Subcontra Knowledge Thread (Octave 0)

[ugly_bassplayer]

Sounds killer, got any recordings out there I can check out?

Only recent one is with my band.
Dual rig. Bass and “guitar” split in 2 amps.

We did the entire set lives about 12 times in the studio, picked the best one.

Singer, sound manipulation
Drummer.
Me on bass dual rig.

Not for the tame.

But bass was my day job until about 8 years ago, so I played everything in C standard or E standard. 4 strings only./



We where about to record last year just before FUBAR hit. We get to jam this week for the first time in about 10 months.

 

[Why Nautilus‽]

Only recent one is with my band.
Dual rig. Bass and “guitar” split in 2 amps.

We did the entire set lives about 12 times in the studio, picked the best one.

Singer, sound manipulation
Drummer.
Me on bass dual rig.

Not for the tame.

But bass was my day job until about 8 years ago, so I played everything in C standard or E standard. 4 strings only./



We where about to record last year just before FUBAR hit. We get to jam this week for the first time in about 10 months.

Good stuff! I’ll give it a listen.
And there’s no such thing as tame when it comes to metal .

Glad your band is bringing it back together. Mine is working out on that end too. Fingers crossed we get gigging soon.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Good stuff! I’ll give it a listen.
And there’s no such thing as tame when it comes to metal .

Glad your band is bringing it back together. Mine is working out on that end too. Fingers crossed we get gigging soon.

Didn’t know you liked the heavy stuff. (Fist bump, we can hang!!!)
It’s just a little heads up for the “normals”

But I like it all, from hip hop to jazz, to classical, to harsh noise, to tape manipulation and then even more.

 

[Why Nautilus‽]

Didn’t know you liked the heavy stuff. (Fist bump, we can hang!!!)
It’s just a little heads up for the “normals”

But I like it all, from hip hop to jazz, to classical, to harsh noise, to tape manipulation and then even more.

I started down the path of getting another sub bass after listening to lots of Rivers of Nihil. Their most recent album is in G# standard and I just kept looking from there.
I play metal a lot on my own to keep my chops up, but my band does mostly covers. We do a lot of modern pop, so I use the sub bass to duplicate the 808 sound.

We do throw some good old breakdowns in places though, and that brings a lot of fun to it.

Here’s a video of us from a while back. I’m playing a Krappy bass, 2 stringer tuned F# B

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

I started down the path of getting another sub bass after listening to lots of Rivers of Nihil. Their most recent album is in G# standard and I just kept looking from there.
I play metal a lot on my own to keep my chops up, but my band does mostly covers. We do a lot of modern pop, so I use the sub bass to duplicate the 808 sound.

We do throw some good old breakdowns in places though, and that brings a lot of fun to it.

Here’s a video of us from a while back. I’m playing a Krappy bass, 2 stringer tuned F# B

We do all original material.
Next record I'm going to do more mid range bass and low bass.

We love experimentation and sound manipulation.
Low C is about as low as I can go, any lower and the "grind" and tremolo picking gets completely lost.
Can't wait to get this back up and running.

 

[Jack Deth]

Something I threw together in E0. I’m still playing around with the arrangement, but hope to have a full track in a week or two.

 

[Jack Deth]

That recording was done using an ESP F-415 (EMG pickups) using the .192 balanced Kalium string set piped into a Presonus audio interface, and recorded using Presonus One v5.1. The only tweaking done in the entire signal chain was via the tone knobs and pickup selector on the bass. Otherwise, it is completely vanilla. Oh, I was using fingers (index, middle and ring) and not a pick.

 

[Flamingo21]

Oh, I was using fingers (index, middle and ring) and not a pick.

I can hardly imagine this played with a pick anyway.

 

[Jack Deth]

Something I did in F#0 that I also need to complete. This was recorded with a passive Alvarez 6 string that has J style pickups using the Presonus audio interface going into Presonus 4.5 (it’s a bit older than my previous post). Same scenario, no effects whatsoever applied to the signal chain. After playing F# for about a year now, the standard B0 no longer feels low enough for me and does not scratch the itch. I realize that is highly individualistic and others may never feel the same way, but that is my reality now.

 

[Jack Deth]

I’ve recently received a .236 balanced set from Kalium to set up an ESP TA-604 for C# tuning.

It’s set up (C#0, F#0, B0, E1), in tune and intonation seems good. I can say without a doubt that C#0 is a whole new ballgame that will take me some time to squeeze the tone I like out. I had to order Hipshots for stringing it up because the standard tuners were too narrow for the C# and F#, and the center holes were too small to poke the strings down into. Here’s the final product, at least for now.

And, here’s a closeup of the strings for a comparison. The smallest string is a typical E1 at .098.

As I said, it will take some time to work out the right tone, and even playing it requires some change-up. Once I get my tone down I’ll post a clip.

 

[Why Nautilus‽]

It’s set up (C#0, F#0, B0, E1), in tune and intonation seems good. I can say without a doubt that C#0 is a whole new ballgame that will take me some time to squeeze the tone I like out. I had to order Hipshots for stringing it up because the standard tuners were too narrow for the C# and F#, and the center holes were too small to poke the strings down into. Here’s the final product, at least for now.
View attachment 4307371

And, here’s a closeup of the strings for a comparison. The smallest string is a typical E1 at .098.

View attachment 4307372

As I said, it will take some time to work out the right tone, and even playing it requires some change-up. Once I get my tone down I’ll post a clip.

looking good buddy! Can’t wait to hear what you make with this one.

 

[Jack Deth]

looking good buddy! Can’t wait to hear what you make with this one.

Update: the C# requires a lighter touch and seems to need played close to the bridge. Still working on it…

 

[Why Nautilus‽]

Update: the C# requires a lighter touch and seems to need played close to the bridge. Still working on it…

You might develop your own style on this, but if I’m playing back near the bridge, I might use my middle finger as the primary plucking finger and my index as the mute.

Fully agree on the lighter touch end.

Keep at it!

 

[Flamingo21]

You might develop your own style on this, but if I’m playing back near the bridge, I might use my middle finger as the primary plucking finger and my index as the mute.

Just to be sure: without crossing fingers? In other words, your plucking finger is behind your muting finger?

That's interesting.

 

[Jack Deth]

You might develop your own style on this, but if I’m playing back near the bridge, I might use my middle finger as the primary plucking finger and my index as the mute.

Fully agree on the lighter touch end.

Keep at it!

Muting that .236 does take on a whole new challenge. You wouldn’t think there would be that much difference between it and the .192 E or the .170 F#. If you strike it somewhat aggressively and mute it even with both hands it can still ring some of the overtones. Definitely will take me practice time to nail it down.

 

[Why Nautilus‽]

Just to be sure: without crossing fingers? In other words, your plucking finger is behind your muting finger?

That's interesting.

That's correct. I find it easier to use my index finger to mute the note rather than my middle finger.

YMMV of course, but that's how I've been managing it.

 

[lucas303]

Jumping into this thread because I recently set up my Dingwall five string in E0 standard tuning. I used a .170 I had laying around but ordered a new set of strings and am interested to find out how they compare once they arrive.

 

[Jack Deth]

25512319[/URL], member: 340182"]I recently set up my Dingwall five string in E0 standard tuning

Welcome the the darkest side. I would like to believe this is just the beginning of a new chapter in your bass journey if you have never played in these tunings before. If you have played them before, then I look forward to hearing any stories you may have. The lower tunings are like a vast uncharted wilderness that only has a small handful of routes going into it by others to be used as guideposts. I believe it has many secrets to tell, but is misunderstood by most that choose to peer down into it from atop a well known, comfortable canyon wall.

EDIT: +1 on the Dingwall

 

[Flamingo21]

The lower tunings are like a vast uncharted wilderness that only has a small handful of routes going into it by others to be used as guideposts. I believe it has many secrets to tell, but is misunderstood by most that choose to peer down into it from atop a well known, comfortable canyon wall.

Poetic.

 

[Cal03]

Subbed, instruments in the contrabass range and lower have a special place in my heart. I'm more of a spectator than an active participant of the lower tunings, but when I get the itch to try something below A0, I'll know where to turn to!

-Cal.