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'Don't Stop Till You Get Enough'


silverfoxnik
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Hi Folks,

I've been listening to Michael Jackson's 'Don't Stop Till You Get enough' this morning and the bassline (or should I say basslines) is just fantastic! Brilliant sound and great playing..

Thing is, it sounds like it's more than one line, with bass synths and bass guitars working together and also doing individual parts..Some of it sounds like it's a bass guitar with a pick, or maybe that's a synth bass.. I don't know?? Whatever, it's superb and really makes the song IMHO!

I know Quincy Jones produced the record but more than that, I haven't got a clue... Does anybody know more about how it was put together, who played on it etc, etc as I'd really like to know more?

Cheers

Nik

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We play this one in my band, its a great song if you can pull the bassline back behind the beat far enough and there's plenty of room for some tasty high speed fills at the end of sections. I think Jermaine Jackson played bass for the Jackson 5 but someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

It feels like a p-bass or variant thereof to me, but the tone does sound very consistent across the neck for a straight recording. I wonder if its been heavily compressed?

There's a youtube clip I've just found here with some really bad camera work - possibly an early bootleg? I'm not sure if its Jermaine playing but its definitely a greasy p-bass. :)



Check out the footage at 0:52 and 4:45

There's a copy of the original demo [url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=pCWJfzH6FDY"]here[/url] on youtube too which makes for interesting listening. The original bass line was done on a synth it seems...

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Louis Johnson is credited with playing bass on this one.
No credit for synth bass but Greg Phillinganes was on keys.

[url="http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Off-the-Wall/Michael-Jackson/e/074646607022/?itm=1"]http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Off-the-Wa...46607022/?itm=1[/url]

Edited by chardbass
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[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='161736' date='Mar 22 2008, 11:29 AM']We play this one in my band, its a great song if you can pull the bassline back behind the beat far enough and there's plenty of room for some tasty high speed fills at the end of sections. I think Jermaine Jackson played bass for the Jackson 5 but someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

It feels like a p-bass or variant thereof to me, but the tone does sound very consistent across the neck for a straight recording. I wonder if its been heavily compressed?

There's a youtube clip I've just found here with some really bad camera work - possibly an early bootleg? I'm not sure if its Jermaine playing but its definitely a greasy p-bass. :)



Check out the footage at 0:52 and 4:45

There's a copy of the original demo [url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=pCWJfzH6FDY"]here[/url] on youtube too which makes for interesting listening. The original bass line was done on a synth it seems...[/quote]

Cheers CK,

That was interesting.. Very much a 'a greasy p-bass' as you say...! Sounded great to me though..

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[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='161736' date='Mar 22 2008, 11:29 AM']We play this one in my band, its a great song if you can pull the bassline back behind the beat far enough and there's plenty of room for some tasty high speed fills at the end of sections. I think Jermaine Jackson played bass for the Jackson 5 but someone please correct me if I'm wrong.[/quote]

John Robinson [Stonking drummer on hundreds of those Disco tunes , including the above mentioned]
Says that one of Louis Js greatest gifts....along with his feel for music.
Was to play right 'on it' But was relaxed.
And Quincy Jones said , 'The pair of them played right on it...'
'Not in front , not behind...' 'And thats what i want'
And i suppose if you listen to all Those MJ tunes...
They were very metronomic...but in a great way..with tons of feel , and technique , but relaxed.
And of course that was all down to the quality of those amazing players that Quincy Jones used. :)


Garry

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[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='161985' date='Mar 22 2008, 09:57 PM']Interesting, but I don't buy it. :) I think he's saying one thing but meaning another.[/quote]


Ummm...
Not sure what you dont buy..
But i get the feeling that if Quincy Jones says something..
He does mean it.. :huh:


Garry

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[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='162059' date='Mar 23 2008, 08:28 AM']oioi Foaly, hows tricks out there on the sand bar? :)[/quote]


[quote name='lowdown' post='162120' date='Mar 23 2008, 11:22 AM']Ummm...
Not sure what you dont buy..
But i get the feeling that if Quincy Jones says something..
He does mean it.. :huh:


Garry[/quote]
TBH I can tell what Quincy Jones was saying and what you were saying about what QJ was saying, if you know what I am saying ;)

Edited by bass_ferret
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[quote name='bass_ferret' post='162141' date='Mar 23 2008, 12:09 PM']TBH I can tell what Quincy Jones was saying and what you were saying about what QJ was saying, if you know what I am saying ;)[/quote]

Blimmey...
I think i know what you mean... :)
Are we friends again BF ?

Did not mean to offend last time out... :huh:

Garry

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be better if I hadn't of got up at 5AM to see the Arse get out muscled then ripped on an offside goal.
but wingeing isn't my strong suit eh?!

Louis does a spanking "Come Together" on a live Jackson cut. might be from the box set/best of.
actually the back catalog is well worth a listen...Rock with You, I want you back, ABC, even Billie Jean, there is some good bass lessons in those cuts.

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  • 14 years later...

Hello from across the pond.....I remember there was a reference to the bass line in this song as "Pig Bass", which is why you are hearing that distorted, almost "slurred" effect especially in the fills...I guess to sound like a snorting Pig.

There are some amazing bass covers of this song on You Tube performed on bass guitar....so I imagine a bass guitar was used for the original recording back in 1979. Not sure about synth overlays or just synth only

 

What is "Pig Bass"? Good question. I Googled it and actually got more hits related to "fishing" more than anything else. My guess is that some sort of effect pedal was used or perhaps processed right at studio board.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
4 hours ago, dmp821 said:

The bass player on Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" is bass player, George Johnson.  He was one of The Brothers Johnson.

Louis Johnson played on the track. George Johnson played guitar with him in The Brothers Johnson.

Saw them at Manchester Apollo in the late 70’s, incredible band.

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