Amazing Grace

[miguelbass]

Hello Friends,

I would like to announce that I recorded today my latest clip - Amazing Grace.

Here is the description text and link.

Wishing you a nice weekend!

Miguel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JYkXlIj36s

While I am preparing myself for what's next to come, I decided to treat myself with a new effect pedal, which resembles Chris' legendary fuzz tone of the Gibson Maestro Brassmaster - the Malekko b:assmaster (that's no typo;). I was so eager to jam along with it that I made this short and quick video to share with you. It's something that you might consider looking at if you are into this kind of sonic field. The pedal has many other interesting landscapes to explore and I even didn't quite tweak it so well as to get the tone I wanted. The solo - Amazing Grace (hopefully) as created by our Hero - doesn't follow any specific version. I played and pumped the pedals freely and it was indeed the only take I did, on the heat of the moment. I did go fingerstyle - which Chris does on his Starlicks video, but not always on some live boots circulating around here and there. For me, it permitted me to have more control on the mad attack response of the fuzz circuitry and also allowed me to muffle the non-played strings which can ressonate and generate frequencies that mess completely the fuzzed-driven sustain of the note I wanted to play (you will notice it anyway). The mighty Moog Taurus sound comes from an incredibly faithful VSTi freeware plugin, triggered by my Fatar MP-1. I taylored a bit the settings and off I went... Of course YT audio compression felt a bit dizzy with the earthshaking frequencies... it sounds better than here... but that's YT. Hope you enjoy the clip. A big warm thank you for all the friends that continue to support and motivate me to carry on with my thing - You're part of it too

[ram]

Miguel, sweet - very sweet! I think you nailed it! Beautiful touch....

[jimk]

Very good, indeed! I like the feeling you put into the piece.

JimK

[johnallg]

Sweet indeed! You could have a lot of fun with that sound... Miguel, do you know the difference between the Gibson Maestro Fuzz and the Brassmaster?

[stevebasshead]

Sweet indeed! You could have a lot of fun with that sound... Miguel, do you know the difference between the Gibson Maestro Fuzz and the Brassmaster?

John, if it helps from the research I did on the 'net before I bought mine the general opinion was that the B:assmaster was the closest clone of the Maestro. I can't say specifically what the differences are but it's certainly a lovely sounding and versatile fuzz pedal.

Miguel, your playing is superb as always. Which version of the B:assmaster did you get, was it the silicon or germanium edition?

[just_bassics]

Hello Miguel,

You nailed it, as usual! I look forward to your postings because I know how dedicated you are to getting the sound and music down correctly. Great job!

Your comment "preparing myself for what's next to come" has me believing that we are in for an extended treat, perhaps on the level of your "The Remembering" video... Dare I ask for CTTE in its entirety?

[miguelbass]

Dear friends,

In response to John and Stephen - I am not aware of the technical differences between them. I know that Maestro's schematics circulate on the web and I have somewhere a copy of it. I didn't pay much attention to figure it out, shame on me cause my university graduation is on electronics engineering

For sometime I wanted to assemble one or two effects by myself, using the vast info that is now accessible. There are people who dedicate their time recreating those pedals by themselves. I decided however that I should focus on playing, cause my free time is limited. I still consider to try and make a Mutron III, but the Guitar Rig effect proved to be satisfactory enough for the Silent Wings clip... However I couldn't find a software plugin good enough for that specific fuzz, so after I was advised by a friend, and after checking out their sound samples, I opted to get the b:assmaster - silicon version.

So, Jim... what's for next... I hope that will be a treat for some of you. Sorry it's still now your "request". I will get there. I felt really like doing Gates of Delirium. So now I am working on the first part (which ends just before the battle). I will do my favourite version from Yesshows. The studio version, as I said on a previous post, always sounded less satisfactory to me as a result of my personal synderome called "I heard it first live". However, research is being extended to the studio version(s) as well as video performances and eventually audio bootlegs. For the past weeks I have been trying to get the notes right, which fingerings to use, where to play with the right hand etc... but I still have some practice to do. I already found out some of those surprising note-picking moments, that could only come from Chris' inspiration/taste, and that are really interesting to study, once you start analizing note by note and put it in the perspective of the song/composition and the bass guitar physical specificities (fingerings, strings).

At the same time I am (already since January) working on a second bulgarian folk arrangement. This however has become a much harder task cause it envolves taking the notes by ear (six voices), arrangement, trying out instruments... It's pretty much something that I am starting with a totally blank page.

I hope that in the end these will meet your expectations... and I would like to previously say that I may not post then in the first place if I am not happy with the results... anyway I am trying OK?
Thank you for understanding also for your comments on the current video!

[johnallg]

Miguel,

Thank you for the lengthy response. I have a schematic for the Brassmaster from a site that no longer has it online because they sell circuit boards now. When I first got back to playing in early 2005 I bought a reissue Gibson Maestro fuzz pedal, not the Brassmaster (didn't realize there was a difference). The Maestro is very unsatisfactory for bass.

Gates of Delirium - excellent. I am waiting patiently for your take on it. Longtime favorite.

Interesting what you said about analyzing Chris note for note... I just slowed Perpetual Change way down and was amazed at the runs he plays, the notes he chooses. He has my deep respect.

As always, you da man!

[pacealot]

I have a Black Cat Bass Octave Fuzz which, like the B:assmaster, is a knock-off of the Bass Brassmaster circuit. It's a significantly different circuit than the wedge-shaped Maestro Fuzz. A unique feature of the Brassmaster and its progeny is the fact that it has separate clean and fuzz level controls, which allows one to retain a full amount of fundamental if one chooses. I imagine that's why CS used his on the bass channel. That, and also, I'm guessing, because the actual fuzz tone itself is very shrill on most settings, and is downright painful through a "clankily"-EQ'd amp. It does work pretty well as an octave fuzz (like the Univox Super Fuzz, or Octavia, or whathaveyou) when used with guitar, but I've rarely been able to get much of an octave effect with bass except when the volume on the bass is so low that it's just about to fizzle out. Lately, though, I've returned to my Tone Bender/Supa Fuzz knock-off on the bass channel, as it has a more "traditional" fuzz tone to it - more "I've Seen All Good People" than "Amazing Grace" - though both are wonderful approaches. The BOF is near at hand should I wish to return to it.

Another fine performance, Miguel! Definitely catching the spirit of Chris' interpretation, and perfect application of the fuzz....

[johnallg]

Thanks, Paul, a los to useful info. I dug out the Maestro and looked at the schematic of it and it is a simple overdrive type fuzz, whereas the Brassmaster has a MUCH more complicated circuit and a lot more control over the effect and sound. I should have remembered the schematic of the Maestro was in the manual...

[wints]

Nice one Miguel...