Tone or Technique : most important for you?

[Guitalia]

If I were insecure about my technique, I might try to convince myself that my tone is what matters. I'm not, so I don't.

I'm happy to admit that my tone doesn't sound particularly good except in the context of the mix.

 

[lz4005]

I'm happy to admit that my tone doesn't sound particularly good except in the context of the mix.

Which is the only place it matters.

 

[socialleper]

C'mon guys not just the basic answer " One leads to the other " because it is not the point and also it is not always true

I hate to say it, but this is the answer.
However, it isn't to mean that great technique makes any bass sound good. I find that boring players play boring basses. Rarely will you find someone droning away on root quarter notes while playing a crazy boutique bass. By the same token I've never seen an incredible player slumming it with a bargain bin bass.
There is a symbiosis. A guy like Ryan Martinie or Victor Wooten has a playing style that is complemented, if not encouraged, by the singular sorts of basses they play. The tone of their basses allows their technique to blossom. Mike Manring's technique is almost completely based around his custom Zon.
For me as a consumer of music, I supposed it is the tone I hear first. 90% of my musical world revolves around listening to recordings, so I can't really see what a bass player is doing. If their bass sounds great, that will get my attention, but the fact that they are doing something of interest is critical to making that great sounding bass stand out.
Separating technique from tone is very hard to do.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Salut all

Another silly poll, we all like them

Most important factor for you, bass players : a GREAT TONE or an IMPRESSIVE TECHNIQUE ?

We speak about what can make you like another bass player, or what you work the most, etc

I know the tone is linked to technique and technique linked to tone , but be serious!

Myself I appreciate better a player with super tone, than super technique.
I am also more proud of my tone than my technique and put more effort into it.
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 at 180 bpm


And you ?

EDIT :
YES we all know that someone who plays super great in terms of skills can achieve a great tone.
But I can tell you that a lot of people that plays with a good level can sound like s*** and can have a random tone that no one cares.


For me , the tone option means : working your tone, choosing your gear ( pickups preamp pedals strings amp etc ) , searching for a specific tone, working on that and not just some random " plug and play"
For me the technique option means : working on your skill, knowing super secret ninja fingers tricks, be quick to play, having a super groove , showing your death playing


So the question is more :
What interests you more between both ?
What makes you say "wow"
What are you the most proud of?

Do you prefer a basic player who KNOWS how to play but has an identifiable killer tone or a show-off player that kills everything but sounds like everybody random tone ?


C'mon guys not just the basic answer " One leads to the other " because it is not the point and also it is not always true

EDIT 2 :

Well I prefer being a B+ player with a great tone, worked with love and pain to find the perfect alchemy between hands, gear, personality, than being a A+ player ( who can play things considered as harder to play ) with a random OK tone

Your technique is your tone

 

[lfmn16]

Impecable technique means, for me, great timing hiting the notes, left-right hand coordination, being able to change the tone with the right hand, hitting those mute/ghost notes without secondary noise, no fret noise because of bad left hand and, absolutely mandatory for a bass player, muting the strings with both hands, so that you can have a clean bass line.

Good technique is the difference between playing what you WANT to play and playing what you CAN play.

Which is the only place it matters.

I bought a '74 Precision here on TB and when I played it alone at home I almost put it back in the case even though it played beautifully because it didn't sound very good. Just for the heck of it I took it to practice and it sat in the mix as good as any bass I've ever owned. It got edged out by a 5 string, otherwise I'd still have it.

 

[Sixgunn]

With good technique comes great tone

I disagree. Lousy gear or not knowing how to use your gear can give even the best players bad tone. Case in point: In my opinion, Billy Sheehan's tone is horrible.

 

[Clemouze]

Your technique is your tone

Hm mostly yes but the tube amp + rick tone doesn't come only from my hands and technique...

 

[lz4005]

I disagree. Lousy gear or not knowing how to use your gear can give even the best players bad tone. Case in point: In my opinion, Billy Sheehan's tone is horrible.

That's hilarious.
Sheehan's tone is unique, but very purposeful and works very well in the mixes he plays in.

 

[socialleper]

I think it is also worth noting that both are a little relative. Some of the greatest players have styles and techniques that would make most "educated" bass players cringe.
If there is one thing I've learned over these years of reading Talkbass, it is that there is no consensus as to what tone "sounds good."

 

[Jurassic Thump]

If the, improper technique, does not prevent the player from playing the song correctly, what difference does it make?

 

[Clemouze]

I think it is also worth noting that both are a little relative. Some of the greatest players have styles and techniques that would make most "educated" bass players cringe.
If there is one thing I've learned over these years of reading Talkbass, it is that there is no consensus as to what tone "sounds good."

For me a good tone is your tone you like when you play, which is the result of work and time to find perfect balance for YOUR taste.
Who cares if other people are enjoying it Or not ?

 

[smogg]

Salut all

Another silly poll, we all like them

Most important factor for you, bass players : a GREAT TONE or an IMPRESSIVE TECHNIQUE ?

We speak about what can make you like another bass player, or what you work the most, etc

I know the tone is linked to technique and technique linked to tone , but be serious!

Myself I appreciate better a player with super tone, than super technique.
I am also more proud of my tone than my technique and put more effort into it.
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 at 180 bpm


And you ?

EDIT :
YES we all know that someone who plays super great in terms of skills can achieve a great tone.
But I can tell you that a lot of people that plays with a good level can sound like s*** and can have a random tone that no one cares.


For me , the tone option means : working your tone, choosing your gear ( pickups preamp pedals strings amp etc ) , searching for a specific tone, working on that and not just some random " plug and play"
For me the technique option means : working on your skill, knowing super secret ninja fingers tricks, be quick to play, having a super groove , showing your death playing


So the question is more :
What interests you more between both ?
What makes you say "wow"
What are you the most proud of?

Do you prefer a basic player who KNOWS how to play but has an identifiable killer tone or a show-off player that kills everything but sounds like everybody random tone ?


C'mon guys not just the basic answer " One leads to the other " because it is not the point and also it is not always true

EDIT 2 :

Well I prefer being a B+ player with a great tone, worked with love and pain to find the perfect alchemy between hands, gear, personality, than being a A+ player ( who can play things considered as harder to play ) with a random OK tone

I use many different tones through out a four hour cover gig. But because of my technique (or lack of) I still sound like me. I find it easy to make drastic changes to my tone but changes to my technique are subtle at best. So I voted technique since I use tone(s) to hide my lack of it.

 

[Sixgunn]

That's hilarious.
Sheehan's tone is unique, but very purposeful and works very well in the mixes he plays in.

Hilarious? Why, because I don't like it? Yes, he is very prominent in the mix. It's just not sonically pleasing, to me.

 

[lz4005]

If the, improper technique, does not prevent the player from playing the song correctly, what difference does it make?

Shortening their career by inviting repetitive stress injuries to their wrists mostly.

 

[lz4005]

Hilarious? Why, because I don't like it? Yes, he is very prominent in the mix. It's just not sonically pleasing, to me.

Which do you think he has, lousy equipment or the inability to use it properly?

 

[SteveCS]

For me a good tone is your tone you like when you play, which is the result of work and time to find perfect balance for YOUR taste.
Who cares if other people are enjoying it Or not ?

A very naive and childish view, IMO. In future, if you grow as a musician, you will realise that tone of individual instruments is about the ensemble working for the music, not your personal taste. Then you will realise that to grow and keep up as a bass player you need to develop the techniques necessary to deliver the tones you need...

YMMV

 

[Tampabass]

Which tone is best for metal?

 

[Chrisk-K]

Tone? For 99.9% listeners, every bass sounds the same.

 

[Sixgunn]

Which do you think he has, lousy equipment or the inability to use it properly?

I think the latter, although I'm sure he likes his tone but here's his actual EQ curve:

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Tone is not just a knob on the bass, it is part of how you approach the instrument and this comes with how you practice on your technique.

 

[lz4005]

I think the latter, although I'm sure he likes his tone but here's his actual EQ curve:

View attachment 3282643

There's a big difference between the inability to do something and purposefully dialing in a specific tone. There's nothing in those knob settings that is done out of ignorance.

You're also missing the second amp he uses for the 2nd ouput of his bass that has a vastly different EQ curve.