Author Topic: Cliff Burton Bass solo (Read 369 times)

FC Bass · « **on:** July 05, 2006, 06:05:13 AM »

My absolute bass hero!
Cliff Burton passed away in 1986. He was only 24 years young.
Here's the tragic story:

While on their European tour, on sept, 27th 1986
Cliff Burton was killed when Metallica's
tour bus hit black ice and flipped over in Sweden
(though it is still disputed that they may have crashed because the driver may have been drinking) As the bus was skidding and rolling, Cliff fell out of a window and was crushed by the bus.

There are many live recordings and of course Metallica's first 3 studio albums on which Cliff's inheritance will remain forever

This clip was taken from the first Metallica 'home vid' Cliff 'em all.
Cliff gets some awesome sounds out of his Rickenbacker. On the second (1/2 and noisy) solo he plays on a Aria pro II SB1000
I've heard that he also had a Black Alembic Spoiler that was stolen shortly before he passed away.
This is the only picture I've got:

I'm not sure whether these pictures are genuine, could be a photoshop fake... ANY INFO??? Would be great!

Anyway, for a great example of A Cliff Burton live solo Click here !!!parental advisory explicit content!!! (no signup required)

(Message edited by fc_spoiler on July 05, 2006)

FC Bass · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2006, 12:34:44 AM »

After 3 minutes and 30 seconds on the solo from the link above, Cliff plays an artificial harmonics part.
When I play that fragment on my Spoiler, it will only audible clearly when I use the bridge pick up only. If I use the neck pick up or both neck and bridge pick up it will hardly be picked up...
Any ideas?

adriaan · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2006, 01:41:25 AM »

That's just physics - the string is vibrating in smaller amplitude nearer the bridge, and in larger amplitude nearer the neck.

Think of harmonics as small ripples running on top of the big sine wave of the fundamental. Near the neck, the amplitude of the fundamental nearly washes out the harmonics, which are just a small part of the signal. Near the bridge, the amplitude of the fundamental is a lot smaller, but the ripples will have about the same amplitude as near the neck, so here they make up a much larger part of the signal.

FC Bass · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2006, 02:32:18 AM »

Bedankt!
Thanks! I tried playing an A.H. with the string fretted on the 24th fret, this was picked up much better by the neck pick up.
It's always nice to learn something new.
Thanx again,
F.C.

FC Bass · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2006, 04:48:56 PM »

And I guess with both pick ups on there's some funny phase thing going on?
I've set the neck pick up gain trimpot at 3/4 and the bridge pu gt at 1/2
Both pick ups are aprox. the same distance from the strings. (neck pick up tiny bit closer)

adriaan · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2006, 01:45:59 AM »

The phase stuff probably is a factor, but that's far too complicated to discuss here - and certainly not with any authority by me. Do a google on Fourier Analysis to get some idea of the mathematics involved.

Another thing is the question of nodes in a vibrating string. A flageolet is more or less a standing wave, so if you look carefully, you will see that there are positions along the string where it barely moves, which are called nodes. The place where you put your finger to get the flageolet is the main node, and there will be more nodes like it. Try it with the 12th fret flageolet, which will be most visible. And probably for a lot of flageolets, there will be a node over the neck pickup.

eligilam · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2006, 10:02:09 AM »

I don't think those Burton photos are fakes. Both shots flash by in Cliff 'Em All during a tearful montage sequence shortly before Seek and Destroy.

By the way, FC, Anthrax rocked pretty steady, and Frank did crank out the Got the Time solo. From the beer line, it sounded pretty cool.

WD

FC Bass · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2006, 10:26:46 AM »

Oops missed those pictures...
In this months Gitarist (dutch guitarmag. 'Guitarist') There's a 3 page story on Anthrax's new tour.
Cliff Burton is mentioned in the intervieuw, Scott Ian says The blackest page in Antrhax's history is the death of Cliff Burton Antrax was touring with Metallica when it happened.
Thanx for the info! I'm gonna watch Cliff 'em all
right now!
Cheers!
F.C.

FC Bass · « **Reply #8 on:** July 10, 2006, 10:43:40 AM »

Spacial! but could not find it there... there's a shot of his Aria SB1000 which also has the oval inlays though... or maybe I've got another version than yours?
Anyway it is in the end credits montage, when it says: Stone, S.F. : Donna Davis.
Cheers!
F.C.

FC Bass · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2006, 03:08:12 AM »

Here's a better picture of Cliff with his Spoiler:

Found it on: www.myspace.com/kenzpage and got the adress from alembic83 (Jason) THANX DUDE!

hankster · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:47:10 PM »

Adriaan,

Thanks for your comments regarding harmonics and pickups (bridge v. neck). Just thinking about this helped me find my way to useful and quick changes between sounds for solos involving harmonics.

Rick

adriaan · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2006, 01:37:56 AM »

Rick,

Glad to see my idle chit-chat being put to good use!

Adriaan