Tone or Technique : most important for you?

[Clemouze]

Please read the example in the first post to undestand what I am really talking about

A lot of people didn't get the point ...
Of course to craft a tone you have to have good technique
Of course having good technique can let you achieve good tone

I am not asking what is the best between both
I am asking you what do you prefer

 

[saabfender]

Ok I made some edit to clarify what I call tone and what I call technique

The choice is in fact Great tone vs Impressive technique

As an example
I prefer spending time and effort crafting a tone through pedals and researchs and way of playing than spending time learning how to noodle as super fast slapitislapito pop or horse run as 180 bpm

Putting your thumb on the scale really isn't changing the essential idea of the OP.

Personal note: Are you really saying you'd rather twiddle knobs, surf the internet and buy gear than practice? I don't think you can (or should) formulate a poll that supports that.

 

[Clemouze]

Putting your thumb on the scale really isn't changing the essential idea of the OP.

Personal note: Are you really saying you'd rather twiddle knobs, surf the internet and buy gear than practice? I don't think you can (or should) formulate a poll that supports that.

No you are right !
I know how to play in my way, I prefer crafting my tone in my playing style than learning all the techniques and trying to do some Victor Wooten stuff

( I don't like playing basslines from other people )

So are we talking about the same thing ?

 

[bearhart74]

Wheres carrots?

 

[saabfender]

No you are right !
I know how to play in my way, I prefer crafting my tone in my playing style than learning all the techniques and trying to do some Victor Wooten stuff

( I don't like playing basslines from other people )

So are we talking about the same thing ?

I don't know but that gave me pause. At what age (or other parameter) do people stop considering their playing thinking, "someday, I'm going to be better than so-and-so famous guy (e.g. Victor Wooten)"?

 

[SteveCS]

Ok I made some edit to clarify what I call tone and what I call technique

The choice is in fact Great tone vs Impressive technique

As an example
I prefer spending time and effort crafting a tone through pedals and researchs and way of playing than spending time learning how to noodle as super fast slapitislapito pop or horse run as 180 bpm

Doesn't change anything. IME, good speed is not technique in itself, rather a function of well practiced technical elements like consistent touch, economical movement and L/R synchronisation. I would bet that many of the speed demons you allude to would stumble if asked to play the same lines at a tempo other than that at which they learned to regurgitate them, especially slower. But if you learn and practice good technical basics, speed will follow. YMMV.

 

[Clemouze]

I don't know but that gave me pause. At what age (or other parameter) do people stop considering their playing thinking, "someday, I'm going to be better than so-and-so famous guy (e.g. Victor Wooten)"?

Don't know.
When listening to old Rush song the bazs tone makes me waaaaoow. Even with single patterns bass line

Don't care about playing like Geddy Lee, each one his style each one his tone.

 

[JRA]

i don't care about chasing tone(s), but i do care about (and occasionally struggle with) best technique practices. (not too much though = i'm pretty set in my ways .)

i understand a connection between the two concepts, but for me = they are two different concepts: where generous 'overlap' is best!

 

[walking Bass]

If I don't like the tone, I don't really want to listen. And I hate a "trebly" sounding bass, it is a bass after all.

 

[Wisebass]

Salut Clemouze

Another silly poll, we all like them

Sans "carrots", pas de poll!

Some basstalk: "your sound is okay" = "you should play more than roots and 5ths!"

More basstalk: "you have a killer sound" = "I don 't like what you play but your gear is drool!!!!"

Or: "Man that was great, how do you get that sound?" =

How can you sound and play better than I do, with that equipment?

I don't care if they hit the bass with a Hammer as long as they don 't use mine!

fixed!

I don’t care if your teqnique is hitting the strings with a dead skunk as long as I am not in the same room!

see above!


I love this thread!

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[Wisebass]

i don't care about chasing tone(s)

Nothing to chase when you play fretless!

greetings

Wise

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

I suppose if you put a gun to my head and forced me to choose, I’d say tone is more important to me. I’m glad I don’t have to choose, though.

 

[micguy]

The electric bass is about 60 years old. I've been playing it for 2/3rds of that time. If someone that's half my age tells me I'm playing with "wrong technique", I'm not going to get all that upset - mostly I'll ignore him or her - technique that has been getting the sounds I want for 40 years, and hasn't caused me physical issues is, by my definition, correct. There is no bass player sent by God that can define what's right and wrong as far as technique.

I play to make a band sound and feel great - my tone is part of that. If I can't get the sounds I want, I'll work on technique to support doing that better. Technique is a tool, tone is the goal.

 

[logdrum]

Tone requires $$, Technique requires time and work. What can you provide more of.

 

[logdrum]

OP, I think you meant chops rather then technique because there is a side discussion of having bad and good techniques

 

[Clemouze]

Tone requires $$, Technique requires time and work. What can you provide more of.

Nice point
I guess I am lazy
But I also spend so many tiiiime tweaking knobs and knobs and knobs and knobs and kn

 

[micguy]

Tone requires $$, Technique requires time and work.

Hmm - good tone is a product of good gear and well developed technique (including how to wrangle the best tone out of YOUR gear) in my book. If I pick up Marcus Miller's bass, and play the same notes he does, most of you, even blindfolded, could tell it's not him playing.

 

[pappabass]

I am a tone person. It was beat in my head since I was 12 as a horn player. I notice a bad tone long before technique. You can play most every song without runs, scales, octaves, pop/slap, but can't get around bad tone. I like hearing a good tone without a pedal. (Talking advanced technique opposed to basic bass playing)

 

[walking Bass]

Nothing to chase when you play fretless!

greetings

Wise

Except that from my experience I prefer the tone of the fretted players I've heard vs the fretless. Too many fretless players seen too in love with a buzzy sound with less clarity.

 

[xnewyorka]

At last year's Bass Boot Camp (put on by Gerald Veasley), Victor Wooten was on stage taking questions from the students, and he addressed this exact same question.

His answer was that only your technique matters, and to illustrate it, he adjusted the tone controls on his bass to make it sound as pathetic as possible (cut out the bass and mids, and boosted the highs). He asked for, and received confirmation from everyone that the tone sounded terrible. Then he asked the drummer to play a beat, and he jammed to it, playing some grooves and a solo. Despite the very unconventional tone, everyone in the audience agreed that it was an awesome performance, and it still sounded great and was extremely enjoyable to listen to, because it grooved.

Then to finish the demonstration, he switched back to his normal tone and played something awkward to the same drum beat. It sounded like a beginning middle school bass player, and was completely uninteresting and uninspiring. It did not matter one bit that he had a killer tone. It was not at all pleasing to listen to.

Based on that graphic demonstration, the answer to this question is very clear to me.