The James Jamerson Motown Bass Sound | Reverb Bass Tricks
It is hard to speak of the bass guitar without mentioning the Motown recordings of the 1960’s and 70’s and their most famous session bassist, James Jamerson. Jamerson played on dozens of number 1 hits and changed the way bass was applied to pop music forever. In this edition of Reverb’s Bass Tricks series we explore how to replicate Jamerson’s infamous thumpy tone. First there is the ACME Motown D.I. WB-3 (http://bit.ly/2cOJ4KA) which was designed to closely replicate the D.I. units Motown had specially made. Then there is how to set up a Fender P-Bass to Jamerson’s specifications. Lastly, there is the picking method that completes the picture.
Read more about James Jamerson’s tone and the gear used in this video at http://bit.ly/2dwevtG.
Performed by Jeremy Kay
Gear used:
Fender Precision Bass: http://bit.ly/2dVV0t2
ACME Audio Motown D.I. WB-3: http://bit.ly/2cOJ4KA
Ampeg Portoflex B15n: http://bit.ly/2dVVyix
La Belle 760 FL Strings: http://bit.ly/2cEYmhB
0:00 – “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations
0:59 – Signal Chain
1:57 – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
2:41 – Bass Set-Up
3:55 – “Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye
4:30 – Picking Technique
5:40 – “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” by the Four Tops
6:33 – “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye
#James #Jamerson #Motown #Bass #Sound #Reverb #Bass #Tricks
Originally posted by UCHP-KQAJgXu4Wo2Xq4-eNow at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIrYCqR2INo
jamerson played w/ 1 rh finger called "the hook " above the bridge cover and near the end of fingerboard depending
Have you heard about the Nordymute? Word is that you can get instant James Jamerson with that mute. Do you think that is a legitimate claim?
dust cover on pickup ?
Its weird hearing those bass lines with no rhythm to them,is this just show and tell like we used to do when I was a teen,at least set up a drum sample or something, lame
God that DI sounds brilliant! When acme was on the sound just blew me away!
thanks this is helpful
See my DI bass always records with gargantuan amounts of woofy, boomy, muddy, ill defined low end. What do I do?
Jamerson only used his index finger for plucking. There’s great footage of him live with Marvin Gaye and it’s all index finger…
Most important is his picking hand he used just 1 finger
Are the Labella Jamerson Flats good for Elvis and Beatles songs? Is the ACME Motown DI similar to the original One used in the studio by the late James Jamerson ? Thanks
Ampeg B 15 is the best bass amp ever. And that’s the truth!
Great video and really well explained/played.
15.000€ sound vintage
I love how this guy's name is essentially Bassy McBassface
The cost is no object Motown sound.
great job!
Is that Jesus?
Pbass plus Ampeg and foam mute. Best sound ever 🙂
Such a shame that James Jamersons Bass was stolen and never ever recovered it belongs in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame but I guess we’ll never know who has it or what they did with it that is a crying shame
I never knew Motown (Jamerson) went direct. James Jamerson and Carol Kaye are some of the two most listened to bassists in recorded history. If you watched TV in the 60's and 70's, then you've heard Carol Kaye a million times.
Amazing! But what is the tone knob set to?! Is it full blast or rolled off?
Those DI boxes are no laughing matter. I tracked with one in royal oak, mi and my p bass rocked so hard
https://youtu.be/kZ-XgRpQeQQ
Those strings look filthy. is that just me?
The P Bass pick up cover was used commonly as a thumb rest…
6:15 the entire video is about James technique but there is no mention to his single finger picking style, that's how he got his nickname The Hook. Huge sound and tone difference that made it so unique.
Number one buy a p bass. Second cut nine of your fingers off. Number three layback.
What strings is he using? Link plz!
I'm a noobe and want to know was James Jamerson using active or passive p?
EXCELLENT WORK MY MAN, SOUNDING GOOD!!!
Marinate your strings in mayonnaise
Just sound like yourselves!
Fantastic keep up the good work.
Wouldn't you also play one fingered with the right hand ????
"Doesn't have to be vintage, although… It doesn't hurt"
XD
You really nailed the Jamerson tone. Well done!
He used a Fender amp live in concert.
James Jamerson will live forever in his unforgettable basslines that made great songs become classics.
Wow! You got closer than anyone else I've ever heard before. I've been trying to find a true soul bass player who plays like Jamerson, Babbit, and Donald Duck Dunn, forever! Side note: all three used P-Basses, LaBella flats, and Ampeg B-15s.
Glad you mentioned the LaBellas: that's how to get the true Motown sound! All the guitar players at Motown used LaBella flat-wounds too; no LaBellas, no Motown sound!
Some FYI:
— On some of the very early recordings, Jamerson actually did play through a B-15 mic'ed with a Neumann U67.Â
—The original direct boxes that ACME has recreated, were designed by Dr. Edward Wolfrum; hence, the "Wolfbox." Check out this link:
http://www.audiographicservices.com/wolfbox.html
I really enjoyed this. I’m a drummer who occasionally plays bass. I also have a couple of isolated Motown tracks and by soloing the bass I was shocked @ how distorted the bass sounds, hideous really. However, when you hear it with the other instruments it sounds brilliant. The bass sound I heard here is great, the playing is wonderful, but it does not sound at all like the isolated tracks I have of Jamerson.