Any bass guitarists here?

[danlightbulb]

I'm thinking of trying to learn bass guitar.

It's been on my mind my for a couple of years now, since I bought a normal guitar and didn't really get on with it. I didn't get 'the sound' I was thinking it would create, which I think is as much to do with the amp as it is the guitar. Anyway I sold it.

Bass is appealing because I like the funkyness of it.

To avoid early disappointment, how do I get 'the sound' I'm looking for which is basically the youtuber davie504 slap style?

Thanks.

 

[danlightbulb]

- it may be better to go with a (PC) modelling amp and headphones initially.

I had a modelling amp with the normal guitar, and I wasn't impressed with it, so I need something different to this that gives me the right sound.

 

[danlightbulb]

budget

Dunno, a few hundred?

 

[danlightbulb]

I bought a Yamaha TRBX174 about 5 years ago...that was after buying a Gear4Music 'own brand' LA Special or something which was horrible. Those are pretty much the only 2 bass guitar's I've played but the Yamaha feels really nice to play...
Can't remember all the reasons now but I def did plenty research after buying the ****** Gear4Music bass and ended up buying the Yamaha

Googled 'Yamaha TRBS174 slap' and got this...some of it is just the bass straight in the PC with no amp/cab/effects etc!...maybe a bit dry/harsh compared to Davie504's typical sound but the point is the gear's just a little part of it

having said all that I prob never researched how good the Yamaha was for slap tbh!

Hmm thanks, I don't know how direct input works, but it could save me a fair bit of money if I only have to buy the guitar itself and can just plug it into my pc and use the small but decent studio monitors I already have?

I also have a digital piano that has a line input. Could I connect the bass to that, but would it sound more twangy (that's what happened with the 6 string when I tried it)?

 

[danlightbulb]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not very knowledgeable on guitar sounds. The disappointment I had with the 6 string was primarily that it didn't sound like an electric guitar to me. I don't know how to properly describe what was missing. The amp I had allowed distortion but it just sounded rubbish.

If I buy an electric bass I want it to sound like I hear on the bass videos online. I know that a good part of it is skill of course but the fundamental sound needs to be there.

The options I have right now without an amp are:

1. Line in on my kawai digital piano which has fairly powerful amplification, I think 50W with 2x13cm (5") speakers and 2x tweeters.

2. Line in or mic in on my computer, which is then connected to Presonus Eris E3.5 active monitors.

3. Direct in to the above studio monitors, they have line in on the back, aux in on the front, and also 'balanced trs' on the back - I don't know what this is.


So will any of these options be able to generate the proper bass sound as seen for example in this short review of a Harley Benton model?

THIS HARLEY BENTON FINALLY BROKE ME !!

Harley Benton MV 4JB Gotoh BM* ---► https://bit.ly/3fBCHNUbass in Daphne Blue* ---► https://bit.ly/3DyymDbin Shell Pink* ---► https://bit.ly/3h7hYSuin Black*...

youtu.be

 

[danlightbulb]

Hey just reinvigorating this.

Still confused. I've tried to research audio interfaces, not too expensive can get an entry level one for £30-40.

But I'm confused still on its purpose. Are they amps? Or some kind of sound/signal converter?

I already have some decent amplification available, either via my digital piano, or via a Denon home stereo unit (which has analog in and digital inputs), or the studio monitors attached to my pc. So I don't really want to buy a separate bass amp/speaker combo. Do I have to, or can I get a good bass sound to come out of one of those existing options?

 

[danlightbulb]

The reason I'm confused though is that I don't need to generate big volume. I'm only playing at home. I thought an amp and big speaker cabinet was to generate big volume eg for a stage.

If I play a YouTube video of someone playing bass out of my TV, it sounds good. That doesn't have a 12" speaker or massive tube amps powering it.

I don't want to have to plug it into my computer and modify the sounds, that is effects and I just want to learn to play the bass without all that extra stuff for now. Plus my pc is upstairs and I want to practice downstairs in my living room. That is where my digital piano and home stereo are, both have in built amps and line in capability.

 

[danlightbulb]

All you can do is try a direct in with your keyboard first and if that's rubbish go into your stereo system.

I'd prefer to buy what I need upfront really. Or, if I need too much expensive stuff to make it sound right, then I might not even start.

When I had a guitar I did plug it into the piano, and it worked, but it didn't sound right. I don't know why and I can't explain it very well, but it didn't sound like an electric guitar should sound. I could play the notes of course, but it sounded more like an acoustic guitar, more twangy.

Funk Bass Thumb & Fingerstyle Grooves - Trill Seekers

Having a good time on my '75 jazz, playing my song "Trill Seekers" with lotsa groovy trills, slides & staccato thumb/finger plucking to juice things up, it's...

youtu.be

This is what I want it to sound like. Obviously I won't be able to play like this for years if ever, but if this guy came to my house and I was providing the equipment for him, what would I have to provide to get it to sound like this?

 

[danlightbulb]

and has a lot of frequencies missing

I do understand that to really thump the room I would need big subwoofer type speakers to move a lot of air, and so a lot of amp power. But bass from a TV, hell even watching that video above on my phone which has what a 3mm speaker, still sounds good.

So the unit you suggested, the zoom b1 four, is some sort of pre amp? Are you also saying that all recorded sound is pre-processed somehow, none of it is raw instrument sound?