Bo Millward

First off all any note passed the low E on a standard 4 string bass can be referred to as sub contra bass. But because 5 strings with a low B are becoming a bit of constant with modern bass players, I now think of sub contra as lower still than B. The term itself is pretty flexible with Contra meaning; “In opposition to something stated or expected; to the contrary“. So you can use it to define tunings that are considered lower than the norm. So if you had Low F# or C# on a six string bass with it tuned; C#, F#, B, E, A,D (low to high) with the top 3 strings being the bottom 3 of a regular 4 string. Thats Sub Contra! (Note; Extended Range Basses are not strictly Sub Contra basses, because ERB’s can have a larger than a standard 4 string range but with only higher strings. This retains the E as the lowest string and is not Sub Contra.) So is your Bass Sub Contra? If so what are you tuned to, what bass do you have, what strings do you use and what gear do you use for your live rig/recording set-up? I’m tuned F#, B, E, A, D on a Spector NS 5 through neck with a 35” scale. For strings I’m using Rotosound round wounds gauges 65, 85, 105, 135 and 175. For my live rig I run a Electro Harmonics Steel Leather with a Bass Big Muff into a DHA VT1-EQ-Bass-Drive that sends out a D.I. signal to the desk and a pre-amp signal to a Warwick Profet 3.1, that then drives a JHS 2x15 cab loaded with Celestion FTR15-4080FD’s. For recording I use my pedal board with the DHA VT1-EQ-Bass-Drive sending the D.I to the recording console. I found my set ups and bass works really well for the low F# but I’m still tweaking it. I’m just interested to see what others use and how you accommodate your sub contra bass? Got any F# issus?

Alright man, I've got a Spector NS 5 and a Vintage (JHS) Jazz copy I'm doing some d.i. recording clips with. I'm doing them through a DHA VT1-EQ-Bass-Drive an i can drop you them if you want. I'm guna do a walking line, a slap groove, a finger funk groove, a tapping phrase, some plectrum rock and A odd meter low F# djent groove. Just let me know if you want to use em.

I'm starting this thread with the hope of compiling a valuable resource for the bass playing community. We all know how frustrating it can get when searching for your ideal tone, so wouldn't it be sick, if there was a f*** off encyclopaedia listing the rig's of every one's favourite bass players? So instead of spending endless days trying to find the tone you’re after, you could just have a mooch and find out the exact gear you need to get a certain players tone. As well some analysis of their playing style, you know a look and there technique and approach to the instrument. Let’s do it then! First some basic rules an sh*t, your guna need to give the name of the guy/girl your writing about, the band there in (A Myspace link/band web site would be fair sick too). Be as specific as you can, state if it's the rig they use live, for an album or if it's the rig used on a specific track (obviously give the track name and what album it's off in this case). Do a bit of a Bio on em. List; basses, amps, cabs, FX, recording equipment of any kind. The more in-depth and bass geeky the better. Pick, fingers or slap? An over view of their playing from a theoretical stand point. What makes their playing individual to them? Use pictures, photos of them and their rig... Be creative and run with it. I'll start the ball rolling with my favourite player; Alex Katunich; (born August 18, 1976) is the former bassist of Incubus. Alex went by the stage name of Dirk Lance which was apparently taken from the credits of an anonymous '70s porn flick. He stayed with Incubus on bass guitar for over 12 years until he left the band in 2003. Incubus career; Katunich was a member of Incubus from 1991-2002, and played bass on the EPs Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout Root Beer, Enjoy Incubus, When Incubus Attacks Volume 1 and the albums Fungus Amongus, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Make Yourself, and Morning View. Post-Incubus Career; Recently, Katunich has come back to the spotlight with Stickman Entertainment, which creates videogame music. Stickman Entertainment's portfolio is extensive; it includes contracts with musicians such as THQ, 311's P-Nut and Suzie Katayama. Stickman Entertainment has worked on soundtracks for such video games as Red Faction, WWE Smackdown, and MotoGP 2. In April 2006, Alex Katunich played a gig with a Southern California-based jam/funk band named Willie's Nerve Clinic, and as of 2009 he remains with the band. Stickman Entertainment has created Traction in Game Radio a software for gamers to listen to music in game. Basses; Alex’s main basses were a Warwick streamer stage II fretted, a Warwick streamer stage II fretless and an old Fender Jazz (I’m not sure what year it was maybe a 79, but don't quote me on that), he used on the songs Dig, Are you in? And the full Fungus Amongus album. Rig; This is the live rig Alex used with Incubus; Style file; I'm guna keep this bit fairly brief cos I’m getting board of typing now... Alex's playing incorporates elements of Jazz/Funk/Nu-Metal. He draws heavily on the influence of Les Claypool of Primus, the man sighted as one of his biggest influences on bass. Quick bit of theory; he regularly utilizes the Dorian/Phrygian modes as a base for his lines. Also he has a tendency to incorporate a major 10th on top of minor or Dorian harmony. Sources; Alex Katunich - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Incubus-Online-View,