Just curious, why? As a bass player wouldn't you reach for your main instrument since you could?
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Why do the session legends all use P basses? (SBL Video Discussion)
- Thread starter citizenchris099
- Start date
Just curious, why? As a bass player wouldn't you reach for your main instrument since you could?
ive been a stalwart responder in this thread, however i usually speak in terms of my overall history --- I should make the disclaimer that the present time is a shadow of how it used to be: these days, Im usually hired at two main places: i am the bass player for a Nashville songwriter's group in my area at one studio. The engineer/producer/owner is perfectly capable of using VSTis for everything (even guitars) but prefers to capture the feel of a four or five players, so thats really his choice. hes that way with all the client work too....the other studio just reopened in my area after being gone for almost fifteen years..... the guy that owns it doesn't need the income from it -- its more of a business hobby for him....similar situation: He does blues and funk and wants to capture live sound, not program...I do his work for him and clients he brings in...Maybe this will be a trend? Who knows?.....the rest is all project work......its a shadow of what it used to be like for me, even ten years ago...... it isnt what it used to be, even playing live: as a matter of fact, Im in RN School currently because I cant rely on music anymore as a primary source of income (and the double whammy of my aging as well as the younger listening generation's apathy toward musicianship doesnt help)
but if I turn on the radio and listen to bands that supposedly have bass players, like Imagine Dragons or Maroon 5, Im listening thinking "the bass is a VSTi....with tuned 808 ghosted in for sub re-inforcement"....now theres a job: Show up to all the photo shoots with your bass and be marketed as the musician in the band and make money doing it
convenience --- Ive done that several times myself - just without the keyboard....easier to open the scroll bar and write in the notes with the mouse and call up the appropriate VSTi then it is to set levels and track a bass guitar part...i only do this to get ideas down, tho...never as a final
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Producer or artist discretion and studio time. They also had the patch in mind already and so much easier for the engineer as well. Some may involve a synth or effect that is already done for you. They do not care about nuance and they will quantize you anyway
thanks. it sounds like two guys "nerding out" about their experiences as if their experiences were really important. this video is about entertaining fans, i think.
Hi,
Now I'm embarrassed!
Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, a lot of the guys in Nashville swear by Peavey. You see their amps all over the place. They've really come a long way as a brand. Totally credible. Peavey makes some great products now. It doesn't surprise me that your Peavey bass was very well received. Good stuff.
Why do the session legends all use P basses? (SBL Video Discussion)
It's like a form of socialism.
It's like a form of socialism.
A lot of pop music that’s been produced has been with Fender basses in the mix. We are going on 3 generations of it. That’s a hell of a market share and people are used to those bass tones.
Trends come & go.
A bass isn’t the singer or the lyrics. At times however, it can provide a catchy intro, hook, or color.
If today’s pop music calls for a bass sound without zing & slap, that’s what’s selling. Selling stuff pays bills. Usually a reasonable motivator.
Look at what studios do to drum kits to get that sound. What do drummer forum threads read like? Ludwig or Slingerland bias? TAMA or Yamaha bias?
Trends come & go.
A bass isn’t the singer or the lyrics. At times however, it can provide a catchy intro, hook, or color.
If today’s pop music calls for a bass sound without zing & slap, that’s what’s selling. Selling stuff pays bills. Usually a reasonable motivator.
Look at what studios do to drum kits to get that sound. What do drummer forum threads read like? Ludwig or Slingerland bias? TAMA or Yamaha bias?
dude, theres a lot of stuff I have been hired for over the last several years where theres no charts or numbers, no other players: its just me and a drumtrack at a specific bpm.......basically, Im being sampled for one-shots, parts, and phrases......the first time this happened was back in the early 90s recording parts for Snap! -- I used a Peavey Foundation and grooved to a track -- thats what I was asked to do - it all went into DigiDesign....over the decades this happened more and more........one composer even has a file called "Spazz Bass" with my G&L, fingers and slap.......apparently, Ive been on several HBO things but nothing I actually intentionally played --- just samples of me
Cool stuff, Snap were great songs and still stand the test of time, and yes i was sampled in the mid eighties where i got a fee for recording lines and phrases for a "in house library" and like you i was cut and pasted into songs or sold on as part of the library, not sure i could ever recognize any of it if i heard it through....we seem to have had the same experiences, thou i have stayed out of studios on the main for the last 8 years of so....but i do venture in for friends.
Gospel and Praise & Worship Music is often written in keys like E flat or lower.
It’s been that way for the past 20 years at least. Those low notes on the B string are also used in a dramatic way to convey a certain mood or feeling in a similar way that orchestra pit bassist might use them.
Just to be clear, I’m referencing modern urban gospel and contemporary praise and worship , not the more traditional or southern gospel styles.
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“Anger economy” is an interesting term but I don’t get a sense of economical use of anger - it’s extravagantly and wastefuly spewed in my estimation but I’m with you in spirit in your assessment. I call it “uninformed outrage” - the need to strike out in anger without any understanding of the issues.
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One minute, what's happening if the musician comes with a reverse pickup on his PB ?
I wonder why they exist.
I wonder why they exist.
dude, theres a lot of stuff I have been hired for over the last several years where theres no charts or numbers, no other players: its just me and a drumtrack at a specific bpm.......basically, Im being sampled for one-shots, parts, and phrases......the first time this happened was back in the early 90s recording parts for Snap! -- I used a Peavey Foundation and grooved to a track -- thats what I was asked to do - it all went into DigiDesign....over the decades this happened more and more........one composer even has a file called "Spazz Bass" with my G&L, fingers and slap.......apparently, Ive been on several HBO things but nothing I actually intentionally played --- just samples of me
Did you get residuals from the HBO things? Not to start another parallel hornet's nest.
First time the sampling thing happened to me was late 80's in LA. I was just transitioning from guitar to bass and I got a call to do some guitar for a "funk" project that actually turned out to be early rap. I went into the studio, ran my Strat direct into the board, played some different figures to a drum machine track and left. I heard a rough mix a couple of weeks later and they'd basically sliced and diced what I played into something completely different and out of context. I guess they didn't want to sample Jimmy Nolen (which would have sounded way better than me). Digital definitely changed everything...
no, and I was never expecting any - I got paid for the session but thats it....it was one shots of different notes, open and fretted, fingers and slap....then a drumtrack was ran and I played assorted grooves with fingers and slap at several BPMs in different keys....the last thing was "fret noise": moving the hand up and down, thumb mutes, etc.....like anything else Ive done with these types of sessions, its all pieced together after the fact and I wouldnt recognize anything anyway...Did you get residuals from the HBO things? Not to start another parallel hornet's nest.
yup, same type of deals
I've done some recording, and used to mix the demos for my band. And it wasn't long before I found myself always reaching for the P, and running it through my SansAmp.
It records clean, and never required too much knob twiddling to sound great in a mix.
So this video was not too surprising.
It records clean, and never required too much knob twiddling to sound great in a mix.
So this video was not too surprising.
I write and record sketches in Garageband on my iPad simply because it’s quick and it’s right there at my fingertips wherever I am. If I come up with something worth developing I can easily move it to Logic on my desktop Mac.
The thing is, I really like the P bass sample that Garageband has. For simple parts it’s very useful. Of course if the part is more demanding I would play it but for quick drafts the iPad works well. Results are the focus so I’m not precious about how I get them, just as long as they work. No different to a painter using mixed media to create a picture.
...also, ime, with bass, the more processing you need to do, to get it sitting right, the more muddy the track gets.
It's not like guitar, where you can go to town.
And then you try to use levels to compensate for that, but then it sounds wrong until you lower it down.
...So I always grabbed the P
It's not like guitar, where you can go to town.
And then you try to use levels to compensate for that, but then it sounds wrong until you lower it down.
...So I always grabbed the P
It’s ok, 99.5 % of Talkbass won’t be doing any major sessions. So, play what you like and record what you like. Have fun!
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