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bass guitar from “walk on the wild side” by lou reed | ToneDB

walk on the wild side

lou reed

bass guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A warm, upright bass sound providing a smooth and melodic foundation. The tone is clean and articulate with a slight roundness, fitting perfectly within the song's laid-back and jazzy atmosphere.

Gear

Alembic Bassinstrument
Reverb$3200Sweetwater
Neumann U47mic
ReverbSweetwater

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The Story

Herbie Flowers famously played both upright bass and electric bass on this track, recorded at Trident Studios in London with David Bowie and Mick Ronson producing. The bass parts were layered together to create the distinctive walking bassline that anchors the song. The upright bass provides the melodic foundation while a muted electric bass adds rhythmic support.

Production Credits

Producer: David Bowie, Mick Ronson

Recorded at: Trident Studios, London

Signal Chain

Instrument: Alembic Bass

Recreation Tips

  • Use an upright bass or a bass guitar with flatwound strings.
  • Record the bass cleanly, focusing on capturing the natural tone of the instrument.
  • Use a condenser microphone placed a few feet away from the bass to capture a full and balanced sound.
  • Consider using a touch of compression to even out the dynamics.
  • Roll off any excessive high frequencies to achieve a warm, smooth tone.

Original Gear

  • Alembic Bass(bass)
  • Neumann U47(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

NS Design NXT4a Upright Bass$1,200-$1,500

Alternative to: Upright acoustic bass

Electric upright that captures the acoustic tone and feel needed for this track's walking bassline

ReverbSweetwater
Fender Player Precision Bass with Flatwound Strings$700-$800

Alternative to: Electric bass with flatwound strings

P-bass with flats delivers the warm, muted electric bass tone that Herbie Flowers layered with the upright

ReverbSweetwater
Audio-Technica AT4050$600-$700

Alternative to: Studio condenser microphone

Large diaphragm condenser that captures the full, balanced upright bass sound at a moderate distance

ReverbSweetwater
Universal Audio 1176 Plugin$150-$300

Alternative to: Vintage studio compressor

Provides the gentle compression needed to even out dynamics on the walking bassline

ReverbSweetwater
Warm Audio WA-47$800-$900

Alternative to: Neumann U47 microphone

Tube condenser mic that recreates the warm, full sound of the original Neumann used on the session

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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