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Scott's views on what makes for great bass tone


Al Krow

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2 minutes ago, peteb said:

Dunno, he says something quite clickbaity about active basses then rows back on it, which I could quite easily disagree with. 

The thing is that everything in the signal chain affects your sound to some degree or other – from your fingers to the strings, the pickup, wood, electronics, any active onboard preamp, cable (or wireless) right through to the DI or how you mic up the cab.

For "click-bait" read head line. Newspapers and advertisers have been doing this for a hundred years and more.

He says active basses are not better, just different. I agree.

These are major points (big steps) not an comprehensive list down to every last nut and bolt.

I can't see a reason to be negative about this video, or Scott Devine.

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He clearly says 'no active preamps' - an asterisked extra item to the 'seven pillars' - that immediately is in conflict with everyone who uses one (either on board or outboard). It's also unnecessary to say that in what appears to be a beginner's guide to getting a bass tone. And frankly, like an amp, its usual to start with a bass preamp at centre. Pretty simple to say that rather than diss the entire thing. 

And frankly it's debatable - in my hands, a bass with a pre amp (preferably of a particular make) sounds far better than one without (to my ears). 

Ive said before - I prefer Bernard Edwards to 60s Motown bass sounds. 

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19 minutes ago, chris_b said:

For "click-bait" read head line. Newspapers and advertisers have been doing this for a hundred years and more.

He says active basses are not better, just different. I agree.

These are major points (big steps) not an comprehensive list down to every last nut and bolt.

I can't see a reason to be negative about this video, or Scott Devine.

 

2 minutes ago, drTStingray said:

He clearly says 'no active preamps' - an asterisked extra item to the 'seven pillars' - that immediately is in conflict with everyone who uses one (either on board or outboard). It's also unnecessary to say that in what appears to be a beginner's guide to getting a bass tone. And frankly, like an amp, its usual to start with a bass preamp at centre. Pretty simple to say that rather than diss the entire thing. 

And frankly it's debatable - in my hands, a bass with a pre amp (preferably of a particular make) sounds far better than one without (to my ears). 

Ive said before - I prefer Bernard Edwards to 60s Motown bass sounds. 

Just because sensationalist headlines have been around forever doesn't make themacceptable. He's making a nonsensical statement about active basses then trying to justify it later, which as an educator is hardly helpful to his students who might be taking his initial statement as gospel. 

Let's be honest, it's all debatable. There are great passive bass sounds and great active ones. I find it easier to use an active bass in most situations, but that's just a personal preference. 

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For anyone who read the other recent thread here about SBL in which Scott actually posted a 30 minute video clip explaining his business methodology in some detail, his use of controversial  headlines like this one about active pre amps, is designed to get YouTube clicks and to get people talking.. 

Seems like a pretty successful strategy to me.

He's a bass player running a very successful business about Bass playing, not a high priest ordained to tell any 'ultimate truths' about the bass guitar and everything related to it..

Theres a big difference between the two IMO. 

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If you listen to Scott, he says about students who come to him, talk about tone and think that adding an onboard pre-amp is "the answer". He's right it's not.

Think this through; the bass the student is playing is probably not a keeper. It's another bass on the path. Adding an expensive pre to a cheap bass isn't going to be a financially sensible move. He's getting folk to think about other smaller, cheaper options before doubling the cost of the bass, while adding nothing to it's value.

Sure, change how you play, change the strings, pickups (if you must), and the EQ settings. But if the bass doesn't have a pre-amp, its not always a great move to add one.

SBL has a great ethic for getting youngsters to work with what they have. There's no selling section on the site. This is good for making GAS not a major feature there. It's about getting kids to be happy with what they have and learn to play bass, not thinking that up-grading will be the magic-pill that will get them to be just like their bass-hero. We've all been there; changing stuff and selling basses on because we've got the idea that the next £100 ebay "bargain" will be the big one, when new strings, flats or a twist of the knobs would be just the change we're really wanting.

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1 hour ago, silverfoxnik said:

For anyone who read the other recent thread here about SBL in which Scott actually posted a 30 minute video clip explaining his business methodology in some detail, his use of controversial  headlines like this one about active pre amps, is designed to get YouTube clicks and to get people talking.. 

Seems like a pretty successful strategy to me.

He's a bass player running a very successful business about Bass playing, not a high priest ordained to tell any 'ultimate truths' about the bass guitar and everything related to it..

Theres a big difference between the two IMO. 

That's helpful - I hadn't read the previous SBL thread or seen his 30 min justification for spouting stuff that with a bit more care and thought wouldn't ruffle the feathers of other experienced bass players. 

Can't deny he's both successful and entertaining (and I have a massive amount of respect for him on both counts). 

I will going forward, however, take his 'clickbait' videos with the health warning he himself attaches to them. 

Edited by Al Krow
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27 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I hadn't read the previous SBL thread or seen his 30 min justification for spouting stuff that with a bit more care and thought wouldn't ruffle the feathers of other experienced bass players.

Really??

I think we've seen experienced players didn't react.

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1 minute ago, chris_b said:

Really??

I think we've seen experienced players didn't react.

Haha, so that entire previous thread, which the mods had to close, was an "unreaction"? 😄

And in no way did Scott feel the need to post a 30 min video to justify himself. 

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From someone who has struggled in the past to get a tone I like, this clip from Scott would have been just what I needed many years ago.

I think once an understanding of what he is saying here has been reached by the client through practicing what he is saying,  the client can then move forward in any direction they find appealing.

Scott is helping eq dimwits like me get on with playing rather than getting depressed about having a stinky poo sound that isnt getting solved with more bells and whistles. 

He cant win over everyone all the time and is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.  I think a read between the lines kinda thing is needed here. If you already know your stuff about eq then yeah just "meh" to it but if not this is, IMO, very valuable stuff and.......its free!

 

 

 

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@bassjim you've reminded me that 'perfect' can be the enemy of the 'good'.

And it's sooooo much better if Scott is 90% right and helps a bunch of bass players than doing nothing; it's a lot easier and of much less value to anyone for me be making criticisms from the comfort of my arm chair. 

I think the lesson for me here is simply to get my head around who Scott is aiming his videos at (and actually perhaps to remove him from the pedestal I may previously have had him on!). 

Edited by Al Krow
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6 hours ago, silverfoxnik said:

For anyone who read the other recent thread here about SBL in which Scott actually posted a 30 minute video clip explaining his business methodology in some detail, his use of controversial  headlines like this one about active pre amps, is designed to get YouTube clicks and to get people talking.. 

Seems like a pretty successful strategy to me.

He's a bass player running a very successful business about Bass playing, not a high priest ordained to tell any 'ultimate truths' about the bass guitar and everything related to it..

Theres a big difference between the two IMO. 

I think you're wrong - he's running an on line bass education business. Call me old fashioned but I think educators have a responsibility to be reasonably accurate and not to confuse personal preference with education. 

The click bait thing is quite wrong as you needed to watch at least half the video to get to the bit where he rules out pre amps. 

So I think some of you are being too kind to Scott. It is a business he's running.  

I too was impressed with Scott's video response to the thread about extra charges (or at least he'd gone to the trouble of doing this)  - after about 10 minutes I began to feel it was actually being used as a marketing opportunity. Astute business thinking but no doubt the thread was closed to avoid people making too many comments on it!!

 

Edited by drTStingray
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47 minutes ago, drTStingray said:

I think you're wrong - he's running an on line bass education business. Call me old fashioned but I think educators have a responsibility to be reasonably accurate and not to confuse personal preference with education. 

The click bait thing is quite wrong as you needed to watch at least half the video to get to the bit where he rules out pre amps. 

So I think some of you are being too kind to Scott. It is a business he's running.  

I too was impressed with Scott's video response to the thread about extra charges (or at least he'd gone to the trouble of doing this)  - after about 10 minutes I began to feel it was actually being used as a marketing opportunity. Astute business thinking but no doubt the thread was closed to avoid people making too many comments on it!!

 

I was definitely impressed with Scott's video response and I don't think that he was using it as a marketing opportunity. However I agree that as a teacher he shouldn't really be making attention grabbing statements that might confuse his students. 

Having said that, I like Scott and think on balance he makes a positive contribution. There is obviously a demand for an online bass school - a demand that he is successfully meeting. It might not be for me, but good luck to him for developing something successfull and generally positive...

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