squire5 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 (edited) Just been listening to the Commodores doing 'Nightshift'.Sounds mighty like some classic fretless playing,but on the video,the bassist is using a Steinberger type fretted bass.Anybody know (a) is it an actual bass (and not keyboard) and (b)is the Commodores bassist Ronald LaPraed playing the bassline?And (c)if not him,then who? Edited because all the letters in brackets came out as Smilies Edited December 2, 2011 by squire5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 (edited) I have just been listening to that.Great Tune. It sounds like Keyboard Bass, Garry Edited December 2, 2011 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 [url="http://allmusic.com/album/nightshift-r2093703/credits"]http://allmusic.com/album/nightshift-r2093703/credits[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 (edited) [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1322869082' post='1456976'] [url="http://allmusic.com/album/nightshift-r2093703/credits"]http://allmusic.com/...2093703/credits[/url] [/quote] Oh well - i got that wrong.. Although it does sound like the DX7 Fretless Bass patch, The same one as 'Take My Breath away' - Berlin. And just about every Pub Duo using Backing tracks. Garry Edited December 2, 2011 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1322869396' post='1456978'] Oh well - i got that wrong.. Although it does sound like the DX7 Fretless Bass patch, The same one as 'Take My Breath away' - Berlin. And just about every Pub Duo using Backing tracks. Garry [/quote] not being a synth exp but form my experience of previously owning a roland super jd it does sound like some of the fretless and acoustic bass patches in the roland did roland make a bass version of their guitar synth pickup (edit - and if they did was it available at the time of the recording? i think their first bolt on guitar synth pick up was early 90s ish so guess that might be to late?) - i would agree that the whole tone does sound like patches but some of the lines played sound like they fit better on strings rather keys if you catch my drift my ears (and the technology timeline) would suggest synth but my fingers are saying strings Edited December 3, 2011 by steve-bbb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1322904661' post='1457088'] not being a synth exp but form my experience of previously owning a roland super jd it does sound like some of the fretless and acoustic bass patches in the roland. my ears (and the technology timeline) would suggest synth but my fingers are saying strings [/quote] I am sure someone will come along who knows for sure. The double stops and shakes do sound like mod wheel & pitch bends though. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1322905443' post='1457100'] I am sure someone will come along who knows for sure. The double stops and shakes do sound like mod wheel & pitch bends though. Garry [/quote] its not the easiest of things to google either! - at least ive just learned that vinnie colauita is on the credits for it! never realised that before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) Been listening to it again with cans this time and now I'm more,but not completely convinced that it's synth based(See what i did there?Synth bass )..Still nice though.If it is,I still cant work out why LaPread played a fretted bass in the video.Could it have been just to say "Hey,I'm the bass player here,but nobody will notice that the bass sound on the track and this bass don't match" Edited December 3, 2011 by squire5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckendrick Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1322904661' post='1457088'] did roland make a bass version of their guitar synth pickup....?[/quote] Not at that time.... ....but there was a bass synth component available for the then de-rigeur Roland Rack. Being rather novel - prior to it's rather swift obsolescence - it didn't have a huge colour palette nor the greatest range of applications in my unimaginative hands. I used it meself on some "Silent Types" tracks recorded at the erstewhile Mekon studio, Brixton. I always thought the bass part in NIghtshift was created utilising this dinasaur of the digital age. Ron played the line on fully fretted Steinberger bass though some chorusy/flangy type effects when they played at The Cav(endish) Club in Blackburn, Lancs in 1986 Edited December 3, 2011 by mckendrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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