Ultimate Bass Kit

[Gregjazz]

The drums that come with Manystation are okay.

I think I remember Paul saying he was going release some more drums as a free manymore (sorry Paul if I'm wrong) The drums in manystion do sound neat when you mess with the filters. I agree about the acoustic instrumnets,Some of my favorite patches in manystion are the acoustic instruments that are layered with synth sounds, they just sound gorgeous.

Here's a cool trick for you: this is how you can pitch up (or down) drums without having the samples get shifted. Attach an envelope to the pitch and put the attack on the envelope to zero, sustain on full, and as much release as possible.

I also love layering acoustic drums with synth drums. Works great in Manystation. In the demo, in the drums I mixed in a little synth drums, and still sounds acoustic.

[egbert]

The pickups are really nice active EMG P pickups. They have a really great hi-quality tone, which is why I got them. I'm not quite sure what you mean by signal chain, but there's a pre-amp inside of my bass, too. I had the inside of the bass routed to make more room so I could put 2 batteries for the pickup instead of one. On the EMG website it says that if you put 2 batteries you get better sound. Then I just recorded it directly into my computer. No effects, EQ, or compressor. I wanted the users to have the abililty to put their own effects to their own taste.

OK thanks - I'm still a little confused though - there is a picture of a bass with a pair of Jazz Bass pickups on the UBK page - here: http://www.manytone.com/

So do you actually have one or two P-Bass EMGs rather than J-Bass P/ups which looks to be what is in that photo? Perhaps you mean P as in Passive?

Is the Preamp basically the EMG system or is it another pre? I have one bass with EMG P/J set and a set of tone controls but my Fender Jazz Bass has either the stock Fenders or some mismatched humbucking pickups (Bartolini/Dimazzio) so I'm looking for something better to put in their place.

Regards,
Eg

[Simon_Cann]

OK thanks - I'm still a little confused though - there is a picture of a bass with a pair of Jazz Bass pickups on the UBK page - here: http://www.manytone.com/

So do you actually have one or two P-Bass EMGs rather than J-Bass P/ups which looks to be what is in that photo? Perhaps you mean P as in Passive?

Is the Preamp basically the EMG system or is it another pre?

The picture on the front of the manual (and on the Manytone website) is just that, a picture. It is not a representation of the bass which was used for the sampling. In preparing the manual and marketing material for UBK, I thought it was important to have a picture/logo for the project. It was also important that this artwork was copyright free and cheap.

Unfortunately, the budget for this project didn't extend to hiring a P bass with an EMG pickup. I therefore created the image.

In the picture you can see my Yamaha bass and my right hand. Neither the bass nor my right hand have been modified in any way – both come as they were delivered from the factory. When Greg says he used a Fender P bass with an EMG pickup, I reckon he is correct: he was the guy in the room taking the samples.

I hope this clears up and confusion.

Simon

[egarrard]

Order sent. Thanks for finally getting this out!

[Paul G]

Thanks Greg, Paul and Simon.

I've used the UBK in two songs so far and am liking it very much.

When I was previewing the sets I noticed that some samples had more string rattle in them than others (not talking about the high velocity samples). I was concerned but after hearing them in the mix I like that extra little bit of realism it adds.

BTW, Simon, I thought the manual you put together was very well done. Hats off to you all!

Paul

[hello1234]

The pickups are really nice active EMG P pickups. They have a really great hi-quality tone, which is why I got them. I'm not quite sure what you mean by signal chain, but there's a pre-amp inside of my bass, too. I had the inside of the bass routed to make more room so I could put 2 batteries for the pickup instead of one. On the EMG website it says that if you put 2 batteries you get better sound. Then I just recorded it directly into my computer. No effects, EQ, or compressor. I wanted the users to have the abililty to put their own effects to their own taste.

What, it's not a fodera.........I want my money back!

[kevvvvv]

Sitting here waiting for Canada to come online ... then it's mine, all mine

[Paul G]

Sitting here waiting for Canada to come online ... then it's mine, all mine

Canada....online?? When did that happen?:shock:

Paul

[Gregjazz]

Thanks Greg, Paul and Simon.

I've used the UBK in two songs so far and am liking it very much.

When I was previewing the sets I noticed that some samples had more string rattle in them than others (not talking about the high velocity samples). I was concerned but after hearing them in the mix I like that extra little bit of realism it adds.

BTW, Simon, I thought the manual you put together was very well done. Hats off to you all!

Paul

Yeah, I remember when I used other people's bass soundfonts and some commercial soundfonts (before I got a bass), I always missed that tiny fret buzz noise that adds so much more realism.

Now if you're playing a note and you don't want the fret buzz in there, transpose the note up 2 semitones and then do a pitch bend down to restore it to the original pitch. That way all you're doing is borrowing different sample. I do that all the time when I sequence stuff. It's a big more work, but you get faster at it.

[Gregjazz]

The pickups are really nice active EMG P pickups. They have a really great hi-quality tone, which is why I got them. I'm not quite sure what you mean by signal chain, but there's a pre-amp inside of my bass, too. I had the inside of the bass routed to make more room so I could put 2 batteries for the pickup instead of one. On the EMG website it says that if you put 2 batteries you get better sound. Then I just recorded it directly into my computer. No effects, EQ, or compressor. I wanted the users to have the abililty to put their own effects to their own taste.

What, it's not a fodera.........I want my money back!

I wish I had a Fodera. Someday I'll be able to afford one and I'll get one and I'll sample it, and everyone will rejoice.

I'm really not sure what to call my bass anymore. It's definitely not the original bass because I've replaced and modified practically every component of the bass guitar. Actually, people have a hard time believing it's a P-bass either. I like having a bright bass sound, which is what the active EMGs give me, because you can always use EQ to take off the highs and make it sound deeper. But when you have dull pickups (like the ones my bass came with ) you can't do anything about it. You can boost the highs but it's not the same thing.

[Paul G]

Thanks Greg, Paul and Simon.

I've used the UBK in two songs so far and am liking it very much.

When I was previewing the sets I noticed that some samples had more string rattle in them than others (not talking about the high velocity samples). I was concerned but after hearing them in the mix I like that extra little bit of realism it adds.

BTW, Simon, I thought the manual you put together was very well done. Hats off to you all!

Paul

Yeah, I remember when I used other people's bass soundfonts and some commercial soundfonts (before I got a bass), I always missed that tiny fret buzz noise that adds so much more realism.

Now if you're playing a note and you don't want the fret buzz in there, transpose the note up 2 semitones and then do a pitch bend down to restore it to the original pitch. That way all you're doing is borrowing different sample. I do that all the time when I sequence stuff. It's a big more work, but you get faster at it.

Thanks for the tip Greg. I'll give it a try.

Paul

[egbert]

The picture on the front of the manual (and on the Manytone website) is just that, a picture. It is not a representation of the bass which was used for the sampling.

Joe - er Simon - say it isn't so!

Next you'll be telling me that the girls who answer the phones at 1800Goils ain't those hot babes on TV writhing around in skimpy bikinis on the hood of that Mustang.

In preparing the manual and marketing material for UBK, I thought it was important to have a picture/logo for the project. It was also important that this artwork was copyright free and cheap.

Unfortunately, the budget for this project didn't extend to hiring a P bass with an EMG pickup. I therefore created the image.

Imagine if McDonalds started doing this - putting pictures up of Big Macs that didn't look exactly like the hamburger you were going to get? It would be the end of civilization as we know it.

[Gregjazz]

The picture on the front of the manual (and on the Manytone website) is just that, a picture. It is not a representation of the bass which was used for the sampling.

Joe - er Simon - say it isn't so!

Next you'll be telling me that the girls who answer the phones at 1800Goils ain't those hot babes on TV writhing around in skimpy bikinis on the hood of that Mustang.

In preparing the manual and marketing material for UBK, I thought it was important to have a picture/logo for the project. It was also important that this artwork was copyright free and cheap.

Unfortunately, the budget for this project didn't extend to hiring a P bass with an EMG pickup. I therefore created the image.

Imagine if McDonalds started doing this - putting pictures up of Big Macs that didn't look exactly like the hamburger you were going to get? It would be the end of civilization as we know it.

I would've taken a picture of my bass, but I don't own a digital camera.

That and I was much too busy working on the actual sounds of the UBK.

[manytone]

Well to be fair.... the Big Macs I've received never looked like the picture they show anyways They are always Smaller, Flatter and much more Soggy than the pic ... At least The UBK Sounds and Smells Better

Also another tip to add to Gregs above is ..... The sets are all recorded the same way so you can usually replace a note in one set with a note from another. Thats is why we have so many sets in this package ... Just because 1 set may have a bit of Fret buzz in spots ... It was meant to be that way as per that style / sound Sampled. So just fire up another set and use it in a few spots. Most all of Gregs Demo tunes use multiple sets to achieve the Real Bass Player sound and feel.


Paul

[egbert]

I would've taken a picture of my bass, but I don't own a digital camera.

That and I was much too busy working on the actual sounds of the UBK.

I was just kidding Greg - I have my UBK set already and I love the samples. I was led astray by the picture of a Jazz Bass type bass but I guess that leaves you some scope for using a Jazz to record the UBK MkII someday