Bas(s)ics of heavy music bass tone

[Zax666]

No, it's not me.

A friend of mine is starting out bass and wants to know if there's something specific (apart from chops) that is required for heavy music.

My (purely speculative) guess would be a compressor is required to keep up with distorted guitars, but I want to hear bassists' thoughts on the subject.

 

[Wavebreaker]

A good bass with active pickups, a good tube amp, an external compressor (multi-band if possible), and good taste.

Recordin and mixing bass is a totally different story...

 

[ShredManWalking]

I personally think that compression is a must in heavy metal bass tone.

 

[Romeo.jr]

being a bass player myself in a metal band, i would say that a compressor is definetly not a must. i find that when i need to be heard, the attack of a non-compressed bass works best, and it keeps it clean. thats just me though.

 

[MajorRager]

I don't use a compressor either. Perhaps when I'm recording, but that's about it. I've got a nice, raw but warm, punchy tone

 

[cryptakeys]

If you've got a good engineer, there's no reason the studio can't handle compression.. I agree about the tube amp, though!

 

[Zax666]

I was thinking of the compressor as of something to smoothen out the very attack of the note, not heavy compression.

 

[MajorRager]

Thomas Miller DID use some kind of compression! If you listen to Eyes of Medusa off Divine Wings, you can hear it near the beginning. It's at at like 0:30

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

You can indeed hear a lot of compression there - sounds like shit. Not saying compression in general does - I think it's a good idea for heavy metal bass. But the beginning of "Eyes of Medusa" makes me cringe.

 

[seed2003]

You can indeed hear a lot of compression there - sounds like shit. Not saying compression in general does - I think it's a good idea for heavy metal bass. But the beginning of "Eyes of Medusa" makes me cringe.

lol i was listening to that very song as i was reading this thread and didnt even notice untill you pointed it out lol

 

[Zax666]

I'm listening to it right now and yeah, he got a bit heavy on it.

Never noticed it before, though.