The Beginners Guide to Death Metal Bassistry

[Norwegia]

As a fairly bored Death Metal bassist, I have decided to formulate a guide to playing bass in the often overlooked and misunderstood kind of music. I will include gear recomendations, bassists to check out, and the basic techniques used by the death metal bassist.

 

The first subject I will cover is Technique. To be honest, there really is no special ultimate "Death Metal" technique other then hit the strings HARD sometimes and softly when its (rarly) called for. I encorporate slapping, tapping, 3 fingers, 2 fingers, used to use a pick for our thrash metal songs, and everything in between. I have even gone as far as stealing Les Claypool's strumming technique. Its really what YOU prefer. As long as it sounds brutal that is.

 

This leads into my second section: TONE. This is what its all about. You may have chops over 9000 miles wide, but if you ain't got tone you ain't got nothin'. You can either go for a clean tone, a distored tone, an even more distorted tone, or somewhere in between. Your gear choice and how you have it all eq'd will have alot to do with this, but more on that in a sec.

I really can't emphasize this point enough. As one of the better metal bassist's in my area (or so I've been told) I often go to shows and end up wanting to rip my hair out because of a good bassist with good gear with a craptastic tone.

 

This next section is all about gear. Since I don't feel like typing everything in this out in paragraphs I'll list the typical amp companies and basses and rate them on how I feel they perform for Death Metal.

 

AMPS

 

Ampeg: 3 stars for the Combos, and 5 for the nicer heads (cough SVT-4 and the Classic). You really just cant go wrong with a nice Ampeg amp setup. You can go as clean as you want, to as dirty as you want with these baby's, but the reports I've heard have indicated they can start to break up at extremely low tunings (G and below). If you don't plan on going that low, I'd say go for it. Now.

 

SWR:5 Stars. Excellent products for metal in my opinion. They can sound just as good as an ampeg, and I think better if your'e running clean. They can stand the road, get as loud as you need, whatever.

 

Eden:5 Stars. Another awesome product, throw a sansamp in front of it if you want distortion, or just leave it flat if you want to run clean. Expensive though...

 

Warwick: 3.5 Stars: These amps are okay, but I would much rather have one of the above.

 

Kustom: Never played a nice one myself, but I've heard good things

 

Line6:4 Stars. Since I'm a little lacking on money I use a Line 6 Lowdown live, and I still love it. I usually leave it on the Clean(Eden) or Rock('74 SVT) and it sounds good for what I do, since I only have the 112 150 Combo its lacking some volume, but if I get lucky with the room I can still cut through.

 

Gallien-Krueger:2 Stars. Sound meh for death metal...but every time I use one something breaks, so I tend to avoid these.

 

I will add more soon.

 

BASSES

 

Anywhere from a 3 stringer to something with several thousand strings will work, as long as you can make it sound good. I prefer Spectors and Warwicks with active pickups (Im a sucker for good ol' EMG's)

 

I usually just leave the EQ fairly flat, might boost the low Mids and Treble a bit when I have a 4 band EQ, or make kind of an "M" shape when I have a graphic EQ, but it is really up to you, the bassist, to decide.

 

I will be adding a huge death metal playlist as soon as I finish making it on youtube.

 

Also, any comments/suggestions would be AWESOME.

 

[jeremy c]

Your suggestions would work for nearly any style.

 

Get a good amp and good bass and learn how to get the sound you want from them.

 

It's universal.

 

Meanwhile, I'm waiting to see your playlist so I can see how out of it I am. I'd be surprised if I recognized the names of more than one or two groups.

 

That's ok, no one I know likes the music I listen to either.

[Norwegia]

Thanks for the comment Jeremy

 

Youtube appears to hate me so I'm just going to link individual videos.

 

Actually, I should most likely get that done right now

[Norwegia]

The Classics of Death Metal

 

Cannibal Corpse:

 

Death: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euHMldrw4fw

 

Deicide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xX0ECDYGRs

 

Dying Fetus:

 

Newer Bands

 

The Black Dahlia Murder:

 

Skeleton Witch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klweUM8wj4g

 

*Behemoth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHhZ2LThpv4

 

*Arch Enemy:

 

Prog. Death Metal

 

Opeth:

 

Gojira:

 

Meshuggah:

 

Just because

 

Mastodon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUPROk1JAvw

 

Blind Illusion (Les Claypool and Ler before Primus): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEk3zUqJIc8

 

More will be added as I think of them

 

*=Popular bands that I really dont much like myself

 

[jeremy c]

OK, I've heard of one of those bands, but haven't heard them.

 

The only reason I remember the name is because it seems a little strange to me that a Swedish band would give themselves a name which means

crazy

in Yiddish. I didn't know that people spoke Yiddish in Sweden.

[Norwegia]

Its what happens when your'e from sweden and play in 25/16 I suppose.

[EddiePlaysBass]

I've seen Cannibal Corpse and Opeth live, and in both cases (especially Cannibal Corpse) I was really impressed with the bassist's ability to "simply" double the intricate guitar riffs.

 

Kudos to Death, afaik their bassist (whose name eludes me) played a tuned-down fretless on most of their (popular) albums

[rizzo9247]

I've heard of some of the bands, and had the pleasure of seeing Opeth at a "Progressive Nation" tour in 08 with several other bands. They were very good at what they did, just not my thing.

 

I don't particulary agree with your selection of amps/basses. Just because certain bass players use certain equipment does not mean that X brand is for X music. I came to the realization that I sound like me when I play, regardless of equipment. Get something of good quality and have fun; metal, punk, jazz, whatever.

[Norwegia]

Thanks for the comment Rizzo.

 

Im fairly sure I said anything will do as long as you think it sounds good, and just listed some brands and what I think of them off the top of my head. I also think I said that any bass will do as long as you like it and it works.

 

I will NEVER try and force a product I like upon some one just because I don't agree with their choice in equipment. These are all just my suggestions to the new Death Metal Bassist.

 

[edit] Changed the name to better reflect what it is.

[JukeBoxHero]

That would be Steve Digiorgio, played/recorded with Sadus, Death, Obituary(maybe, might be thinking of someone else), ect.

 

I've heard of all of the bands you put on your list, Norwegia, I would recommend putting Atheist on that list of the bands.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEP7BfZsC9c&feature=related

 

Life

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WbWt9QmIyA

 

No Truth

 

Poor quality on youtube can really destroy the sound quality of the songs listed, but displays great bass work.

[jb350]

Is mastadon considered Death Metal? Regardless i think they're pretty expletive good. Troy sanders, our low note brother made the cover of BP this past issue. Ithink Steve Diorgio was featured in BP about 10 yrs ago.

[Rocky McDougall]

What is "Death Metal" anyway?

 

Rocky

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

It's metal that's not heavy metal, thrash metal, trash metal, speed metal, shred metal, grindcore, hardcore, mallcore, hardmallcore, mallhardcore, deathcore, harddeathcore, malldeathcore, hardmalldeathcore, spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans and spam, or vegetaring deathcore, or Nickleback.

 

In other words, it depends who you ask.

[jeremy c]

Is it really necessary to divide the world of music up into so many different slices?

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

No. However, there is marketing and labeling to consider. It allows us to feel "superior" because "our" music is better, more meaningful, more emotional, less mainstream, honest, etc.

[Griffinator]

It's metal that's not heavy metal, thrash metal, trash metal, speed metal, shred metal, grindcore, hardcore, mallcore, hardmallcore, mallhardcore, deathcore, harddeathcore, malldeathcore, hardmalldeathcore, spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans and spam, or vegetaring deathcore, or Nickleback.

 

In other words, it depends who you ask.

 

Dammit, you forgot Vegetarian Progressive Metal.

 

YOU SUCK!!!!!

 

 

Oh - and you're other words.

[Griffinator]

Is it really necessary to divide the world of music up into so many different slices?

 

In the immortal words of Furry Ed...

 

"Not everyone likes metal. Well F*** THEM!!!!!!"

 

And you're many different slices.

[calypsocoral]

I'm more of a Thrash guy myself-- especially Anthrax and early Metallica (all hail Cliff Burton).

 

Regarding tone-- what sort of sound do you consider ideal? No offense intended to bassists in the extreme metal genres, but I found it difficult to hear the bass under distorted guitars layered a mile thick, which seems to be the norm in Death Metal and Black Metal, among others. Do you go for a boomy, crushing, bass-heavy sound? Or something with more midrange punch? Do you prefer to run it clean or dial in a little overdrive?

 

Regarding amps, do you have a preferred setup? Do you prefer 2x15 cabs? 4x10's? 8x10's?

 

I was a little surprised to see SWR in your list of recommendations-- I typically associate them with funk, NuMetal, and other styles that utilize the slap technique.

 

Do you have any experience with amps from Mesa or Trace Elliot, by any chance?

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Dammit, you forgot Vegetarian Progressive Metal.

 

THAT'S what I was trying to remember. I both mis-remembered and misspelled. But then again, I'm not a 13 year old female ethnic central Asian from Kansas.

[b5pilot]

The Classics of Death Metal

 

Cannibal Corpse:

 

Death: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euHMldrw4fw

 

Deicide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xX0ECDYGRs

 

Dying Fetus:

 

Newer Bands

 

The Black Dahlia Murder:

 

Skeleton Witch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klweUM8wj4g

 

*Behemoth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHhZ2LThpv4

 

*Arch Enemy:

 

Prog. Death Metal

 

Opeth:

 

Gojira:

 

Meshuggah:

 

Just because

 

Mastodon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUPROk1JAvw

 

Blind Illusion (Les Claypool and Ler before Primus): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEk3zUqJIc8

 

More will be added as I think of them

 

*=Popular bands that I really dont much like myself

 

I'm surprised. No Cradle of Filth? I have a friend who spent a very brief time with them when they were having trouble with their guitarist. He used to bring me some of their tracks to listen to. A wild bunch, those guys.

[Rocky McDougall]

Oh! Thanks Flank, now I understand.

What has more sub-genre divisions, Rock or Jazz?

I think Rock.

Rocky

[jeremy c]

I'm starting a new sub-genre.

All my music will consist of songs which are blues in Ab minor with a swing beat and a tempo of 180.

 

The style will be called jazz-cave-in.

 

(in honor of a flat miner.)

 

[Eric VB]

No offense intended to bassists in the extreme metal genres, but I found it difficult to hear the bass under distorted guitars layered a mile thick, which seems to be the norm in Death Metal and Black Metal, among others.

Me too. The frequency masking is brutal.

 

Line6:4 Stars. Since I'm a little lacking on money I use a Line 6 Lowdown live, and I still love it. I usually leave it on the Clean(Eden) or Rock('74 SVT) and it sounds good for what I do, since I only have the 112 150 Combo its lacking some volume, but if I get lucky with the room I can still cut through.

What are your guitarists using for amplification? Is your drummer quiet or loud? Do you send your DI out through FOH?

[b5pilot]

I consider some bluegrass to be a form of thrash-country. Those mandolin and banjo pickers really get it going.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Ah, imagine the effect of smoke issuing from a mando or banjo during an insane blugrass solo (ala Ace Frehley of Kiss).

 

We could call it "Glitter-Grass"?

 

Is this thread at knife-point yet?

[Griffinator]

I'm starting a new sub-genre.

All my music will consist of songs which are blues in Ab minor with a swing beat and a tempo of 180.

 

The style will be called jazz-cave-in.

 

(in honor of a flat miner.)

 

 

http://www.opaquelucidity.com/facepalm.jpg

 

[Jalba]

"This leads into my second section: TONE. This is what its all about. You may have chops over 9000 miles wide, but if you ain't got tone you ain't got nothin'. You can either go for a clean tone, a distored tone, an even more distorted tone, or somewhere in between. Your gear choice and how you have it all eq'd will have alot to do with this, but more on that in a sec.

I really can't emphasize this point enough. As one of the better metal bassist's in my area (or so I've been told) I often go to shows and end up wanting to rip my hair out because of a good bassist with good gear with a craptastic tone."

 

 

Agreed, the tone part is a tricky being a metal bassist. I fortunately play in a 4 piece with one guitar. But there is a power struggle between me and the guitarist cause he has a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier with the Voodoo mod. Im not a fan for the traditional Mesa sound. Before i could turn my volume knob to 7 and mask his guitar. But with that mod on the head its like there is no need for a bass.

 

so the tone has become an issue. generally i enjoy a good mid range punch with my Warwick $$ through my eden head(thumbs up). But now with the new guitar head i need more low end. But that feeds that Craptastic tone... It bothers me soo (faceplam)

 

 

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Well, I'm sure glad the tone argument came up. I used to play a lot of older metal in the day (back when it was just "metal") and the problem was that by the time one detuned, had the volume up high enough on the craptabulous house rig, and then decided to plug in the ODB-3 with all the knobs full clockwise, one would end up with a square wave so huge it looked like Moot's dental work.

 

You just can't convince kids now-a-days that in order to have proper metal, you don't have to sound like your DI is an old paint can 1/8 full of flat washers.

[calypsocoral]

Unfortunately, crappy sound quality seems to be a long-time fashion trend in the extreme metal genres, especially when recording. If your recording sounds like you actually had a professional sound man try to do anything with it, your record gets accused of sounding "over-produced."

 

I thought the Black Metal band Dimmu Borgir's remake of their previous album "Stormblast" sounded awesome-- but all the critics complained it was "over-produced" and "too clean."

 

Here is a single off that album, Sorgens Kammer Del. 2 (version 2). WARNING-- VIOLENT AND OCCULT IMAGERY. DO NOT VIEW IF EASILY-OFFENDED!

 

Personally, I see nothing wrong with a quality recording that lets you hear all of the instrumentation, and balances them accordingly. If that ruins my cred, so be it.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

There's the rub. If you create music to appeal to other musicians, you starve to death because real musicians can't afford to buy your music.

 

If you create music to appeal to sweaty, unpopular, post-pubecent 14 year old males with self-esteem and social issues, you starve to death because they are downloading from file shares and you can't afford to make the music.

 

I'm just going to stay home and play Wii.