BASSGUITAR
IT ’ S ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU HEAR
So , somebody asks me , “ How do you get your sound ?” As I fumble through my thoughts , something silly usually comes out of my mouth that really means , “ I have no earthly idea .” Apparently the answer lies somewhere between , “ The grass is always greener on the other side ,” and , “ You always want what you don ’ t have .” Good bass tone is truly is a science as well as a gift , but it ’ s a continuous journey , arduously chasing the perfect bass tone .
I certainly have not heard every preamp , stomp box , or bass amp in the world , but one thing I do know is that no two bass players sound exactly alike , no matter what bass they are playing or what toy they are playing through . This is simply because no two people have the same finger shapes , nerves , or muscles that pluck a string or fret a note in an identical fashion . If 10 different bassists play the same 5 notes on the same bass , no two players will sound the same .
Another thing that I ’ ve realized is that when I ’ ve had an occasion to meet another bass player who loves to talk about himself , how many basses he has ( dropping some pretty expensive bass manufacturer names ), or how often he buys the latest amp , preamp , or pedal ( s ), by the time I hear him play I suddenly realize why he ’ s not working very much : he doesn ’ t understand how to get decent bass tone . I ’ ve come to the conclusion that some guys just don ’ t know what sounds good or what sounds bad . They can ’ t hear the difference because the tone that they hear inside of their head is probably not very good , and they recreate it . The really frustrating part is that they do this with the same gear that the rest of us are using because THEY probably think that their tone is great !
The key to getting good bass tone is actually being able to hear what great , fat , warm , smooth , punchy , not-too-rumbly bass tone sounds like . But , if you can ’ t hear it , you can ’ t get it . Good tone is born out of good taste . The only way to acquire good taste in tone is to listen to guys who have great tone , then obsessively learn how to imitate it . You can ’ t learn how to do that that just by playing notes on a page out of a book . You have to listen and imitate . The more great players ( with great tone ) that you listen to , the better you ’ ll be able to hear great tone in your own head to get from your own bass .
The bad news is that it also may require a bit of obsession . For example , when I was almost 12 years old I was given my first bass , but it wasn ’ t even a year before I became dissatisfied with my tone . I got new strings . I begged my parents for a new amp , etc . The problem was that I wasn ’ t hearing my bass sound like the bass I was hearing on records , and of course , being 13 , I couldn ’ t possibly have known why or how . Being self-taught didn ’ t really help that either , and I had no one to ask for help . I really was not able to begin to “ connect the dots ” until I heard a great bass tone on a record on the radio and instantly knew that if it was the last thing I ever did , I was GOING to have that tone in my own little hands ! As it turned out , it was a pretty expensive tone for that time ( an Alembic Series One bass ), so I saved up my money and bought one , along with a parametric EQ and bi-amped combination bass amp . I constantly listened to bass tones and wrote down EQ settings that made my bass sound like the one on every record that I played along with . I became obsessed with imitating bass tones . OBSESSED , yet it paid off over and over through the years . What ’ s even more scary is that I am STILL never completely satisfied ( I ’ ve bought at least two pedals in the last month ). Quite honestly , I never really want to be .
Also , you might ask other musicians about tone . Ask people who their favorite bass player is , or what groups they like . Then go home , listen , practice , and try your hardest to imitate them with your own gear .
Another good thing to do is find a pair of ear monitors that you like and that have great reviews ( do your research !). Then listen and practice with them as much as you can so you will be super familiar with the way they sound . Having a consistent point of reference is key when you are becoming more aware of what sounds good or what sounds bad . You must have something truly accurate to call your reference . For example , just about every engineer that I know listens ( at some point ) to their mixes in their own car . Why ? Because not only is it “ real world ,” but it ’ s where they listen the most ; the place where they spend a lot of time listening . If you have a decent set of ear monitors that you are used to , then you will naturally have a more dependable point of reference .
There are many words I could use to try to describe a good bass tone , but the best thing you can do is listen to great music with great bass players on it , and try your best to imitate their sound . Blessings on your “ journey !”
GARY LUNN Session player / producer / writer in Nashville , TN . Attends Grace Church ( gracechurchnashville . com ) in Franklin , TN . Email him questions , comments , or for scheduling at GaryLunn @ Me . com
May � June 2016 WorshipMusician . com
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