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

[honeyiscool]

I think you'll find the thread title is 'Why do the Sessions Legends all use P Basses'.

Well clearly that statement is probably open to interpretation in relation to its accuracy (as it's likely they use lots of other basses as well and particularly if needing a 5 string) but it seems clear enough to me what the title means and intends.

It’s a clickbait title and if you bother watching the video, you’ll notice that they don’t actually even say that in the video. In fact, the bass player being interviewed even states that when he started, his active Lakland 5 worked great and then tastes changed.

 

[Lionel Albert]

Too many pages here : this is Rick Beato !
5 Tips For Great BASS Sounds!

 

[retslock]

5 minutes to get a sound on a P bass? Got it...next! It's a disgustingly vicious cycle, and both disrespectful to the players and the bass guitar(and all it's variants).

With respect, this is another example of a misguided idea of the session players role in the studio. You’re a hired gun and the engineer/producer doesn’t consider that the bass requires respect, they just want you to get it down and go because they’ve got the back-up vocals, string section and horns to do, and they’ve got to do some prep before all that happens. It’s just practical to use a bass that’s no fuss. Time is money and they’ve got enough to worry about setting up mikes and arranging floor space and baffles or whatever for the next session.

 

[drTSTingray]

It’s a clickbait title and if you bother watching the video, you’ll notice that they don’t actually even say that in the video.

Interesting - I have heard Scott wax lyrical about the P bass on several videos and he is clearly a big fan. And why not - Lots of people are. Yes, clickbait title indeed.....

So you're saying it's not actually true then (although it's encouraged loads of people to post in this thread in support of the inaccurate headline)?

 

[honeyiscool]

Interesting - I have heard Scott wax lyrical about the P bass on several videos and he is clearly a big fan. Yes, clickbait title indeed.....

So it's not actually true then (although it's encouraged loads of people to post in this thread in support of the inaccurate headline)?

He also plays all kinds of basses.

You also chose to apply your own read of that title, so that’s on you. The title doesn’t say that session players only use P Basses and nothing else. You chose to infer that from the title.

 

[JimmyM]

Haha!!

Forgive me if I misunderstood, but I thought we were being told that all the great masters of 'session musicdom' play only P basses and therefore if we're to aspire to that element of musical art form, we need to be following suit with such an instrument if our art is to be taken seriously?

Got to agree with honeyiscool that nobody said that.

 

[drTSTingray]

Got to agree with honeyiscool that nobody said that.

Yeah me too - except the title clearly implied that which is why there are tens of pages of posts of people telling us why sessions players use, and studios insist on the use of P basses - or have I got that wrong as well .......

 

[nostatic]

Got to agree with honeyiscool that nobody said that.

I'm just shocked there is enough session work to keep the amount of people posting on this thread busy. Most of it dried up in LA decades ago.

 

[nostatic]

Yeah me too - except the title clearly inferred that which is why there are tens of pages of posts of people telling us why sessions players use, and studios insist on the use of P basses - or have I got that wrong as well .......

How about telling us about grammar?

Person sending the message implies, person receiving the message infers.

 

[drTSTingray]

How about telling us about grammar?

Person sending the message implies, person receiving the message infers.

Well done - 'I wondered how long it would be before someone noticed that'

 

[nostatic]

Do excuse my command of the English language

I wondered how long it would be before someone noticed that

I usually try to avoid the grammar nazi thing, but couldn't resist the low-hanging fruit. I blame myself.

 

[Massan]

all of you guys who are arguing against P basses and blaming engineers for being too lazy - you are just plain wrong
its all about getting it right in the source, not fixing it in the mix. its a cornerstone of recording.
do youself a favor and never bring your "opinion" up amongst professionals - you will be laughed at.

 

[drifter grey]

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?

Probably pretty easily. The engineer would just have to convert the session to MIDI and then run it through Native Instruments guitar VST.

 

[MMiller28]

Hold on there a minute, partner. Not that simple. The vast majority of recording artists do not have artistic control over their releases. Most recording artists never achieve this. Obviously, its in a label's best interests to develop and shepherd the creative artistry of their talent pool. But if you think signed artists don't have to do what they're told, you are living in a world of dreams. It is almost always the record producer employed or hired by the label who has absolute and final say over the content of a release. If you have heard as many national acts as I have before, during and after they got signed, you would know why.

Of course, there are always going to be exceptions to this rule. These days, you can even release your own material without the shepherding, guidance and facilities of a seasoned record producer. Go for it.

Ok, well I'm saying that in 1978 no one told John Paul Jones he wasn't allowed to play a Jazz in the studio.

 

[drTSTingray]

I usually try to avoid the grammar nazi thing, but couldn't resist the low-hanging fruit. I blame myself.

Quite understandable - I've corrected the post now!!

 

[isaac42]

You just reminded me of another thing to note about the "industry standard". Don't show up to a musical to play a P-bass in the pit. You will need a 5 string-- period.

I played in the pit for a production of Reefer Madness with a 4-string. There were no notes in the score below low E that I recall, but I can easily imagine that being different in other shows.

 

[nostatic]

Probably pretty easily. The engineer would just have to convert the session to MIDI and then run it through Native Instruments guitar VST.

If people haven't used modern (like the last couple years) recording software, they have no idea what is possible. The ability of algorithms to do waveform analysis and convert to whatever you want is getting scary good, and with machine learning will just get better.

I was starting to edit a quick and dirty video shoot of someone giving a talk. I did three cameras - Sony a7, iPhone, and Zoom Q2n. Pulled the footage into DaVinci Resolve, found three clips of the same section, created a Multicam clip and the software automatically aligned based on audio analysis. In like 8 seconds.

 

[JimmyM]

Yeah me too - except the title clearly implied that which is why there are tens of pages of posts of people telling us why sessions players use, and studios insist on the use of P basses - or have I got that wrong as well .......

Well if you're going to nitpick...

 

[Lionel Albert]

With Audacity I created an organ sound.
Trolling a bit, sorry.
If a moron like me does it imagine what an experimented professional could do !

 

[Texican]

Only made it through the first page and I’m already loving all the butthurt! Forumites screaming “don’t tell me what to play!”... don’t worry, NO ONE IS! They all telling the professional session bassists what to play (and the players are being paid accordingly). Forum bassists are free to play whatever they want.