Bass Pedals in Prog

[dregsfan]

^ That's when they recorded BAF at the cool studio on Charlotte Pike (the inspiration for the song title).

As an aside, I hope the new TA is NOT recorded at Neal's home studio. For once, they should record on the other side of the pond, perhaps at the Racket Club? All of Neal's solo cds, plus Flying Colors, plus the Whirlwind have been recorded there. I think it makes the vibe kinda stale.

[Paulrus]

I want to also give a shout out to Hamadryad who did marvelous things with bass pedals on their first two albums (though one could argue they were blatantly ripping off Mid-70s Genesis.)

[A. Scherze]

Jon Camp used them during his solo in Ashes Are Burning from the Live at Carnegie Hall album.

[A. Scherze]

But those weren't technically bass pedals that Jon Anderson was playing with his hands in that clip. Actually some kind of home-made synth and he was using the pedals as keys, no? I know we had an in-depth discussion on this topic a while back but iirc, no solid conclusions were drawn?

Sure as hell doesn't SOUND like bass pedals, it's clearly some kind of synth, right?

And, what are the Moog Tauri? Chopped liver?

Both I and II had 5-octave ranges. And, the new model has additional synth features.

[A. Scherze]

At about 2:20, you can see Camp play the pedals. He also uses them on other songs, but there were no good shots.

[Orcopian]

Pallas have used Taurus pedals on just about everything they have released, the live album arrive alive is wall to wall Taurus, a great example is the quiet section in crown of thorns.

[Trane]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3]I'm surprised that you didn't mention Hugh Banton of Van der Graaf, as he is someone who actually plays pedals, rather than just holding down a note, or, in Jon Anderson's case, playing with his hands.

Yeah, Banton literally dances on his stool when playing bass pedal....

However one must make a distinction between the organ bass pedals(EDIT: I see it's been done ).... and the Taurus gizmo (John Hackett has also been spotted punching the thing on the Spectral Mornings tour footage... and like Anderson, he wasn't doing anything else when playing it)... whereas Geddy Lee was busy playing keys when using the Taurus

At about 2:20, you can see Camp play the pedals. He also uses them on other songs, but there were no good shots.

not sure what's the pôint of a bassist playing a Taurus pedal, unless he's busy fondling or groping another instrument

In Camp's case, it sounds absurd

[dlm]

whereas Geddy Lee was busy playing keys when using the Taurus

and playing bass, singing, and triggering samples with the other foot. The latest tour had some fine Taurus moments.

[ca1ore]

Some of my favorites:

1. Second side of Renaissance Live at Carnegie Hall - shuddering stuff.
2. Lots of live Genesis examples - Supper's Ready from Rainbow '73, Oldies Medley from Way You Walk, Follow You, Follow Me from 3SL, Afterglow from Seconds Out
3. IQ - Dark Matter, particularly the first song
4. Transatlantic - More is Never Enough Live (avoid Whirld Tour CD from the same tour; very poor sound quality and non-existent low end)

[firth5th]

Rutherford told the story of bass pedals in 2007, either in the book or on the Nursery Crimes DVD interview.

When Ant left, and before the hired Steve, they toured as a 4 piece band (Collins was on board by then). Rutherford and Banks covered the lead guitar parts. They bought bass pedals to cover bass parts while Rutherford was playing guitar. When Hackett came on board, they weren't really needed any more, but they paid for them and had a philosophy of using multiple instruments, so they found a way to use them atmospherically.

[Scott Bails]

When Hackett came on board, they weren't really needed any more, but they paid for them and had a philosophy of using multiple instruments, so they found a way to use them atmospherically.

I love that.

"Well, we have these. Let's do something creative with them"

Fantastic attitude.

[A. Scherze]

not sure what's the pôint of a bassist playing a Taurus pedal, unless he's busy fondling or groping another instrument

In Camp's case, it sounds absurd

Well, he plays a long, low note on the pedals and a fast, moving line higher up the neck.

It's not unusual. Schizoid Man and One of These Days both have two basses. There's the Crimson Double Trio. Stanley Clark does School Days with a other bassists while he plays lead. And, jazz organists sometimes play a bass line with the left hand and use the pedals to add accents/punch.

[Trane]

Well, he plays a long, low note on the pedals and a fast, moving line higher up the neck.

It's not unusual. Schizoid Man and One of These Days both have two basses. There's the Crimson Double Trio. Stanley Clark does School Days with a other bassists while he plays lead. And, jazz organists sometimes play a bass line with the left hand and use the pedals to add accents/punch.

Yeah, jazz is riddled with double bassistexperiments, though many of them include a bowed contrabass...

But even if not playing with the feet; these Taurus gizmos were not for fast playing (especially with the feet, for obvious equilibrium reasons), even playing them with the hands, it's not a "quick instrument"...

[A. Scherze]

But even if not playing with the feet; these Taurus gizmos were not for fast playing (especially with the feet, for obvious equilibrium reasons), even playing them with the hands, it's not a "quick instrument"...

You're right about that.

The Taurus and its ilk are standalone versions of the pedals of small home organs with short, straight 13-notes.
As opposed to professional models with 26 or 32 notes with long keys laid out in a radiating and flat or convex pattern
enabling heel/toe playing with both feet.

So, the Taurus, even with its Moog sound, is limited by its design to what can be played.

OTOH, Wendy Carlos did a custom MIDI retro fit to her pedalboard that has touch sensitivity.

[Elbon One]

I know that Lee and Lifeson of Rush both use Taurus pedals, and I'm assuming those pedals are a major part of the sound that introduces that 'quiet' little number called Tom Sawyer. Or is that big intro sound from a keyboard-based synth?

[trurl]

I know that Lee and Lifeson of Rush both use Taurus pedals, and I'm assuming those pedals are a major part of the sound that introduces that 'quiet' little number called Tom Sawyer. Or is that big intro sound from a keyboard-based synth?

It was an Oberheim OB-Xa. But live I think they did trigger it from the Taurus. Taurus can't make that sound though.

[Paulrus]

I know that Lee and Lifeson of Rush both use Taurus pedals, and I'm assuming those pedals are a major part of the sound that introduces that 'quiet' little number called Tom Sawyer. Or is that big intro sound from a keyboard-based synth?

Dual Taurus is all over Exit... Stage Left, to the point where it's hard to exactly know which one of them is doing what, it's so interchangeable. For instance I didn't realize until much later that Alex is playing the synth line behind the verse changes on "Freewill", not Geddy.

[Scott Bails]

I'd imagine Geddy and Alex must be excellent dancers, what with all of the bass pedals and triggering they do on stage all the time.

[drew44095]

Eleventh Earl of Mar (my bands version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf6DOmEfzD0

[drew44095]

Here's our version of Firth of Fifth...with bass pedals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAyk5TVdtIQ

[mogrooves]

^^^^^ Nice job.

[Scott Bails]

Yeah, that was cool, Drew!

[firth5th]

Real good then!

[drew44095]

How's that tan cierra workin out for ya.

Real good then!

[drew44095]

Quite a few more videos on YouTube or our Facebook page "After Glow" for anyone interested.