• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The magic behind awesome three-piece bands. How do they do it?

Jaygetsreal

Jaygetsreal

Nov 17, 2017
503
1,043
Adelaide South Australia
#1
I have often wondered how some bands can sound so 'full' with just 3 instruments playing live. Cream, Police, Muse come to mind and you will know more.
OK some acts cheat with hidden players and MIDI tracks, but barring that it seems like some kind of magic. How do they create this impression, this massive sound?

PS this is a serious question - no flippant answers please :thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: lizardking837
#6
Gravedigger Dav said:
Each player is playing a lot more than if they were in a larger band.
Click to expand...
I've been working with a pretty successful classic rock trio for almost five years now, we get compliments on our sound just about every show. And we're not musical savants by any stretch of the imagination. However, we do choose our repertoire very carefully, mainly 50's and 60's songs, and.....we all sing. Individually we're ok, but together, we do a nice job. My band mates are friendly, entertaining guys, we get along on and off stage very well, and we mix with the audience as much as we can- COVID not withstanding. Lots of return customers and long term, consistent bookings. I know, I know. Too many informations...
Oh, and we're bilingual, pretty handy in South Texas.
IMG_0100.JPG
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: oddeotek, todd burns, Tari and 64 others
#7
Gravedigger Dav said:
Each player is playing a lot more than if they were in a larger band.
Click to expand...
I've been working with a pretty successful classic rock trio for almost five years now, we get compliments on our sound just about every show. And we're not musical savants by any stretch of the imagination. However, we do choose our repertoire very carefully, mainly 50's and 60's songs, and.....we all sing. Individually we're ok, but together, we do a nice job. My band mates are friendly, entertaining guys, we get along on and off stage very well, and we mix with the audience as much as we can- COVID not withstanding. Lots of return customers and long term, consistent bookings. I know, I know. Too many informations...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Hughes
#8
In addition to what everyone else has said, each player in a great sounding trio is most likely using closer to what we would call a 'bedroom' tone than the very narrow, sculpted tone you'd use in a 10 piece band.

When I've played in rock and jazz trios, I didn't have to worry about getting out of the way of a keyboard player's left hand, or the 2nd guitar player's mids and distortion. Most of the time you're actively trying to fill the sonic spectrum, instead of trying to not muddy it up like you do when there are more instruments.

Using Cream as an example, Jack Bruce's bass tone on their live albums is perfect for a rock trio. But if you tried to use that same tone on a Pink Floyd tour it would be garbage. Because it would step on the more dense arrangement of multiple guitars and organ and backup singers, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sascha Erni, oddeotek, TN WOODMAN and 25 others
#11
Twenty years ago I had a three piece instrumental band in which I played guitar. The Bass player had a Prog Rock background with great chops, and an innate sense of when to use them, and when to be economical. The drummer had a tendency to overplay, but I digress.

Mike (the Bassist) and I wrote just about everything together, and about a third of our songs had sparse guitar parts. (Think: Andy Summers of the Police.) A lot of the material was composed in the call and response structure, and it worked well for us.

When our musician friends came out to hear us play, (whether they cared for instrumental music or not) they comment we heard most often was how full we sounded for a 3 piece band.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN, Yellow Bang66, ObsessiveArcher and 2 others
#16
The band Govt Mule when Allen Woody was alive had a bigger sound than most 5 piece bands. Even Warren Haynes said he couldn't find a suitable replacement to fill the void he left in the bands sound let alone the spirit of the music going forward. They had to get a keyboard player as well as a new bassist to replace him. Personally I just can't get into their music since Woody died.

I have spent the majority of my life playing in a three piece band and I love it. I feel like it makes me strive to be a better bassist.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN, Low Down Brown, 31HZ and 11 others
#17
Jaygetsreal said:
I have often wondered how some bands can sound so 'full' with just 3 instruments playing live. Cream, Police, Muse come to mind and you will know more.
OK some acts cheat with hidden players and MIDI tracks, but barring that it seems like some kind of magic. How do they create this impression, this massive sound?

PS this is a serious question - no flippant answers please :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Its so much simpler with less going on. Just came from a 3 piece. Everything sounds good. Now I'm in a 6 piece. Life is hard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN, 31HZ, SteveFromBerlin and 2 others
#19
Moedailey said:
The band Govt Mule when Allen Woody was alive had a bigger sound than most 5 piece bands. Even Warren Haynes said he couldn't find a suitable replacement to fill the void he left in the bands sound let alone the spirit of the music going forward. They had to get a keyboard player as well as a new bassist to replace him. Personally I just can't get into their music since Woody died.

I have spent the majority of my life playing in a three piece band and I love it. I feel like it makes me strive to be a better bassist.
Click to expand...

I'm still a huge fan of The Mule but you are correct in that they were never the same after Woody. Rest In Peace Captain Al.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN, Low Down Brown, Low Crow and 3 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back