Quote:
Originally Posted by Anton Hasias
I still try to imagine the bass sound of Jaco RIP, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee or Mick Karn with flat settings...and telling to the sound engineer: "Listen man please find the bass sound that suits my playing, I know you can do it, I trust you..." 
What is also true is that too many great bass players do the DI and because of this their sound is kind of generic so, at least for me it's not possible to recognize who is playing the bass as the sound signature is absent.
I think that this is the difference between "safe and creative" soundwise speaking. 
Best regards |
Anton,
I really respect your opinion but I don't agree with you.
Musicians such as those you mentioned are legends and I don't think they became what they are only turning one or two knobs.
I agree with Ken when he says the tone should be in our mind first. Sound personality is a thing that takes years and a lot of work to acquire.
Most part of the time when someone is playing, (s)he needs to instinctively and quickly decide to use the point of the finger, play notes 'staccato', play with all forefinger over the string to get a round tone, play close to the bridge, to the neck, slap, tapping, thumb plucking, pick, with vibrato or not, with slide or not... Decisions like that and articulation have much more to do with sound personality than anything related to EQs. This is my opinion.
Certainly I will never ask a sound engineer to find the right sound for me (that's my homework
), but it's just impossible to be in the stage and among the audience at the same time... and yet discuss with the sound engineer how my bass should sound. In live performances he WILL make this decision! And it's OK!
I don't know if I was clear enough in my last two posts but I only use flat tone when playing live and just because it's the sound I like to hear from my bass.
In the studio I have more time and confidence to discuss with the producer which kind of bass I will use and then what setting fits best for the song.
Well, at least in one thing I think we both agree: Ken's EQ is the best over there and we can count on it to go where we need, flat or not...
I know all of this is very subjective matter, sorry if I am hitting to much the same key...
Keep making great music. Peace.
Best Regards.