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

[AMJBASS]

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 feel this is not super accurate. More than half of my work is playing in theater pits. I use a P-bass like 90% of the time, and the rest is upright. It totally depends on the nature of the show. Not all of us are playing in NYC

 

[Rib 13]

From the engineering side, any time I had something other than a P bass, or maybe a good Jazz, I had to do all manner of equalization, dynamics (normal and multi-band), automation and what not to bring some consistency into the part. Still had to battle disappearing bass syndrome. Never happens with the P bass. Just a touch of compression and you are good to go.

Im not understanding this: Youre saying that if three bass players that play P-basses come in
1) Player 1 - Very Consistent Fingers w Light touch/finesse - very even note delivery, tapewounds, fingers over pickup (very legato player) '72 Precision w Stock Pickup (passive), low pickup height, Jazz RnB session
2) Player 2 - Ham Handed Heavy Pick and Slap, note delivery sporadic with lots of transients and artifacts, Brand New Roundwounds, EMG P pickup (active), high pickup height, aggressive Metal
3) Player 3 - Semi-Consistent Fingers/slap w Medium touch - fairly consistent note devivery but slap style is slightly more aggressive with some transients and artifacts, Brite Flats strings, Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder (passive Hi Output), high pickup height, Project will incorporate tuned 808 as sub-bass reinforcement, fingers toward bridge (very staccato player), Electro Funk

..that all you would need is a touch of compression for each?

It seems to me that you would have to do the same amount of tweak work as you would with a player using any bass.....The biggest factor is the delivery consistentency of the individual player, not how consistent the bass-type is that comes through the door....ymmv and all dat

 

[JimmyM]

2) Player 2 - Heavy Pick and Slap, Brand New Roundwounds, EMG GZR pickup (active)

GZR is passive. It's basically a clone of the stock pickup in Bobby Vega's 60 Precision.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

GZR is passive. It's basically a clone of the stock pickup in Bobby Vega's 60 Precision.

I didn’t know that. Assumed it was a clone of something in Geezer’s bass.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I think all bassists should run sound at some point. With all the variation in guitar effects, balancing vocals, drums, keys, it's really great to see a P bass, no effects that you can just set and forget.

 

[bass12]

I think all bassists should run sound at some point. With all the variation in guitar effects, balancing vocals, drums, keys, it's really great to see a P bass, no effects that you can just set and forget.

I've never used a P in a big room but I've had plenty of FOH guys who know what they're doing tell me that they just put a little bit of compression on my Sadowsky Modern or Jazz - or even my MTD 535 - and leave it alone. I'm very glad a P is not a necessity in gigging situations.

 

[Rib 13]

GZR is passive. It's basically a clone of the stock pickup in Bobby Vega's 60 Precision.

.....Edited Player 2 with an EMG active P....doesnt really change the point, though, does it?

 

[Craig4003]

I think all bassists should run sound at some point. With all the variation in guitar effects, balancing vocals, drums, keys, it's really great to see a P bass, no effects that you can just set and forget.

There's an old music-biz adage: "If you let the bass player mix your sound, the bass will be too loud." It's actually true for other instruments too.

I think everyone who is involved in creating music should learn the arts of mixing, engineering, and production. It really changes your outlook on things. But if you think a P is more "set and forget" than other basses, it sounds like you've been spending way too much time with P basses and not enough learning how to work with other models. Or that there's a vicious cycle at work where people are used to hearing P basses, so that's what they expect, so if another bass is used, they try to make it sound like a P.

 

[JimmyM]

.....Edited Player 2 with an EMG active P....doesnt really change the point, though, does it?

No...just setting the record straight

 

[JimmyM]

I didn’t know that. Assumed it was a clone of something in Geezer’s bass.

Well it kind of is...Geezer was looking for that kind of tonality for his Lakland sig that he was getting in his pre-CBS Precision but wasn't getting out of all the other pickups he tried, and Bobby had a bass they thought had a pickup that Geezer was looking for.

 

[JimmyM]

There's an old music-biz adage: "If you let the bass player mix your sound, the bass will be too loud." It's actually true for other instruments too.

Actually, more than any other instrument, I think you have better luck getting a better overall mix out of a bassist running sound. A generalization, yes, but bassists seem to have the overall picture in mind more than anyone else.

 

[frankie5string]

Lots of FOH guys in Toronto seem to be bass players. I've gotten a lot of complements that started with "Hey, I'm a bass player, too, and I loved the sound of your bass through the board..."

I also do FOH for some small indoor shows at an event space using a bunch of older EV PA gear. People always complement me on my audio work.

So there you go.

Actually, more than any other instrument, I think you have better luck getting a better overall mix out of a bassist running sound. A generalization, yes, but bassists seem to have the overall picture in mind more than anyone else.

 

[nostatic]

Actually, more than any other instrument, I think you have better luck getting a better overall mix out of a bassist running sound. A generalization, yes, but bassists seem to have the overall picture in mind more than anyone else.

Since one significant point of the instrument is the bridge between rhythm and melody/harmony, one would hope we have a foot (and ear) in both camps.

The worst mixes I've had on various projects always came from guitarists. I swear 85% of them are deaf to their instrument

 

[Elusive1]

This has gotten me wondering what all the lefty players who don't own (i.e. are unable to afford) P Basses would do were we to show up at a studio with whatever basses we have and then get requested to play a P (in some cases being provided with a righty model)... give up the job just because we don't have/are unable to play what they require...?

Some here have spoken about being able to approximate a P tone from a J neck pickup. I somewhat agree with that, as I've managed on mine so far... however, I'm also curious to know how well that (settling for a J neck in place of a P) would be tolerated by sound engineers?

 

[Bass4LifeRS]

If you're a pro you can afford a P-bass. ...

 

[JimB52]

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.

Many classic recordings have very stripped down lean clean rhythm tracks, particularly drums and 2nd guitar.

 

[Lionel Albert]

This has gotten me wondering what all the lefty players who don't own (i.e. are unable to afford) P Basses would do were we to show up at a studio with whatever basses we have and then get requested to play a P (in some cases being provided with a righty model)... give up the job just because we don't have/are unable to play what they require...?

Some here have spoken about being able to approximate a P tone from a J neck pickup. I somewhat agree with that, as I've managed on mine so far... however, I'm also curious to know how well that (settling for a J neck in place of a P) would be tolerated by sound engineers?

 

[frankie5string]

I'm sure a few of them did what I did... learn to play right-handed.

My Precision has a jazz neck.
Producers and engineers so far either haven't noticed, or were didn't care because they got the sound they wanted out of me.

This is what mine looks like.

Never a complaint or concern that the fingerboard looked just a little out of place. ;-)

This has gotten me wondering what all the lefty players who don't own (i.e. are unable to afford) P Basses would do were we to show up at a studio with whatever basses we have and then get requested to play a P (in some cases being provided with a righty model)... give up the job just because we don't have/are unable to play what they require...?

Some here have spoken about being able to approximate a P tone from a J neck pickup. I somewhat agree with that, as I've managed on mine so far... however, I'm also curious to know how well that (settling for a J neck in place of a P) would be tolerated by sound engineers?

 

[Elusive1]

I'm sure a few of them did what I did... learn to play right-handed.

My Precision has a jazz neck.
Producers and engineers so far either haven't noticed, or were didn't care because they got the sound they wanted out of me.

This is what mine looks like.

View attachment 3272435

Never a complaint or concern that the fingerboard looked just a little out of place. ;-)

Actually I meant to say "J neck pickup in place of a P pickup" I suppose I should've typed that clearer

 

[Barticus]

In so many cases doesn’t this really come down to the type and style of music and desired sound?

I’m in the process of recording a 12 song album with my band and I can’t imagine switching over to my P-Bass for the sound we want to achieve collectively, it would sound out of place, I mean the sound of my hands would be the same but our mix would be very different.

And I know Geddy Lee had a P bass for their very first album which sounds completely different from all of the other really unique mid forward sounding bass parts that he is really well known for (Jazz, Wal, Rick, etc)... or if I think what Chris Squire would’ve sounded like or Flea with a P bass instead. There’s just never one tool for all jobs, but agree using the right tool for the right job makes all the difference.

I have one and love it for certain stuff, but not all music I play. Also totally get that the Motown sound wouldn’t have been what it was without James Jamerson‘s or Bob Babbitt’s P sound.

It’s like saying only a four string bass will work for every song or only a six string or only fretless - let alone a particular pick up configuration (P vs J, etc.).

IMHO I think it's more about the right tool for the right job.