had the Barts in it, the Amp is Beaver Felton's old Carvin Probass 500, the Cab was an SWR 15, and just a SM57 on it, sitting offset. Again rolled off 200hz and added a bit a compression in post. Other than that, that sound is that bass, amp, cab, and my fingers. Again this is just a demo tracked at home with the guys.
Anyone else have similar studio stories with Active Barts?
Only producer I've ever worked with that gave a poopie was Ted Malia (REM's Automatic For The People, etc...) it was like 1993 recording the Negative Outlook demo, I had a Tung-oiled Carvin koa neck/body ebony board 5 string fretless, 9v active, using a Mesa 400+ and a 2x15 in a road case. About 15 minutes into tracking he asked the whole band to wait outside. An hour later ask everyone else to go home but me. He explained that he just didn't understand why he couldn't get the same sound coming from the Amp/Cab with his low frequency mic or the Amp's DI to get anything usable on the recording. He asked if I would stay (on his dime) and help get the tone right. After about 4 hours we ended up using just a sm57 off center on the top 15 of the cab, and mixed in the DI line from the amp. He just rolled off everything under 200hz and he had it. Wish more guys were like him.
Everyone these days just wants you to bring a Passive Fender, plug it into whatever 1073 clone they have, and use the effn SansAmp plugin to clean up the lows and add gain as needed, at least in metal (40 hours on drums, 10 hours on guitars and 2 hours on bass, isn't that what everyone gets?
). Honestly the ToneHammer DI or something similar that has midrange frequency and control sounds way better imho.With just a regular DI or pre like an ISA One into GuitarRig, Amplitube 3 - Fender, and Mark Studio, I found that you can just use that signal into StudioDevil bass plugin to tweak the DI sound as needed. As always just throw a 57 on your cab and be done. Esp in 5 Strings, or Eb or lower tunings the 57 gets so close at least for me. Again this is in the context of metal, and fretless.
On a final note, I was never able to get a DI sound that worked for me out of my 535, until I changed the HR5.3 and MTD Spec Barts to Aguilar DCB's and an OBP-3 18v p/p. At first through the amp the pickups sounded a bit off, until I realized that the Barts had an inherent low-mid colouration that was no longer present with the Aguilars. All you hear flat is the natural sound of the instrument. So I tried the MTD just Direct and all the sudden it was crystal and right, all the muddy low mids were gone. Don't get me wrong, through an amp the active Barts sound killer, but just like the EMG 85/81 for Guitar, they're a nightmare for an engineer.
Here's a link to the demo version of As If A Rose I Wither, with Santiago Dobles doing some insane leadwork at the end. Starting at about 1:38 you can really hear the bass tone I like to use. To get this I did you my MTD when it still had the Barts in it, the Amp is Beaver Felton's old Carvin Probass 500, the Cab was an SWR 15, and just a SM57 on it, sitting offset. Again rolled off 200hz and added a bit a compression in post. Other than that, that sound is that bass, amp, cab, and my fingers. Again this is just a demo tracked at home with the guys.
Anyone else have similar studio stories with Active Barts?
A P bass with flats will always sound flat. But it makes the engineer happy - especially if he/she hasn't passed 'Bass EQ 101'. 
Thanks, I can't brag because I have to admit it was not a difficult or complex piece to play. Most of you TB'ers could have nailed it.
lol, and I like the fact that Sadowsky has a " Fender Jazz " that screws up the original and kicks it out of the park...
I showed up to a home recording studio to help out a friend record some songs. It was completely free, not paid anything. I brought a non-Fender bass guitar and he was hesitant to record tracks with it at first. I got a Post-It Note and wrote the word "Fender" on it. I put the sticky on the headstock and we were good to go.
Came in with my Ibanez CTB5 loaded with EMGs. I was practicing out in the hallway with it and then the receptionist hurriedly asked if I could step into the recording booth. I just carried my bass in, not thinking to case it as I went in. They practically shoved me in the door, but as I passed the studio musician's wives were covering the eyes of their children or trying to distract them as I walked by. One parent tried to whisper "It's not polite to stare at that man, sweetie." but I heard them as I went by.
Once I was in there, the producer and engineer looked a bit shell shocked. Engineer wouldn't look me in the eyes and the producer was stuttering and trying to make small talk about unrelated stuff. I started to warm up and engineer ran out to the bathroom as the other guy was recording. While he was gone, the producer had a heart to heart with me. "Hey man, I know it's a free country and everyone is about free expression and such these days...but there are families with children out there and you need to think about that stuff before walking around with that thing. Some of these kids can't come to grips with seeing something like that around here."
As I sat there getting a lecture from this cat I nearly couldn't stomach it anymore. The recording engineer came in a little while later, still blushing and wouldn't look me in the eye at all. I finally blew up and said "Look, I play what I'm comfortable with and what works for me. The bass sounds fantastic and I've put a lot of hard work into it. If you guys are so pea-brained and ignorant that you can't IMAGINE a bass possibly comparing to a Fender or surpassing one, then I question your expertise and ability to mix a song. So either you can let me record with this Ibanez or I'm going to walk right out that door." The engineer and producer both looked at each other puzzled, then stared back at me as if I just told them I was the ghost of James Jamerson returned from the grave to groove once again. It was about that time I looked down and realized my fly was open.
I still got the gig...and a few phone numbers.
Once I was in there, the producer and engineer looked a bit shell shocked. Engineer wouldn't look me in the eyes and the producer was stuttering and trying to make small talk about unrelated stuff. I started to warm up and engineer ran out to the bathroom as the other guy was recording. While he was gone, the producer had a heart to heart with me. "Hey man, I know it's a free country and everyone is about free expression and such these days...but there are families with children out there and you need to think about that stuff before walking around with that thing. Some of these kids can't come to grips with seeing something like that around here."
As I sat there getting a lecture from this cat I nearly couldn't stomach it anymore. The recording engineer came in a little while later, still blushing and wouldn't look me in the eye at all. I finally blew up and said "Look, I play what I'm comfortable with and what works for me. The bass sounds fantastic and I've put a lot of hard work into it. If you guys are so pea-brained and ignorant that you can't IMAGINE a bass possibly comparing to a Fender or surpassing one, then I question your expertise and ability to mix a song. So either you can let me record with this Ibanez or I'm going to walk right out that door." The engineer and producer both looked at each other puzzled, then stared back at me as if I just told them I was the ghost of James Jamerson returned from the grave to groove once again. It was about that time I looked down and realized my fly was open.
I still got the gig...and a few phone numbers.
