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Which bass should I use? (Recording a single)

#21
Kael said:
Then just pick up a P bass and use that because that's what will work best 99% of the time in a studio and what virtually every recording engineer and producer wants anyways.
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Not sure if you were being sarcastic or not but I’m getting tired of seeing this sort of statement everywhere. If a producer doesn’t want anything else than a Pbass, they’re either rubbish at their job and can’t mix anything else, or are just too narrow-minded to accept that there’s other styles of basses on the market.
The P is a classic instrument but clearly not for everyone. I owned two before and I’m now a very happy man with two Jazz-like basses only (a 4 and a 5). I’ve recorded an album with a Jazz bass years ago and it did an amazing job (hope it helps the OP).

My 2cents.
 
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#22
How could we possibly know without being familiar with the music and with your playing style? The instrument itself is only a tool, its what you do with it that defines how it sounds. Person A can play a jazz bass and have it sound aggressive, person B could sound warm and melodic. Depends how and what they play.

My recommendation - use your judgement, you're the bass player. Bring a few basses if you think you need options.
 
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#26
Ian774 said:
Not sure if you were being sarcastic or not but I’m getting tired of seeing this sort of statement everywhere. If a producer doesn’t want anything else than a Pbass, they’re either rubbish at their job and can’t mix anything else, or are just too narrow-minded to accept that there’s other styles of basses on the market.
The P is a classic instrument but clearly not for everyone. I owned two before and I’m now a very happy man with two Jazz-like basses only (a 4 and a 5). I’ve recorded an album with a Jazz bass years ago and it did an amazing job (hope it helps the OP).

My 2cents.
Click to expand...

Truth sucks sometimes, yet it is still true.
 
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#29
JRA said:
IME: i've used whatever ax i felt was the most 'playable', by me, at the time: the ax i could best get around on. in other words = it doesn't make any difference. a competent bass instrument played competently will always produce a competent part for a recording. it's just the way it works.

good luck with your "single!" :thumbsup:
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and a good engineer will make sure whatever you bring sit in the mix.
 
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#30
GodPlayedBass said:
Recording a new single with my band. Its a hard rock song but should i use a jazz bass or a musicman style bass? I own seven basses but these are the two i believe would cut through the mix the easiest. Which would you use?

I purposely left the brand of the basses out of this post because this isnt about brand warfare its about the style of bass.
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P
 
#33
You know how your basses sound, we don't. Not all Jazzes sound the same just as not all MusicMan (StingRays or otherwise) sound the same. Take ten Fender Jazzes from the same year and some will no doubt work in the mix better than others. Bring both and make sure they're set up appropriately for the recording session.
 
#34
Ian774 said:
Not sure if you were being sarcastic or not but I’m getting tired of seeing this sort of statement everywhere. If a producer doesn’t want anything else than a Pbass, they’re either rubbish at their job and can’t mix anything else, or are just too narrow-minded to accept that there’s other styles of basses on the market.
The P is a classic instrument but clearly not for everyone. I owned two before and I’m now a very happy man with two Jazz-like basses only (a 4 and a 5). I’ve recorded an album with a Jazz bass years ago and it did an amazing job (hope it helps the OP).

My 2cents.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's not as if great recordings haven't been made with Jazzes, MusicMans, Wals, Rics, Yamahas, Spectors, etc., etc. The need for a P in the studio has to be one of the greatest myths in the business (eagerly swallowed and regurgitated by many a bassist, unfortunately). :rolleyes:
 
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#36
In a vacuum, assuming that: (1) I couldn’t listen to both basses first, (2) I couldn’t get guidance from the producer and/or engineer, (3) I didn’t know anything about what was to be recorded other than it’s “hard rock,” and (4) I couldn’t use a P-bass, I would choose the MM style bass for cutting through the mix.
 
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