bitflipper
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Bernard Edwards
This may be old news to bass players, but I found it interesting. Bernard Edwards was one of those iconic bass players who helped define their respective genres (folks like James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee and Jaco Pastorius). Edwards in particular had a distinctive playing style where he could switch from mellow to bright within a single phrase. Here's how he did it:
Now, can somebody tell me how to fake this with a sample library?
 All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
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drewfx1
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/17 16:54:05
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 In order, then, to discover the limit of deepest tones, it is necessary not only to produce very violent agitations in the air but to give these the form of simple pendular vibrations. - Hermann von Helmholtz, predicting the role of the electric bassist in 1877.
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arlen2133
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/17 17:33:18
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drewfx1
I would use a bass, but:
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/guitar/scarbee-mm-bass/
"inspired by the sound of Bernard Edwards (Chic). Bringing you the warm and creamy fingered bass sound of the 70s known from countless disco and funk recordings"
+1 Got that one and it is funkyyyy! Edit: One thing I do appreciate about the MM Bass is that it's fairly easy to play. A sustain pedal really helps (for slides) and you can easily adjust to how the bass is responding. I like it! (and the bass player ain't bad neither). 
post edited by arlen2133 - 2016/02/17 17:58:06
Arlen aka Mr Grant my music
Cakewalk by Bandlab, Sonar Platinum (2017.09) & X3e , Windows 7 64 bit, Intel I5 3.4 Ghz, 32 Gbs RAM, Saffire Pro40, various pres and VSTi's.
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Kamikaze
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/17 21:46:01
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I watched this video the other day, my J Bass looks like his P Bass (Amber and black, Maple neck), I think Bernerd played the same styling but with a Stingray.
As he's mimicking a pick, with a sample set, I'd thought you'd need to start with a pick sound, on flats, then try to remove the initial pick edge. Maybe through envelopes, or maybe a transient designer could get close.
After wading through sites comparing bass sample sets last year, and being drawn to Amblesounds choice, I'm so glad I chose a real bass over, which was just a few sample sets were about the same price. Just getting back into it after time away, hence also watching the video recently. Watched a stack of Duck Dunn stuff too.
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Kamikaze
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/17 21:50:50
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arlen2133
Got that one and it is funkyyyy!
My biggest Bass influence is my friend Tom, who in turn is influenced from anything from Metalica to Jaco. I went home over a year ago as he and another of my close friends have both become fathers. I mention this as Tom's boy has been named Arlen. A name that no one has seemed to have heard of, and raised a few eyebrows. Cool name though
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kennywtelejazz
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/17 22:41:23
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What was played in the vid is totally within the range of my capability's as a bass player ...
Having said that , if i wanted to use samples for what ever reason , maybe for a hipper sound than my bass or because the Bass sample library would fit the track better , what I would do is this ..
I would take my mono bass track and do an ARA conversion in SONAR ...audio to midi ...
Once Midi , I would set up two instances of a VST Bass Sample Library ....
One for the staccato muted sounds .The other for the P Bass Funky sound as in the vid ...
I would clone the ARA Midi track to have two midi tracks being sent to the two different sounding Bass Plugs ..
The edited midi for staccato bass parts go to the staccato bass library ....
The edited midi for P Bass parts would go to the full on Bass sound / library .
Since I do play bass , I might even mix all three part together .....
Kenny
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Danny Danzi
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/18 04:01:44
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bitflipper
Now, can somebody tell me how to fake this with a sample library?
I absolutely love SI-Bass built into Sonar. With a little tweaking, there's just about nothing I can't do with that program. The bass sounds are pretty realistic too. The muted pick sounds a lot like that video. And if you lightly curb the transient attack with say the transient shaper or even a multiband comp in line, you can get what you're looking for to where it will be close enough. -Danny
My Site Fractal Audio Endorsed Artist & Beta Tester
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tagruvto
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/20 17:15:47
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Thanks Bit - nice video on a cool technique. I've been doing this for years, I'm a "fingers" player, but sometimes I just needed a little more attack to cut through the mix and would use my index finger nail as a pick. Had no idea I was following in the footsteps of Bernard Edwards
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arlen2133
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/02/23 18:50:15
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Kamikaze
arlen2133
Got that one and it is funkyyyy!
My biggest Bass influence is my friend Tom, who in turn is influenced from anything from Metalica to Jaco. I went home over a year ago as he and another of my close friends have both become fathers. I mention this as Tom's boy has been named Arlen. A name that no one has seemed to have heard of, and raised a few eyebrows. Cool name though
Scott, I used to think I was nearly the only person around stuck with this name.. Now Tom's boy has got it... Yep... Unique. That's all I can say about my (and Tom's boy's) name. Unique.
Arlen aka Mr Grant my music
Cakewalk by Bandlab, Sonar Platinum (2017.09) & X3e , Windows 7 64 bit, Intel I5 3.4 Ghz, 32 Gbs RAM, Saffire Pro40, various pres and VSTi's.
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jpetersen
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2016/03/12 09:00:03
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I was very taken by the Trillian videos, but I just cannot get that live funky sound out of it when I use it.
Lots of synth basses, only a handful of usable (in my opinion) real bass guitar sounds.
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DayDay72
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Re: Bernard Edwards
2017/12/16 08:08:40
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I knew Bernard. Good dude. Seen him play live, in the studio, and totally off the grid. I know his son too...CHIC was that deal for their genre...The VST kinda does him a solid.
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