EssentialTension Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 If I want more treble I move my fingers nearer the bridge. If I want less treble I move my fingers nearer the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1394224666' post='2389404'] If I want more treble I move my fingers nearer the bridge. If I want less treble I move my fingers nearer the neck. [/quote] My mate last night used his thumb only, for the entirety of a short set, favouring the neck pic kup of my pre cbs Fender Jazz. Just a tremendous tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Tone is all in your attitude. It's what you are, not what you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 This is a never ending argument..... It's a combination of all of the above. There is a thread going about Bernard Edwards tone, and people are listing the notorious strings he had, his bass, his amp etc but just buying a stingray with dead strings WONT get you to sound like Bernard. He has a very unique right hand technique which IMO is the contributing factor to his tone. Flea is a really great example of this magical thing we call "tone", he is one of my all time fave players, and he can be picked by a country mile in a recording, but he doesn't really have anything unique about his tone. His ray sounds like a ray, his jazz sounds like a jazz yet it still sounds like HIM! As has been stated it is more about the way these people construct their bass lines that contributes to their "tone" or our perception of it. Personally I can't make up my mind which side of the fence I sit on, "tone" is a very personal thing, all I know is you will get a lot closer to someone else's tone by using the same gear. And by that I mean, if you want to have flea' stone on BBSM, you will NEVER get it with a P Bass, it's just not available regardless of technique and eq. You Need to start with a ray (or wal) and then adjust the eq and your playing to suit. There is a lot to be said for technique, and I remember someone saying once that jaco and Larry graham played almost identical basses and rigs so it ain't the shoes! Having said that, I sound more like robert deleo when I'm using my sansamp BBDI than when I'm not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) i think there is a difference here. tone and style. I'm so with Big Red X. he's spot on. its about your personality, note choices, style, attitude. imo tone is tone, but you can make that certain tone do different things. Edited March 8, 2014 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) I assume when the OP talks about 'tone', he isn't just referring to making the sound woollier or tinnier by twiddling with the eq knobs on his amp/bass. 'Tone' is about a whole lot more than eq [quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1394195513' post='2388997'] Sure, "[i]the fingers[/i]", those endlessly minute intricacies and subtleties in touch and technique are huge in the equation ... [/quote] Absolutely, and it's amazing the number of bass players that underestimate just how important "the fingers" are in creating tone. Many will spend hours/days/weeks researching, and thousands of pounds on gear in their quest for 'THE TONE'. You will likely get more 'bang/tone for your buck' if you spend the time and money on good quality lessons and solid practice. Edited March 8, 2014 by SteveK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 very personal thing isn't it. know one really cares but you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1394280686' post='2389807'] I assume when the OP talks about 'tone', he isn't just referring to making the sound woollier or tinnier by twiddling with the eq knobs on his amp/bass. 'Tone' is about a whole lot more than eq Absolutely, and it's amazing the number of bass players that underestimate just how important "the fingers" are in creating tone. Many will spend hours/days/weeks researching, and thousands of pounds on gear in their quest for 'THE TONE'. You will likely get more 'bang/tone for your buck' if you spend the time and money on good quality lessons and solid practice. [/quote] I'd disagree with bang for your buck, as I said in my previous post, and support the OP on this part of this argument, that NO amount of lessons/technique will get you flea's sound on BBSM (for example) if you are playing a passive P bass. Technique is a massive contributor I agree, but if you want a particular "tone" you need to start with the right ingredients. To use an analogy, Sebastian Vettel is one hell of an F1 driver right now, but put him in a Renault, is he going to perform at the same level? Most likely not. It's all apples and oranges. As I have said, I still flip between sides in this argument, and I still think ultimately it's a combination. You gotta have the shoes AND the strut if you wanna walk like someone else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1394199798' post='2389079'] ... Would you recognise a Geddy Lee bass line from a Rush song you'd never heard before if it was in isolation and not as part of the overall music? ... [/quote] It's hard enough to recognise his tone on an isolated bass track when you know it's him. He sounds like a bag of spanners falling down the stairs. Terrible technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) Entwistle and Lee both spent years tinkering with guitars and amps to find that elusive tone they were/are looking for. It starts with the player and moves down the chain. If the noise coming from the player isn't right to start with, it doesn't matter what you do to that sound, you can't make it sound better. Player->strings->pickups->wood?->amp->cab A chain is as strong as it's weakest link. Edited March 8, 2014 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1394314037' post='2390283'] Player->strings->pickups->wood?->amp->cab A chain is as strong as it's weakest link. [/quote] Player > Strings > Pickups > Wood? > Amp > Cab > Ears > Brain Not going to speculate on the weakest link in that chain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Tone is all in your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I am probably a bit wide of the mark , but the room has a massive, if not definitive, influence on the sound , and if the tone is the quality , timbre and effects that together make the sound then the tone is at the mercy of the room , never mind the influence of the tone of any other instruments that are playing at the same time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1394315410' post='2390300'] Tone is all in your head. [/quote] I wondered what that ringing noise was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1394315506' post='2390303'] I am probably a bit wide of the mark , but the room has a massive, if not definitive, influence on the sound , and if the tone is the quality , timbre and effects that together make the sound then the tone is at the mercy of the room , never mind the influence of the tone of any other instruments that are playing at the same time . [/quote] You generally have no control over the room acoustics though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I may be wrong, but when people want to chase a certain "tone", it's usually what they have heard on a studio track, so the room is pretty much taken out of the equation, at least from what people are trying to achieve. Player-strings-wood?-pickups-desk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1394318234' post='2390331'] I may be wrong, but when people want to chase a certain "tone", it's usually what they have heard on a studio track, so the room is pretty much taken out of the equation, at least from what people are trying to achieve. Player-strings-wood?-pickups-desk [/quote] Player, strings, wood?, pickups, desk, processing, engineer, producer, whoever's paying for the recording... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1394308404' post='2390219'] I'd disagree with bang for your buck, as I said in my previous post, and support the OP on this part of this argument, that NO amount of lessons/technique will get you flea's sound on BBSM (for example) if you are playing a passive P bass. Technique is a massive contributor I agree, but if you want a particular "tone" you need to start with the right ingredients. [/quote] If I were inclined to want to sound like Flea, the first thing I would attend to would be his technique: studying albums, getting info and watching video clips, and making sure my chops were up to the task. As far as [i]what instrument to buy?[/i] - I would be stumped... Of all the Chilli's albums and numerous basses he's used, which one has Fleas tone? [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1394308404' post='2390219'] To use an analogy, Sebastian Vettel is one hell of an F1 driver right now, but put him in a Renault, is he going to perform at the same level? Most likely not. It's all apples and oranges. [/quote] it's not a good analogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 (edited) [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1394316866' post='2390321'] You generally have no control over the room acoustics though. [/quote] and by extension, limited control over your tone which is why I don't overly GAS for tone specific kit Edited March 9, 2014 by lurksalot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 personally i would include this in the 80/20 syndrome 80% is your style as determined by your fingertips 20% is the shiny hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1394318234' post='2390331'] I may be wrong, but when people want to chase a certain "tone", it's usually what they have heard on a studio track, so the room is pretty much taken out of the equation, at least from what people are trying to achieve. Player-strings-wood?-pickups-desk [/quote] A good part of the bass "tone" on a recording is about its place in the mix and therefore IMO the other instruments contribute just as much to the bass tone as the bass itself. That's why chasing someone else's tone is a fairly pointless exercise, because what the other instruments play and how they sound is just as important. Edited March 9, 2014 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 This thread seems bizarre to me. A moment ago I was marking up the final set list for Friday's gig. Each song is allocated vintage or modern depending which use the BDI21 pedal for Ampeg-esque boom'n'bloom. Some songs get a mids-boost for a more P-bass sound. A couple get bass boosted and the mids dropped. That's it. Getting roughly the right sound helps me imbue the song with the right feel. Why the obsession with right equipment? Do I need to haul a double-bass on stage to cover the Cure's 'Love Cats'? I get a clean sound, increase mids and play with plenty of plunk'n'thunk. Seems to work for the band and the audience dances like crazy. All this tone chasing through specific gear would seem to be saying 'I can't trust my self to listen to a track's bass and eq to a close equivalent, instead I shall buy the exact same setup'. Rather expensive in an eclectic covers band like mine. Silly too. Listen to the track, emulate the playing, get close enough, relax and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 [quote name='cytania' timestamp='1394395407' post='2391005'] Listen to the track, emulate the playing, get close enough, relax and have fun. [/quote] Good advice - if you're in a covers band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Funnily enough I dropped into a jam session to say hi yesterday as I hadn't been in weeks. Played a short set off the cuff through someone else's amp but on my own bass. Was surprised how little I sounded like my usual self. Getting a bit confused now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 There is a lovely story I heard yers ago and reproduced here at least once before. When Van Halen were a young up and coming band, they toured with Ted Nugent. Ted had heard about this hot shot new guitarist Eddie Van Halen and was watching him soundcheck. On hearing this fabulous sound, Nugent asked EVH if he could try his gear. Eddie took the guitar off and handed it to Nugent without altering the sound in any way. Nugenet picked up the guitar and played a few licks, without touching the eq etc, and sounded just like Ted Nugent. Whenever I play a bass, any bass, after a fewn momnents orientation, I sound like me. I hate the fact but there you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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