TONEDB

bass guitar from “feel it still” by portugal. the man | ToneDB

feel it still

portugal. the man

bass guitar

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A punchy, round, and slightly driven bass tone with a strong fundamental and clear pick articulation, driving the song with a Motown-esque melodic presence.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender '78 Precision Bass (or similar '70s P-Bass with roundwound strings)

Amp: Direct Input (DI)

Processing: Neve 1073-style preamp, Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI (for character and slight drive), Universal Audio 1176 (FET compressor), Studio EQ (for final shaping)

Other: Played with a pick for defined attack. Bass guitar's tone knob likely rolled off to ~75% to tame excessive brightness while retaining clarity. The SansAmp blend would be crucial for the right amount of grit, and the 1176 for heavy, consistent compression.

Recording Notes

  • The bassline is highly melodic and central to the song's arrangement, reminiscent of classic Motown basslines.
  • Recorded primarily via DI to capture a clean, full-range signal, likely through a high-quality preamp like a Neve 1073.
  • A Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI or similar pedal/plugin was likely used to add warmth, harmonic richness, and a touch of drive, emulating an amp character.
  • Significant compression, likely from a Universal Audio 1176, was applied to ensure the bass sits prominently and consistently in the mix with controlled dynamics.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a Fender Precision Bass (or P-style bass) with roundwound strings. Roll the bass's tone knob down to about 70-80% to reduce top-end fizz while keeping punch.
  • Play with a pick, focusing on consistent downstrokes for an even attack, likely somewhere between the neck and bridge pickups.
  • Connect your bass to a DI box feeding a Neve 1073-style preamp (or a quality interface preamp).
  • Insert a Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI (or similar pedal/plugin). Use the blend knob to mix in the SansAmp's tone; aim for warmth and slight grit, not heavy distortion. Adjust drive and presence to taste.
  • Apply fairly heavy compression using an 1176-style FET compressor (plugin or hardware). Aim for 6-10dB of gain reduction with a medium attack (around 10ms) and fast release (around 100ms or faster) at a ratio of 4:1 or 8:1.
  • Use EQ to shape the tone: ensure solid low-end around 80-100Hz, punchy low-mids around 250-400Hz, and clear pick attack/definition around 800Hz-1.5kHz. A gentle high-pass filter around 40-50Hz can clean up sub frequencies.

Sources