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You Oughta Know - Flea's Tone


Phaedrus
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Hi,

I though I posted this last night, but I can't see it anywhere. Probly closed BC down while in the preview page . . d'oh!

So, even though I don't have Flea's fingers and GK rig, I'm sure I'll still be able to get something similar to his tone on Alanis' You Oughta Know.

I'm guessing it's on the back pick-up, bass rolled off & mids boosted, with plenty of damping with the left & right hand fingers?

Our new girl singer is pretty good, and I know the rest of the band will have nailed their parts for this, so any help is apreciated . . .


Thanks,

Mark

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[quote name='Phaedrus' post='744028' date='Feb 13 2010, 02:36 PM']Hi,

I though I posted this last night, but I can't see it anywhere. Probly closed BC down while in the preview page . . d'oh!

So, even though I don't have Flea's fingers and GK rig, I'm sure I'll still be able to get something similar to his tone on Alanis' You Oughta Know.

I'm guessing it's on the back pick-up, bass rolled off & mids boosted, with plenty of damping with the left & right hand fingers?

Our new girl singer is pretty good, and I know the rest of the band will have nailed their parts for this, so any help is apreciated . . .


Thanks,

Mark[/quote]

I think its probably a stingray with everything on 11
fleasters will most likeley correct me though.
Ive played it that way and it sounds authentic especially for the growly type of string pop midway through
fun to play eh? bit of a bass showboater!

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Hmmm . . . Might just try it on my VMJ, though TBH, it's already a bit of a handful on my BB605. :)

My Tascam CD-BT is earning its keep on this song fo sho . . .

Yep, a fun bass showboater - hope the feckers in my band apreciate the work a line like that involves.

I actually have my tone (with headphones & CD-BT) pretty close, so I'm sure I'll get it when we rehearse amplified on Tuesday.


Thanks all,

Mark

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[quote name='Phaedrus' post='744266' date='Feb 13 2010, 07:35 PM']Hmmm . . . Might just try it on my VMJ, though TBH, it's already a bit of a handful on my BB605. :)

My Tascam CD-BT is earning its keep on this song fo sho . . .

Yep, a fun bass showboater - hope the feckers in my band apreciate the work a line like that involves.

I actually have my tone (with headphones & CD-BT) pretty close, so I'm sure I'll get it when we rehearse amplified on Tuesday.


Thanks all,

Mark[/quote]

A while back I learned this bassline for a college covers band I was in. I don't think they ever really appreciated the bassline, but it was gratifying to learn it note for note all the way through (though it's lost in the misty depths of my memory now).

Can't help with the tone though I'm afraid, always just used my own. If he was using a Stingray through his GK rig (to be honest, I have no idea what he used, just that he's used that gear at various times) then both have a fairly distinctive tone so I'll sure you'll find good descriptions of both of those around then it'll just be a case of tweaking to get it right.

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[quote name='dumelow' post='744913' date='Feb 14 2010, 04:07 PM']why isnt flea on the video for this?

[/quote]

That's not the version that had Flea playing on it. It's on Jagged Little Pill and there's two versions, that one and the one in this video (apologies, it's someone playing guitar hero but it has the right bassline for a reference.)

Edited by ThomBassmonkey
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With best intentions to nail his fills where they occur, it became clear pretty quick while learning this song that that just wouldn't be happening. There are some parts of the verse bassline towards the second half of the song where I will make an effort to string the line together as it occurs on the song - it's just great fun.

I've been placing my focus pretty heavily on this song, meaning that the other 5 learners for tomorrow night have lagged behind. Gotta get stuck in tomorrow . . .

I've never really gotten too excited about Flea. I've always liked some of his lines - Pretty Little Ditty & Aeroplane - and we have gigged some RHCP songs in our set over the years, and I do recognise his talent, but it wasn't until I started to disect You Oughta Know that I actually got excited about him. Great funky groovy line that most amateur guys could passably cover.


Mark

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Well, I guess you can get a similar tone with a Jazz, a stingray or any bass with a bridge pickup.
Experiment with using the bridge pickup - and adding a little bit of the neck pickup is required.

There's a lot of mids, so I guess you could boost the mids or your bass and/or amp and roll off the treble.

There is some fatness in his sound, so I guess a humbucker (e.g. a Stingray/Wall) might be better than a Jazz but I could be wrong.

Picking closer to the bridge would help (alla Jaco) to bring out the growl/mids.

Hope it helps.
V.



[quote name='Phaedrus' post='744028' date='Feb 13 2010, 02:36 PM']Hi,

I though I posted this last night, but I can't see it anywhere. Probly closed BC down while in the preview page . . d'oh!

So, even though I don't have Flea's fingers and GK rig, I'm sure I'll still be able to get something similar to his tone on Alanis' You Oughta Know.

I'm guessing it's on the back pick-up, bass rolled off & mids boosted, with plenty of damping with the left & right hand fingers?

Our new girl singer is pretty good, and I know the rest of the band will have nailed their parts for this, so any help is apreciated . . .


Thanks,

Mark[/quote]

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Any bass with a bridge pick up will get close to this. A jazz should do it easily..
Play hard and damp it..

You can drive the gain if you are trying too hard to rip his sound off, but I never see the point of that, myself.
One of his better basslines, so pluck hard and mute and you'll be close.

Does anyone ever want a bassline ripped off though..????

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