Rumple Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 [center]I have been listening to some old Peter Gabriel stuff at work this week and love the sound of the fretless bass on lots of the tracks, I was wondering how Tony Levin gets that growly almost synth like sound, I'm guessing an Octaver is involved. Anyway I thought I'd put it out there and see if any of you knowledgeable folk can shed some light on the subject. Cheers R.[/center] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) [i]I Don't Remember[/i], and that? Most of it is a Chapman Stick, I think... EDIT: Crikey.. that link I've added is a REALLY old version. It sounds like he's making the words up on the spot...! Edited December 13, 2008 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 It's an OC-2 on "Sledgehammer". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 I went to see him at a clinic a while ago and he used a EBS Multicomp and an Octaver. I can't remember the make but you may be able to find out from his site. I asked him how he got the Sledgehammer bass sound, as we do it in my band, and he said That he played it on a fretless with a pick and an octaver and compressor I think. Lovely guy and great player. He seemed not too hung up on make of effects and use whatever he's given! Also look at thishttp://www.talkbass.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-411600.html. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 See I knew I could count on you lot! I have have had a look at the Talkbass thread (cheers Mike) and watched this video of Peter Gabriel live in 93 which shows Tony Levin using a fretless Stingray with a pick. [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-TM9GA3Tg&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-TM9GA3Tg&...feature=related[/url] It's looking like loads of compression and an OC-2 octaver are used to get that loverly sound. Thanks Chaps. R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Rumple' post='353633' date='Dec 13 2008, 03:12 PM']watched this video of Peter Gabriel live in 93 which shows Tony Levin using a fretless Stingray with a pick. [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-TM9GA3Tg&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-TM9GA3Tg&...feature=related[/url][/quote] That looks like a fretted Sabre to me (sounds like a fretless though. Maybe it's just got very visible lines). He's Tony Levin, he can play what he likes. It sounds like a Musicman fretless on the record though, could be a Stingray, could be a Sabre, who knows/cares. I've just sat down with my 'ray fretless, an OC-2, my LMB-3 cranked and a pick and got a pretty similar sound anyway, if that's any use to you. Edited December 13, 2008 by thisnameistaken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='353637' date='Dec 13 2008, 03:14 PM']That looks like a fretted Sabre to me (sounds like a fretless though. Maybe it's just got very visible lines). He's Tony Levin, he can play what he likes. It sounds like a Musicman fretless on the record though, could be a Stingray, could be a Sabre, who knows/cares. I've just sat down with my 'ray fretless, an OC-2, my LMB-3 cranked and a pick and got a pretty similar sound anyway, if that's any use to you. [/quote] Yeah, he's a great player and could probably make just about anything sound good. Cheers for the research with the OC-2 and LMB that's a great help. R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 I should add it's also really easy and fun to play, even if you're a rubbish fretless player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='353644' date='Dec 13 2008, 03:34 PM']I should add it's also really easy and fun to play, even if you're a rubbish fretless player. [/quote] I don't actually have a fretless at the mo' and haven't played one in anger since the 80's so I'm sure I would be awful, listening to some Gabriel has me GASing for a fretless Stingray or Sterling though. R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Octivider and Chorus, a great combination also used by Pino Palladino and Guy Pratt amongst others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 I'm sorry to say I think you're right, there is a bit of chorus in there. Should I go downstairs, get my CEB-3 and try it again? It's either that or debug a bunch of broken PHP... Be back in five. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='353700' date='Dec 13 2008, 04:29 PM']I'm sorry to say I think you're right, there is a bit of chorus in there. Should I go downstairs, get my CEB-3 and try it again? It's either that or debug a bunch of broken PHP... Be back in five. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) Yeah it does sound better with a bit of chorus, but only a bit. Actually the CEB-3 works well here because it's got a low-pass knob on it, so you can set it so only the upper octave (and particularly the higher notes) pick up the chorus effect. Back to work. Edited December 13, 2008 by thisnameistaken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Any excuse to slack off of work I found this quote from TL when talking about one of his solo cd's. [i]used to favor an old Music Man Sabre fretless I have (did "Sledgehammer" on it) [/i] Nothing to do with effects but proves he did use a fretless Sabre. Good call on the chorus Ez. R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 [quote name='Rumple' post='353717' date='Dec 13 2008, 05:04 PM']Any excuse to slack off of work I found this quote from TL when talking about one of his solo cd's. [i]used to favor an old Music Man Sabre fretless I have (did "Sledgehammer" on it) [/i] Nothing to do with effects but proves he did use a fretless Sabre. Good call on the chorus Ez. R.[/quote] Ta it was nothing, I'm a huge Gabriel/Levin fan/anorak. Yep I've seen TL using that Sabre for Sledgehammer live. Interestingly he uses a 'Ray5 fretless with the Tony Levin Band so I'm guessing that the Sabre has the 'Hammer tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 [quote name='ezbass' post='354064' date='Dec 14 2008, 09:47 AM']Ta it was nothing, I'm a huge Gabriel/Levin fan/anorak. Yep I've seen TL using that Sabre for Sledgehammer live. Interestingly he uses a 'Ray5 fretless with the Tony Levin Band so I'm guessing that the Sabre has the 'Hammer tone.[/quote] I have Waters Of Eden by TL, anything else I should add to that? fretless bass rather then Chapman Stick stuff. R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Rumple' post='354111' date='Dec 14 2008, 11:01 AM']I have Waters Of Eden by TL, anything else I should add to that? fretless bass rather then Chapman Stick stuff. R.[/quote] Tony Levin Band Live Double Espresso, fretless a go go. Great instrumental version of Black Dog. Resonator is a good album too with TL singing no less, not huge amounts of fretless though. Here's a pic of TL with that Sabre (with graphite neck BTW) playing Sledgehammer. Yes he does use a pick on it. Edited December 14, 2008 by ezbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 Thanks again, Double Espresso is on the shopping list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmanc Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I think you'll find that Tony Levin's distinctive sound has historically been produced using a TC electronics phaser pedal. There were originally two versions, a Bass/Kbd and a guitar, the principal difference being the octave range that is phased. The Bass version is the backbone of the classic Levin Stick sound (along with compression of course) and is also used by other notable 'rock bass' stick players like Nick Beggs (Check out his old band Ellis Beggs and Howard for sound bites) and myself (!), in fact I use both versions for different tracks as I like the effect of the guitar phaser on the stick too. The pedals are studio quality and the original versions are as rare as the proverbial waste products of rocking horses, but bass guitars do sound great through them too, so you might want to look out for one. The new version is around £140 I think but still worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 The last pedalboard I've seen him with had ALOT of custom Analogman effects on - including a 2 channel compressor and a Big Muff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Blimey I'll be skint by the time I try all these pedals out, great fun though! I can't remember the last time I saw a TC Electronics pedal - probably an ad in International Musician and Recording World. I'll look them up along with Big Muffs as I quite fancy owning one of those just because of the name R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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