Would Someone Please Explain This To Me???

[kbob]

If you're listening to music recorded before about 1985, keep in mind that it was distributed on LPs (long-playing phonograph records). LPs can't reproduce low frequencies. Everything had to be rolled off at 70-80 Hz. The only time you'd actually hear notes below that would be at live concerts, with the limitations others have already described.

 

[dkelley]

Great answers... I'm mostly going with the person who said the vocalist's range works best in A or whatever. I also would presume that the main songwriting was by the guitarist in the band, so it's most likely less about the bassist and more about the guitarist's favorite keys.

I also really like the concept that going down from the main key is more dramatic than going up, specially so for the V chord (E in the case of an A song).

 

[Space Pickle]

View attachment 4382430

You sees, to be heaviers the metals, you must detunes the guitars and basses. Many Nordic scientists have proves this! Regular tunings is for the olds guys.

brilliant
talk bass of the year
thead over

 

[aprod]

Not really. The timbre changes according to string length and gauge. Shorter fatter strings sound thicker, warmer and more resonant but with softer attack and quicker decay than long thin strings playing the same pitch. Compare Ab at first fret on G string to the same Ab at 18th fret on the E string. Choosing where to play a note is no less important that what note to play. All part of overall musicianship.

Yes, I completely get that. I just found the description lacked any relation to the music. Kinda like using tabs without knowing any theory. Maybe I missed the point of the post.

 

[g-dude]

If you're listening to music recorded before about 1985, keep in mind that it was distributed on LPs (long-playing phonograph records). LPs can't reproduce low frequencies. Everything had to be rolled off at 70-80 Hz. The only time you'd actually hear notes below that would be at live concerts, with the limitations others have already described.

Dang it! I wanted to say something along these lines.

But yeah, between amplifier technology and recording technology, those were both big reasons not to try to play the lowest note possible. Even when you had CDs coming out, the speakers average people were using weren’t all that great for quite some time.

One other thought: when you’re playing the lower notes, they do all start to mush together a bit as a result of the frequencies being close together. If you want to just generally sound like low end rumble, then lower is better. If you want to actually have your parts have more distinction between notes, go up a bit.

 

[Bass Jones]

Hi Everybody,

Not sure if this belongs here or another forum (Music Theory???), however I had a question about Classic Metal vs 90s/Newer Metal bass…

I have been trying to learn to play Black Sabbath (especially their first two albums) and earlier Iron Maiden...

There was metal made after Iron Maiden? I am not familiar with this...

 

[Element Zero]

Not sure who, but someone at some point realized that chugging E power chords and lower power chords sounded more better and “heavier”. Early Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Dio, Pantera, Queensryche, Fates Warning etc… they all kinda got “heavy” within a few years time.

What’s amazing to me is how much heavier things got within a few years of those bands. Look at Meshuggah. Contradictions Collapse was released in ‘91 (months apart from Metallica’s black album mind you) and then 3 years later the None EP which to me is mind blowingly heavy for the time.

 

[El_Charro]

Steve didn't start on guitar. He wanted to play drums but didn't have room for them and said that bass was the best alternative since it was the other half of the rhythm section. He definitely rides the 5th and 7th fret area a lot. When I play a lot of maiden it really opens up my playing because I was so used to playing lower on the E and now I realize I can get a lot more done in an interesting way if I give myself more room up the neck.

——————
Yeah this 100%…

If I personally were playing along to a song and trying to figure it out-I know I would instinctively camp out on the E string and move up and down the E string bc it sounds “heavier”, but playing more on the upper 3 strings has really forced me to become a better player (and more open minded)…

That is one of the reasons I’ve kept Sabbath in my weekly practice rotation -I feel like Geezer’s approach is solid even though it made me uncomfortable to play up there at first bc my left hand wasn’t as good before and after playing their early albums I feel like it improved my overall skills as a bassist (a LONG way to go still mine you, but trying to play those songs makes me more aware when I go to play other songs even if the other songs are more E string driven)…

Thanks! \m/

 

[El_Charro]

There was metal made after Iron Maiden? I am not familiar with this...

————-
Yeah man…Some REALLY good Metal…

You should consider giving it a whirl sometime…

Most bands (including my own personal favorite) owe a LOT to Maiden, but there ARE other quality bands out there if you decide to give them a shot… ;-)

Thanks! \m/

 

[El_Charro]

brilliant
talk bass of the year
thead over

————————————
Um…Did anyone consult with this guy???

He is the bassist after all and that solo he plays…Um…Below the belt is amazing…

Thanks! \m/

 

[El_Charro]

Dang it! I wanted to say something along these lines.

But yeah, between amplifier technology and recording technology, those were both big reasons not to try to play the lowest note possible. Even when you had CDs coming out, the speakers average people were using weren’t all that great for quite some time.

One other thought: when you’re playing the lower notes, they do all start to mush together a bit as a result of the frequencies being close together. If you want to just generally sound like low end rumble, then lower is better. If you want to actually have your parts have more distinction between notes, go up a bit.

————————————
Thank you for this response (and to those who responded before it with a similar answer)…

That makes sense that technology improvements in amp, recording, and distribution media lended themselves to playing lower…

As a side note to this conversation-I didn’t really ever get much into Maiden beyond their greatest hits for a really long time (Partly due to not being a part of that generation or the generation of musicians they influenced)…

Really digging them at the moment bc it’s hard to miss the bass line in most of their songs (and UGH it sadly makes me want a Fender P)…

Would never doubt their talent or influence mind you especially since Metallica basically copied their album/album art/Merch approach (Lars has basically said as much in interviews)…

Just kinda cool how playing a band’s music can make you appreciate them more…

Thanks! \m/

 

[Bass Jones]

————————————
Thank you for this response (and to those who responded before it with a similar answer)…

That makes sense that technology improvements in amp, recording, and distribution media lended themselves to playing lower…

As a side note to this conversation-I didn’t really ever get much into Maiden beyond their greatest hits for a really long time (Partly due to not being a part of that generation or the generation of musicians they influenced)…

Really digging them at the moment bc it’s hard to miss the bass line in most of their songs (and UGH it sadly makes me want a Fender P)…

Would never doubt their talent or influence mind you especially since Metallica basically copied their album/album art/Merch approach (Lars has basically said as much in interviews)…

Just kinda cool how playing a band’s music can make you appreciate them more…

Thanks! \m/

I was just joshing being an old fart with the other comment! I was really into Maiden and wore out the early albums with Bruce but never gave the Paul DiAnno albums a chance for some reason (or maybe just never heard them). Then someone loaned me Killers and man, it was like Christmas came early! What a classic album. Lots of A string riffage! I could never quite play Wrathchild up to speed finger style though.

 

[monsterthompson]

25600309[/URL], member: 301272"]Not sure who, but someone at some point realized that chugging E power chords and lower power chords sounded more better and “heavier”.

And it lets you grab a drink or throw horns or point at the ceiling as you ride open strings.

 

[sikamikanico]

It's probably all of the above. Just as technology improved, so did the guys and gals explore and innovate in the new ways the new technology allowed. At the same time, I do feel like the A string is where it's at, and the C on the third fret is just in the perfect position. You can do almost anything from there. Perhaps the old school players like Harris understood that better and it got lost over time?

 

[monsterthompson]

Perhaps the old school players like Harris understood that better and it got lost over time

Or as new bands developed they wanted to find a way to stand out from their predecessors. If the sound of a different string in a different position allowed them to stand apart from their influences or contemporaries then why not try it? Ever since Sabbath started tuning down because of Tony’s missing finger tips, metal fans have been chasing the effect of tuning lower and lower.

 

[sikamikanico]

Or as new bands developed they wanted to find a way to stand out from their predecessors. If the sound of a different string in a different position allowed them to stand apart from their influences or contemporaries then why not try it? Ever since Sabbath started tuning down because of Tony’s missing finger tips, metal fans have been chasing the effect of tuning lower and lower.

Yeah, that was fine and innovative to a point, but I feel like things got ridiculous and silly with the pursuit of "lower and lower" and everything extreme in metal. Everything at 11...

 

[2F/2F]

This is seriously being overthought.

What keys are those songs in? What is the range of the electric bass guitar?

That's really all there is to it.

These players did not often occupy the upper registers when they had the option of playing in the lower ones. Mind you, they were pretty busy for their day, and did often go high...but it isn't like they avoided the E string.

 

[El_Charro]

Yeah, that was fine and innovative to a point, but I feel like things got ridiculous and silly with the pursuit of "lower and lower" and everything extreme in metal. Everything at 11...

———————————————-
Perhaps it got a bit out of hand, however I would argue that Metal is supposed to be extreme music (or that’s kind of the point)…

There are plenty of Death Metal and Black Metal bands that sound completely ridiculous to me bc they are too “over the top” (especially vocally) so I totally understand your argument…

IMO the really good bands that made it were successful because they were capable of writing complex and riff patterns and thought provoking lyrics, but I think everyone has a threshold for where it goes from being music to just noise…

Thanks! \m/

 

[monsterthompson]

———————————————-
Perhaps it got a bit out of hand, however I would argue that Metal is supposed to be extreme music (or that’s kind of the point)…

There are plenty of Death Metal and Black Metal bands that sound completely ridiculous to me bc they are too “over the top” (especially vocally) so I totally understand your argument…

IMO the really good bands that made it were successful because they were capable of writing complex and riff patterns and thought provoking lyrics, but I think everyone has a threshold for where it goes from being music to just noise…

Thanks! \m/

Agreed that certain offshoots of metal are about being extreme. Carcass is one of my favorite bands and their evolution from lofi grindcore to well produced melodic death metal is an interesting journey over the span of just a few albums. As extreme as they were/are, they developed the songwriting and composition. They were never meant to break through to mainstream success, but they’ve carved out a decently important place in metal history for themselves.

 

[Les Fret]

This is seriously being overthought.

What keys are those songs in? What is the range of the electric bass guitar?

That's really all there is to it.

These players did not often occupy the upper registers when they had the option of playing in the lower ones. Mind you, they were pretty busy for their day, and did often go high...but it isn't like they avoided the E string.

This is seriously being overthought.

What keys are those songs in? What is the range of the electric bass guitar?

That's really all there is to it.

These players did not often occupy the upper registers when they had the option of playing in the lower ones. Mind you, they were pretty busy for their day, and did often go high...but it isn't like they avoided the E string.

I agree that a lot of answers seem overthought. Like the frequencies of vinyl. It’s not that vinyl can’t handle the E string notes. Lots of players used the E string.

Steve Harris also used the E string in many songs. Maybe not as much as the A string but still. I think the same goes for Geezer. I agree that notes around the fifth or seventh positions are used a lot but that is because a lot of songs are in the key of E or A.

Killers from Maiden uses the open E string a lot for example.