although i'm pretty new to playing bass, i've been learning some tool basslines and actualyl been getting pretty good at them. i was wondering how i might dial in the tone they get? i don't know exactly how to describe the desired tone except it has a kind of "metallic" echo thing going on. sorry for the completely nonsensical jargon, but that's about the best i can describe it. is this an effect, an eq setting, or how the bass is being played, or what?
Hi Shaaaaaag
Not a Bass player, but if you say there's an echo, it has to be an effect. You can get a unit like the Zoom here and get many sounds.
http://www.music123.com/Item/?itemno=40460
My Bass player uses one of these, and it sounds great. You can also get distortions and some real wierd stuff too. They are not too bad.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
It's been quite a while since I've heard Tool, but I know how to sound metallic. Round wound strings are always good. I like D'addario, since they are metallic enough to clang. Play with your pick or your nails. Play hard. Use your bridge pickup if you've got one, possibly in conjuntion with the other pickup. I'm trying to find a recording online, but no luck yet.
Okay, I found a few samples, and have a few more suggestions. Turn up the highs on your amp, put the mids in the middle, put the bass all the way down, and turn up the volume a bit until you like the sound. Play near the bridge. I think slanting your pick helps. That way you can slice the strings and get a metallic sound. If you want to take the edge off, palm mute rather than rolling off the tone.
You might also want to try a plate reverb.
I definitely agree with the plate reverb comment (especially when you hear him play by himself)....I'm not a bass player nor do I know how to get sounds out of a bass but I'd swear he's using a little overdrive/distortion as well
just enough to distort, and of course EQ, possibly a smidgen of flange?
They may very well be using some type of compressor / limiter on it, I know a lot of bass players who do along with multiple effects. I'm not familiar with Tools sound at the moment, so I really can't add anything more.
joe
figured I'd include what I just found on the net...an interview with Justin Chancellor and him talking about his tone and technique...
was right about the distortion and flange...also, didn't see it mentioned in this interview but he uses a pick as a big part of his sound too (I know it's a .DOC file, but it's safe)
http://www.basswriter.com/journalism/bpstories/Web-Chancellor.doc
