Uptown Funk - anyone nailed the tone?

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1441132260' post='2856350']
Play it clean

No amount of effects and pedals can compete with the power of the funk beamed down from the mothership

Hope this helps
[/quote]

[Freddie75]

I play it with an octave pedal in my band (Aguilar) - but switch it off for the slap part and the runs. Not sure if his bass is down tuned or he is using a 5, - he is using a 4 string p bass in the video.

I can get it to sound pretty fat though.

[ratman]

I use a Source Audio BEF Pro set to a QTron kind of sound, with some clean bass dialled in, running in parallel with my Dod Octaver. It may not be exactly like the original, but It's a really full sound and it works for me.

[lojo]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1441109244' post='2856068']
As above - I think its actually a sample. I'm lucky in that I have a very deep voice and can hit that Low C and D

Think some sort of envelope filter (but very light on it) works well with an octaver if you dont want to get someone singing it. Or just sample it for a keys player.

I think just have a listen to something like this, and you'll see its all in the playing tbh !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT3rJHs82A8
[/quote]

Just got list song on a list to learn , that link is so helpful

[Delberthot]

I don't use any effects on this one. The way I play it is to play the low C then when I play the D I slide it back down to the C. The next part is a quick D then slide from the F up to the G and back down to the F.

No effects and it works perfectly. The singers sing the do do bits.

No slap, all fingers, even the bit that is slap

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1441120618' post='2856191']
Ooh, controversial!
I think in this case the da-do-do vocal sample tracking the bass is an important hook of the song.
[/quote]

Yeh, we have 4 people singing the line over the top. I agree, it probably needs the singing if you dont have all the effects going on

[Truckstop]

Hadn't thought of singing over the line! Will try it this evening.

Good to know that some of you don't use effects for it because I really thought I was getting nowhere!

[leschirons]

I sing over the top of my normal tone, no effects (I use a 5 or 6 string) Good enough for this song as the audience (as usual) will only hear what they want to.

[BigRedX]

I can't believe that any decent musician doesn't have the ears to realise that the Do Do Do part is in no way connected to bass guitar part which is a standard funky finger-style bass with the occasional slap and pop for accents.

If I was in a covers band playing this, to Do Do Do would be handed off to the keyboard player straight away.

Edited September 2, 2015 by BigRedX

[cheddatom]

it's a bit strongly worded there but I have to agree. I don't hear any effects on the bass at all, it's just clean bass

[dand666]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1441199101' post='2856855']
I can't believe that any decent musician doesn't have the ears to realise that the Do Do Do part is in no way connected to bass guitar part which is a standard funky finger-style bass with the occasional slap and pop for accents.

If I was in a covers band playing this, to Do Do Do would be handed off to the keyboard player straight away.
[/quote]

This.

[Nuf]

I didn't realize the question was about the Do do part... That's a part where the bass is overdubbed with some voices, indeed !

[Truckstop]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1441199101' post='2856855']
I can't believe that any decent musician doesn't have the ears to realise that the Do Do Do part is in no way connected to bass guitar part which is a standard funky finger-style bass with the occasional slap and pop for accents.

If I was in a covers band playing this, to Do Do Do would be handed off to the keyboard player straight away.
[/quote]

Oh, shut up will you?

Not all of us have been blessed with the same musical ears and talent as you. I asked a genuine question and, as usual, you denigrate anyone who is struggling with a certain aspect of their technical or musical development with a sarky, patronising and condescending comment.

The second part of your post is half-useful. Thank you for the suggestion but we don't have a keys player.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1441204846' post='2856917']
Oh, shut up will you?

Not all of us have been blessed with the same musical ears and talent as you. I asked a genuine question and, as usual, you denigrate anyone who is struggling with a certain aspect of their technical or musical development with a sarky, patronising and condescending comment.

The second part of your post is half-useful. Thank you for the suggestion but we don't have a keys player.
[/quote]

TBH I would have thought that most of the bass players on here have far more musical talent than me.

Also until people started to make a big deal about that part I wouldn't have considered it really important to the song, and so if I was playing it in a band that didn't have a keyboard player I probably wouldn't bother with the part at all.

If you really think it needs to be included perhaps get the singer(s) to do it?

[lowhand_mike]

found this which might help, bass player is playing a five string and using the lower position
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2c5h2D9IQI

[SteveK]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1441206354' post='2856931']
[b]1.TBH I would have thought that most of the bass players on here have far more musical talent than me.[/b]

[b]2. Also until people started to make a big deal about that part I wouldn't have considered it really important to the song, and so if I was playing it in a band that didn't have a keyboard player I probably wouldn't bother with the part at all.[/b]

If you really think it needs to be included perhaps get the singer(s) to do it?
[/quote]
1. Quite possibly! Yet they didn't feel the need to call the OP (or other contributors) out on it.
2. That all depends on the policy of the band... maybe their policy is to get as close as possible to the original - In which case, being a significant hook, the vocal tracking the bass is pretty important.. Or, maybe the band do their own interpretation, in which case maybe the da-do-dos wouldn't be so important.

[lowdown]

Blimey, you don't need no FX to get the tone (none on the original).
Just sing the vocal line if a keyboard player can't be arsed to bring up a scat patch.
It must be the easiest vocal part in the history of singing for a Bassist to sing!
You are singing what you are playing.

I should think there are folks who could fart that line in the bath.
That's it, take a bath to the gig.

[JTUK]

If you play the part with funk and attitude..ie well, the song will work.
If you don't..you water down the track and it wont work.

Having said that...it is like 'get lucky'..such a great track if done well...such a pile of cack if done to be popular
but with no empathy, feel or funk.

[lowhand_mike]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1441220073' post='2857097']
If you play the part with funk and attitude..ie well, the song will work.
If you don't..you water down the track and it wont work.

Having said that...it is like 'get lucky'..such a great track if done well...such a pile of cack if done to be popular
but with no empathy, feel or funk.
[/quote]

isnt that the general case for any song we play?
i try and put my all into every track we play (except teeenage kicks) and hope that comes across to the audience

[JTUK]

[quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1441221356' post='2857106']
isnt that the general case for any song we play?
i try and put my all into every track we play (except teeenage kicks) and hope that comes across to the audience
[/quote]

For me... no. If the track is working, I'll add to it..if it isn't I'll bin it.
I think the trick is to know when you are beaten.

Too many bands persist in doing tracks they really shouldn't

A man's got to know his limits

[lowhand_mike]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1441221553' post='2857108']
For me... no. If the track is working, I'll add to it..if it isn't I'll bin it.
I think the trick is to know when you are beaten.

Too many bands persist in doing tracks they really shouldn't

A man's got to know his limits
[/quote]
i think what i mean is any song that we add full time we play to our best, not just what we are trying or thinking to add to the set. yeah if it works give it some mojo, generally for me that means i'm enjoying it

and yeah i know my limits, i'm certainly not going to suggest any primus or level 42 any time soon

Edited September 2, 2015 by lowhand_mike

[crez5150]

Its funny.... one of the first bands around these parts to start doing this on the local pub circuit who have a large following do this track but basically they use a backing track with all the 'Doo Doo' parts and brass and extra vocals.... I was shot down on a local Facebook page for saying that its was cheeky doing it this way.

We do it in my band with the keys player playing all the parts... works well

[seashell]

There are musicians on this forum from absolute beginners to top professionals and everything else in between.
What is (usually) good about this place is the way that everyone can share ideas/ advice/tips/common experiences. If people start casting aspersions about other people's musicianship or lack thereof, it's only going to put off the more timorous posters.
How many times have we seen posts starting 'this might seem a stupid question but?'. Usually that leads to loads of other posts from people who had been wondering the same thing!

[JTUK]

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1441224385' post='2857140']
Its funny.... one of the first bands around these parts to start doing this on the local pub circuit who have a large following do this track but basically they use a backing track with all the 'Doo Doo' parts and brass and extra vocals.... I was shot down on a local Facebook page for saying that its was cheeky doing it this way.

We do it in my band with the keys player playing all the parts... works well
[/quote]

I'd have backed you up on that..... I really don't get why it is so great for a band...if the core parts they do and which makes the song is
a sequence backing track.

At a local level, if you can't play it, you can't play it.... and even worse if you've ripped the sample from someone else rather than constructed it yourself..
That is getting into the realms of VERY silly, IMO..

[Dropzone]

Is this song going to be the new Mustang Sally / Sex on Fire? It truly is a great song, as are the others, but will it be played to death and am I asking this question too late ;-)