How to get this bass overdrive tone?

Clark Kent

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Jan 23, 2011
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Yeah so this bass tone is something I've been trying to get since this band has very weak guitar tones but this bass just makes everything glue together and sound massive although they aren't really using that much gain either. So... any of you got any idea on what kind of overdrive/distortion this is?

The bass is most likely a Fender Jazz Bass and Ampeg probably involved but is there any way to get this ITB?
 
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The bass is most likely a Fender Jazz Bass and Ampeg probably involved but is there any way to get this ITB?

Meh, sounds digitally sampled to me. That and you could probably get that tone by processing two tracks, a dry lows track and a mildly distorted mids and highs track
 
Meh, sounds digitally sampled to me. That and you could probably get that tone by processing two tracks, a dry lows track and a mildly distorted mids and highs track

It's a Chris Lord-Alge mix so I would guess 100% analog. :) One of the clearest benefits in this bass track is that it's played super tight. Almost robotic.

Just wondering if any of you guys use a certain distortion for this type of tone. :)
 
It's a Chris Lord-Alge mix so I would guess 100% analog. :)

Well I'm an idiot. The tone sounds fine I mean, but like you said it feels totally robotic... I wouldn't consider that a good thing in this case, it feels triggered. Anywho, I usually just use guitar amps when I do bass tones. Lots of people (LOTS) use Sansamp units or simulations, and they get great results, I just happen to like amps. The trick, in my experience with using this technique, is in the pre-EQ before the amp. I would think your Orange head could dial in a nice light grit that would suit bass.
 
Haha... it doesn't make you an idiot. CLA/Bendeth make overproduced music so I'm not surprised that it sounds robotic. It's supposed to be played uber-tight so the energy of the song is snappy and accurate. Honestly we don't really listen for the bass in a mix so to me it feels like a rhythm instrument. Personally I feel like bass should be played extremely tight just like the drums.
 
Ahh.. my bad... yup it's Parawhore. But hey... Bendeth mix so I'd still guess analog. :D I'm suprised how massive some of those choruses are when the guitars are super thin.

Edit: Bendeth has produced everything from KSE to In Flames and Underoath. I know some of those guys used a mix of their guitar amps and bass amps blended together.
 
Bendeth has produced ... KSE

At least what I checked from my CD collection

Killswitch Engage (2000):
Adam D produced and mixed

Alive or Just Breathing (2002):
Adam D produced, Sneap mixed

End of Heartache (2004):
Adam D produced, Sneap mixed

As Daylight Dies (2006):
Adam D produced and mixed

Killswitch Engage (2009):
Adam D and Brendan O Brien produced, Anvil and Adam D mixed




So exactly what did he produce for KSE? An alternative version of "The End of Heartache" for Resident Evil movie?

 
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I know Bendeth and Adam D both worked with Underoath on some of their newest albums. Wow... Bendeth really raped Howard's vocals. This has nothing to do with the topic though.

What distortion plugins do you guys use for bass generally speaking?
 
The stock sonar x1 prochannel tube saturation can give those kinda fat distorted tones. Just got a warwick bass today and I can get pretty similar tones using the axefx's svt model + distorted bassman with the lows roll off slightly.
 
I know Bendeth and Adam D both worked with Underoath on some of their newest albums. Wow... Bendeth really raped Howard's vocals. This has nothing to do with the topic though.

What distortion plugins do you guys use for bass generally speaking?

im a biased samplitude devotee but magix vandal is great for bass!
 
Definitely a clean / dirty blend of tracks going on there.

I know Bendeth and Adam D both worked with Underoath on some of their newest albums.

They did "Lost in the Sound of Separation." The newest record was Matt Goldman and Ben Grosse - HUGE bass tones on that one too if you're looking around for examples.
 
They did "Lost in the Sound of Separation." The newest record was Matt Goldman and Ben Grosse - HUGE bass tones on that one too if you're looking around for examples.

I've got that bass tone match EQ'd. :lol: I like that tone too and I also like the guitars on that album too (also match EQ'd). Maybe a bit different sounding though... but the Underoath record seems to me like they used the same guitar amp and blended it with the bass signal. Well... that would be make it very obvious why the bass is blending so well with the guitars. :)