Doctor J

The song: For some reason, I envisioned a male escort on his way home after a late... ehhh... shift, I suppose. He's a good guy, alone in a world which just doesn't understand. The technical stuff: Yamaha drums into Thomann mics into Behringer interface, as always. I tried a little bit of damping on the snare top skin, kind of going for an old-school disco sound but I think I missed. I tried additional percussion too, for effect, That's right. Cowbell. There are four bass tracks on there. A high one with the Ashdown octaver thing on, plus a low bass during the verses. The other two was messing around with a Boss Synth Bass pedal, which was a lot of fun. Guitars were a Tokai 335 and a Bacchus strat into an Avid Eleven, as always, but there's not much guitar on there. Sometimes it's just basses stacked or just one bass synth track. I wanted to do some wah stuff, in keeping with the theme, but the pot in my wah pedal is scratchy and cleaner couldn't cure it. Instead, I tried some envelope filter stuff which didn't really come out well. Vocals are me trying desperately not to sound like myself, including 6 tracks of BVs to try to make it sound all motown, like. Yeah, that didn't really come together either. Ah well.

Same with mine, the neck is fantastic and very stable. I don't think Tokai have widespread neck issues. This thread is the first I've ever heard of it.

I used to have a Digidesign 002 and OctoPre connected via ADAT, back in the day, and sold them when I stopped drumming. After I started drumming again, I went with Behringer UMC 1820 and Ultragain Digital at very reasonable money from Thomann, again, connected via ADAT. I'm running 5 toms, kick, snare top and bottom, two overheads and dedicated hi-hat and ride mics for the kit, with channels to spare for stringed instruments too. I can't fault them.

You should look up the old bassist. If you like judging people based on a couple of paragraphs in a magazine article, it'll make your day.

It's got what it takes, so tell me why can't this be good?

Maybe send a message to @Eldon Tyrell, he's selling his one

Yeah, the new track is very poor. Still, we live in hope, eh?

I usually have the vocal idea in my head or, if it's a riff, I'll record it on the phone. I counted recently, I have about 70 songs in various incomplete stages, so take this method with a very large pinch of salt. I record into protools and, after a few years of programming drums, have gone back to learning to play and record drums if I think the music should have the sound of "real" drums. Harder, but more satisfying, I think. Guitars and basses tend to be recorded via an Avid Eleven. It's not the best bit of kit but I've usually gotten what I need out of it. I've an open mind towards getting something better should a nicely priced alternative appear. Anyway, It's generally like this... Figure out tempo(s) Work out song structure to click and record a guide track really emphasising quarter notes (I tend to listen to bass, so I lose focus on a high pitched click like a cowbell or whatever), the bass or rhythm guitar becomes the click track. Figure out what the drums should do, see if I can actually play that and try to play it well enough over a few takes to be able to edit together a decent track Once I'm happy with the drums, bass(es) usually comes next Rhythm tracks next, guitars, keys etc. Once I've got the foundation of the song together, I start adding the fluff Lead guitars, solos, effects, fluff, etc next Vocals, if there are any, usually come last I tend to work towards a mix as I go. Everything gets tweaked along the way to what I think the end result should sound like. I tend to gate the kit, just to leave more sonic space for other instruments. I've a drum kit in a converted bedroom with my recording setup and other instruments, bring recorded by Behringer and Thomann gear. I don't have the luxury of Studio 1 in Abbey Road to record in. After I do some work, I usually bounce down a mix to listen in the car, or wherever I'm out and about, just to hear how things are going and to make mental notes for mix tweaks. I've recently been learning how to use delay more effectively and am trying to be braver and more savvy with reverb. I'm a late convert to bussing groups of instruments into a group fader, ie drums, basses, rhythm guitars, lead guitars, etc. Once everything is recorded and edited, if required, I get a final mix done and master it. Bad habits from this approach... I just learn the track to play it well enough to record. I miss the fine-tuning you'd do with structure or lines in a rehearsal room with other players. I've often found myself thinking I'd have played a slightly different drum track when I've eventually gotten to a final mix, having heard everything else at that point 😂

https://reverb.com/item/51064344-ibanez-sr840tr-mij-1999-limited-edition

SR840TR ?

It doesn't have the deep neck pocket, I'd think it's A SR500 or 600, thereabouts

"I know it's just a p bass copy" Wrong perspective. In my experience, there is no "just" as many of the copies are better than the real thing. To be honest, I don't think there is a real thing anymore, just some brands which have changed ownership enough, over the years, to have lost all real connection to the original other than owning some copyrights. Everything is a copy, these days. I've got three superb Jazz basses, not one Fender, though. I've a 335 and it's a Japanese Tokai. Stop worrying about the logo on the headstock and focus on the instrument in your hands. If that bass is telling you it's the right bass for you, well, discard your prejudices and listen to it.

Incredible to watch, but nothing I could listen to for more than a few seconds. Fretted bass is a pretty crap solo instrument to listen to, to my ears. Tapping metal bass strings onto metal frets, in particular, sounds quite rubbish as a vehicle for musical expression. As above, that he's doing this on an instrument not really musically suitable is the hook here. It's a feast for the eyes as I can appreciate the level of coordination what he's doing requires, and the imagination to get to that level, but just doesn't stimulate me as music to my ears. And, yes, I've no doubt he's a great musician and could play circles around me playing "normal" bass stuff, too. This kind of stuff, as music, just bores me, though I am not his target audience in the same way a lot of contemporary music also says nothing to me about my life. Just personal taste.

Not my cup o' tae, musically, but they certainly can play.

Actually, it might be a S.D. Curlee, it looks like it has a large backplate down the middle of the body and two P pickups.

Viliette Citron?

I'm getting old and prefer support from below, these days.

But you only turn the amps up so you can hear yourselves over their bloody radio!

Ssshhhhhhh.... the thread doesn't need another stampede of people who simply must tell us again how false a god he is.

Suddenly, I'm glad I have a cowbell.

Perhaps putting the same products into the market for 70 years has finally filled it to the point that almost everyone who wants one has one and there are enough used ones to satisfy the rest?

In the age of ergonomic enlightenment, is there really such a great demand for anchors like Rippers and Grabbers damaging shoulders? They're niche, at best, novelty at worst. They won't bring bonuses to stressed executives.

I remember when all this was just rock 'n' roll.