Grand Designs Bass Cover HD
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- So much style without substance
So much stuff without style
It's hard to recognize the real thing
It comes along once in a while...
I hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Is anyone else dreading returning to work (or school) tomorrow like I am? At least it will be a short week.
I received this bass, a mid-80's Kramer era Spector NS-2A, on Friday and was inspired by it's tone to revisit a couple of Wal period Rush tunes. The G string output is a bit weak compared to the other strings but I got the bass with the intention of replacing the pick-ups and possible the pre-amp. Hopefully, that will balance things out. The bass plays very nice and has a nasal growl that I sort of like.
The seed to get a Spector was planted by three recording engineers who I respect who each told me how they loved how well Spector basses recorded and sat in a mix. Two of the engineers had a Spector as a "house" bass and, if they were having issues getting a suitable sound with their client's bass, would say, "Here, try this." And, more often than not, the project would be completed using the Spector. When I saw that Billy Sherwood, who was passed the bass torch by Chris Squire, was using one and cutting through nicely, I said, "Why not?" Granted, this is not one of the $5,000, Woodstock, NY made Spectors, but it's a fairly close relative.
The song is "Grand Designs" off of the Power Windows album which came out in 1985.
I used to listen to Grand Design constantly when it was released. I think Power Windows is one of the most underrated Rush albums and many of its songs became lost in time. Definitely, Rush did some of their best work on Power Windows... Great to see how the bass lines work on this song. Thanks!
Power Windows turned a lot of people off to Rush but it's probably my favorite album. Thanks.
Wow; that's interesting. I too love Power Windows, but I also know that the old "Rushies" really hated that album when it came out. Might even make my Top 5 - just so many great Rush albums. Definitely would still put A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres ahead of it, although I discovered those albums years after I had committed virtually every note of Power Windows to memory. It's definitely a remarkably solid album, with not a weak tune in the bunch.
Really great playing, by the way. Thoroughly enjoyed the video.
@TJH3113 Power Windows was my first Rush album...taped off the radio. A local radio station back in NE Pennsylvania would always play their albums in their entirety on the release date. Back in 1985 funds were low being an 11th grader in high school. I call it their perfect album...a perfect blend of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. Grand Designs is my favorite off this album. That Lifeson solo may be may favorite of all time. And you were spot on with the bass cover. Superb work!
@@petertromp8786 Well, I'm an "old Rushie" but I loved that album too! I've been following them since 1974 and have seen them live at least ten times including their first tour after my local radio station WMMS broke them.
Not to blow smoke, but you're the go-to for me when it comes to Geddy's basslines. You are the only one who nails all the nuance. Mr Lee has a very unique, homegrown plucking style full of subtle accentuation embedded into his phrasing. While most are comping or developing workarounds for these inherent components to his styling, like the double-plucks, fingertip strumming, etc., you are ever faithful to these sometimes troublesome details while performing his material, and it makes all the difference in the world, imo. The same holds true when you tackle Entwistle, Taylor and other bassists with signature fingering styles. Its Geddy's fault that I've racked up over 35 years playing progressive rock 4-string, but today I must express my gratitude to you, Sir, for all your fine work, as it has been an essential element of my own improvement as a player in many ways. Thank you for all the exceptional Rush (and beyond) bass covers! Watching you has made me a better player in general, and really helped to fine-tune my Rush--still a daily exercise after all this time (YYZ is the perfect warm-up song, I have found). You rock!
(TL:DR version)-
You are awesome for playing Geddy Lee's basslines the best (read as: the most accurately), and I can play Rush way better now 'cause of you. Many thanks!
Thanks so much for the very kind words. I totally agree with your assessment about Geddy Lee's playing. There is a ton of nuance and subtle inflections taking place if you are listening for them. Studying his bass-lines for nearly 40 years had definitely made me a better player. Thanks again.
I was always amazed that Power Windows came out only a year after Grace Under Pressure-and it was sooo good! I saw both of those concerts. 🔥
It's so good, isn't it! I heard they struggled during the recording of Grace Under Pressure (producer/production issues), so it sounds like the attacked "Power Windows" with a vengeance.
@@TJH3113 Grace was such a dark album & Power windows was so positive! Grace under pressure was my first concert at 16 years old. 16th row floor.
Power Windows- my fav Rush album. Great take on it.
Mine too! Thanks!
Wow. This random video just shows up. Phenomenal!
This album came out when I was 18, and was the 1st tour I got to see them on.
This is one of the best tracks from that album, and you did it justice!
Awesome!
This was one of my favorite Rush albums and one of the best sounding shows I've heard by them.
Thanks!
Great job! After watching you play, without anything else to distract during a performance, I am again struck by how talented Geddy is. To play that alone seems complicated enough without singing and whatever else he was triggering with his feet.
Yes, Geddy is definitely one in a million. Someone definitely misdealt the talent on the day Geddy got his.
Love this song! Awesome cover Troy! Grand Designs was a favorite of mine back in the 80's when I was REALLY hooked on Rush's sound. Prog Rock at it's best! All of those synthesizers/keyboards made Rush a standout during this time. The bass in this track definitely keeps you busy albeit not a wide range. It's amazing Geddy can sing, strum bass like no other, play keyboards and work the pedals on stage. These guys stand out in each of their chosen talents, and for just 3 men, the sound is unprecedented. Bravo!
Thanks a lot. This is probably my favorite album as well.
I love Power Windows, one of their best albums and the producing is spectacular. Great Mix!
Totally agree! Thanks.
Your the best…. If I ever want to know that I’m playing a rush song correctly I watch your interpolation of it. I do like to learn them by ear. Then I watch you.😂
Thanks for sharing what you do..!!👍
Have a fantastic week.
Thanks so much for your vote of confidence.
oh boy that bass has so much growl!!!
It does, doesn't it.
The Kramer-Spector sounds really good, but I agree about the yes-or-no aspect of the growl. It's got push, no doubt about that. But it's quiet -- I'm not sure if I'm communicating this properly. The Ricky's got that beautiful treble snap; the black Jazz has the tastiest, most agressive growl I've ever heard; and the sunburst J is right in the middle.
By the way, I really loved your cover of "Heart of the Sunrise" on the Guild. That was excellent.
Good to see you again, Professor. Glad you're still making the world safe for bass addicts.
The reason I got this bass was because, over the years, 3 recording engineers who I respect said that they loved recording Spector basses. 2 of the guys had them as "house" basses in their studios and said that whenever they were having difficulty with a bass sound sitting right in a mix, they'd have the player try the Spector and, 9 times out of 10, they'd wind up finishing the project with the Spector. What pushed me over the edge was when I heard some live footage of Billy Sherwood playing one with YES on their current tour. I like the bass. I'm not in love with it, yet. But sometimes the basses you grow into are better than the ones you fall in love with immediately. I would never spend anywhere near what they're getting for the new, Woodstock, NY made basses.
The Ric is my least favorite out of the flock. For me, it takes the most work to get it to sound the way I want it to sound and, even at it's best, I still feel I'm settling. At this point, I like the idea of owning a Ric much more that I do actually playing one. They seem to have this mystique about them that I don't really understand. Geddy's sound on Exit Stage Left was one of the best Ric sounds I've ever heard and mine never sounded like that. His don't even sound like that any longer.
The black Fender does have something special about it...a crunch and sizzle that comes easy to it. One of the reasons I don't play it all that much is because I get spoiled playing it and then it's a bit of a letdown when I go to another bass.
At this point, the Guilds are my favorites and fall right in between a Ric and a Precision. I love how Precisions sound when other people play them, but when I play one, it just doesn't sound like me. The Guilds seem to have the mid-range "hollowness" of a Precision and the clarity and focus of a Ric.
"Geddy's sound on Exit Stage Left was one of the best Ric sounds I've ever heard...". Completely agree. I owned a black 4003 for about 7 years. Purchased new in 1982 and sold in 1989. Never had any complaints when playing it - HOWEVER I hated the soft fretwire they used. The frets on mine were badly worn after only a few years. How are yours holding up (did they finally address this)?
Spector basses are great... I love mine... No need to buy the American. Spector Korean Legend & Performer series and Czech Built Euros are very fine instruments.
Thank you Troy, the one tour I missed (Rush skipped Reno,NV that year due to previous bottle throwing idiots). Great job!
Glad you enjoyed it. Wow, I did not know that. Thanks!
These videos are the only reason I can attempt to play RUSH on bass after a year of playing. I just don't have the ear to work them out. Thank you for all the hard work.
I"m very glad that you find them helpful. Thanks a lot.
Bass sounds just like Geds #1 jazz. Big bottom end.. Awesome cover!
I'm glad you liked it. Thanks?
Best song on the album.
I am partial to Middletown Dreams.
Well done. one can tell you really enjoy playing. thank you for sharing.
Thanks Paul! I did!
those Kramer era spector pickups sound excellent!!!
I agree. I put EMG's in the bass and think the stock p/u's sounded better.
That was amazing! Spot on.Tone was killer,and so accurately played out.One of my favorite Rush songs! Thank you!
Thanks a lot.
ive never heard such a inbox growl except for ricken-fender jazz bass-wow
FLAWLESS !!!
Thanks!
Such great tone, not to mention your consistently excellent playing. Your previous version of this song sounded really good but this one nails the tone. Thanks again for sharing and inspiring us!
Thanks a lot.
Excellent playing! Nailed all the little transitions too. Rush on a Spector. Life is good 👍
Thanks!
I love that song. I miss the excitement of the anticipation of their upcoming tour.
Cool. Not me. The last tour was a nightmare getting tickets for. Because it was billed as sort of a "farewell" tour, it really brought out the resellers in droves.
After following you for a number of years it is hard to believe that there are people out there who post covers with horrible quality. Obviously, they don't watch your videos. You, sir, as always, post the BEST bass cover videos!!! Great job - I will wait patiently for your next upload!!!!!
Well thank you. The way I record my videos now and the way I recorded them when I began posting is still pretty primitive when compared to other methods. My objective was to just have my bass in there enough to accentuate what the bass on the recording was doing without overwhelming it. I think I just got lucky and would never discourage anyone from posting regardless of quality or skill level.
Damn man. I always come back to see your amazing skills.
Thanks so much.
Sensacional.....ótimo timbre....., Brazil......
Thanks.
I love this album- saw most of the songs on it live back in the clockwork angels tour. (I saw them twice then, '12 and '13)
I thought it was great that they played so many songs off this album on that tour. I know it pissed a lot of people off, but not me.
Fantastic playing, as always. I love the sound of the new bass.
Agreed
Thanks a lot.
My favorite song from this album and a fine album it is. If I remember correctly, Grand Designs was the 1st encore when I saw them for this tour. As always another fine job Troy.
I thought it was great when they brought back so many songs from this album for the Clockwork Angels tour. Thanks.
NIce job on the riff @3:17! Love your covers!
Thanks a lot.
Nothing growls like a Spector! Nice job!
I'm beginning to see that. Thanks.
Cool , From the one of my favorite album Power Windows. Wonderful job Troy!!!
Thanks a lot.
You kick ass on this TJ!!
Thanks a lot.
Brilliant!
Thank you Robert.
A buddy of mine is an architect and this is his favorite Rush tune. It's funny, a lot of us Rush fans grew up to be techies and engineers of one sort or another.
Cool.
Nice bass cover and that Spector sounds gorgeous.
Thanks a lot.
Awesome!
Thanks.
Great video as always Troy. I envy you and all of your really cool basses ;)
Thanks a lot. When I started posting covers back in 2010, I had two basses, which was one more than I'd ever had anytime prior to that. I had always felt strongly about getting the most out of the one bass I did have. This is just a phase but I am enjoying it.
Totally rocking out this tune! I checked out the video you did 6 years ago of this song. Amazing the how the HD version sounds. You look a bit different too.
Thanks. I actually watched my old video before I posted this one. You can still hear the bass in the old one but, I agree, this sounds a bit better and it feels much better playing this way. I've got a much better blend in the headphones than I did when I was using a microphone.
Time after time I have te say that it was another great bass cover. Continuous inspiration for me thank you! I think it was Sean Andrews (also a great bass player) from Redemption who YT the solo part.. Geddy is an amazing bass player, thanks yo you I'm into Rush again ..
Thanks a lot. I'm glad that you liked it.
Perfect! Incredible work!
Thanks a lot.
Wow!!!!!
Thanks!!!!!
Killer bass line!
It is, isn't it?!
And they bag on these "in between" years of Rush... This is a fantastic album. And you did righteous justice to this awesome song.
Against the run of the mill
Static as it seems
We break the surface tension
With our wild kinetic dreams
Curves and lines --
Of grand designs...
It reminds me of Permanent Waves - Tide Pools
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can't see
Their effects
Anyways - excellent cover as always.
If I could make a request for the future - Mystic Rhythms....
I think this album was the pinnacle of their musical output. The lyrics, melodies, compositions, musical prowess, technology, production... It was a truly progressive album with clean, pop-music production values. Not to say that the material before or after this is lesser than, but, for me, this was tops.
Thanks a lot. I'll have to revisit Mystic Rhythms. I think I remember the bass sitting out for a lot of that song.
hmm... yes, now that I think about it, Geddy is doing a lot of keyboard work in Mystic Rhythms (one of the complaints of Middle Years Rush). There are sparkles of bass but not a lot. Oh well.
But I agree with you, the 80's branching and exploring were key. If not for that exploration we would not have led to later masterpieces like The Main Monkey Business off of Snakes and Arrow (IMO).
Sounded great, Troy! I clicked on the thumbnail for your previous version, my what a difference 6 years makes. I guess it's time to re-do all of your old Rush covers ;)
The new bass sounds and looks cool. You know, if you'd give some lessons, you could write those basses off on your taxes :)
Thanks Jim. Yeah, I actually watched the old version before posting this and cringed a little. Not that it was bad, it did what I intended it to do, which was to have the bass line stand out a little bit above the recorded line but I like the sound quality of the newer videos much more. It's still the same, low-tech "what I play is what you hear" premise, but it's a little more hi-fi. As far as re-doing all my old Ruch covers, I wouldn't do that to myself. More than a couple of those were real headaches. I'll just cherrypick some of my favorites.
I think I'd do more harm than good by giving lessons.
You cannot beat RUSH in any shape or form. no words good enough to describe their uniqueness and only you can play just like Geddy Lee. Love this Troy. Haven't heard from you lately. How are you? Let me know and thanks. Marvine :-)
No, you really can't, can you?
Thanks Marvine.
I'm fine. Lynn had foot surgery a couple of weeks ago and I've been trying my best to fill her shoes while she's been healing... hasn't been easy.
Sorry to hear about Lynn's foot surgery. I know it must have been very painful and is still probably. Take good care of sweet Lynn. She really deserves it. I know you'll be good to her. Tell her I hope she heals quickly. The farther the injury is from the brain takes longer to heal. Give her lots of your TLC. Marvine :-)@@TJH3113
As always.....fantastic!
Thanks a lot.
Great stuff -- Tommy Jarvis
Thanks Tommy... ch ch ch...
You know, you and I have very similar Rush tastes .
Seems every time I hear a Rush song I have not heard in a long time that has a good bass track that I like, I check to see a bass cover, and you pop up top of the list (still hoping for a cover of Ghost Rider though).
Wish I had the talent you do. I played the bass a little as a teen, never was really good at it (or anything musically), so gave it up.
Great job as usual.
"Vapor Trails" was one record that I never really cared for, at all. Maybe I'll have to revisit it.
I always say that I have less talent than patience. And perceived skills that I have are just the result of practice and repetition. I've seen a few naturally gifted musicians in my life and, I can tell you, I am not one of them.
Thanks so much.
I was so happy when it came out that they were back together, I went and bought it the day it came out and was a little disappointed. Did not really dislike it, but nothing really stood out. Did not listen to it much after the first month or so.
A few years later, my brother had the Remix version in his car and I was like "what is this?". Just sounded soo much better. I really like Ghost Rider, Ceiling Unlimited and Earthshine. There were a few others I like as well (One Little Victory, especially the opening bass drums, the Rush in Rio version is great IMO ua-cam.com/video/W3XivHFg9WM/v-deo.html, also Vapor Trail and Secret Touch are pretty good).
And don't cut yourself short, practice and repetition can become a skill. I know what you are saying, it is not a natural talent for you to just pick up a bass and start playing anything, but you are doing better than probably 90% of those out there. And better than me for sure.
sounds great. I know of a friend who has one of these kramer spectors, he put duncans in his and just passive. I don't recall his UA-cam channel but it might be brad something. lol.
On point as always, well done
Thanks.
you are number one man!
Amazing as always!
I must ask, where did you get the tab or sheet music to play this?
He does it by ear. Pretty damn impressive.
Thanks. And, yes I play by ear. If I had tabs or anything like that, I'd be happy to give them to anybody who wanted them.
Damn. That's some skill to play that by ear.
Fantastic
Thanks.
Amazing!
Thanks
Great Troy ,I know you love this album like me, you have gone bass crazy!!!your going to have to buy a lock up to put them all in, or sell them all and buy a Wal... lol.
Thanks. Hopefully, I'm done....for now.
awesome, nice tone
Thanks a lot.
I don't like power windows except for this song and territories , it's very interesting how it's different between Rush's fans , I definitely prefer hold you fire to Power windows. By the way great cover and great tone what Brand of bass are you using on this song ?
Yeah, I’ve got a wide variety of material to satisfy just about everyone. This is a Spector’s NS2A that was made in Korea when Kramer owns the company.
Nice job!
Thanks.
It sounds really good. Especially when you're playing a "Power Windows" tune on it. I wouldn't have thought you were going to get an active bass anytime soon after not liking the Alembic. Wonder what causes the G string to be weak, them being single blade designs. I've heard stories where someone had that problem with an EMG guitar pickup. It's turned out, the blade was not long enough on the treble side. I think the guy even sent it back and they sent him a new one. It can be tested with steel/iron powder or a piece of steel, like a thinner guitar string, to check where the magnetic pull ends.
Thanks. I thought I'd take a chance on it as I got a pretty good deal on it. The pickups in the bass are "Spector" made by EMG but I intend to have a set of EMG active p/u's put in and possibly a new preamp (the one with the sweepable mid). If that doesn't correct the low output issue (and I decide to hold on to the bass) I may put in a bridge p/u that has adjustable pole pieces. The G side has some pull on both sides of the string, I tested it with an allen key, but it's hard to tell if it's equal in strength.
Are you going to try the new PJX-CS set, or something mixed and matched, like for example a brighter P with a JCS or a PX with a J-CS-X? The X ones have lower output impedance cause they are zero load ones unlike the older models. They sound a bit different, too.
👍🙏🇧🇷
Thank you Paulo!
Nailed it. I agree, that bass really sounds great. How many basses do you have now? You'll have to do a video showing them all one day :)
Thanks. I have too basses now...too many.
I used to have an NS2 in white just like yours. Sorry I sold it. This song is quite a workout on the right arm, isn't it? ;)
I'm sorry it took me so long to get into Spectors. It is a bit of a workout, now that you mention it.
Nice job once again Troy. Apologies if this has been asked elsewhere (I'm sure it must have been), but would I be right in saying that you re-string with a fresh set whilst checking the set-up on your new arrivals? If so, what make/size strings do you favour and what are you using on this song if different? Do you use particular strings with certain makes of bass? Thanks for taking the time to revisit in HD :-)
Thanks. Sometimes I'll play a new bass with the strings that came on it for a few days or longer (depending on the condition of the strings), just to make certain I'm happy with the bass. In the case of this bass, it came with flat wounds on it - eesh... so I got the bass Friday. Restrung and set it up Saturday. And did the videos on Sunday morning. I always tell myself, "I'm going to set this bass up more traditionally, with heavier strings, higher action, and more relief in the neck." But always wind up trying to make every bass play and sound the same. It's how I am comfortable hearing myself. I use D'Addario EXL220's on all of them because I'm a creature of habit. They're about as light as you can get and I found that I can get them from Amazon in a 2-pack for $24 which is a great value.
+TJH3113 Great stuff. It's one of those things that I've really started paying attention to over the last few years. There is so much choice these days you could go through a lot of money trying different brands and types. For years I used Roto Swings and got on really well with them, but I've found other makes that I also enjoy now and find they suit some basses more than others. I currently have light sets of Dunlop Super Brights on my 'Ray's, but prefer Roto's on my J's. Also quite like DR Fat Beams and, dare I say it, La Bella Flats :-) There's also a couple of Ernie Ball sets I like too, but it's always nice to know what others prefer and why. Thanks for sharing.
0:42, beatdrop
Perhaps.
☺
I guess David Kidd gave the one thumbs down...
That's my guess too.
Hey +TJH3113 you should cover Song Remains The Same by Led Zeppelin. It's got a great bass line. It may not be the most complicated thing in the world but it's not simple and it's very fun to play!
I was starting to learn that a while back but put it down. Perhaps I'll pick it back up at some point.
Sweet! I would love to see it
do you own any warwicks and what is your opinion of them and their sound
Play Red Hot Chili Peppers - Behind the sun
Meh.