The Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started

[MrAB4003]

What bass keeps runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' on the studio recording of "Let's Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas?

To me, it sounds like a Rickenbacker 4003, especially when it goes up high, but I'm not sure.

I posted the instrumental version so that 1) everyone can hear the bass better and 2) so the mods don't take this post down because of the lyrics:

 

[BGroovy]

I don’t have a Ric so I don’t have an intimate feel for their tone. I think you could get close to that sound (not necessarily guessing how it was recorded) with a P Bass with rounds, a tube pre, and compression.

If I was covering that with a band I think I could get in the ballpark with my ‘79 Greco P Bass, Nickel Lo Riders, tone rolled off halfway, Empress compressor with fast attack and release, Mesa WD800 with the input cranked for tube breakup, Para EQ take treble down around 1khz and 2kHz, mid lows punched up around 400hz.

That’s where I’d start with what I have around me, but that wasn’t your question

 

[silky smoove]

Mike Fratantuno played bass on the track. Session players like this tend to be pretty accessible. I'll bet if you message him he'll respond.

 

[jasper383]

Could be just about anything. And yes, when it goes higher, does sound a bit like a Ric.
To me, sounds like a P with rounds and some compression. Always a safe studio guess.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

When in doubt…

Rickenbacker!

 

[220_Hz]

Sounds like a P with flats to me, or maybe a P with verrrry dead rounds

 

[wysiwyg248]

Precision bass with flats and compresion. The player mutes really well or uses a piece of foam by the bridge to highlight the staccato.

 

[babyDJ]

First song i learned as an old man in a university commercial ensemble, relentless, built me some stamina

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Sounds like a P Bass type instrument to me.

 

[Carl Hillman]

Sounds like a Pea Bass to me.

 

[MrAB4003]

Mike Fratantuno played bass on the track. Session players like this tend to be pretty accessible. I'll bet if you message him he'll respond.

That's right! I didn’t know he was on TB. Does anyone know his TB username so I can message him or mention him in this thread directly?

 

[Killing Floor]

I have a pre-censure version of Elephunk. The original version got scrubbed from most music sites.

 

[jerry]

That song has been on a few song lists over the years, I always dug when that one was called.

 

[MrAB4003]

I have a pre-censure version of Elephunk. The original version got scrubbed from most music sites.

I found the original version of Elephunk and this song on an old hard drive and I had to give it a listen. That's what inspired this thread!

There's a whole generation of young people who don't know about the original version! I was lucky to grow up with both versions even though I didn't like The Black Eyed Peas when I was a kid.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I posted the instrumental version ... so the mods don't take this post down because of the lyrics

:::goes and Googles the lyrics:::

 

[MrAB4003]

:::goes and Googles the lyrics:::

View attachment 7089316

Which set of lyrics did you google?

 

[rodl2005]

Great bassline. Good song too. Always loved how the BEP kept SOUNDING like a band.