Pete Academy Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've always wondered how this amazing bass sound was achieved. Is it a synth? Surely they weren't using bass synths on record then...or am I wrong? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubd2uUPT5ww"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubd2uUPT5ww[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 There is clearly a synth lead part... My money's on synth bass too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic_Groove Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Pete Academy' post='626637' date='Oct 15 2009, 07:31 AM']I've always wondered how this amazing bass sound was achieved. Is it a synth? Surely they weren't using bass synths on record then...or am I wrong? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubd2uUPT5ww"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubd2uUPT5ww[/url][/quote] Most of the sounds were generated with one of these [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavinet"]Clavinet[/url] Probably the bass line is tic/tak of Clav & real bass? (I can't hear it properly at moment I am on laptop speakers). Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've never used pedals so I don't know what he could be using, but those are bass lines, and then he's being processed in some way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Pete Academy' post='626637' date='Oct 15 2009, 07:31 AM']....Is it a synth? Surely they weren't using bass synths on record then....[/quote] Machine Gun came out in 1974. Stevie Wonder was using Synths on his solo records by 1972 and probably earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 MB1. ....Funky as Fook!....Synth!... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray5 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Sonic_Groove' post='626699' date='Oct 15 2009, 09:42 AM']Most of the sounds were generated with one of these [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavinet"]Clavinet[/url] Probably the bass line is tic/tak of Clav & real bass? (I can't hear it properly at moment I am on laptop speakers). Brendan[/quote] Haha, beat me to it, but +1 to the above. In one of the bands I was in, back in the 70's, our keyboard player had one of the staple combination set-ups of the time: a Wurlitzer electric piano (later a Fender Rhodes) plus a Hohner D6 Clavinet. (I loved that sound). He then added one of the (then) new Korg synths. Can't remember the model but it was only monophonic. Not bad for solo's anyway. He 'upgraded' to a Moog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I love that tune but I don't think it's one instrument giving you the sound you're talking about. There's bass, clavi, synths and all sorts on that track. I like the fact that Jonathan Ross hinted at Lionel Richie in that interview a couple of years ago that it's a shame that he no longer unleashes the funk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='The Funk' post='626843' date='Oct 15 2009, 12:35 PM']I love that tune but I don't think it's one instrument giving you the sound you're talking about. There's bass, clavi, synths and all sorts on that track. I like the fact that Jonathan Ross hinted at Lionel Richie in that interview a couple of years ago that it's a shame that he no longer unleashes the funk.[/quote] MB1. ...Unweash The Funk!...Wionel!.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic_Groove Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Stingray5' post='626815' date='Oct 15 2009, 12:05 PM']Haha, beat me to it, but +1 to the above. In one of the bands I was in, back in the 70's, our keyboard player had one of the staple combination set-ups of the time: a Wurlitzer electric piano (later a Fender Rhodes) plus a Hohner D6 Clavinet. (I loved that sound). He then added one of the (then) new Korg synths. Can't remember the model but it was only monophonic. Not bad for solo's anyway. He 'upgraded' to a Moog.[/quote] Them were the day hey? Looking at your avatar I guess you like me also love the sound of the Melotron? I would love to work in a band with someone with one of those, but would hate to help them carry it!! B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've always thought the bass part sounds too precise to be played by a human. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic_Groove Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Pete Academy' post='627248' date='Oct 15 2009, 07:29 PM']I've always thought the bass part sounds too precise to be played by a human.[/quote] [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/smason/142075706/sizes/l/"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/smason/142075706/sizes/l/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Sonic_Groove' post='627262' date='Oct 15 2009, 07:39 PM'][url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/smason/142075706/sizes/l/"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/smason/142075706/sizes/l/[/url] [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray5 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 [quote name='Sonic_Groove' post='627242' date='Oct 15 2009, 07:21 PM']Them were the day hey? Looking at your avatar I guess you like me also love the sound of the Melotron? I would love to work in a band with someone with one of those, but would hate to help them carry it!! B[/quote] I've worked with a couple of keyboard players that had a Mellotron. Long gone now (...the Mellotrons I mean! ) The worst thing, aside from the weight, was replacing tape loops. Tuning was also a right pain in the A#...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic_Groove Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Thanks Pete for rediscovering this gem. I have coped my 79p & downloaded it from iTunes. The bass line has got to be a synth there is an extended chord & glissando near the end that must be keyboard. As someone said earlier Stevie Wonder was using synths in early 1970 here is a youtube clip of [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuaSzFf7yq0"]Stevie & TONTO (Clicky)[/url] --- Hippies gone Funky!!! Now I got to get me one of them!!! Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amutimer Posted November 18, 2023 Share Posted November 18, 2023 Guys, that is an ARP 2600 synthesiser. It is using a band pass filter on a pair of slightly detuned sawtooth oscillators. The BP filter is why there is so little very low end. In the hands of the late great Milan Williams it is funky as hell. In many places in the song Milan overdubbed the same notes an octave up on the Clavinet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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