KVR Audio

Lawnmower Of The Damned · Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:37 am

There might be fewer strings, it all depends on your bass. Mine has 5 strings, so it's really not much faster.

Actually, without a decent tuner bass can be a bit hard to tune. Cheap-o tuners don't like low frequencies. When I get to the low B on my bass most cheap tuners don't even register that a note has been played.

proletkult · Post by **proletkult** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:50 am

It really sounds to me like you aught to borrow both and find out which inspires your music most. You're already a composer and a musician so I don't think your priority is wasting time learning a new instrument when you want to develope your writing. If you get more inspiration from the sound of a bass...play bass. I grew up on both and have struggled with VSTs 'cause there's so much choice in sounds. Lately I've gone back to guitars because I find what I want quicker.

galwaypark · Post by **galwaypark** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:00 am

A baritone guitar, perhaps? (Think The Cure, "Pictures of you" - some good baritone sounds there)
Check out Fender Bass VI (pricey), or Danelectro Baritone (much cheaper)
It could be just what you need.

cptgone · Post by **cptgone** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 1:55 pm

Kraku wrote:Guitar is a very versatile instrument and very different from the synths, but I'm damn lazy when it comes to tuning. Guitar has more strings than a bass does.

irrelevant: to me, the "hard" part about tuning is getting my lazy ass up and fetching me tuner... the actual tuning itself goes very fast and easy, one snare more or less won't make a difference.

Kraku · Post by **Kraku** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:34 pm

Ok. Let's assume that I would buy a guitar. What about if I wanted to get that very low, full and powerful guitar sound from many of Rob Zombie/Korn/Marilyn Manson/Rammstein songs? Is there some specific guitar type + strings that I should use to achieve that kind of sound or is it all just effecting and doubling?

(just checking out the possibilities here)

Hernan · Post by **Hernan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:07 pm

If it's just to experiment I would recommend some inexpensive Les Paul-type guitar: no tremolo, so less tuning problems. Humbucker pickups, so they have a darker sound that you seem to be after. Also, they have a slightly shorter scale, which may be good for learning.

L

Lawnmower Of The Damned · Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:10 pm

Rob Zombie and Manson are fine on regular guitars, as you'll just be tuning you low E string down to D.

For Korn (Possibly Rammstein as well, I don't listen to them much) you'll pretty much need a 7-string or baritone guitar. A 7 string guitar will give you an extra string (Low B) but will require special strings. A baritone has a longer neck to increase string tension, so it will work with regular strings. As a trade you will lose your high E string.

If you really want to, you can just downtune a regular guitar, but such extreme downtunes make for VERY floppy strings which will make things very difficult on a beginner.

Edit: Just remembered, ESP makes a baritone 7 string. Kind of a cross between a guitar and a bass.

Kraku · Post by **Kraku** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:31 pm

I'm starting to lean towards the bass. I'll probably buy it first and if I like playing with it, I'll buy a baritone guitar a bit later. Then I don't have to miss any sounds that might actually be useful for me

Rangtangtang · Post by **Rangtangtang** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:00 pm

Bass, yes, can be hard to tune. My guitar is gathering dust, it has got a nice sound, great pickup arrangement and electronic tone controls, but a bit bulky for playing, but she's hasn't been treated to well.., not meant for rough treatment. Spend more time on synthesisers. But a good jam is good, attitude is just important as ability, can't have one without the other. I don't know.

Kraku · Post by **Kraku** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:24 pm

Oh! BTW: I know that guitars can sound guite different because of different pickups etc. What about bass'? How different can they sound without any effects etc.? Are there some bass' which are designed to some specific kind of music or something?

toine6 · Post by **toine6** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:45 pm

I vote guitar, because bass can be modeled much easier with samples and Vst instruments. Just was reading about the Variax, and one of the absolute coolest features is that you don't have to worry about guitar hum.

jens · Post by **jens** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:41 pm

Kraku wrote:Oh! BTW: I know that guitars can sound guite different because of different pickups etc. What about bass'? How different can they sound without any effects etc.? Are there some bass' which are designed to some specific kind of music or something?

Yes, it's the same as with guitar!

Actually there's even one additional option: fretted or fretless...

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:36 am

Wouldn't a fretless bass be much harder for a beginning player to learn?

Also, it's not a totally exclusive idea. You can always play a guitar with a slide.

take care,
McLilith

darcyb62 · Post by **darcyb62** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:44 am

There are fretless guitars as well... Check out what Tim Donahue does with his fretless 6-string.

http://www.virtuosityone.com/donahue/

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:57 am

darcyb62 wrote:There are fretless guitars as well... Check out what Tim Donahue does with his fretless 6-string.

http://www.virtuosityone.com/donahue/

I thought there were fretless guitars, but I wasn't certain. I haven't seen one in person, and even after visiting that web site, I still have no idea what one sounds like. Sadly, I couldn't find any audio clips on that site. If you happen to know where some free audio clips are, I would like to hear them.

thanks,
McLilith

Bass or guitar?