detuned low notes ala Type O Negative

[LeSedna]

Hello,

I am a huge fan of Type O Negative's distinctive sound. Most of it was based on a pretty heavy bass played like a guitar, and a guitar with pretty muddy distortions and chorus.

Still, I am not too sure of why their low notes sound that out of tune because of the attack, and I'd like to find out because that's something I find pretty groovy. If you don't get what I mean, I'm talking about the slight short moment after the attack when the strings are a little "#" especially on the lowest notes, and this effect is pretty obvious in many of TON riffs or arpeggios. I know it's mainly a matter of playing technique and groove, but do you have any idea of what can enhance that ?

Does using light string gauges help getting that effect ? Is that the chorus that enhances that ?

 

[guitarguru777]

I have seen both Pete and Kennys live and studio rigs its actually the exact same rig.

The trick to their tone is SHITLOADS of distortion on the bass along with tons of chorus. Same with the guitars. Ultra wide and deep slow chorus is the key to that Type-O-Tone. Listen to Origin of the Feces, That was recorded in the studio and the audience dubbed in later. That's their natural uncolored tone .... that album was recorded completely raw.

Kennys main tone was ADA MP1 with the gain set to 10 and the Modulation set for an ultra deep and wide chorus on his Quadraverb.

From there it was a Mosvalve power amp into a Marshall 75 loaded cab

Pete used some kind of Peavey preamo in the early days and a Boss DS-1 and CH-1 he was also running a Mosvalve poweramp.

 

[LeSedna]

Thanks a lot for these infos ! So do you think the signature detuned low notes mainly comes from the heavy chorus ? I love the organic "life" it gives to their sound, pretty unique imo.

 

[guitarguru777]

Ya also its from the way Pete plays .. hes REALLY heavy on the strings. The entire reason they started using the chorus was to mask how out of tune shit was when he was hitting the strings ...lol He was just a beast when playing.

Watch this and listen to how effected everything is!

 

[PaulSOCW]

I thought the Fernandes sustainer guitars had a big influence in their sound too.

Didnt Pete have one of the only fernandes basses ever made with a sustainer?

Im sure Kenny has the sustainer turned on in harmonic mode in a lot of those solos too.

I also seem to recall a interview on Scuzz with Kenny back in 2003 saying that they had mostly mids in the bass sound and lows and highs in the guitar sound.

 

[thefyn]

Plus the keyboard player often mimics the bass to make it bigger. Great band. These threads always make me want a Fernandes.

 

[ttrentt]

What a fantastic underrated band. RIP Steele.

 

[PaulSOCW]

Plus the keyboard player often mimics the bass to make it bigger. Great band. These threads always make me want a Fernandes.

Ive got a Revolver Pro with Sustainer.

Ive not even touched my e-bow since i got it.
An e-bow just dosent compare to the fun to be had with these.

Maybe one day i will upload some sustainer DI's for everyones interest.

 

[LeSedna]

Yeah that could be nice !

Anyway yeah, since this thread, I'm gasing AGAIN for a Sustainiac on a guitar. I guess one day I'm gonna order a RAN guitar to my specs with a sustainiac.