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Geddy Lee's bass tone on Power Windows


endorka
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[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1329326003' post='1540737']
I think somebody posted the isolated bass track from 'Subdivisions' here quite recently....have to agree with many above - 'Signals' has some of his best Ric tones (that and 'Hemispheres').

I really like his Jazz tone on the recent 'Time Machine' live album. Agreed it has been a bright on some records, but it sounds good here.

I've never been to big on the Wal sound, TBH....love the records (actually, love all the records!) but if I'm honest, Ged's best bass sound was the Ric, and one of the reasons I play one myself. I'd just love to hear how the Ric would have blended in on recent albums.....imagine it on 'Workin' Them Angels' and stuff....
[/quote]

That was me :)

I like all of Geddy's various bass tones, but I have to agree, the Rick was untouchable.

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[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1329327163' post='1540764']
Really?! :o I always thought that DM was played on the Steinberger?!?! :unsure:
[/quote]

He didn't start playing the Steinberger until during the Signals tour - the compact design was handy when surrounded by his piles of keyboards. It's only appearance on record is on Grace Under Pressure. The Power Windows sessions were started with the Steinberger but after hearing the producer's Wal he re-recorded the bass parts with that.

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30-90 roto sound piano wound strings, into an API 550 into a furman PQ3 into BGW power amp into a thiele 2x15 was his rig, the wal is slightly warmer on this album due to it being natural as opposed to his black model. What geddy always fails to mention is his bass is always very heavily compressed too.

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[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1329331928' post='1540862']
I love Power Windows and everything about it, including the bass sound. Starting to look like I'm very much in the minority. :)
[/quote]

I love Power Windows, it's one of my favourite Rush albums. It's got some of Geddys best ever playing on it IMO, I just hate the bass sound.
Luckily I don't listen to records just for the bass sounds. :)

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I'm firmly in the Rick/Jazz camp - the Steinberger was OK but the Wal lost me with it's flappy thin sound which he didn't overdrive as much.

Those earlier basses got much more of the sonic spectrum in what was then essentially a trio line-up. From Signals onwards, they were arguably a four piece with the keyboards on a level sonic spectrum, taking the space from the bass and guitar.

On PW, the keyboards went nuclear with a different patch on almost every note. The bass definitely suffered in terms of space and frequency spectrum.

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It's great to hear everyone's opinion on this!

Personally, up 'til now I hadn't been that interested in mid Eighty's Rush, essentially missing out the albums between Moving Pictures and Presto, but these albums really do have their charms. Still not heard "Hold Your Fire" though.

I really like a lot of the Nineties material too. Counterparts is marvellous, IMHO.

Jennifer

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I have "Test For Echo" but can't say I've listened to it much. From the later period, I listen to "Presto", "Roll The Bones", "Counterparts" and even "Snakes & Arrows" quite a bit.

"Grace Under Pressure" is one of my all times faves... "we'd like to do another Red song for ya!"

Jennifer

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I reckon I'm pretty much with Bilbo here; loved them up to and including MP and then after that started to lose interest, although I do like most of Signals. Have to agree about the Subdivisions bass sound. Obviously I think his Ric sound was his best, no suprise there. It's not because I'm biased though, it's because it was!

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I love the PW bass tones - well, that and what he's playing on the album !

All time favourite bass tone for me is Hemispheres - the album that got me into the band - about '79 I think

Back then I thought Squire and Burnel were bass gods - then I heard Geddy......

Sheesh !

Then came Percy, Jaco, Stanley etc etc.....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Test for echo was a wicked album!!! Virtuality and limbo are two of my favourite rush songs!!! Such a shame they didnt include them on the live album from that tour. People who dont have bootlegs will never hear how good they sounded live...

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[quote name='hemispheresX' timestamp='1330696695' post='1561768']
Test for echo was a wicked album!!! Virtuality and limbo are two of my favourite rush songs!!! Such a shame they didnt include them on the live album from that tour. People who dont have bootlegs will never hear how good they sounded live...
[/quote]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rush+virtuality"]Fill yer boot(legs)....[/url]

Virtuality is a terrible song, IMO...

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1330696931' post='1561778']
[url="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rush+virtuality"]Fill yer boot(legs)....[/url]

Virtuality is a terrible song, IMO...
[/quote]

Not compared to "Dog Years" it isn't.
"Dog Years" has to be the worst song ever written by anybody in the entire history of song writing.

IMO...... :)

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  • 9 months later...

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1329327585' post='1540772']
Power Windows was the one where nobody had any bass. All mids and treble for the bass sound, electronic drums and Alex's guitar tones are practically supersonic. I believe that instead of amps he used large tin cans with baby wasps in... Bi-amped of course.
[/quote]

Power Windows is the weakest sounding of all the Rush albums in my opinion. Still love it though!!

Edited by smithydude
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[quote name='smithydude' timestamp='1354537153' post='1887030']
Power Windows is the weakest sounding of all the Rush albums in my opinion. Still love it though!!
[/quote]

No, that would be Presto! Definitely the thinnest sounding...in my opinion (although Mr Lee thinks there's something wrong with it too)

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Well, as far as the 'Rush bass sound' goes, it's too hard(almost impossible) to decide which is best.
Trying to break it down into the decades; 70's - Farewell to kings, 80's- permanent waves/moving pics,-90s counterparts.
The bass on Clockwork angels is fantastic.
Then you have individual tracks from none of the above.
Then you have the producer/studio/amps etc.
I will,stop after one more opinion.. Dog years is a terrible song- but is it as bad as Tai Chen (hold your fire)?
Must go now ,)

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