Sigur Ros "Takk" bass sound

[inverseroom]

I think the electric bass sound on this record is about the best bass sound I have ever heard. Right up there with the Beatles' "Rain." It is just beautiful--full, deep, alive, and sounding very "guitar-y," with all the pick attack and none of the unpleasant high-end artifacts that you'd think might come with it.

So last night I tried getting that sound with gear I had. I got sorta semi-close DI'ing through the Hamptone JFET into the Pro VLA...unfortunately my Squier bass is pretty shitty and the neck was buzzing and the PU's humming.

Anybody know how they recorded it? I've never been much for the "I want the sound on record 'X'" method of recording inspiration, but I'm making an exception. I know the bass player in that band plays a Jazz Bass, I'm sure that's a big part of it. And of course he's good at playing it.

[mjau]

When I saw them live, I also saw him play a mustang bass (short scale) quite a bit, and I bet that has something to do with it. Those things record beautifully.

[inverseroom]

Do they really? I wonder if the reissue is any good...

[I'm Painting Again]

I've never been much for the "I want the sound on record 'X'" method of recording inspiration,

me niether man..seems like the sound of the bass or any single istrument means kind of nothing anyway..because its defined and shaped by its context and other things happening in a mix anyway..the interaction of those other things effects the sound as much maybe more than mic selection placement, etc..

[joeysimms]

I think the electric bass sound on this record is about the best bass sound I have ever heard. Right up there with the Beatles' "Rain." It is just beautiful--full, deep, alive, and sounding very "guitar-y," with all the pick attack and none of the unpleasant high-end artifacts that you'd think might come with it.

So last night I tried getting that sound with gear I had. I got sorta semi-close DI'ing through the Hamptone JFET into the Pro VLA...unfortunately my Squier bass is pretty shitty and the neck was buzzing and the PU's humming.

Anybody know how they recorded it? I've never been much for the "I want the sound on record 'X'" method of recording inspiration, but I'm making an exception. I know the bass player in that band plays a Jazz Bass, I'm sure that's a big part of it. And of course he's good at playing it.

I bet muting the strings has something to do with it: Either foam under the bridge at the bottom of the guitar, or, muting with your hand, or both.

[inverseroom]

Yeh, I sometimes roll up a washcloth under there. A dry one I mean.

[drumsound]

To simulate the lod string mutes on some basses I will take a pper towel and fold it up and weave it throught the strings near the bridge. I'll move it closer of farther from the bridge to alter the tone/sustain. You might try that.

When you said "Takk" in the thread title I though of the old Nashville trick. They would have upright bass and baritone guitar with a pick as a double of the bass. Most of the Patsy Cline stuff has the takk bass.

[jeddypoo]

I've always loved recording with short-scale basses. They seem to always come out better.

[wedge]

I've always loved recording with short-scale basses. They seem to always come out better.

me, too...

[chuckfurok]

I think this is for the () album:

"we spent a lot of time on georg's bass [usually a fender jazz, played through an EBA amp] this time, just to get it quite deep and quite juicy," adds thomas. "it's really important to get the bass out of the way. we ended up just sticking the amp outside and turning it up really loud. on the last album, because we had to do it really quickly, i just stuck a shitty little mic in front and compressed the shit of it. sometimes we'd use an eventide harmonizer low-pitched as well, just to give it some more substance."

http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/media/articles/sound0.php

[mjau]

I love that article. Always makes me wanna drop whatever I'm doing and go play music.

[comfortstarr]

Wow, the search function actually turned up the exact thread I was going to post. That said, I don't think the answer is in here and I'd like some more opinions. I'm thinking of one specific song on Takk: Glosoli. The bass on this has an amazing wooden, thunky, almost organ-like sound. It has that pick attack originally mentioned. But it's a really unique sound I think.

Just bumping to see if anyone has any other thoughts.

[jetboatguy]

I know Sigur Ros uses a Neve V0 console for tracking stuff... I'm sure this has an influence on the sound.

when I saw Sigur Ros live, I recall the bass player using old Fender Bass instruments.

You might want to YouTube something like this for research.

[apropos of nothing]

(not to steal the thread, but...) Muting is vital on the electric bass. You can use mutes (like Carol Kaye) or you can palm/finger mute (I use my pinkie finger as I play, often). Also enunciating notes with both hands in concert is important. Its all technique. Point to any good bass tone and its technique. Gear'll get you a little closer or a little further away, but ultimately... Its just not a forgiving instrument in current idiom. Its either on or off, and it either sounds good or not, and that's making sure that pretty much all the partials you can soak out of it are in there. And that means an even tone, so that the bass frequencies aren't dominating on one pluck and the overtones on the next, *unless that's what you mean to do*. It also requires really tdeep listening and muscle memory/kinesthesia. Phrasing (in terms of rhythmic and melodic agreement) is also chief.

I think we as a community (and I'm not pointing at you at all, ir -- just as much as me) get a little reductionist in our approach to what is a holistic discipline, or should be. Bass is a really satisfying instrument to just "be" with. I definitely recommend TV/internet jamming. (That is, keep it by the passive entertainment box with a small amplifier near it, and grab it when you have something long to read, or show that you're watching. You wouldn't believe how quickly you improve if you accidentally play it all the time.)

(Okay, rant mode now disabled -- as you were.)
edit: corrected useage thinko

[inverseroom]

Ha! Since I posted that I actually bought an MIM Deluxe PBass Special, ripped out the active electronics, and added a Bad Ass Bridge and flatwounds. A great instrument!! I think that over the past year I've come to enjoy writing and recording bass lines more than almost any other stage of the process... I'm totally on board with you, apropos.