Can you figure out this bass tone?

STAROWEN

New member
Hi
This is only my second post, so I'm really not sure if this is in the right place.

I'm not a bass player but I want to figure out how to tone a DI signal of bass performance to sound similar to the tone used in this video. I'm aware he uses a MESA Boogie, but I'm struggling to work out where to even start when trying to capture this tone.
I'd really appreciate it if anyone has any advice at all on how to create the tone of the bass in this video

I apologise but I'm unable to paste links so the video's title is: The Stone Roses, Fools Gold Live at Heaton Park. Made of Stone DVD.

I will be using a virtual amp (Guitar Rig 5 / Amplitube 4) and will track through DI on Focusrite Scarlett
 
This one?


Unless I'm missing something that sounds just like a typical bass DI sound without any amp processing and nice and clean with a pick. My guess is a bit of EQ is all that's been done. I got a bit confused with "how to tone a signal of bass performance" - so I read that as how to EQ a DI'd bass? If I plug my Jazz into a DI it sounds rather like that - I expected to see a Fender from the sound. Are you hearing something special or processed? It's quite nice to hear an un-messed with bass.
 
brilliant, thanks! As I said, I'm not a bass player (and seemingly not an English speaker XD) so I really didn't expect that to be as simple as a DI signal. So you're saying that they likely took the signal straight from the bass (perhaps using a DI out on the amp?) and maybe added a bit of EQ? If I'm honest I was hearing a signal not too different from DI, so I was wondering if there was a really nice bass setting I could try, but if it's as simple as EQing a DI I'm clearly mistaken!

Is there anything you'd do with the EQ to make it sound a little closer to this with just a DI signal?
Thanks!!!!!!!
 
I hate to nag but do you have any idea about the guitar tone too, I read that a key way of capturing a perfect tone is through making sure a tone works well with the other instruments. Do you have any tips about achieving a bass and guitar tone with perfect chemistry? and do you know how to achieve the guitar tone in the video too? thank you
 
How odd, plays direct ok in the UK? On the guitar tone quest, it's like a don Quixote moment. There are so many, and some have characteristics of certain players, but my view is that tone, in the way you mean it is a function of the player. Not the recordist. If you get given Brian May, any idea of DI is foolish. His sound is him, the guitar, then his entire chain up to the speakers. You need to capture that sound. There is no perfect tone. I'm struggling at the moment with a project. Client wants a Hank Marvin sound. Easy I thought, yet I'm struggling. For guitars I'm never quite sure it is clear cut. Same and speaker simulators work great for some things but for other songs they don't.

I've never though of perfect solutions. I'm quite happy with the sound of MY playing DI'd but I respect other players who need their amp and speaker contribution. You just do each one as well as you can. There's never audio magic bullets that work every time.
 
Ee don't want much DO ee!?!

Heh, Starowen, you will get lots of help from the top guys here, but. If you trawl back though some posts about 'guitars' on any forum you will find billions of bytes about GETTING a good, or specific guitar tone and a fair bit about bass. Then you will find even more data about RECORDING that super tone...DI, mic it up, BIG amp with pedals, low power amp and drive the ***t of it. Power soaks...The techniques are endless and no one is really better than the other you just have to experiment.

These days it is probably AS easy to just get a modelling amplifier or/and software and get somewhere near? Mind you, there will always be those that say you cannot beat a 100W valve into 4X12 stack.

There is ONE constant here. Monitoring. Whatever you are trying to create it can only be AS good as you can tell from your speakers or headphones. The debate whether you can make good mixes on cans will rage for as long as those about guitars and basses I guess. One thing, IF you want to monitor bass on speakers you will need fairly large, pretty good ones and they ain't cheap. I listen to that YT on AKG K92 headphones and the bass sounded fine to me.

Dave.
 
Back
Top