Great sound but.......

[Bilbo]

It came to mind when I was contributing to another thread here. Apologies if it has been done before but I was thinking....

A lot of folk here are fairly obsessive about their gear and getting their sound. There is talk of this type of bass vs. that type, these strings vs. those, that amp, vs. the other sort etc etc. By implication, the right formula of bass, strings, amp, lead, pedal, compressor etc etc will give you the greatest sound in the world - your own. The implication is that, if you can buy this great sound, so can someone else (an over simplification I know but work with me).

Now some will know I am not particularly attracted to these kinds of arguments and believe that there is a lot to be gained by working with the sound you have rather than mincing about trying to find another one (the problem with finding your true path is in realising that you are already on it...).

So, my question is, how many of us admire and aspire to having a sound like a player whose playing we don't like? Most of us like the sound of players whose music we like listening to so, by my reckoning, it is the sound of the bass in the context of the music being played that attracts us NOT the sound itself. So, whilst we can buy the gear and get THAT sound we seek, we can't really recreate the context in which it exists so are inevitable frustrated because our perfect sound does not exist in isolation.

So, who do you think has got a great sound but you nevertheless don't like listening to them.

For my part, I can't think of a single player.

[merello]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='695408' date='Dec 29 2009, 09:57 AM']It came to mind when I was contributing to another thread here. Apologies if it has been done before but I was thinking....

A lot of folk here are fairly obsessive about their gear and getting their sound. There is talk of this type of bass vs. that type, these strings vs. those, that amp, vs. the other sort etc etc. By implication, the right formula of bass, strings, amp, lead, pedal, compressor etc etc will give you the greatest sound in the world - your own. The implication is that, if you can buy this great sound, so can someone else (an over simplification I know but work with me).

Now some will know I am not particularly attracted to these kinds of arguments and believe that there is a lot to be gained by working with the sound you have rather than mincing about trying to find another one (the problem with finding your true path is in realising that you are already on it...).

So, my question is, how many of us admire and aspire to having a sound like a player whose playing we don't like? Most of us like the sound of players whose music we like listening to so, by my reckoning, it is the sound of the bass in the context of the music being played that attracts us NOT the sound itself. So, whilst we can buy the gear and get THAT sound we seek, we can't really recreate the context in which it exists so are inevitable frustrated because our perfect sound does not exist in isolation.

So, who do you think has got a great sound but you nevertheless don't like listening to them.

For my part, I can't think of a single player.[/quote]
I enjoy playing with what I've got or am given. It stretches me and surprises others. Geddy Lee doesn't have an amp and his sound is great.

[hillbilly deluxe]

Im not sure.I have thought about this a lot.I do'nt think that i have an "influence" or otherwise,that i am aware of,that i aspire to sound like,i just "know" what i want my sound to be like,and have been able to create "it" with almost any combination of the tons of amps and basses that i have owned or tried,Hartke,Behringer amps being the exception.
While i have good gear (good meaning that i have no desire or need to replace),i often wonder if people are trying to re-create their heroes sound,or re-create the first good sound that they had.
On reflection my first good sound was with my first basses as a bass player,previously i was a guitarist that owned a bass,and that was with a 68/9 Precision -60's EB3 - Selmer T&B 100w amp - 4x12 cab loaded with McKenzie 75w ? speakers.
My first real influences were Andy Frasier,Jack Bruce,and i can still get that sound easily with my Jazz and Marshall DBS,even though that is not what my "sound" is.If anything i would say it is comparable to Phil Lynott,of the top of my head.clean and punchy.
I have never felt the need to spend thousands of pounds on basses or amplification,while i have tried some very expensive basses,Alembic's etc,and would own one in a hartbeat,i have never really GASsed for one,and i have not yet got on with a high end amp.

Edited December 29, 2009 by hillbilly deluxe

[wateroftyne]

Hmm.. I can think of lots of tones I don't like, but I'm struggling to name any players I actively dislike...

[maxrossell]

Bass not really being a solo instrument (not the way I use it anyway), the question of "sound" for me is usually a matter of what works best with the sound of the band I'm playing in.

To answer your question, I don't think I've ever wanted to sound like a player I don't like, probably largely because that dislike makes me prejudiced against their sound, but also probably because the way people play is such a fundamental part of their sound anyway.

I've also always thought that combinations of gear to try to sound like someone else is a bad idea, mainly because most people I'm into have changed gear many times over the years and yet their basic sound has remained more or less the same.

[Mr. Foxen]

Pretty much everything someone says 'check this great bass playing/sound' I go 'yeah, that sounds cool'. Then I go and put some music on to listen to and you can heardly hear the bass unless you really listen for it, which I don't, cause I'm listening to the music.

[SteveK]

I'm reminded of a support act we head many years ago, from Canada, she had a hit with a song something to do with a dark, soft cloth.

I remember we were sitting FOH to hear them sound-checking.

Drummer played a bit - we looked at each other - Wow, great sounding kit.
Guitarist played a bit - again, we looked at each other - sounded great.
Bass player played a bit - sounded like thunder, fantastic, this is gonna be good!

They then played a song together...at least, I think it was together, couldn't really tell. The sound was probably akin to sticking your head out of a train window doing 210mph.

No real moral to that story, other than... it's a very well getting "your" sound, but if it doesn't sit with the rest of the band, then perhaps a rethink is in order.


If you're one of those that is forever trying new gear, looking for (what you hope is going to be) "your" sound, then, I think, perhaps a look a your technique [i]may[/i] pay more dividends.

[thisnameistaken]

I've never seen much point in doggedly chasing a specific "sound" because the chances of it ever being perfectly reproduced FoH are slim to none. I like the character of my Thumb bass and it colours whatever I plug it into, so I suppose that's "my sound" regardless of what I do with the EQ, but it probably ends up sounding like sub-bass sludge to most listeners at most venues.

FWIW tonehead guitarists irritate me too.

[The Funk]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='695408' date='Dec 29 2009, 09:57 AM']it is the sound of the bass in the context of the music being played that attracts us NOT the sound itself[/quote]

Couldn't agree more.

As for the question about players with great sound but uninspiring playing, I can't think of any.

[Balcro]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='695408' date='Dec 29 2009, 09:57 AM']So, who do you think has got a great sound but you nevertheless don't like listening to them.

For my part, I can't think of a single player.[/quote]

[i]"by my reckoning, it is the sound of the bass in the context of the music being played that attracts us NOT the sound itself".[/i] - I think I must agree with that. I pick the overalll sound/song and then the bass sound follows on later.

I have no reason to dislike listening to anyone, but I simply don't bother with the usual suspects - VW, SC etc. Not because I have anything against them, it's just that the paragraph above has kicked in. Despite their fretboard genius I don't like the musical context and their tone often seems to be thin & dry compared with what I like.

I have a number of references for a likeable sound.
1. Only in the context of Cream: Jack Bruce playing "Crossroads", "Badge" etc,. Also admirable and aspirable playing as far as I'm concerned. Apart from that that I've never liked his sound much.

2. Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater. Lovely deep dry sound on "Fortunate Son".

3. Lonnie Turner with the Steve Miller Band. From the Greatest Hits- "Take the Money & Run". Rich, extra deep tone - almost certainly using Music Man bass No.02. What's the auction price of that ?!!

4. Again, a rich deep tone from an often forgotten album. The track - "Street Kids" on the Elton John album "Rock of the Westies". Bass by Kenny Passarelli.

So overall I guess it's Jack Bruce. From the end of Cream ('69) I aspire to his talent but not his sound.

I aspire to the deepest loudest rich tone. I think I'll have a long wait.

Balcro.

[skankdelvar]

Frankly, I'm hard put to think of any bass players whose playing I actively dislike. There are a few whose playing I admire and the other 99% just don't register. Most of the time, I'm listening to the song and deciding whether I like it as a whole.

As for getting 'a sound' - I think we're usually fooling ourselves. Most bass players 'sig tones' sound exactly like all the others - it's those on the Doompf < > Twang tonal extremes that stand out, for good or ill.

Edited December 29, 2009 by skankdelvar

[Adrenochrome]

Can't think of the last bass player whose playing I disliked.
I've heard a few Stingrays live where the playing was average but the sound worked very well live.

Not really answering the question but I've seen many very good bassists whose FOH sound was reduced to a dull thud by the soundman/woman. For shame!

[Doddy]

I think that everyone will have an influence towards their tone in some form or another. In the same way that
everyone takes inspiration from certain players,they also take on the idea of how they would like to sound,be it
solo,or in the mix.
I initially wanted to get a sound that was similar to Jaco(hence why I usually solo the bridge pickup on a Jazz Bass),but
with the slap tone of Marcus. It never happened,but in doing that I found a 'sound' that was-I think- unique to me.
A lot of it has to do with technique-Marcus Miller always sounds like himself,regardless of his gear. It's good-even
necessary-to try and sound like someone else in the beginning. The trick is to recognise the nuances that are unique
to you.