Brightness And Age/Experience

[spongebob]

When I started playing bass, after drums, at about 18, my main aim was a tone that was bright, aggressive,  and as cut through as possible. I stuck with this for years.

 

However, after a small  break, I find myself being to bass in it's truest form.....I've been going towards really deep bass tones, probably flats, fingerstyle,  I've always done rounds with pick. 

 

Am I simply maturing as a player,  or becoming one of those people I used to loathe? I always considered myself different to the 'plonky' brigade.....now I want to become one?? 

[Old Horse Murphy]

Pino Palladino says as you get older, the Bass gets higher in the strap and tone gets rolled off more. Hope that helps

Edited August 21, 2021 by Old Horse Murphy

[Doctor J]

If you're the same person you were as an 18 year old, there's something fundamentally flawed with you. Embrace change, it's part of being alive and life stays interesting by having different perspectives to the ones you had as a kid who thought he knew everything 🙂

Edited August 21, 2021 by Doctor J

[skankdelvar]

5 minutes ago, spongebob said:

Am I simply maturing as a player,  or becoming one of those people I used to loathe?

It might be of no greater significance than that you are simply enjoying the sound of a different bass tone.

 

Enjoy 

[Reggaebass]

3 minutes ago, spongebob said:

really deep bass tones, probably flats, fingerstyle

This is how I’ve played for years ,but I wouldn’t say that I’m in the “plonky “ brigade, perhaps your style of playing is changing 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I've always been in the plonky brigade - I was using flatwounds in the 80s

[Reggaebass]

Just now, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I was using flatwounds in the 80s

I’m still using the same ones 😁

[Reggaebass]

[Marvin]

As you get older, and your hearing deteriorates, it's the higher frequencies that you can't hear anyway  😁😎

 

I'm actually trying to get a few more highs in my tone, I want a twangy tone for something I'm doing...so I'm probably the exception that proves the what not.

[Lozz196]

I dunno, in my last band my tone was the brightest/twangiest/most driven tone I’ve ever had, though my preferred tones are the traditional deep warm Precision/Ampeg. I just try to choose the right tone for the band, though do agree that I’ve probably got more “traditional” in my tone preference as I’ve got older.

[paulbuzz]

Maybe it's also partly to do with playing opportunities: I still love that bright grindy tone, but it wouldn't suit any of the music I play these days as a middle-aged fart.

I feel like the opportunities for me to sound like that have largely disappeared - in 2021, who wants to listen to to a load of old farts playing the kind of aggressive indie-ish music in which I used to use that bass sound? And would I still have the energy to play that music convincingly anyway...? 😆

Edited August 21, 2021 by paulbuzz

[Woodinblack]

I started liking the smoother tone, but now can't stand thuddy dull bass. 

[Lozz196]

17 minutes ago, paulbuzz said:

Maybe it's also partly to do with playing opportunities: I still love that bright grindy tone, but it wouldn't suit any of the music I play these days as a middle-aged fart.

I feel like the opportunities for me to sound like that have largely disappeared - in 2021, who wants to listen to to a load of old farts playing the kind of aggressive indie-ish music in which I used to use that bass sound? And would I have the energy to play that music convincingly anyway...? 😆

Well I was 54 when I left my last band Paul, we were (and they still are) an originals street punk/Oi band. We played all over the UK & Europe, there’s a great scene out there with plenty of bassists using similar tones to those you describe and plenty of people frequenting the gigs. Give it a try while you can, I had the best time of my musical journey in that band, we didn’t start it til I was 47.

[paulbuzz]

15 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Well I was 54 when I left my last band Paul, we were (and they still are) an originals street punk/Oi band. We played all over the UK & Europe, there’s a great scene out there with plenty of bassists using similar tones to those you describe and plenty of people frequenting the gigs. Give it a try while you can, I had the best time of my musical journey in that band, we didn’t start it til I was 47.

Ha, all credit to you Loz! - I haven't done that kinda thing for a while now! Perhaps your energy levels are holding up better than mine! (56 now, I think!) 😁

[Lozz196]

Well that was the reason I left, lol. Pretty much every weekend we were up & down motorways/staying over in hotels/getting on ferries or planes and it just got too much for me, I was constantly exhausted as was doing it with holding down a full time job. It just came that bit too late for me but I had 6 years of the best fun in music I’ve ever had.

[spongebob]

I think I'm also fed up with being caught up on frequency wars with guitarists!

 

I've just become more interested in the low end, rather that the treble bite I've always chased. I've always been guilty of 'attacking the instrument.....rather than less is more. Playing 1000 notes a minute. 

 

Another aspect has been my learning to re-appreciate the groove....bass on Miles' 'Jack Johnson', for example. Really solid. Made me re-evaluate where I was, and wanted to go as a player.

Edited August 22, 2021 by spongebob