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What pro's use on the road vs in studio

#21
5string5fingers said:
Interesting. So what happens when said new band goes to the studio and the Bass player doesn't have 50 instruments for the producer to choose from? Is there a fail safe?
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Abe Laboriel is not a "new band" but rather a session player in many styles of music. So that is why he needs to bring a wide range of basses to make the producers happy. If the recording session is with your band then 9 times out of 10, you'll play your own bass with the sound you and your bandmates prefer (with input from the producer and engineer of course; that's what you're paying them for).

My advice for a studio date with your band is to bring one (or more) well-set up bass, with fresh strings (unless you are a dead flatwound player like me), that you are totally 100% comfortable with playing. Doesn't matter if it is a $200 Squier or a $2,000 Spector: It should be in good playing condition and be an instrument on which you feel capable of giving a great performance.

And of course the better studios have lots of instruments from which to choose, if the sound of your bass isn't right for a particular track.
 
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#22
5string5fingers said:
Interesting. So what happens when said new band goes to the studio and the Bass player doesn't have 50 instruments for the producer to choose from? Is there a fail safe?
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A lot of studios will have a Fender or two lying around just in case. :) It depends on what level of the business you're talking about. If you are just paying for studio time and want to record some tracks with your band (as opposed to having a big label backing you) then don't sweat it too much because your final product probably won't sound like a $50,000 record anyway. :D Go in and play your parts well. If the studio is worth its salt then it probably has some decent preamps that will help you get a good sound out of your bass (assuming it sounds decent to begin with). If the studio doesn't have much in the way of bass friendly preamps then you could always look into renting or buying a good bass preamp/D.I.
 
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#24
I use the same bass for studio and shows. Its a 3 band musicman stingray. No recording tech has ever asked me to use studio gear. I prefer that musicman over anything else. If I was told to use their bass id probaby say but this one has the sound i want. My band would be behind my choice to use the ray too. If i bring another bass to practice they always ask wheres the stingray?
 
#25
The last record we made before I had to coughgrowupandgetarealjobcough, I had a Fender "Cowpoke" that I used for everything. I also had an ATK as a backup. After I had tracked everything, the producer made me do it all again with the ATK. He trashed the takes I did with the Fender. Only played the ATK live a couple of times. Frigging tank.
 
#26
Bodeanly said:
The last record we made before I had to coughgrowupandgetarealjobcough, I had a Fender "Cowpoke" that I used for everything. I also had an ATK as a backup. After I had tracked everything, the producer made me do it all again with the ATK. He trashed the takes I did with the Fender. Only played the ATK live a couple of times. Frigging tank.
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Producer "made you"? I think some of what is being said here is, if you are in a band that is paying for studio time, you decide what you want to play (hopefully, with careful consideration of the advice given by the producer, knob twister, or other studio folk). If you are hired (either alone, or as part of a larger group) to support an artist, then you are an employee, and you should do what any good employee does, and follow instructions, advice or what-not. Perhaps you were in the second category...if so, sorry for misunderstanding.
 
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#27
Lets get priorities in order, you are paying for studio time to record YOUR music and you are trying to figure out what other people play? How about figuring out what bass gives you the sound you want for your music? Every time these topics come up about recording, people get confused between recording your own music and recording music for someone else. If you are continually chasing someone else's sound, your quest will NEVER end. Figure it out for yourself, the quest is the best part because once you find it...life will truly be good.
 
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#28
Luckydog said:
Producer "made you"? I think some of what is being said here is, if you are in a band that is paying for studio time, you decide what you want to play (hopefully, with careful consideration of the advice given by the producer, knob twister, or other studio folk). If you are hired (either alone, or as part of a larger group) to support an artist, then you are an employee, and you should do what any good employee does, and follow instructions, advice or what-not. Perhaps you were in the second category...if so, sorry for misunderstanding.
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Yes. Made me. Wasn't my dime.

That said, the ATK actually sounded better than the Fender.
 
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#33
5string5fingers said:
So the current band I have been in for the past 7-8 months is starting to get serious, booking gigs, talking about studio time,etc I'm looking to get a professional quality tool after the first of the year. I have few basses in mind but I decided to go back and look at what my favorite professional players use, and what the bassists of the bands we cover, and style of music we play. Two brands consistently show up, warwick and spector.

I have read a lot of guys have a set of studio instruments and then they have their working instruments and they're not always the same thing. Anybody know what the chances are of what you hear in the record is the same bass you see them playing on stage with?
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Most bands in your genre use the same basses in the studio that they do on the road, but you're overthinking this a bit.

What other bass players in your style of music use, either in the studio or on the road, doesn't matter at all; the only question you need to answer is what gear will allow you to achieve the sound you hear in YOUR head and express YOUR vision.

Spector and Warwick both make great basses, and they also have very distinct voices, so the only the only way to know if they work for you is to try them; neither will sound or feel anything like the Squire basses you've been playing.

I've heard incredible bass tone from 'beginner' basses and horrid bass tone from boutique basses, it's all about the operator knowing how to use the equipment.
 
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#36
spaz21387 said:
I use the same bass for studio and shows. Its a 3 band musicman stingray. No recording tech has ever asked me to use studio gear. I prefer that musicman over anything else. If I was told to use their bass id probaby say but this one has the sound i want. My band would be behind my choice to use the ray too. If i bring another bass to practice they always ask wheres the stingray?
Click to expand...

It's the difference between being a customer and being an employee. If you're the one paying the studio you'll probably have the clout to use the bass you want. You're the customer. If you're a working bass player who's been hired for the session you're going to have to play whatever the producer/recording engineer wants. You're an employee. It also matters where the money is coming from. If your band is coming up with the money, you'll have a lot more control. If a record company is paying for the session you could end up having much less of a say in what equipment you record on.
 
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#37
5string5fingers said:
Interesting. So what happens when said new band goes to the studio and the Bass player doesn't have 50 instruments for the producer to choose from? Is there a fail safe?
Click to expand...

Did you see the show on Axcs about the "Wrecking Crew" in Los Angeles ? Tommy Tedesco was in a studio where the producer could only see his head. Tommy played a few notes,producer says"Lets try a mandolin " Tommy pretends to bend down like he's picking up another instrument,plays a few notes,producer says" Nah ,lets try a (insert instrument). This went on for a while until finally producer says "Yeah that's it !" Tommy was playing the same guitar the whole time,just changing the position of where he was picking !
 
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#39
About half of my gigs are studio sessions as I've partnered with an engineer.

For me it's about the setup more than anything. Quiet, in tune and easy enough to play are the primary criteria. String height is higher than my live action basses where I like a little clank.

So I keep two, a passive P and an active Tune at the studio.

I think that there is wider variation with the DI than most other things.
 
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