Why do the session legends all use P basses? (SBL Video Discussion)

[citizenchris099]

Wanted to discuss this video w/you guys.


I can relate to the problems with the active 5 string that the engineers seemed to want to fix. As it was essentially the issues I was experiencing that led to me trading/selling said bass for a P Bass.

 

[Modler]

Imagine a sound engineer who could only make a Stratocaster work in the mix. And if anyone turned up with a Tele or a Les Paul or something... "Oh dear... How are we gonna fix that in the mix? Why can't you just play a Strat like all the other guys do?"

Now, how long would that engineer stay in business?

 

[4sight]

Some sound engineers are lazy, a P is easy to work with. I didn't actually watch the video, but that's at least part of it I suspect.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Who's session legends?
Yours or mine?
And who are John Mayer and Robin Thicke?

 

[wvbass]

I love these threads. Everybody gets upset when they get reminded that the mainstream recording industry loves a P bass.

I think he also said to opt for the simplest version of your bass line. Bet that isn’t a popular idea here either.

 

[kinopah]

a P is easy to work with.

/thread
It's easy to make it sound great. It's the clear industry standard (which is a not-so-vicious cycle) and it appeals to a wide swath of players and is familiar and safe for engineers and grumpy bandleader singers/guitarists who might be intimidated by a 6 string singlecut (even if it can sound the same or better). Some of those are negatives, but some are also "ain't broke, don't fix it". Nothing beats the simplicity of a passive P for me.

 

[Bass Viking]

I love these threads. Everybody gets upset when they get reminded that the mainstream recording industry loves a P bass.

I think he also said to opt for the simplest version of your bass line. Bet that isn’t a popular idea here either.

Of course, the people who are P bass players don’t have an issue with it, it’s no skin off their back. But not everyone likes P basses nor likes being told what instrument to play.

I agree that a simple bass part often works best!

 

[Bob_Ross]

It's easy to make it sound great.

As both a bassist and audio engineer for most of my 40+ year professional career, I would amend that statement thusly:

It's easy to make it sound as good as it needs to be.

I.e., it's easy (enough) to make it work for the track. Whether that constitutes "great(-ness)" depends on a whole lot of other factors, many of which don't even concern the recording engineer.

 

[jd56hawk]

 

[Watchootognbout]

So a "P"is easy to work with.
Does that automatically mean that everything else isn't?

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Imagine a sound engineer who could only make a Stratocaster work in the mix. And if anyone turned up with a Tele or a Les Paul or something... "Oh dear... How are we gonna fix that in the mix? Why can't you just play a Strat like all the other guys do?"

Now, how long would that engineer stay in business?

I don't really think that's what they're saying. I think they were just looking for a certain sound, and the particular bass be brought wasn't getting that sound.

just like showing up for a gig with a Les Paul or B.C. Rich guitar when the engineer or producer really wants that "in-between" pickup position sound of a Strat. Pick the right tool for the job.

Yes, I know this thread will infuriate all of those players who own the most expensive, exotic wood, boutique-built, tons of knobs and pickup basses, but sometimes less can be more.

On the flip side, I'm sure there have been examples where a guy showed up with a P Bass with flats and the engineer and producer were like, "this isn't gonna work". Goes both ways.

 

[Rib 13]

do they?

I bring many basses (strung with different string types) and choose the one I feel accordingly....very sparingly have I ever been asked to use a particular bass. The P-tone is one of many tones on the pallette for any given session (of which I use the mid pickup in Series mode on my G&L ASAT for P-tone)......This mantra of all session guys use P-basses and engineers/producers telling them to do so is largely a myth to me --- and one that I usually only hear get circulated here on TB........ymmv

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Of course, the people who are P bass players don’t have an issue with it, it’s no skin off their back. But not everyone likes P basses nor likes being told what instrument to play.

I agree that a simple bass part often works best!

If you're a session musician and they're telling you to get a certain sound/tone and you can't with the bass you brought, then guess who isn't going to be called back for another session? So if that's your gig, you need to be fine with people telling you what instrument to play, otherwise your bills aren't going to get paid.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Also, all of you guys getting all butt-hurt and up in arms about this video because you don't play a P Bass, remember this video is from a website that survives on generating content. They have to come up with videos like this to change it up a bit. If they don't create content, they don't stay afloat.

My guess is this thread is exactly what the people at Scott's Bass Lessons wants because it could potentially open people up to and expose them to the Scott's Bass lessons site and create new members. And if you've watched any of his other videos, he plays a ton of other basses.

 

[Geri O]

Also, all of you guys getting all butt-hurt and up in arms about this video because you don't play a P Bas, remember this video is from a website that survives on generating content. They have to come up with videos like this to change it up a bit. If they don't create content, they don't stay afloat.

My guess is this thread is exactly what the people at Scott's Bass Lessons wants because it could potentially open people up to and expose them to the Scott's Bass lessons site and create new members. And if you've watched any of his other videos, he plays a ton of other basses.

Ahh, now, don’t go making perfect sense! Who wants that? And who wouldn’t want to see 15 pages of varying degrees of praise and butthurt in 2 days generated over 1 video talking about 1 bass (Okay, 3 days...sorry, my mistake...)?

(I shouldn’t have to actually say that this is me being facetious, but I’m certain that someone will mistake it as being serious...)

 

[two fingers]

I love these threads. Everybody gets upset when they get reminded that the mainstream recording industry loves a P bass.

I think he also said to opt for the simplest version of your bass line. Bet that isn’t a popular idea here either.

Bingo.

 

[REV]

My understanding is that as the P bass became more prominent in the music industry a lot of the preamps used in recording were designed to match the output of the P bass. This made it really easy to get a good bass sound.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

This varies based on the type of music you are playing/ recording.

 

[Turnaround]

Geddy Lee, Joe Osborne, Adam Clayton, Verdine White, Marcus Miller, Victor Bailey, Larry Graham, John Paul Jones, Will Lee..... oh wait, they're all Jazz players.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

It had to be something. All music isn’t divided up by an equal representation of every bass style. One style simply has to be predominant, it’s how numbers work.