Love will tear us apart

Technique
1

been trying to learn this and following the bass tabs created by Hookys ‘lesson’ on youtube….

bass tabs….

however, im finding that the open D for the drone is drowning out the melody on the G string. ive tried playing around with the pickup and tone knobs but cant get it so that the open D is just complimentary rather than overpowering.

do any of you play it, and if so do you get the same?

thanks

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2
  1. try lowering your G string and raising that end of the pickup.
  2. Hooky uses a D-gauge string as his G string as well so his is just louder. You can buy his signature string set from Bass Centre UK, but will need to file the nut. I owned them and they are very bright stainless rounds.
  3. Use a parametric EQ plugin to boost the G2-G3 frequencies
4 Likes
3

(#3 is a good start for free in most DAW, and the frequency range you want is 100-200Hz, maybe also lowering the range before it around 80Hz)

4

thank you

  1. interesting, and makes perfect sense. how low would you go?
  2. just had a look and they seem a decent price. would a thicker G string sound better with everything else too? i dont want to file the nut and be committed to a thicker string just for one song.
  3. im totally lost with all that, sorry. i dont have any software that i use at all, just the bass and amp, and what comes out the amp cant be altered. i dont have any pedals or anything.

thank you

1 Like
5
  1. Try raising that end up the pickups a bit first, and then lower the string until it buzzes when fretted at the 9th fret, then raise it until it doesn’t. Thats as low as it can go.
  2. they are good strings in general, not just for this, but stainless rounds are macho. You might not like them. Another option is to buy a set of your current strings and use the D from it, but you are gonna have a very strong G string if you do this. Almost all of Hooky’s riffs use that string a lot so for him it makes sense. For the rest of us… maybe
  3. no prob, lower the low on your amp and raise the high on its eq
2 Likes
6

I don’t understand. Do you mean the feel of the strings, or the sound?

I like this song, but I didn’t know it demanded making changes to the nut and the setup, and buying a very different set of strings. Maybe it would be easier to get a bass just for this.

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7

Both - uncoated stainless rounds are rough feeling, and they sound very very bright. They aren’t for everyone.

It doesn’t really demand it per se - those were just suggestions to get a louder G string and passing on what Hooky does for part of his sound.

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8

Thanks, Howard. I found a video on YouTube that shows the difference in sound. Interesting.

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9

could you share it please @andrea-slnd ? :slight_smile:

10

Sure. In this video they compare D’Addario steel roundwound strings vs. nickel coated roundwounds from the same brand.

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11

Yep, not for me. I lasted… not very long with them. A week, maybe 2 but even then I just didn’t play the bass that I put them on. They sound and feel too harsh for my liking, and I like a little more glide in my strings. Not full on flatwound glide but more than SS rounds.

2 Likes
12

I like the tactile feel of stainless better than nickel, so I guess that makes me weird.

4 Likes
13

My current favorite strings are Elixir Nanoweb Stainless. Great balance of tone and feel.

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14

This is next on my list! I’ve been taking a crack at True Faith, but not Peter’s bassline but the synth bass cos it’s a real cracker for rhythm IMHO.

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15

That and “Touched By The Hand of God” from the same era have some killer syncopated basslines for sure

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16

I love playing this song! I’ve found that changing the angle of attack on the strings, downward emphasizing the hit on the b string works really well, no adjustment to the bass necessary. I just try to hit the g string enough to get it going, but the bang is on the b string.

17

B string??

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18

Oops, my guitar brain getting in the way. How about the G string! That little one that the melody is played on. Sorry!

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