TV on the Radio - Staring at the Sun Bass sound

jasonic · Post by **jasonic** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:56 pm

how did they do this?

I've recorded a bass and reversed it and thrown some distortion on it and it's close but not exactly. Also thought it was a synth bass thrown through some distortion pedal and a tremelo but not exactly again...

what do you guys think (or know)?

just curious, I really like their production on the low end side of things and not sure if it's synth basses or played ones. thanks for any help!

iamthecosmos · Post by **iamthecosmos** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:00 am

You might find this useful:

http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_smoke/

He uses a lot of analogue synths, and the CS-5 gets more use than you'd expect. In terms of bass distortion I know Sitek's really into Foxx fuzz pedals (the velvet ones). They've got crazy low end.

jasonic · Post by **jasonic** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:25 am

thanks for that. now I know why their shit sounds so clean and original to me. The guy is an artist and not afraid to do what's different or a longer process but sounds right to him. I thought they were more of a "beats on the computer" type of band, even though I've seen them live and it's a different vibe than the studio stuff. Good stuff. wish there was more out there like it.

too bad I don't have a studer and some u47s....ha

iamthecosmos · Post by **iamthecosmos** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:38 am

jasonic wrote:thanks for that. now I know why their shit sounds so clean and original to me. The guy is an artist and not afraid to do what's different or a longer process but sounds right to him. I thought they were more of a "beats on the computer" type of band, even though I've seen them live and it's a different vibe than the studio stuff. Good stuff. wish there was more out there like it.

too bad I don't have a studer and some u47s....ha

I've been in their old studio, it was floor to ceiling on one wall with rackmount gear. Lots of reamping, putting tracks through old samplers, circuit-bent stuff...and he really does smoke that much weed and spend days without sleep in the studio. A total for-real studio genius.

jasonic · Post by **jasonic** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 2:23 pm

yea but still...how did they get that specific sound? I can't tell if it's a synth or an electric bass and if it's reversed...new to this kind of music production as I come from a traditional indie rock (drums bass guitar no keys) type of stuff....

thanks!

C_R_J · Post by **C_R_J** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 2:09 am

i think what everyone is getting at is that the person that recorded it probably doesnt even remember how they got it to sound like that.

why are you so concerned with getting yours to sound exactly like that? the last thing i would want is for someone to say "hey! your kick sounds exactly like that one totr song"

comfortstarr · Post by **comfortstarr** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:50 am

C_R_J wrote:i think what everyone is getting at is that the person that recorded it probably doesnt even remember how they got it to sound like that.

why are you so concerned with getting yours to sound exactly like that? the last thing i would want is for someone to say "hey! your kick sounds exactly like that one totr song"

Well, that's not really fair is it? Understanding how they got a sound would help one a lot in coming up with additional sounds. I think that sort of thing is really helpful.

C_R_J · Post by **C_R_J** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:20 am

this is true, but after reading about how he gets sounds, i seriously doubt he remembers. its probably soo smoky in there that he doesnt even know what hes reamping into

comfortstarr · Post by **comfortstarr** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:36 am

C_R_J wrote:i think what everyone is getting at is that the person that recorded it probably doesnt even remember how they got it to sound like that.

why are you so concerned with getting yours to sound exactly like that? the last thing i would want is for someone to say "hey! your kick sounds exactly like that one totr song"

Well, that's not really fair is it? Understanding how they got a sound would help one a lot in coming up with additional sounds. I think that sort of thing is really helpful.

jackson park · Post by **jackson park** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:48 am

sounds like a gate maybe?

also, on the issue of getting specific copy sounds.... tomb is a somewhat specific place. the more vague and subjective our discussions get, the more... useless basically the information is on a real world level. so I think explaining how to get specific copy cat sounds is not a bad thing. the asker might simply want to try it and tweak it. and as far as art goes, copying has never been a hang up for the greats.

inasilentway · Post by **inasilentway** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:44 pm

I believe you can get that sound with a heavily pumping compressor. Nuke the bass with a high ratio and then play with the attack and release times. You want a slow attack so the initial transient comes through and then clamps it down hard, then set the release control so that it lets go when you play the next note.

Get over copying, everyone cops each other's tricks. The failed attempt usually results in something cool. Os Mutantes didn't know about backwards tape on their first album, so they filled bug sprayers with water and shot them at the mic to try and get that "zip" sound they heard on Beatles records.

jasonic · Post by **jasonic** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:48 pm

thanks guys for the replies.

I'm not trying to copy anyone's sounds at all but I like learning how certain sounds were made because it makes me learn to look at things from another angle. I have very little experience with "electronic" techniques so I find it really interesting to learn about how autechre or Boards of Canada or even TV (i know not specifically electronic) recorded their stuff. I feel it broadens things instead of thinking I know how to made any kind of sound I hear.

Future One · Post by **Future One** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 12:59 am

From what I remember it sounds like a low passed reese bass.

Two detuned square or sawtooth waveforms, some distortion, effects such as phaser and chorus, maybe some reverb, maybe some more distortion and more effects. Once the sound is really narly then you chuck on a lowpass filter and you have a big thick bass sound with lots of movement.

If it's not bassy enough at this stage you can layer a sine wave under it for more sub.

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TV on the Radio - Staring at the Sun Bass sound

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