bass guitar from “respect” by aretha franklin | ToneDB
respect
aretha franklin
bass guitar
90% ai confidence
Tone Profile
A warm, round, and punchy bass tone with a strong fundamental, a smooth muted attack, and a prominent melodic presence. It provides a solid, driving rhythmic and harmonic foundation integral to the song's iconic groove.
Signal Chain
Instrument: 1960s Fender Precision Bass with La Bella flatwound strings
Amp: Ampeg B-15N Portaflex (DI signal taken before amp)
Microphone: Electro-Voice RE20 (on amp cabinet)
Processing: Pultec EQP-1A (on DI and/or mic'd amp signal), Teletronix LA-2A (on DI and/or mic'd amp signal)
Other: Played fingerstyle, likely with a foam mute under the strings near the bridge or palm muting. The DI signal was crucial for clarity and fundamental, blended with the mic'd Ampeg B-15 for added warmth and character.
Recording Notes
- Recorded on February 14, 1967, at Atlantic Records Studio in New York City.
- Engineered by Tom Dowd and produced by Jerry Wexler.
- Bass performed by Tommy Cogbill.
- The bassline is a distinctive and highly influential part of the arrangement.
- Recorded to an 8-track Scully 280 tape machine.
- The session also included King Curtis (tenor sax), Spooner Oldham (keyboards), Chips Moman & Jimmy Johnson (guitars), and Roger Hawkins (drums).
Recreation Tips
- Use a Fender Precision Bass (or a P-style bass) strung with heavy gauge flatwound strings (e.g., La Bella 760FS).
- Play fingerstyle. Employ a foam mute under the strings by the bridge or use palm-muting to achieve the characteristic thumpy decay and focused attack.
- A high-quality DI box is essential for capturing the clean fundamental tone. The A-Designs REDDI or a similar tube DI is recommended.
- If using an amp, choose an Ampeg B-15N or a similar vintage-style tube bass amp. Mic it with an Electro-Voice RE20 or similar dynamic microphone.
- Blend the DI signal (for low-end clarity and attack) with the mic'd amp signal (for warmth and character). The DI signal is often more prominent in this type of sound.
- Use a Pultec-style EQ to gently boost lows (around 60-100Hz) and perhaps add a touch of air with the high-frequency boost/attenuation trick if needed, though the original sound is not very bright.
- Apply light to moderate compression with an LA-2A style optical compressor to smooth dynamics and add sustain.
Recommended Gear
- Fender American Vintage II 1960 Precision Bass(guitar)
- La Bella 760FS Deep Talkin' Bass Flatwound Strings(guitar)
- Ampeg Heritage B-15N(amp)
- Electro-Voice RE20(mic)
- A-Designs REDDI Tube Direct Box(preamp)
- Universal Audio Teletronix LA-2A Classic Leveling Amplifier (Hardware Reissue)(preamp)
- Pulse Techniques EQP-1A (Hardware Reissue)(preamp)