How Do I ....?

[bassgirl-uk]

Hi Guys, I'm a female bass player from the UK; I use both 4 and 5 string Stingray's and also sometimes a Sterling.
I'm doing 2 projects; one is an Elvis tribute show, the other is a covers band. There are 3 numbers I'm having difficulty creating the right sound; I'm having no difficulty with the notes played but I can't get the right sound. It doesn't matter which of those basses I use. By the way, I use Ampeg SVT Classic head on top of either an Ampeg 8x10 cab or a 4x10 with a 15 underneath. The numbers I'm having trouble with are : Black Velvet by Alannah Myles, Boys of Summer by Don Henley and Way Down by Elvis. I think you will guess straight away the sound I'm after; it's that sort of whinning bass sound.
I know you will probably say "fretless". Well I play double bass too so that wouldn't bother me but I don't want all the trouble of switching to yet another guitar on stage, so can any of you recommend a way of creating that sound with any of my fretted Musicmans'.
Any ideas guys ?

 

[bassmonkey]

A heavy dose of compression?

The reason I say this is that the Sam Brown song "Stop!" sounds fretless but was played on fretted Stingray with tons of compression. How I know this is the guy who played the line, Ed Poole, is on another forum I frequent and he told me this.

Actually, the Stingray had a Bartolini pickup, with slightly different position to standard.

 

[Slapfest]

I dont think you will get any easy answers to that one.
Some effects processors have a "fretless"patch that, from memory dont do much at all.
Theres only one way that I know of, to get that tone...... play a fretless.
If your getting the notes right and laying down the groove, then that should keep the toes tapping.
If that wont do, then I guess maybe get hold of one, and suffer the instrument change.

 

[Caca de Kick]

I'd say don't worry about it, just be you. The crowd isn't going to tell the difference.

Oh, and those walk-down licks on Black Velvet were done on a keyboard, lots of cover band bassist have been trying to chase that sound forever.

 

[oli@bass]

Black Velvet: Maybe a bit more mids, turn down the treble a bit and then... feel the line... it's more important to catch the feel, that heavy swing, than exactly copy the sound itself...

 

[RobertB]

I agree with Oli & Caca. I can appreciate that you want to be "true" to the tunes, but on the other hand, some of my favorite covers are ones which take another route to doing that - by emphasizing or showing you something you had NOT noticed/heard before in the original, which leaves room for creative license while still honoring the original.

Besides, unless you're playing to a house full of bassists, I think very few, if anyone, will register the thought, "hey wait a minute ... THAT's not the precise bass sound the original had!".

If none of this satisfies your particular brand of perfectionism, though, try an effects processor with a fretless sound. My issue with that, though, is that effects so often cut out the low end frequencies.

In any case, have fun!
~Robert

 

[strummer]

I'd say don't worry about it, just be you. The crowd isn't going to tell the difference.

In total agreement of the above!

 

[INMT]

Work the bass volume. Turn it down about half way and back off the treb on the bass.
That should be a good start to easily mimic the smooth compressed feel of those tunes.

 

[music man mike]

Easy solution..

Hi Guys, I'm a female bass player from the UK; I use both 4 and 5 string Stingray's and also sometimes a Sterling.
I'm doing 2 projects; one is an Elvis tribute show, the other is a covers band. There are 3 numbers I'm having difficulty creating the right sound; I'm having no difficulty with the notes played but I can't get the right sound. It doesn't matter which of those basses I use. By the way, I use Ampeg SVT Classic head on top of either an Ampeg 8x10 cab or a 4x10 with a 15 underneath. The numbers I'm having trouble with are : Black Velvet by Alannah Myles, Boys of Summer by Don Henley and Way Down by Elvis. I think you will guess straight away the sound I'm after; it's that sort of whinning bass sound.
I know you will probably say "fretless". Well I play double bass too so that wouldn't bother me but I don't want all the trouble of switching to yet another guitar on stage, so can any of you recommend a way of creating that sound with any of my fretted Musicmans'.
Any ideas guys ?

I have actualy played those type of songs. I used a cheap toby tobias bass. They are fretless songs but try to set your music man with only one pickup on. JAss bass style pickups have that fat tone you are looking for. The pickup closest to the bridge. Any bass with jass bass pickups will do. I like that bwaaa of my fretless though.

 

[syciprider]

Go to Talkbass to get a whining tone.

Kidding aside, I use an EHX Bass Micro Synth to cop the Black Velvet bass line.

 

[oli@bass]

Kidding aside, I use an EHX Bass Micro Synth to cop the Black Velvet bass line.

Interesting idea!
Maybe also to use a decent octaver and play the line one octave higher will give you that sort of synth sound.

Still, I think to catch the feel is much more important than exactly copy the sound. Also, try different places where you pluck the string. That makes more difference than many effects...

 

[captcolour]

A chorus pedal may help. I use a Fulltone ChoralFlange which is a pretty awesome pedal. I think some of the comments on tone plus a little chorus blended in may do the trick.

 

[fly]

i too play with chorus a bit..........and it's not a fretless sound but.........pretty close.

 

[nicolasd]

could investigate whether flatwounds would provide a good compromise... although i realize that "compromise" is not the goal... it may provide you with the versatility in sound.

 

[Hellboy]

I'd say don't worry about it, just be you. The crowd isn't going to tell the difference.

I agree 100 %. Don´t worry about it for one second. Find your own voice. Don´t be a copy cat. Do your own thing. Noone will tell a difference.

//Jan

 

[Rooster]

I'd say don't worry about it, just be you. The crowd isn't going to tell the difference..

Yeah. Just play. The subtle nuances that we all try to achieve on bass are lost in a band situation. You just play and your sound lies therein.

 

[bassgirl-uk]

Thanks

Thanks to all you guys for all the useful hints and tips. I've decided to use my 5 string Stingray and try the compression, chorus and octaver route or maybe just more compression; we'll see how it goes. Like you all said, I'll have the confidence and do what I do and hopefully it'll be close enough.

 

[PzoLover]

When In doubt

I agree with Oli & Caca. I can appreciate that you want to be "true" to the tunes, but on the other hand, some of my favorite covers are ones which take another route to doing that - by emphasizing or showing you something you had NOT noticed/heard before in the original, which leaves room for creative license while still honoring the original.

Besides, unless you're playing to a house full of bassists, I think very few, if anyone, will register the thought, "hey wait a minute ... THAT's not the precise bass sound the original had!".

If none of this satisfies your particular brand of perfectionism, though, try an effects processor with a fretless sound. My issue with that, though, is that effects so often cut out the low end frequencies.

In any case, have fun!
~Robert

There are some fine responses here in technical terms, but I'm a cheater by nature and here's my slant ... my inclination is to call a few of the top pros in town and ask themfor some lesson sessions ... sit with a pro for a n hour or two,case in point, one local area guy who I saw and heard "nail the "Black Velvet sound was doing a sideman gig with a country singer who did a pretty fair Alannah Miles tribute and he did it with a beatup old stock "J" bass... his technique seemed to involve fingering and attack, plus some amp settings... and from here, my inclination is to keep searching with an SR5 H/Piezo and my trusty TE rig Big Box 15 with an extra Eden 12" to punch/heat up the mids and based on what I saw Lawrence do, I'm inclined to stick with the rosewood or maple fretted before switching over to fretless ... but what the heck do I know compared to the fine MusicMan players we've already heard from .. I'm just a brain damaged SR5 Piezo Lover stuck here with a very tired arm on a loaner computer in Ye OLDE Geezerz Inn on the Wet Coast of the Great White North Eh?

Whatever You do, do like Robert sez and "Have Fun, and do it in good health,
all The bass,
/PL