How To Get This Bass Sound?

[ernstinen]

I never heard the Byrds live (a little before my time for concert-going), but the thing I heard about their live shows was that they spent more time tuning their guitars than actually playing! It really put a damper on the pacing of the show --- heheh! --- I heard the same thing about Joni Mitchell, too.And I don't know why David Crosby didn't play guitar on their records. He's a fine guitar player, albeit not a lead guitar player. Listen to his first solo album "If Only I Could Remember My Name." It's a GREAT record! Crosby came up with so many cool tunings, and of course was/is a genius for vocal harmonies.Oh, speaking of bass sounds: On that Crosby album I figured out who played bass --- Jack Cassady of the Airplane. Now THERE'S a great bass sound! It's got that "thunk" and depth that I mentioned in the other thread about the BTO bass sound. Probably an Alembic, 'cause all those San Francisco guys were using those around that time.Ern

[billg]

Jun 24, 2008, 1:01pm, ernstinen wrote:I never heard the Byrds live (a little before my time for concert-going), but the thing I heard about their live shows was that they spent more time tuning their guitars than actually playing! It really put a damper on the pacing of the show --- heheh! --- I heard the same thing about Joni Mitchell, too.And I don't know why David Crosby didn't play guitar on their records. He's a fine guitar player, albeit not a lead guitar player. Listen to his first solo album "If Only I Could Remember My Name." It's a GREAT record! Crosby came up with so many cool tunings, and of course was/is a genius for vocal harmonies.Oh, speaking of bass sounds: On that Crosby album I figured out who played bass --- Jack Cassady of the Airplane. Now THERE'S a great bass sound! It's got that "thunk" and depth that I mentioned in the other thread about the BTO bass sound. Probably an Alembic, 'cause all those San Francisco guys were using those around that time.Ern They Byrds were the worst "famous" band I ever heard live, hands down. I was just a kid about 15 when I heard them. I had some friends that were in a local band that did only Byrd covers & I just remember how much better they were than the real thing.Jack Cassady always used a really cool Gibson hollowbody. Epiphone makes a pretty nice re-issue. Here's a video of Jack Cassady & John Entwhistle talking bass & Jack has his Gibson & talks about it a bit.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvk--gt5iYo

[crs7string]

I think this came up in a previous post. I have had this for a while and did not think it was still it print.For all the James Jamerson fans:http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows- ... r=8-4Chuck

[billg]

Thanks Chuck, this is interesting & I think I might just spring for the book. This caught my eye -"However, one important musical controversy that the author fails to pursue is the question of the true credit for recorded bass lines in the era when Motown was moving from Detroit to LA. (Many tracks were demoed by LA studio bassists and then cut by Jamerson as well. There is still debate as to which track made it to the final recording.")I guess it will be debated forever. I really don't think though that Reach Out & Bernadette were recorded with Kaye playing bass (with a pick no less!). My ears are telling me it's Jamerson but under the circumstances I guess it's logical that she could lay claim.Please, do yourself a HUGE favor & listen to this . . . the isolated bassline with the temptation vocal parts. Awesome. Great tone. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't get any better.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCrO3iVWZE8& my fav Bernadettehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihd7W4q9kC0&feature=related

[ggalen]

Bill,Wow. That was so educational to listen to!And I noticed a lot of other Funk Brothers rhythm tracks up on YouTube. What a GREAT way to learn the "Motown Sound"!YouTube is an amazing resource these days.

[ernstinen]

Hey Bill,Thanks for those links to hear Jamerson's parts! I was really surprised on "Bernadette" how much "fur" the bass part has on it. I think you or someone mentioned before that he went through some kind of preamp direct into the board, and could dial in how much "fur" he wanted on his sound. Was that a tube preamp? Sounds REALLY cool! --- You don't really hear it as much with the full band playing, but when isolated it really growls!Ern