Me likey this tone :)...but what am I hearing exactly?

BrentSimons

BrentSimons

Mar 4, 2004
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Vergennes,VT USA
#1
Hey Guys,
My apologies if this is in the wrong category! Can I post in two different categories? Moderators please put this where you see fit.
I'm a huge prog rack fan and Pete Trewavas from Marillion is one of my favorite bass players. He is really moving in this song by Transatlantic and I love his tone but what am I hearing? There are several quick parts where it's just bass and drums. I know he uses a Digitech Rp1000 guitar multi effect for his overdrive and effects but what else? Is it more bridge pickup then neck pickup? You can't really hear his pick noise but you can hear some fret buzz so is it a dip in the high mids?

I though this would be a fun experiment so please no mean people. ;)
Brent
 
#3
Pete Trewavas rules! Love me some classic Marillion.

To me it sounds like a neck pickup and maybe half-rounds for strings. With all of the processing that might be going on along the way, compression at the board or in post-production, it's tough to say. Maybe highs are rolled off to minimize pick noise, or to stay out of the way of the guitars and synths. A P bass wouldn't sound too dissimilar. Kind-of a middy thuddy tone. Usually Warwick sounds much more round and grindy.

Having basses with brass nuts and high-mass bridges, including Warwick, I don't believe those contribute to tone whatsoever.
 
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#5
StayLow said:
Pete Trewavas rules! Love me some classic Marillion.

To me it sounds like a neck pickup and maybe half-rounds for strings. With all of the processing that might be going on along the way, compression at the board or in post-production, it's tough to say. Maybe highs are rolled off to minimize pick noise, or to stay out of the way of the guitars and synths. A P bass wouldn't sound too dissimilar. Kind-of a middy thuddy tone. Usually Warwick sounds much more round and grindy.

Having basses with brass nuts and high-mass bridges, including Warwick, I don't believe those contribute to tone whatsoever.
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Pete is awesome! I'll be seeing Marillion in a few weeks!
I know he uses Stadium Elite stainless steel strings.
Brent
 
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#6
[QUOTE="StayLow, post: 19313226, member: 113149”]Having basses with brass nuts and high-mass bridges, including Warwick, I don't believe those contribute to tone whatsoever.[/QUOTE]

Believe what you will. :) All I can tell you is that the sound I get from my Streamer is unique to that bass. Of the seven instruments that I own it’s the only one with a brass nut.
 
#8
It looks like there's a plectrum involved, and that shouldn't be taken lightly if you're tone chasing. The sound I'm hearing doesn't have the harsh attack sound usually associated with a pick, which makes me think the EQ is biased away from the high end and towards that heavy mid sound (or it got lost in the caputre/mix, which is plausible for a live recording). Not sure I'd call it a low mid, more like a high low mid. In any case, you're not going to get the growl without some good p'ups, and probably not without some good tonewood behind them. It looks like he's attacking near the bridge, which is definitely responsible for part of what we're hearing. I don't hink either neck or bridge pikcup is solo'd, going off of the fullness I'm hearing and the attack position. I would expect the sound to be a bit thinner if it was a solo'd bridge and less defined it it was neck (again this is all factoring in the pick and palying position), but the EQ is going to have a lot to do with the body/ fullness of that tone.

I have an instrument with a brass nut, and I wouldn't call this that, but I do think the nut material impacts the tone.
 
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#10
Its a Thumb. They are unique basses with a unique voice. There is some good amplification happening, looks like strong down stroke picking, and Warwick's "sound of wood."
There is a hint of OD, but I can't tell what amp it is, so I couldn't say if its the amp or a pedal.
As to the pickup, the Thumb as a "middle" pickup that is closer to the bridge than a P or Jazz, and then one super close to the bridge. The woods, body shape\size, and pickups are what sets it apart.
 
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#12
Look where his hand is positioned. He's picking right over the bridge pickup. But the tone is deep -- I'm guessing the highs are rolled off pretty hard.
Pick_Position.png
 
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#13
socialleper said:
Its a Thumb. They are unique basses with a unique voice. There is some good amplification happening, looks like strong down stroke picking, and Warwick's "sound of wood."
There is a hint of OD, but I can't tell what amp it is, so I couldn't say if its the amp or a pedal.
As to the pickup, the Thumb as a "middle" pickup that is closer to the bridge than a P or Jazz, and then one super close to the bridge. The woods, body shape\size, and pickups are what sets it apart.
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I like your thoughts! I'm sure the Thumb has a lot to do with it.
The overdrive is coming from the Rp1000.I know he runs at least two lines. DI and the combination of the Rp1000 running into his amp ( Warwick lately)and it is usually miked with one of those fancy ambience mics. At least at the last few shows I've seen. I was surprised he wasn't running out of the RP into the board as well but that's how his setup was when he was using Boss pedals.
Brent
 
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#16
BrentSimons said:
See that's what I don't get. You can still hear fret buzz and string noise?
Brent
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I was able to get a similar sound with a little experimenting.
I'm new to using a pick - just barely started working on it .... but here's what I tried:
I used a thin pick because I get a lot more pick and string noise than using a heavier pick. picking close to the bridge accentuates it more.
I turned all the treble and mid off on my amp and cranked the bass up a bit on the amp.
I used a passive bass and didn't roll any treble off on the bass itself.

Tone was nice and deep but you still hear lots of pick and string. At least on my rig. I tried it with the bridge pickup only and then blended in just a bit of the neck pickup to taste. Overdrive to taste.
 
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