Mister RLP Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I'm trying to get my bass to sound as near to Trevor Bolder's bass part for 'Suffragette City' for a Bowie gig later this year. Found the isolated bass part on Youtube - [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDV4dIHGwLI"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDV4dIHGwLI[/url] Sounds distorted/overdriven? I realise he is probably using a Mustang bass/pick? (I'm using a P Bass) but what would help come close to this sound? Would getting a behringer bdi21 v-tone bass driver di be an easy way to get this tone? Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Is it not the natural drive of a Gibson EB-0? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Kinda sounds more like his Fender to me but still overdriven thru amp. He did play his basses quite hard and that helped with the attack. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Well I don't know for sure, it's a guess. I know Jack Bruce got a similar kind of sound with a similar kind of bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 (edited) I take that back. Just watched the 1972 live version and its a Gibson EB3 (twin pick up) and its exactly that sound so my apologies. Jack Bruce did have that same sound to be honest. Dave Edited February 16, 2017 by dmccombe7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Before everyone gets too excited, the OP will be doing this on a gig. Unless the sound is wildly inappropriate (say mega-scooped active Jazz), will anyone really notice in the live mix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1487272900' post='3238581'] Before everyone gets too excited, the OP will be doing this on a gig. Unless the sound is wildly inappropriate (say mega-scooped active Jazz), will anyone really notice in the live mix? [/quote] Ah, don't be a wet blanket. You know how we like to endlessly blather on about 'tone', only to make a sound like a badger farting in a biscuit tin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1487273233' post='3238585'] Ah, don't be a wet blanket. You know how we like to endlessly blather on about 'tone', only to make a sound like a badger farting in a biscuit tin... [/quote] Farting badger? Biscuit tin? How the hell did you find out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1487272334' post='3238574'] I take that back. Just watched the 1972 live version and its a Gibson EB3 (twin pick up) and its exactly that sound so my apologies. [/quote] No apology necessary. I could still be quite wrong, of course. We really need a Bowie nerd to chime in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1487273461' post='3238588'] No apology necessary. I could still be quite wrong, of course. We really need a Bowie nerd to chime in... [/quote] I'm a Bowie nerd and I own a Mustang, but I feel I've rather blown my cred on this one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister RLP Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 (edited) Blimey. I only went to make the tea and it's all kicking off! Yes - Mr Bolder is attacking his bass fairly hard. Great sound - but I don't play as hard. And I have Chromes on my p bass. Actually great bass line. Really interesting looking at the songs I am playing and the different bassists: [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]'Suffragette City' - Trevor Bolder - powerful and fun to play[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]'Valentine's Day' - Tony Visconti - simple yet really serves the song[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]'Lazarus' - Tim Lefebvre[/font][/color][font=sans-serif][color=#252525][b] - [/b][/color][/font][color=#252525][font=sans-serif]wow! - I am doing a basic version.[/font][/color] [color=#252525][font=sans-serif]'Dead Man Walking' - Gail Ann Dorsey - haven't really looked at this yet [/font][/color] [color=#252525][font=sans-serif]'Can't Help Thinking About Me' - VH1 Storytellers Version - [/font][/color][font=sans-serif][color=#252525]Gail Ann Dorsey - neat baseline to play[/color][/font] [color=#252525][font=sans-serif]So - getting back to post - how do I get the overdrive sound? Or - how do I get a sound near the Gibson EB3?[/font][/color] Edited February 17, 2017 by Mister RLP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroybasslines Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 If you don't play hard with your fingers, play hard with a pick! I'd recommend using downstrokes as much as you can and really digging in: the sound Trevor Bolder is getting is mainly about hitting the bass hard, getting those strings moving and hitting the fretboard to generate the attack and growl. A P bass could replicate that sound pretty easily if you get lots of energy into the strings to make them move. Effects wise, perhaps a bit of something to give that tube-y overdrive; I sometimes use my T-Rex Bassjuice distortion to blend in a bit of warm fuzz to try and replicate a massive tube amplifier being driven hard. Only a tiny bit, just enough to thicken up the sound. Any overdrive type pedal with a blend knob in would do it. Or perhaps a Sansamp type DI/preamp. It's quite a middle-y EQ as well. Lots of bassists avoid the middle part of their EQ, but for this kind of thing boosting the mids a touch helps cut through the mix a bit and get that snarl. Some great tunes in that set! Bowie totally gets bass players and bass lines - so many of his tunes have iconic bass parts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 [quote name='Mister RLP' timestamp='1487276510' post='3238627'] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]'Suffragette City' - Trevor Bolder - powerful and fun to play[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]'Valentine's Day' - Tony Visconti - simple yet really serves the song[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]'Lazarus' - Tim Lefebvre[/font][/color][font=sans-serif][color=#252525][b] - [/b][/color][/font][color=#252525][font=sans-serif]wow! - I am doing a basic version.[/font][/color] [color=#252525][font=sans-serif]'Dead Man Walking' - Gail Ann Dorsey - haven't really looked at this yet [/font][/color] [color=#252525][font=sans-serif]'Can't Help Thinking About Me' - VH1 Storytellers Version - [/font][/color][font=sans-serif][color=#252525]Gail Ann Dorsey - neat baseline to play[/color][/font] [/quote] Now I have BCE (Bowie Cover Envy)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I'm in a Bowie cover band too! Using an Ibanez SR300 on the neck pickup, treble dialled up for a bit of extra clank on the attack. Going into a Behringer BDI-21 for some Ampeg colouration and a COG custom bass OD for the dirt and mid range boost. Can't say I nail the tone necessarily but it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister RLP Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 [quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]If you don't play hard with your fingers, play hard with a pick! I'd recommend using downstrokes as much as you can and really digging in: the sound Trevor Bolder is getting is mainly about hitting the bass hard, getting those strings moving and hitting the fretboard to generate the attack and growl. A P bass could replicate that sound pretty easily if you get lots of energy into the strings to make them move.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Effects wise, perhaps a bit of something to give that tube-y overdrive; I sometimes use my T-Rex Bassjuice distortion to blend in a bit of warm fuzz to try and replicate a massive tube amplifier being driven hard. Only a tiny bit, just enough to thicken up the sound. Any overdrive type pedal with a blend knob in would do it. Or perhaps a Sansamp type DI/preamp.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]It's quite a middle-y EQ as well. Lots of bassists avoid the middle part of their EQ, but for this kind of thing boosting the mids a touch helps cut through the mix a bit and get that snarl.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Some great tunes in that set! Bowie totally gets bass players and bass lines - so many of his tunes have iconic bass parts![/font][/color][/quote] Cool advice. Thanks for this. Will look into overdrive pedals. Yep - some amazing bassists. Didn't realise that most of the Lazarus baseline was laid down by Bowie for Tim Lefebvre. Good interview here - part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASNUYraqMIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister RLP Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) [quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Now I have BCE (Bowie Cover Envy)...[/font][/color][/quote] I wanted to do a lot more of the less obvious ones like 'Look Back In Anger' and 'Beauty and the Beast'. Maybe even throw in a Tin Machine number...but I'm told that people want the obvious. [quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I'm in a Bowie cover band too! Using an Ibanez SR300 on the neck pickup, treble dialled up for a bit of extra clank on the attack. Going into a Behringer BDI-21 for some Ampeg colouration and a COG custom bass OD for the dirt and mid range boost. Can't say I nail the tone necessarily but it works for me.[/font][/color][/quote] Will look into this too. Cheers. Edited February 20, 2017 by Mister RLP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 [quote] Will look into this too. Cheers. [/quote] No problems. I tried to find a clip of us on YT but it's all recorded on mobiles from the crowd and the bass isn't really prominent enough to show you the results. I know what you feel about avoiding the obvious stuff. We played a Bowie convention in Derby last year and racked our brains for a setlist that covered popular stuff people would want to hear and less obvious tracks as I'm not sure how many times people would get excited to hear "Ziggy Stardust" for the 20th time in a weekend. The best reception we got was for "Dollar Days", although our sax player didn't thank us for that one as it's a tough one for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister RLP Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) [quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I know what you feel about avoiding the obvious stuff. We played a Bowie convention in Derby last year and racked our brains for a setlist that covered popular stuff people would want to hear and less obvious tracks as I'm not sure how many times people would get excited to hear "Ziggy Stardust" for the 20th time in a weekend. The best reception we got was for "Dollar Days", although our sax player didn't thank us for that one as it's a tough one for him.[/font][/color][/quote] Completely agree re 'Ziggy'. There are some songs from my favourite bands/artists which have been played too much. Can't really listen to 'Hey Jude' anymore as it seems this is wheeled out whenever McCartney plays. Used to really love it. Prefer to hear'Lady Madonna' now. 'Heroes' too has become difficult and I'm a huge fan of the 'Berlin' Trilogy. 'Dollar Days'. Great choice. I wonder if anyone has tackled 'Blackstar' yet? Would really like to play 'No Plan'. Breaking (glass) news: Looks like we've just added 'Ashes to Ashes' and I don't slap... Edited February 21, 2017 by Mister RLP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Saw a Bowie tribute band last year and being an earlier Bowie fan i thought Width of a Circle and Moonage Daydream stole the show maybe because the bassist that night was sh*t hot and on those two songs he really just went for it. Close my eyes and it could have been Trevor Bolder up there playing on stage. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 [quote name='Mister RLP' timestamp='1487705133' post='3242055'] 'Dollar Days'. Great choice. I wonder if anyone has tackled 'Blackstar' yet? [/quote] I learned it, then we decided we weren't playing it! There's only really 3 sections but the structure is a little weird so it's doable for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister RLP Posted February 23, 2017 Author Share Posted February 23, 2017 Ashes to Ashes out. Wild is the Wind in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister RLP Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 Update: Bowie Concert tomorrow. Songs involved in are now: Suffragette City, Moonage Daydream, Lazarus and Valentine's Day. For some reason learnt the baseline for Golden Year over the weekend. Rather neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 (edited) yeah the Behringer copy of the bddi will get you there, easily. But I personally would use a T21 VT DI, closer to tube overdrive imho ymmv PS my fave Bowie bassline is Space Odditty, Herbie Flowers at his genius best Edited April 5, 2017 by bazztard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 My favourite Bowie bass line is Lady Grinning Soul. No help on the OP but just wanted to share that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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