Should get a bass solo on an album eventually, or at least get turned up a tad more in the mix, not too much where it takes away from the song, but just enough to where those dont really listen for the bassist get to hear his awesomeness 
Martin Mendez
- Thread starter PowerBob
- Start date
whenharlequinsfall
Opethian
- Apr 23, 2006
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i wouldnt imagine that happening anytime soon. i think the bass playing is great the way it is, because in a lot of opeth tracks there are just moments where you listen go "that is fuckin insane" (see Blackwater Park).
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Weakness
Senior Citizen
I always thought the best bass players stayed in the pocket of the groove and didn't do anything flashy or solo like. I too thought he was pretty loud on the Damnation album and Ghost Reveries.
Opethian666
Booze influenced
- Sep 17, 2005
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I think it's fine like it is now. The bass is very audible on GR, and isn't just following the rhythm guitar riffs, so what more do you want? Bass guitar shredding 
?
?Loud compared to what, most death metal band standards? Even in the slapping part in Blackwater Park, Mendez is still pretty buried in the mix. Listen to Rush if you wanna hear an example of a good bass mix or Iron Maiden for that matter. And I dont believe a bass player should be restricted to grooving and laying back in the pocket at all times, and either does Mendez cause they guy can get pretty wild at times. As far as a solo goes I never said I wanted to shred on bass ALA Billy Sheenhan or Joey Demaio style, there are plenty of bassists who have done solos that are tasteful and lend to the song rather than take away. It just seems fitting cause eventually most metal bands have a song with a bass solo and so do most progressive bands,and I think Mendez deserves it.
Godhead59
Dim Sam
Oh I agree totally that GR had probably his best bass mix to date and probably had some of his most memorable basslines, hell even Mike said so in the studio diary. But still some moments in there to really hear him shine you gotta really listen for it. Im not saying Mendez's bass should be the forefront of the mix like the bass player from Spiral Architect, im just saying he could be mixed just a tad louder.
As a mixer, I would pick and choose the moments to push the bass. I wouldn't go for an overall change in the sound. But I would look for "showcase opportunities". I don't think that's too different from what's happening now. I mean, it's not a Newsted on And Justice... situation.
Yeah i see what your saying soundwave. And yeah its not a Metallica situation at all. But i dont think a Bass solo is going to change Opeths sound, these guys are talented enough to be able to incorporate a solo in there somewhere and make it work.
IamReptar
Yar be pirating
He sounds really good in GR. The mix was perfect.
I would like for them to re-record Still Life. The bass lines in Godhead's Lament and White Cluster are so good...but hard to make out.
I would like for them to re-record Still Life. The bass lines in Godhead's Lament and White Cluster are so good...but hard to make out.
I think the most audible the bass is in Still life is either in Face of Melinda or in Benighted when the bass kicks in around the guitar solo.
Tumn
baptized in blood
Yeah I read that DeFarfalla was ousted cause he wanted royalities, they have it on the faq here. But I have read about him wanting the bass to have a more prominent roll and it causing problems. The bass was pretty in your face on the early stuff, I think his best bass work was on To Bid You Farewell but sometimes he cut through the mix wayyyy to much where it was overpowering the rest of the band and thats not always a good thing.
I for one wouldn't mind a nice little 16 bar bass flourish. I know Mendez is capable of kicking ass, its just whether or not the song dictates a bass solo.
Hell yeah dude. Has anyone seen the part on the GR documentary where Mendez and Per aredoing that jazz bass and piano jam, it was freakin sweet.
dorian gray
Returning videotapes
- Apr 8, 2004
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The tone on Damnation is superb. Martin also has his moments on Blackwater Park but let's keep in mind Mikael writes the music so it doesn't matter how "good" Martin is.
However, I prefer the bass on Morningrise to anything else in the catalogue. This album is considered by many, myself included, to be Opeth's crowning achievement as a metal band.
However, I prefer the bass on Morningrise to anything else in the catalogue. This album is considered by many, myself included, to be Opeth's crowning achievement as a metal band.
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