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Here's the recording. There are a few flubs but honestly I'm trying to just get some (ANY) music out there, instead of having dozens of half written riffs: https://soundcloud.com/waskow/grecki For the bassline in the A-sections I was walking up from B to E and back via the major third, then walking down to the open E via the major seven and the E's major third. The last chord is an F#7. In the B-sections I was hitting the roots and fives of D#m,C#m,C7,B, but letting the guitar chords set the tonality. For the outro I flubbed a random A in there, but I think it works OK. I'm not too happy with the guitar solo'ing and I was considering stripping it entirely, but without lyrics the song needs SOMETHING.
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May 28, 2014 22:40
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| # ? May 12, 2024 17:11 |
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EVERYONE POST MUSIC Finally starting to get back some final mixes and mastered tracks for the EP. Definitely sound a lot better than our attempts at mixing. Bass is much beefier, drums pulled back a tad, and just overall great balance. https://soundcloud.com/fro_tone/old-friend-52614/s-bUHF8 He forgot to include the harmonized sax at the very end, but that's being taken care of.
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May 29, 2014 15:49
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Here's my second ever track, this time I played with a plectrum. It's a nonsensical NWOBHM-style song about a yard switcher train. I clearly need to find a better way to cut into the mix when recording, I boosted the bass track, cut the (double tracked) guitars but still nada: https://soundcloud.com/waskow/demon-switcher Bass line is an A-Phrygian vamp on the verse and an E-minor vamp on the chorus. Guitars are A-A# and G (last riff of each section chromatically ascends to the P4 from A) on the verse, and E-G-E-A on the chorus. I compared pick vs. pluck the accuracy and consistency were far superior on the former - which to me is bizarre because I've never really felt comfortable picking. Oh well, More woodshedding, I guess.
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May 30, 2014 19:10
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Horizontal Tree posted:Any opinions on the Ibanez Artcore AFB200? I started talking to a friend about finally picking up a bass to learn on and he linked me a few on Ebay. I want a shorter scale and I have a boner for hollow/semi-hollow. I have the AGB200 which I believe is the semi-hollow version, and have had it for a few years. It's really nice, plays really well. I've had a hard time with strings with it though, because of the bring it's about a 32" medium scale - 30" strings are too short! What do you want to know?
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May 30, 2014 19:28
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Do any of you use a Line6 M5, M9, or M13 with a bass? Do you like it or are they more geared towards guitar?
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May 30, 2014 19:35
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Brony Car posted:Do any of you use a Line6 M5, M9, or M13 with a bass? Do you like it or are they more geared towards guitar? I had a M13 for awhile. It has some things that sound OK, but I sold it to my guitarist and built a board with just a few things on it instead. Both of us are happy now 
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May 30, 2014 23:59
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Southern Heel posted:Here's my second ever track, this time I played with a plectrum. It's a nonsensical NWOBHM-style song about a yard switcher train. I clearly need to find a better way to cut into the mix when recording, I boosted the bass track, cut the (double tracked) guitars but still nada: Did you compress the bass? If not you probably want to do that instead of just boosting it, get a strong consistent attack and tone, and then cut everything else to let that come through in the important frequencies. You don't just want low end, you want the midrange voice to have some space too. There's a couple of overviews here: http://therecordingrevolution.com/2011/05/11/5-minutes-to-a-better-mix-compressing-bass-guitar-part-11-of-31/ http://therecordingrevolution.com/2011/05/12/5-minutes-to-a-better-mix-bass-saturation-part-12-of-31/ Second one's a bit 'how to route in pro tools' but he's basically doubling the bass and distorting the copy, and using that as seasoning in the mix. There are a lot of rock songs where you don't actually notice the bass is distorted, until there's a quiet moment where the fuzz comes through. The rest of the time it just sits there nicely, making itself heard
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May 31, 2014 00:37
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^ Hey guy, thanks! I'm recording on a Tascam 8-track (trying to keep it off the PC, honestly) so I guess a compression pedal would be the way forward? Any recommendations for something that won't break the bank? As a 'requirement' it seems that everyone's costing their pedals pretty highly: I've looked at Pigtronix Philosopher, EBS Multi-comp and MXR87
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May 31, 2014 11:37
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Does your Tascam have any effects? I have an old 8-track portastudio (with a hard drive) and it has a few compression options, which at least get the job done. You can apply them direct as you record (or bounce to another track), or use them as sends and inserts when you're mixing. No idea about gear though, sorry! I think really for this you don't care about the tonal characteristics of the compression, it's more about getting the volume generally levelled off, so even a cheap pedal should work - someone with more experience might have a bit more insight, I could be wrong! If you want a more versatile, general purpose compressor for bass, everyone has their favourites. If you want a more general mixing compressor (for everything), the mixing thread might be a good shot (and also drain you of your moneys)
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May 31, 2014 18:36
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Southern Heel posted:^ Hey guy, thanks! I'm recording on a Tascam 8-track (trying to keep it off the PC, honestly) so I guess a compression pedal would be the way forward? Any recommendations for something that won't break the bank? As a 'requirement' it seems that everyone's costing their pedals pretty highly: I've looked at Pigtronix Philosopher, EBS Multi-comp and MXR87 Is there any reason why you're trying to keep it off the PC? I can't think of a good reason to avoid digital workstations in this day and age if they are available to you. The price of a good compression pedal could buy a license of Reaper (which includes comps, reverb, delay, pitch correction, etc etc).
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May 31, 2014 18:45
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Working with PC's is my day job, and really I already spend a good portion of my leisure time infront of one too - music is a nice way for me to extricate myself from the computer's grasp for a while. Not that it always works, mind you. I do appreciate the comment however, and since I tend to record at the same desk that my laptop sits on, maybe it's a decent option. Overall: first world problem.
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Jun 1, 2014 10:36
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Southern Heel posted:Working with PC's is my day job, and really I already spend a good portion of my leisure time infront of one too - music is a nice way for me to extricate myself from the computer's grasp for a while. Not that it always works, mind you. Sometimes I use an old radioshack tape recorder because I am an idiot.
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Jun 1, 2014 11:18
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I'm looking to pick up a left-handed 4-string for <= $750 - looking for any recommendations. Looking on Musician's Friend I've found a couple nice-looking candidates from Schecter: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/schecter-guitar-research-stiletto-studio-4-left-handed-bass http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/schecter-guitar-research-blackjack-atx-c-4-left-handed-electric-bass-guitar Unfortunately I don't know enough about the pickups/EQ to know which I'd prefer though I do prefer the Stiletto being neck-thru - looking for warmer more jazzy tones. Also happy to disregard either of these for something better, I'm a bit of a newb to basses.
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Jun 1, 2014 22:41
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I played a Stiletto Elite for four years, playing mostly jazz. It's got a pretty bright tone with the knobs at the center position with most roundwound strings. Throw Flatwounds on to mellow it out a bit, adjust eq to taste, and you're good to go. The neck-thru sustain is quite nice, and the necks are very playable.
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Jun 1, 2014 23:03
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Thanks for the info - if you had to pick between a Stiletto and the Fender Jazz, which would you prefer?
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Jun 2, 2014 06:27
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Stravinsky posted:Sometimes I use an old radioshack tape recorder because I am an idiot. I know you're being facetious but I really think there is a compelling argument for creating a limited environment to stimulate creativity. I am paraphrasing, but essentially compare the following two prompts: "Write me a riff that sounds good" vs. "Write me a slow rock riff in G-minor". The latter essentially boxes you in more but you're much more likely to come out with SOMETHING.
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Jun 2, 2014 11:24
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Super Rad posted:Thanks for the info - if you had to pick between a Stiletto and the Fender Jazz, which would you prefer? Depends on the setup. I'd have to play them both side by side and make my decision based on a hands on experience. If I had to say one right now without playing them, I'd probably go with the Fender. There is a reason it is such a prevalent bass. It's good, and it's got great tone without messing with anything. The Stiletto needs a bit more effort tweaking to get that good of a tone, but it's an easier, faster bass to play. Every time I go through a Guitar Center, I always play an MIA J bass and a Schecter, and I have a ball with each one.
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Jun 2, 2014 11:32
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As a musician you can't really go wrong having a j bass around.
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Jun 2, 2014 19:08
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Hello all. I have recently become interested in learning bass, just as a hobby. I bought an electric guitar, like 8 years ago, but I never really learned to play it. I played the clarinet for 7 years (starting in childhood through highschool) before that and was pretty good, played in concert band (first chair as a senior). So I have a musical background, know how to read music, remember some music theory etc. Last week I had decided that I would learn how to play my guitar, and I started messing around with Rocksmith, which is kind of like guitar hero, but with a real guitar instead of a plastic controller. I didn't dig it first until I found the feature to emulate bass guitar and I immediately fell in love with it. Then I started reading this thread (I'm like 50 pages in) and now I'm tentatively saving to buy something in the price range of an Ibanez GSR200. In the meantime I'm plunking around in Rocksmith trying to learn some basics and not pick up too many bad habits. Despite being fun to play with the effects and accompaniment, Rocksmith does not (can not, really) enforce keeping good time/staying on the beat, so I want to get a metronome pronto. Which brings me to the reason for this post: Are all metronomes basically created equal, or are there some that are significantly more useful or versetile as training tools? It sounds like a really dumb question, but making these kind of assumptions early on is generally how I waste money... tl;dr: Does anyone have recommendations for a metronome, or does it not even matter? Either way, this thread is a wealth of information and I intend to go back and continue reading where I left off.
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Jun 2, 2014 20:53
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Snak posted:tl;dr: Does anyone have recommendations for a metronome, or does it not even matter? http://www.metronomeonline.com/
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Jun 2, 2014 21:21
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Snak posted:tl;dr: Does anyone have recommendations for a metronome, or does it not even matter? Buy a drum machine.
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Jun 2, 2014 21:29
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Stravinsky posted:Sometimes I use an old radioshack tape recorder because I am an idiot. There are like two dozen tapes in my parents' attic of me getting my Sebadoh on at age 15 and I should probably destroy all of them
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Jun 2, 2014 23:37
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Declan MacManus posted:There are like two dozen tapes in my parents' attic of me getting my Sebadoh on at age 15 and I should probably destroy all of them I suggest a fire barrel.
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Jun 3, 2014 01:28
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Snak posted:tl;dr: Does anyone have recommendations for a metronome, or does it not even matter? Doesn't really matter, you can go to a music store and pick up a little digital one for $5.
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Jun 3, 2014 04:11
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MancXVI posted:Buy a drum machine. This + If you have a smartphone there are tons of metronome apps for free/a few bucks.
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Jun 3, 2014 04:20
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Does anyone have any experience with the new 500 watt Portaflex head/cab? I need something for gigs (punkish band) and my drummer is pretty drat loud. I like the low weight and cost of the Portaflex, and our rehearsal spaces usually have some form of SVT, so I'm getting used to that Ameg sound.
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Jun 3, 2014 17:07
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I had the PF500 and 15" cabs for a little bit a couple years ago. I only liked that setup with both 15s connected, a single 15 always sounded weak even by myself in my living room. The cabs don't go super deep because they're sealed, but they have a pretty punchy sound. If you bolt the head to one of the cabs that combo is pushing 70 pounds, which makes it a little unwieldy. Ultimately I went back to an Aguilar GS112/112NT setup for cabinets because they're smaller, lighter, and go lower, combined with whatever head I'm using at the moment.
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Jun 3, 2014 17:40
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DrChu posted:I had the PF500 and 15" cabs for a little bit a couple years ago. I only liked that setup with both 15s connected, a single 15 always sounded weak even by myself in my living room. How did that Portaflex head sound with non-Ampeg cabs?
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Jun 3, 2014 19:53
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I've seen two bite the dust, they sounded pretty good when they were working though. my suggestion for all things punk and cheap for bass is an old acoustic head. can get them for around 200 and they are loud and get a sweet grind if you push mids.
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Jun 3, 2014 20:59
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I have an Eden Nemesis head and a Bergantino cab...due to the impedence it only gets 200 watts, which is fine for church but was not so great with the classic rock band I had a while back. If I do start another band, I may think about getting another rig that can compete with a drummer a little better. I've always been intrigued by Ashdown's tube stuff, but they seem hard to find these days. I've heard that they don't sell directly to Canada anymore, I wonder if that's true. Anyways, it's just pipe dream stuff for now.
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Jun 3, 2014 21:09
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Brony Car posted:How did that Portaflex head sound with non-Ampeg cabs? I only briefly tried it on other cabs but its pretty average. If you're going after that mid-scooped with the ultra low button pushed in tone it'll do that no problem, but it doesn't get too growly with the gain and you pretty much need to use the compressor to maintain a decent level. They're not that light, and almost the size of a standard 2U rackmount amp (but they can't be rackmounted). They can be had cheap used (like $300), but some people have reliability issues like Smash It said. I would only use one with the matching cabs, otherwise I'd just get an actual mini head or just a regular rackmount amp.
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Jun 4, 2014 03:47
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Aguilar TH350 or TH500 should be considered as well, though they're a bit more money. Tiny, quiet, reliable as a tank, best ss amp I've ever used.
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Jun 4, 2014 03:51
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I've been looking to upgrade from my GSR200 and found a used Fender Blacktop P for $200 Link. Does anyone have any experience with it? Online reviews seem pretty positive overall and it sounds pretty good in videos. Also, this being my first used buy, any tips on what to check for besides just playing it a bit?
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Jun 4, 2014 05:22
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Brony Car posted:How did that Portaflex head sound with non-Ampeg cabs? My band seems to love the sound I get out of mine. I run it through a Carvin 410 or a Peavey Headliner 410, both at 8 ohms, depending on which practice space I'm at. It's disgustingly bland without a Sansamp running through it but it is loud. As gently caress. And really that's all I was asking it to do since I knew I was grabbing a Sansamp. It's been hissing quite a bit lately when I turn the Presence knob up on my Sansamp. Regardless of power source / power conditioner/ etc. I didn't know about reliability issues with these models - I was going to break it down and rack mount it - but maybe I'll just hold off and upgrade to something more lasting.
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Jun 4, 2014 06:49
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Revvik posted:My band seems to love the sound I get out of mine. I run it through a Carvin 410 or a Peavey Headliner 410, both at 8 ohms, depending on which practice space I'm at. It's disgustingly bland without a Sansamp running through it but it is loud. As gently caress. And really that's all I was asking it to do since I knew I was grabbing a Sansamp. Which Sansamp do you have? My Bass Driver DI is pretty old, but it's always been quiet. Does it help if you turn on that -40dB pad?
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Jun 4, 2014 14:54
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Probably should stay away from the Class-D Ampeg stuff. Horrible reliability across the board. As far as non-bass players having a bass to have around & record with, I think some sort of PJ is your best bet. The distinctive P-bass sound sits better in mixes, and having the J pickup to add an edge to the sound (or to solo) gives you versatility past a regular P-bass. For a newbie starting out, or for other instrumentalists looking to have a bass around I strongly, strongly recommend the Squier Vintage Modified PJ. Totally decent stock pickups, nice setup out of the box, good hardware, very stable neck, and good fit and finish. The tuners are heavy and the body is pretty light, so it can be a little neck heavy depending on where you have your strap. I have a sunburst one, and so far have put the 60's tort pickguard on it + tugbar, and a set of DR Legend flatwounds. It'll get a set of Nordstrands eventually, and probably some Hipshot Ultralites, but it doesn't need them. I have a bunch of really expensive basses, and this one gets played at gigs and in the studio just as often. Even with the stock pickups I can't tell you the amount of times someone has come over to inspect what I was playing and saying "no way, THAT'S a SQUIER???!!!"
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Jun 4, 2014 19:31
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Chacmool posted:I've been looking to upgrade from my GSR200 and found a used Fender Blacktop P for $200 Link. Does anyone have any experience with it? Online reviews seem pretty positive overall and it sounds pretty good in videos. Also, this being my first used buy, any tips on what to check for besides just playing it a bit? This is the bass I use. It's a bit heavy on the high mids and the volume knobs aren't very responsive between 0 and 8, but I love the way it sounds and plays. Mine was setup very nicely from the factory. The pickups have pretty sharp corners and I tend to anchor my picking hand, so that took some getting used to. I put some DR flats on mine and it tamed those mids a bit. I'm a huge fan, and I got mine for $500 when it was new.
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Jun 4, 2014 19:47
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TriggerHappy posted:This is the bass I use. It's a bit heavy on the high mids and the volume knobs aren't very responsive between 0 and 8, but I love the way it sounds and plays. Mine was setup very nicely from the factory. The pickups have pretty sharp corners and I tend to anchor my picking hand, so that took some getting used to. I put some DR flats on mine and it tamed those mids a bit. I'm a huge fan, and I got mine for $500 when it was new. Did you try getting new pots? That could be a cheap solution to the lack of taper in your volume knobs.
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Jun 4, 2014 21:15
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I have a question about getting a specific bass tone. I'm trying to figure out how to get a grumbling, warbly bass tone like this example: http://www.reverbnation.com/omnesia/song/6038-blessing or to a lesser degree Fieldy from Korn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OFqXt-izTQ without all that scratchy crunchy poo poo up high. It feels like there might be an octave pedal involved to build higher peaks without clipping, but what the hell do I know. and back to the POST MUSIC chat, here's a track from an EP my band put out a bit ago Pizza Revolution Agrikk fucked around with this message at 23:36 on Jun 4, 2014 |
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Jun 4, 2014 23:31
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On both those subjects, here's a track from my last show. Bass Goons, critique my bass tone: https://soundcloud.com/debility/the-tide-rolls-in-live-1 I've got a Ibanez SR505 running through a POD X3 into a Hartke LH500. I'm running distortion on this track; everything else from that show was played clean. I just chose this track because it was the best performance of the night. There's also the two tracks from our upcoming EP that I put up for mixing advice here, but there are better mixes of those songs in the works.
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Jun 5, 2014 01:15
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