How to get the high end clank?

[maddnotez]

Oddly the only way I can explain the sound is from one of my own recordings posted below. I can achieve this myself when recording by slamming the front end of my interface with some ampeg preamp pedal with ridiculous settings into a tonex bass amp and some eq manipulation and extremely flubby strings

But my goal here is to get this same sound in a live setting. Im not really a bassist and know nothing about bass gear.

Are there certain amps that can do this better than others? I could approach it the same way I recorded i suppose and just slam everything to max overload but that seems like a bad idea in practice.

Im sure there's countless recordings that i can't think to name that have the same sound but if you listen to my song below you can hear it happen, mostly consistent when hitting the higher notes or the 2nd string (4 string bass) Don't need to listen to at all its mostly in the beginning of the song.

 

[DrewJD82]

Strings that aren't dead, lower action and some dirt on the tone-



And the bass solo'd-


That's 2 bass tones blended; a clean DI that's doing all the low and top end and a distorted bass that's only got mids and treble. The distorted bass is going into a Darkglass B7K then an SVT/8x10 and a JCM800 into a 4x12 in the AxeFX. It's mostly the strings clanging against the frets, but you can shape the way it sounds using the dirt.

If you're using a super thick gauge of bass strings and the tension is really tight, it'll be that much harder to make it happen. If I had the same bass I tracked that with in standard with that same gauge, it wouldn't sound like that nearly as much, but drop C slacks the tension enough to get it clangin'.

 

[maddnotez]

Strings that aren't dead, lower action and some dirt on the tone-



And the bass solo'd-


That's 2 bass tones blended; a clean DI that's doing all the low and top end and a distorted bass that's only got mids and treble. The distorted bass is going into a Darkglass B7K then an SVT/8x10 and a JCM800 into a 4x12 in the AxeFX. It's mostly the strings clanging against the frets, but you can shape the way it sounds using the dirt.

If you're using a super thick gauge of bass strings and the tension is really tight, it'll be that much harder to make it happen. If I had the same bass I tracked that with in standard with that same gauge, it wouldn't sound like that nearly as much, but drop C slacks the tension enough to get it clangin'.

So i guess In my case it just happened due to horrible string tension lol.

Got a bass in a trade. Was in E, I just dropped it to B which is how I tune and kept the same strings. Flubby mess with a great sound.

Im trying to steer a bassist im jamming with toward this sound. Assuming he needs proper string tension i guess the counter measure for live use is some dirt and a hefty boost in the upper mids?

 

[maddnotez]

Nice riffs BTW

 

[metropolis_4]

I’m no expert on those kind of tones, but my gut would be to go for steel strings, an active bass, low action, a bit of mid scoop, lots of treble, add some distortion and hit it hard

 

[DrewJD82]

So i guess In my case it just happened due to horrible string tension lol.

Got a bass in a trade. Was in E, I just dropped it to B which is how I tune and kept the same strings. Flubby mess with a great sound.

Im trying to steer a bassist im jamming with toward this sound. Assuming he needs proper string tension i guess the counter measure for live use is some dirt and a hefty boost in the upper mids?

Hahahha yeah, it’s kinda funny how that sound is essentially based off a “poorly” setup bass. A lot of that started with Fieldy/Korn, like 3/4’s their rhythm section is his strings clanging off the neck.

Tuning down to B, I’d grab a set of medium gauge bass strings and a single .118 for the B. Not sure if anyone makes any packs that have them in there, Stringjoy might have it in a custom set. .115 is my favorite gauge for a low C where it still actually has a quality tone to it, while not having the overbearing sub frequency dominating the string, which happens with thicker strings.

.120’s are popular and easily found, but in every 34” bass I’ve put them on it just sounds like “HNNNNNNNNNNN” then the rest of the strings sound like a normal bass.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Low action, bright and new strings, high mass bridge

 

[Eagle]

Easy with active electrics.

 

[Orvillain]

Strings that aren't dead, lower action and some dirt on the tone-



And the bass solo'd-


That's 2 bass tones blended; a clean DI that's doing all the low and top end and a distorted bass that's only got mids and treble. The distorted bass is going into a Darkglass B7K then an SVT/8x10 and a JCM800 into a 4x12 in the AxeFX. It's mostly the strings clanging against the frets, but you can shape the way it sounds using the dirt.

If you're using a super thick gauge of bass strings and the tension is really tight, it'll be that much harder to make it happen. If I had the same bass I tracked that with in standard with that same gauge, it wouldn't sound like that nearly as much, but drop C slacks the tension enough to get it clangin'.

Sounds great dude!

 

[newholland]

rusty box pre!

 

[ispunk]

Clank comes down to a few things.

First there is the mechanical clank of your strings physically hitting the fretboard at you play. Dial in the string height to your playing style.

2nd: Fresh Stainless Steel roundwounds are your friend for the clank.

3rd: Push up 3k in your EQ.

 

[DrewJD82]

Sounds great dude!

These are still the unmixed demo/scratch tracks. Setting up some genre-specific templates in Logic goes a long way in starting a project off w/ a decent mix before you even play a note!