Bass Fishing

Bass Fishing is a unique tune, recorded and produced 2nd/3rd August 2001 - especially for this site!

For at least two decades now, the occupation of the traditional bassist ( as well as other musicians) has been under siege by technology. For bassists the use of synthesisers, sequencers and samplers by producers has lessened the opportunities for many bassists. However the modern and versatile bassist will always triumph over adversity!

In retaliation bassists have fought back with a arsenal of new instruments - 5 and 6 string basses, piccolo and fretless basses as well as effects. All this together with new and developing styles such as slap/pop and two handed tapping.

Bass fishing represents my ethos: rather than resisting music technology you should perhaps embrace it. I think a good musician will always use technology simply as a tool to enhance their music with the taste they have achieved throughout development.

Bass Orchestra

Bass Fishing is a catchy tune consisting of just 5 tracks. Each track represents the roles of instruments within a standard rock/jazz ensemble. In order to explain the events within this piece I have in turn outlined the role of each part.

  • Track 1 - Using Sound Forge on PC, I sampled and edited various percussive type sounds off the two electric basses that I used in this song. Each sample represented a sound component of a drum kit. For example the bass/kick drum was achieved by plucking the muted B string on my 5 string Wal fretless. The snare drum was a muted snap/pop on the C string of my Jaydee Supernatural and The hi-hat was created by scratching along the strings of the Jaydee bass. The samples were then sequenced on VST and then arranged in to loops.
  • Track 2 - The Jaydee supernatural bass tuned ADGC was used to play the main melody as well as the supporting double stops (maj and min 10ths) within the bridge sections. And not forgetting the slap solo in the middle! - I used the VST Native TC compressor to keep the funk dynamics under control!
  • Track 3 - The actual bassline was played on acoustic bass. This is probably the bass sound I have achieved recording on to PC! I use an underwood pickup which I di-ed via my Zoom effects processor - compression and EQ thats all.
  • Track 4 - Jaydee performing a rhythm guitar type role, with appropriate wah wah effect c/o the Zoom.
  • Track 5 - I performed a melody over the bridge/ B sections with the Wal fretless tuned EADGC. Again I used a the Zoom for the tremolo effect. The first solo was also played on this instrument but listen out for the slidey percussive harmonics during the slap solo.

Summary of equipment used

  1. Jaydee Supernatural bass tuned ADGC.
  2. Wal Fretless 5 string tuned BEADG and EADGC.
  3. Acoustic Bass
  4. Zoom BFX-708
  5. Intel Pentium III 866mhz
  6. Terratec EWS88MT sound card
  7. Steinberg Cubase VST
  8. Native TC Reverb and Compressor.
  9. Behringer 12 channel mixer for monitoring.

I hope you enjoy the track! Guestbook.

Ollie Collins 5/01/03