Smoke on the Water isolated bass

[antonius]

I just came across this. Multi-track player that lets you isolate or mute any of the instruments. Includes Smoke on the Water, so you can get a proper listen to Glover's bass: http://blog.zanorg.com/index.php?perm=545

[cjj]

Cool!

[henry5]

LOVE that sound.

[daveman]

Check out the James Brown track, "Get Up (Sex Machine)" which is Bootsy Collins on bass. Incredible. Like a tuba on speed. "The ONE!"

[Colonel Sanders]

Nice find!!!

Thanks for sharing this.

Ace of Spade is pretty good too!

I wonder how they can isolate tracks? Is there any ''hidden'' digital info on a digital remix that enable this?

[ilan]

Thanks so much for sharing this, Antony.

I've gone through most of the songs there, isolating the bass, muting other instruments and adding some back... so much to learn, and fun too.

It was never clearer to me, just how much a bass sounds different by itself and in the mix.

I have also found that when you peel everything else off a song with a great bass tone, in many cases you will find under it (excuse me for that) - a Precision bass with what I think is a maple board and fresh roundwounds. It's a bass that doesn't sound like much by itself, but really shines in a band situation. This experience has rekindled my old love for Fender P basses.

Another conclusion that I came to is that the bass that by far keeps its character more than others, both isolated and in the mix, is a Rickenbacker 4001.

[ilan]

I wonder how they can isolate tracks?

Someone got hold of the original multitrack tape. I don't think there's ever going to be a way to isolate tracks after they are mixed.

[ram]

really cool site! Thanks for sharing! This is very fun to play with!

[antonius]

I wonder how they can isolate tracks?

Someone got hold of the original multitrack tape. I don't think there's ever going to be a way to isolate tracks after they are mixed.

I'm thinking they've probably been ripped from games like Guitar Hero which features slightly remixed multi-track versions of the originals, which in turn are presumably derived from the original master tapes.

[antonius]

Another conclusion that I came to is that the bass that by far keeps its character more than others, both isolated and in the mix, is a Rickenbacker 4001.

I agree with that observation.

Apart from being able to analyse what was played, technique and tone, etc., one of the things I notice about isolated tracks is that they often reveal small glitches and minor aberrations in timing and technique that you don't notice in the band mix, but which are noticeable in isolation. It makes the huge gulf between me and the great musicians seem just that tiny bit smaller

[jps]

Apart from being able to analyse what was played, technique and tone, etc., one of the things I notice about isolated tracks is that they often reveal small glitches and minor aberrations in timing and technique that you don't notice in the band mix, but which are noticeable in isolation. It makes the huge gulf between me and the great musicians seem just that tiny bit smaller

Unless, their's weren't "glitches".

[daveman]

That was certainly my reaction when the first isolated tracks were made available for the Sgt. Pepper's album - that Macca's tone was a lot dirtier than I expected, and that there were a lot of slips and glitches that a modern engineer would "fix."

Anyway, back to the OP's link -- I've been listening all day to Jabo Starks' drums from Get Up (Sex Machine). He is just digging the deepest pocket ever. On that track, Bootsy is definitely playing a Fender Jazz Bass, and it sounds like he's using flats.

Not that I'm obsessed with the JB's or anything (well, maybe a little)... I do own and play 3 Ric basses!!

[fireglo rob]

I noticed a lot of things from listening to each track,muting stuff and generally listening to each instument solo.
The thing that surprised me most is how dirty the bass is on a lot of songs, not just the heavier ones.'Don't stop me now' as an example. John Deacon's bassline certainly doesn't sound that overdriven on that song until you hear it solo.

Also, it was surprising how on the heavier tracks the guitars aren't as overdriven and bassy as what you would expect and it's the overdriven bass giving it the perception that the guitar amps used had their bass knobs dimed!
Many a time i've seen a metal cover band and the bass has been inaudible because guitarists 'tone' was bass up full. I've even played bass in a few myself......

A lot can be learned from stuff like this!

Thanks for sharing, Antonius!


P.S. Roger Glover's bass sounds awesome in Smoke on the water!

[FretlessOnly]

Nice find indeed. What I found interesting was listening to just Glover and Blackmore during the guitar solo. I've always liked that fluid line Glover played there. But if you listen to just guitar and bass, you can hear a couple of hitches in the groove. If you go back and add Ian Paice to the mix, those hitches virtually disappear. That is the mark of a stellar drummer and I've always thought Paice was underrated in the pantheon of rock drummers. Sure, he's got chops, but he's also a nice dollop of super glue right where you need it.

[rictified]

The is a unison guitar playing an octave up from the bass on When I'm 64. I gotta say though the James Brown track is great, solo the bass and drums.
There's also a backwards guitar track on Castles made of Sand, lots of bleed through from the main guitar though on the second guitar track. Very cool stuff.