| The
choice of your guitar or bass: I will
presume in all the chapters that you
have a computer hard disk recorder
setup, you are not a professional
musician and have not (unfortunately)
thousand and thousand Euros to spend
in your homestudio. But, hey guys! you
all need some. The most common mistake
we have all done is to buy cheapest
gear thinking we will have in spite of
the price THE SOUND. Don't be fool
that's only a DREAM. Great studio
sound is very expensive only good
sound is quite accessible. See now
some of you who says: I don't play
bass or guitar! I will answer: learn!
No need to be a guitar hero to play
reggae "skank" rhythm guitar
or double your bassline. Only few
months of practice and you all can do
it! Buy a cheap guitar chords book.
Only few chords will be needed. It's a
bit more complicated to play bass cos
the way of finger playing do the most
of the sound and the groove is more
difficult to achieve. I mean if you
make a mistake with a skank,as the
chords are separated on the track, you
can cut or replace one note or chord
by another. But often, bass notes are
bonded so it will be more difficult to
cut a note and replace without audible
"pop" on the wavefile. Now
let see the gear: Never buy a cheapo
guitar. Always buy a well know
trademark! Later you could sell it
without loose money!! Don't buy too
expensive guitar: no need for dub.
I'll recommend you to buy a second
hand guitar. If you don't know
anything in guitars ask a guitarist
friend to help you. The most important
thing is a good neck. No curve. And
well fretted. My choice will be : 1) A
Fender stratocaster, Mexican issue or
Japan. I found a Mexican strat, mint
condition with bag, for 305 euros few
months ago and compare it, in studio,
with a us strat: no sound difference
in the mix .and remember we are
talking skanks licks&riff no
virtuoso leads. At this price I can
sell it anytime
2) A Fender telecaster idem Mexican
or Japan issue. you could find a mint
one for approx 280 euros. a real good
guitar for what we have to do.
3) Bass choice: The one and only
FENDER JAZZBASS. No deception with it.
An Italian Rasta friend of mine who
own a semipro studio have steinberger
guitar and bass put my old 69 jazzbass
in his desk...(I bought my bass for
228 euro with its flight case in
1978.second hand. At this time nobody
want jazzbass cos of his name
"jazz" and prefer the
precision bass. I have one
too(1972),bought in 1982 for 182 euros
(and at those times it was cheap! So
nowadays...) I was telling you my
friend plug the jazzbass direct in the
mixing desk and what happened? He
re-records all his basslines with it.
This bass is THE BASS. Warm low end,
Moving just a little the mics pots and
you 'll have infinite tone subtle
variations so you can play any style
with it. Maybe it's because so much
records have been done with it. Ours
ears recognize his tone and love it.
Well I guess you 'll understand I am a
bass player. Don't expect find one
cheap. But maybe a very old Squier
(the early ones) could do the job for
cheap. Or a Mexican JB one. early
jazzbass neck are thin (more than a
guitar) so take care of the curve!!!
And never put heavy gauge strings!
Imho i find buying a guitar is better
first.Much easy to learn and play with
good results.It brings you new
composition ideas and it s quite easy
to record.You can have good synths
subbass for dub. Record a bass is more
difficult and,synth or real, well sit
a bassline in a mix is the most
difficult thing to achieve.
Before chapter 2: the record
session, i will tell you about one
effect you NEED to make live your
guitar: i mean a whawha pedal. I tell
you that now cos you 'll could not do
it after your recording take (opposite
to all others effect). My choice will
be again second hand one. no more 76
euros. you can buy a Dunlop crybaby
gcb-95 or a vox. as they are analogue
no ones sounds real equal to another.
Some are much warm or seems to go
higher in tone. That s a funny thing.
A whawha pedal is a must for reggae
guitar: never twice the same sound in
your rhythmic and no automatic wha or
soft can do it!!! You can use it with
other sounds too such Hammond vibes or
hihats. Always records your
improvisations with it: Maybe one or
two samples sounds with it could be
great in your song or another one
heavily treated with delay. That's all
for today dubfolks, next time we 'll
attack the serious things. |
