Stu Brooks (Dub Trio) Distortion

[Jared Lash]

just revisiting this...i saw Dub Trio last week and it was quite the show...with only 3 people, these guys create an amazing dynamic wall of sound. Stu Brooks was using only an aguilar dual channel ag 500 head and his distortion tone was awesome. the show was during the week so there was barely anyone there, which was cool for me as i got to see him play up close, he is definately an awesome player

Yeah, I really dig his playing a lot too. After posting this thread I seriously considered getting an AG500. But of my three gigs, two require specific rigs (GK for a RHCP tribute, a longterm loaner Ampeg for an old school sound backing a singer/pianist) and I couldn't justify the cost or the hassle of having three different amps to move around. But the Aggie sounds great.

Invalid Link Removed from jasonbraatz didn't help my gas at all.

For now I'm using a Rust Ride in a blender for that distortion tone, but I may end up getting an AGRO at some point.

 

[Stu Brooks]

Bass stuff for stu on "another sound is dying."

Tracking:

Aguilar amp AG 500 (dual), broken fender bassman cabinet. 1x15" on most songs. One of them was that little ampeg combo amp thingy. I dont know the model. Not portaflex.
Labella Strings (Jamerson set) and Dunlop Strings (110 on E)
Microphone: Neumann BCM 705 dynamic.
Mic pre: Vintage Neve 1066.
No compression during tracking.
Avalon U5 DI on all songs.

Mixing:
Varies from song to song a LOT.

Drive sources used: Thermionic culture "culture vulture mastering version". Also a Serge Wave folder module and a blacet lowpass in a modular synth driven to saturation. Doepfer frequency divider and lowpass, same deal, driven at the doepfer input to distort the filter and the frequency divider a bit. Also an electrix filter factory lowpass filer, with the drive engaged. Maxon "dept of commerce" compressor.

Frequency modifiers/EQ: Dbx 120 subharmonic synthesizer. Doepfer frequency divider. Neve 33114 EQ (in console). One song used a Pultec EQP1R on the mic track. Also API 560 graphich EQ, an an Aengus graphic EQ sometimes.

Compression: Primary, pre-fader insert is a Federal AM864/U tube compressor from the 50's. Post EQ insert would be a Neve 33609 compressor/limiter. That is on the DI. On the mic I used a Dbx 160X and a GATES STA-Level (tube compressor, vintage, Vari-mu).

Parallel compression: I also had a couple of compressors in parallel, just like i do with the drums. I used a Chandler germanium compressor, a Maxson "department of commerce" compressor. The Culture vulture was in parallel as well, actually. I also had a Spectra Sonics 610 complimiter going. Sometimes all of this stuff, sometimes none of this stuff. Song dependent.

Hope that helps you, man. it is a long list for when somone just asks you "howd you record the bass?"

The answer is: "with that new Neumann Dynamic microphone, and a vintage Neve mic pre, but the Avalon U5 DI was 70% of the real low end on the record, with a bunch of other **** that we blended in during the mix."

or, "vintage ****, yo."

or, "Its all in the fingers man."

or, go to Studio G and pay Joel

 

[The Lurker]

I have to admit the "bypass" on my MF101 is one of the reasons I don't bother with it much live--I always feel like I don't know what kinda noise that thing might be making(and mine, which I got used, seems to be particularly . . .squirrelly sometimes--it changes form day to day!)--I've never taken the time to set up a proper pedal board anyway and don't ue pedals live hardly, but I guess it could be on a loop. I record with it alot though. I like to run one clean DI and another input though the MF for some rubadub resonance. I'll have to try pushing it into overdrive sometime . . .

I thoroughly agree with the "what kind of noise....?" thing...... that's why I ditched mine.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Thanks, STU.

Unfortunately, I'm late to the party as usual. I just discovered Dub Trio thanks to Big O's thread, BUT I've missed your live dates in the area. Ugggh.

Awesome music!!!

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Bass stuff for stu on "another sound is dying."

Tracking:

Aguilar amp AG 500 (dual), broken fender bassman cabinet. 1x15" on most songs. One of them was that little ampeg combo amp thingy. I dont know the model. Not portaflex.
Labella Strings (Jamerson set) and Dunlop Strings (110 on E)
Microphone: Neumann BCM 705 dynamic.
Mic pre: Vintage Neve 1066.
No compression during tracking.
Avalon U5 DI on all songs.

Mixing:
Varies from song to song a LOT.

Drive sources used: Thermionic culture "culture vulture mastering version". Also a Serge Wave folder module and a blacet lowpass in a modular synth driven to saturation. Doepfer frequency divider and lowpass, same deal, driven at the doepfer input to distort the filter and the frequency divider a bit. Also an electrix filter factory lowpass filer, with the drive engaged. Maxon "dept of commerce" compressor.

Frequency modifiers/EQ: Dbx 120 subharmonic synthesizer. Doepfer frequency divider. Neve 33114 EQ (in console). One song used a Pultec EQP1R on the mic track. Also API 560 graphich EQ, an an Aengus graphic EQ sometimes.

Compression: Primary, pre-fader insert is a Federal AM864/U tube compressor from the 50's. Post EQ insert would be a Neve 33609 compressor/limiter. That is on the DI. On the mic I used a Dbx 160X and a GATES STA-Level (tube compressor, vintage, Vari-mu).

Parallel compression: I also had a couple of compressors in parallel, just like i do with the drums. I used a Chandler germanium compressor, a Maxson "department of commerce" compressor. The Culture vulture was in parallel as well, actually. I also had a Spectra Sonics 610 complimiter going. Sometimes all of this stuff, sometimes none of this stuff. Song dependent.

Hope that helps you, man. it is a long list for when somone just asks you "howd you record the bass?"

The answer is: "with that new Neumann Dynamic microphone, and a vintage Neve mic pre, but the Avalon U5 DI was 70% of the real low end on the record, with a bunch of other **** that we blended in during the mix."

or, "vintage ****, yo."

or, "Its all in the fingers man."

or, go to Studio G and pay Joel

First of all, thanks for taking the time help us out. I understand about 1/2 of what you said. LOL. . I wanted to take the time to thank you for talking to me after a New York gig you had about a year or so ago. It was cool to see a pro lugging his own rig. Hey if it's good enough for Mike Watt... Shortly after talking to you, I promptly went out and got myself the MoogerFooger LPF101. What a great purchase that was. Do you use an expression pedal(s) with yours? If you do, what do you use for your expression pedal? What settings do you plug it into?

Gonna see you guys with Bad Brains on Dec. 20th. WOOOOT!. I might be able to get my hands on some backstage passes. If I do, I'll stop by and buy you a beer. (Especially if they're free).

 

[dubsymmetry]

yeah, thanks for the info!

I saw you guys play a few months ago, great show! did you dub the drums live with the space echo? could you tell us more about this setup?

 

[Stu Brooks]

Hey!

As far as the moogerfooger goes, I've used the expression pedals mainly on the cutoff.

And regarding the space echo, yes, the drum are going through this. I recently lost my vintage roland space echo on a flight. Very upsetting. It was in mint condition. I replaced it with a spring reverb tank. It looks just like a guitar combo amp. And the Boss pedal version of the space echo. (cheaper, easier to travel with, easier to replace) I also now use an MXR phaser and sometimes a Holy Grail on this chain. Basically it starts with a microphone, placed somewhere on the drums. I use a 58 and place it somewhere between the hi hat and snare as to get both simultaneously. The mic is fed to a channel switcher. A = on. B = off. I switch it on and off with my foot to feed the drums through space echo plus the other fx.

 

[Jared Lash]

Thanks for the info Stu.

You guys rock BTW. Being a huge Faith No More fan, I discovered Dub Trio from your work with Mike Patton, but now I've got all four albums. Great stuff.

 

[Joe Gress]

Thanks for the info Stu.

You guys rock BTW. Being a huge Faith No More fan, I discovered Dub Trio from your work with Mike Patton, but now I've got all four albums. Great stuff.

Four?


Joes got some shopping to do.

 

[Jared Lash]

Three studio (Exploring the Dangers Of, New Heavy, Another Sound is Dying) and one live album (Cool Out and Coexist)

 

[Joe Gress]

Ok, I got the studio ones. Off to get the live one.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Who was playing the keys on Exploring? I haven't heard the middle studio album, but the first is very different stylistically than Another Sound is Dying.

 

[Lefty Geek]

I was at one of the shows that was recorded for the live album.

 

[Stu Brooks]

Joe played melodica
Dave played the Juno
I played the c3 organ (church version of the b3)
With a leslie.

 

[Stu Brooks]

The first record IS very different from the last. But I think the middle studio record bridges the gap a little.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

I will listen to New Heavy.

 

[()smoke()]

man...i had to miss the dallas show last night to take care of the family...i was really looking forward to it too, i'd been telling the guys i'm playing with about the drums going through the echo, would have been really cool to check it out on stage

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Stoked for this weekend. Bad Brains/Dub Trio/Slightly Stoopid. I'm not sure if that's the lineup but that's how I imagine it will go. .

EDIT: Thanks for the tip with the drums. We have a space echo. We play dub. We have a new idea. Can't wait to try it out. I'm thinking I'll let our DJ/Mixer trigger it.

 

[nickbear]

really cool insightful thread! thanks stu!

ive seen dub trio with peeping tom a while ago.. such an awesome gig.. love the dub trio albums as well..

 

[Stu Brooks]

Thanks man. I saw you're from the uk. We just had a weeks worth of touring the uk cancelled. It was supposed to be in october. We REALLY need to get over there again. Maybe April or may hopefully. Thanks for the kind words. - stu