50s/60s bass sound

awkgreen

New member
I have a Roland vs2400 and I'm trying to record a 50s/60s deep bass sound, ( almost like a string bass)being a newbie to recording I don't understand what settings I need on the EQ . Can someone tell me what I need to set the different dials to,I'm using a 1975 Fender jazz bass. regards
 
Try playing with strings muted or use a felt pick.
Vintage bass sounds had as much to do with playing techniques as equipment.

Guys weren't playing with the modern snap. It was much rounder.
 
Grand funk was 70s and more of a fuzz bass :)

Good video.
He mentioned one thing i forgot in my quicky post. Flatwounds.
Also he describes muting the strings with the foam.

I'd say that video will get you on your way.

Even with a j bass you should be able to get a 'vintage' sound with the proper technique.

You can worry about how to eq it afterwards.
:)

Now keep in mind I'm no bass player. I've played a lot of bass on my recordings, but just out of necessity. Either I couldn't find a bass player, or didn't feel like waiting, or I knew exactly what I wanted.

But would I fill in for a band at a gig? Hell no. Lol :D
 
Thanks for the suggestions, I shall try all of them ,I am using flat wounds. The sound I'm after is very apparent on all 50s/60s rock,and ballads,the bass is very round sounding and prominent , the Everly brothers "All. I have to do is dream" is an example of the type of bass sound I'm after ,I also choose to play walking fingers style,again thanks to all for your imput.regards
 
You want to learn a boat load on that era of bass playing...here ya go The Queen of the scene....Carol Kaye


ENJOY!

 
i like how she just says.."oh yeah like the Supremes ,....just a simple marching band style....as if it was a nothing easy thing.
amazing how many styles she is fluent in.
 
I'm a bass player of many years and those Motown bass lines still amaze me. I mean, they're great when you listen to them in the song as it's played.. but listen to them solo. Many of them give no hint as to the melody of the song, and yet they fit perfectly. Great interplay with the rest of the parts.
 
The one thing that always comes through on any Carol Kaye interviews is that it's what and how you play it - NOT - the string brand, the effects, the eq or the tone - that comes later. Playing it right is the most important.
 
She did mention she has some muting thing on her strings to get rid of harmonics, I wonder what that is?

Even the best need decent tools though and her level of playing shes probably sponsored by Ibanez or something.
Her income from the training videos being ripped off by pirates and 10,000 downloads or whatever was sad....
the money side of her work is probably really dropped off. I doubt session musicians get performing rights checks, I dont know?

A lot of unsung heros in the music biz never getting the fat check.

stumbled on this
The Official Carol Kaye Web Site

Felt mute
 
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Copping James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Bob Babbitt, and Michael Henderson bass lines can be a challenge. It's a little easier when you get the basics of the sound correct but then there's the "feel".....I only mention these four but there are 20 more GREAT soulful and funky bass men who are responsible for that sound. But these four is the best place to start to understand what Motown Soul bass sound is all about.

Fender Bass. LARGE flatwounds...La Bella still makes (IMHO) the best representation of old skool flats. A small piece of soft open cell foam in front of the bridge....adjust to taste and the amount of damping you'd like. But it has to be a soft cell foam so you don't push the strings out of tune. BTW...The chrome bridge covers that everyone took off the old Fenders and tossed all had a damper glued to the inside of the cover. (Now why would Leo do such a thing???!!)

I get that sound in my room with this bass setup as I described, a serious listening to the technique and lines from these bassists mentioned and a 1967 Ampeg B15 just barely cracked open. I close mic with an SM7, use a DI with iron in it, and also take a room mic about 3' out, usually a U87.

At Motown they had the DI box. Look it up. It's an interesting read. It also shows the engineer's influence in creating that sound.
 
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