How do you get a tone like that?

[PawelG]

I don't necessarily want that tone, I definitely can't play like that. I am just curious what has the biggest influence on that particular tone. It gets me. I am talking about bass solo (the bassline seems to be slapped) on this track: [url="https://pendofsky.bandcamp.com/track/psychobaton"]https://pendofsky.ba...ack/psychobaton[/url]
The bass he's using is 70's Jolana Diamant (?) from Czechoslovakia I think.

Edited May 21, 2017 by PawelG

[TheGreek]

Wicked tune!!! Off to YT to see if I can find more...

[PawelG]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1495363668' post='3303190']
Wicked tune!!! Off to YT to see if I can find more...
[/quote]
You can listen/(buy) to the whole album on bandcamp.

[SteveK]

Only heard the track on my tablet speakers - not exactly hi-fi quality!
But, my guess: he's using a jazz bass or similar, with mostly bridge pickup. Nothing unusual there!
Without wanting to sound boring and predictable: Most of what I hear, and probably what you're enjoying, is coming from the fingers.

Edit: Just noticed that you know the bass (can't view post I'm replying to when typing )

Edited May 21, 2017 by SteveK

[Coilte]

Great track. As with TheGeek...going to search out more.

[mcnach]

Typical Jazz-like instrument with both pickups on during the tune, switching to mostly bridge pickup during the solo... LOVING that tune, thanks for sharing!!!

[TrevorR]

And on iTunes too... Pendofsky by Pendofsky
https://itun.es/gb/M7VL1

[fleabag]

Plays other planks too

Jazzy something

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlHnufJeNDY

and, er..something black

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fGsaUUHt40

[Baxter]

Valve amps?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='PawelG' timestamp='1495358472' post='3303154']
I am just curious what has the biggest influence on that particular tone.
[/quote]

The studio.

[PawelG]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1495552124' post='3304716']
The studio.
[/quote]

It was recorded in a homemade studio - says on the album.

[PawelG]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1495384421' post='3303370']
Plays other planks too

Jazzy something

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlHnufJeNDY[/media]

and, er..something black

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fGsaUUHt40[/media]
[/quote]

In the first video he's actually the host. So he doesn't play in any of those bands.

And yes, the black bass is Jolana Diamant.

[Ghost_Bass]

Rounds, neck pickup favoured, right hand close to the bridge, dig hard, play up the dusty end of the FB. I think you can cover this sound with pretty much any bass with a bit of adjustment.

[fleabag]

[quote name='PawelG' timestamp='1495553084' post='3304726']
In the first video he's actually the host. So he doesn't play in any of those bands.

And yes, the black bass is Jolana Diamant.
[/quote]

Thanks PG - i dont know the the band and the basser in the first vid looked similar, so i assumed it was him

Also, never heard of a Jolana so thanks for the ID

[chris_b]

As long as the playing is right, it doesn't matter what gear the bassist is using. An engineer with a good set of ears can polish up the sound of any bass with the facilities of even the smallest studio.

[PawelG]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1495553878' post='3304736']


Thanks PG - i dont know the the band and the basser in the first vid looked similar, so i assumed it was him

Also, never heard of a Jolana so thanks for the ID
[/quote]

They were quite big in the 60's, 70's I think. Even Clapton played one apparently.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='PawelG' timestamp='1495552837' post='3304723']
It was recorded in a homemade studio - says on the album.
[/quote]

It doesn't matter kind of studio it was recorded in. You don't know what processing has been applied to the bass after it has been recorded to tape, hard disk etc. And there will have been a lot of it.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1495554011' post='3304741']
As long as the playing is right, it doesn't matter what gear the bassist is using. An engineer with a good set of ears can polish up the sound of any bass with the facilities of even the smallest studio.
[/quote]

Exactly.

[PawelG]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1495560208' post='3304850']


It doesn't matter kind of studio it was recorded in. You don't know what processing has been applied to the bass after it has been recorded to tape, hard disk etc. And there will have been a lot of it.



Exactly.
[/quote]

So, you reckon that getting this kind of tone in a live situation would be rather difficult?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='PawelG' timestamp='1495563900' post='3304905']
So, you reckon that getting this kind of tone in a live situation would be rather difficult?
[/quote]

IMO what makes a great bass tone is not the sound of the bass on its own (as the clip in the OP brilliantly demonstrates when it gets to the bass "solo" later in the piece, and the tone is completely "meh" compared with how brilliantly it fits when the whole band is playing), but how it fits in with the other instruments in the arrangement.

This is one of the reasons why chasing a great tone you've heard on a recording is for most people a futile exercise, because the rest of musicians you'll be playing with don't sound like the other musicians on the record, so even if you do manage to completely copy the sound of the recorded bass, it won't sit properly because the other instruments sound different.

So what you should do instead is listen to the recording and identify what it is about how the bass fits into the sonic space and then replicate that with the musicians you are playing with. In this case it underpins the whole track with the occasional accented notes that pop out. Copy the feel rather than the sound and listen to the tones the other musicians you are playing with are using and pick one for yourself that compliments those.

Of course there's no way of knowing how much of that is down to the skill and technique of the player and how much is down to EQ and level automation in the DAW.

[chris_b]

Aim to get the best sound you can on a gig. . . . then aim to get the best sound you can on a recording.

They are not going to be the same thing.

[PawelG]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1495613149' post='3305210']
IMO what makes a great bass tone is not the sound of the bass on its own (as the clip in the OP brilliantly demonstrates when it gets to the bass "solo" later in the piece, and the tone is completely "meh" compared with how brilliantly it fits when the whole band is playing), but how it fits in with the other instruments in the arrangement.

This is one of the reasons why chasing a great tone you've heard on a recording is for most people a futile exercise, because the rest of musicians you'll be playing with don't sound like the other musicians on the record, so even if you do manage to completely copy the sound of the recorded bass, it won't sit properly because the other instruments sound different.

So what you should do instead is listen to the recording and identify what it is about how the bass fits into the sonic space and then replicate that with the musicians you are playing with. In this case it underpins the whole track with the occasional accented notes that pop out. Copy the feel rather than the sound and listen to the tones the other musicians you are playing with are using and pick one for yourself that compliments those.

Of course there's no way of knowing how much of that is down to the skill and technique of the player and how much is down to EQ and level automation in the DAW.
[/quote]

As stated at the top, I am not trying to get that tone, I was just curious if you guys can hear anything specific that could have been applied on it. Your explanation is pretty much spot on.
Thank you for your input.

[Dan Dare]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1495554011' post='3304741']
As long as the playing is right, it doesn't matter what gear the bassist is using. An engineer with a good set of ears can polish up the sound of any bass with the facilities of even the smallest studio.
[/quote]

Dead right. Studio equipment, well used, can get a great tone out of any instrument. Was at a friend's garage studio (nice enough, but nothing special by way of kit) yesterday with my bass plugged straight into the board and monitoring via his Tannoys. Sounded fab and I was wishing I could get closer to that sound live (and I'm using nice stuff - Epifani, Phil Jones, Carvin). It' a whole different ball game when you need to move serious amounts of air.

Edited May 24, 2017 by Dan Dare

[NickA]

Oh yes. Proper music with a proper bass line content. Love it ... heading for the download thingy.