risingson Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Fairly self-explanatory really! How do you feel about synthesised bass? Do you feel it adds a new dimension to the low end of a mix, or do you think it cheapens what you've been practicing long and hard to do all of these years? Or maybe even somewhere in between all of this? My thoughts are that I love playing synth bass live (I use a Korg R3 but would kill for a Moog Little Phatty). As far as I'm concerned I think some of my favourite bass parts have been synth bass (Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson's stuff, a lot of electronic stuff I listen to), and it doesn't bother me much at all. What I enjoy doing more is replicating (or at least trying to replicate) that cool quantized feel of a lot of synth bass on regular bass guitar, I think it makes for good practice. But that's just me. Any thoughts/opinions/experiences on the subject? Hopefully not too heated, I'd be interested in hearing everyones thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 I've got no problem with good synth bass playing. Guys like Greg Phillinganes and Michael Boddiker do some brilliant synth bass lines. Neal Evans from Soulive is doing some cool stuff too. I haven't played keys for a while,but I recently bought an Akai Miniak and have been getting my synth chops back together and loving it. It's a totoally different sound and vibe to playing Electric or Upright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 Greg Phillinganes and Stevie are the guys for me. Tasteful, absolutely mind-blowing left hand bass lines! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Stevie got a great synth style....totally Jamerson influenced. His line on 'Boogie on Reggae Woman' is pure genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamd Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Funkin for Jamaica is my favourite. Makes perfect sense on a real bass too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 I love it. I think the Mini Moog is probably the greatest bass instrument of all time. I really love synths & keyboards of all types. If I ever won the lottery my first purchases would be a Mellotron & a Minimoog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 I use a lot of effects. Saves me lugging a synth to gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 No problem with it if it is played as a definitive line. I have more of an issue with the keyboards left hand not staying out of the way of a bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 [quote name='JTUK' post='905324' date='Jul 25 2010, 10:50 PM']No problem with it if it is played as a definitive line. I have more of an issue with the keyboards left hand not staying out of the way of a bass.[/quote] Okay, then how about sequenced bass then? Can it make for an interesting bass part or is it out of the question for you? Forgot to add this part in my original post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 (edited) Sequences are fine... If the bass line is mine, then I want the bottom end and not a LH getting in the way... If the bass part is sequenced or played synth, I will not compete with it... I'll try and embellish it up top somewhere. In the studio, you wouldn't even be in the equation normally. Live, you have to work out how it all fits in or get off stage for that number. We will run sequences for certain songs once we have good enough monitoring, but I doubt they will be basslines for the most part Edited July 25, 2010 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Synths and sequencers are just another way of making music. It's all about using the most appropriate tools at your disposal to make the song sound as good as possible. Also I defy anyone to say that either "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer, or "Der Mussolini" by DAF would be improved by having a human being playing a bass guitar on them rather than the sequenced synth bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Synth bass! Where do you stand with it? At the back out of the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E sharp Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 [quote name='Doddy' post='905292' date='Jul 25 2010, 10:21 PM']Stevie got a great synth style....totally Jamerson influenced. His line on 'Boogie on Reggae Woman' is pure genius.[/quote] +1 This for me has got to be one of the best bass tracks on a "pop" record ever . Also the synth bass on Chakka Khan's "whatcha...." album . Anthony Jackson gets all the credit , but I hear more synth bass than bass guitar on it . "We can work it out" and "Night in tunisia" , to my ears , sound like synth bass , and probably played by Herbie Hancock ? Though I await to be pulled up on this . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I love it, especially sequenced lines. Have a massive collection of Jam & Lewis' ranging from Herb Alpert to George Michael. These guys were the masters for me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Wicked thing.. At the mo, I'm very much into pop/RnB synth bass stuff - listening/transcribing Britney, Jay-Z, M Jackson and other fellas, just to see how it works, and adapting it on electric bass.. Now, are those synth things expensive? I might be tempted to try one, yet, don't need anything boutique.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Love it. Really challenging bass lines. Keyboardists aren't generally tempted by open strings or finger patterns. Stevie is a great example of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clauster Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Love it. It's those bloody tubas that need to be melted down and made into door-stops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 All argeed... YES :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 [quote name='algmusic' post='905707' date='Jul 26 2010, 12:44 PM']All argeed... YES :-)[/quote] I have no problem with bass synths. I use a Novation bass station and a set of Moog Taurus 1 pedals. I just use them where they work well and not too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 Nice posts... here's one of my favourite synth bass parts for your listening pleasure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) - Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 I love synth bass. Synth bass and bass guitar can be used effectively together too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorka Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 [quote name='The Funk' post='909301' date='Jul 29 2010, 02:45 PM']I love synth bass. Synth bass and bass guitar can be used effectively together too![/quote] Oh yeah! You might like this then: check out "Something Wicked" on Horse's myspace; [url="http://www.myspace.com/horserandan"]http://www.myspace.com/horserandan[/url] Myself playing mostly on the 'B' string of a 6 string bass, with Greg Barnes on synth bass. Nice. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allihts Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 I switch between a microKORG XL and my electric bass when one of my bands does dance/rock crossover stuff, usually synth bass for the dancey verse electric for the rocky chorus and it works really well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Yup, more love for synth bass here too. I used to have an old Roland SH-09 monosynth, made some wonderful phat pharty sounds... wish to christ I'd never got rid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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