"Lucky Star" Bass-line

[walkathon]

Related: I recall a Nile Rodgers interview once where IIRC he said the "Like A Virgin" bass is double tracked .. one normal, the other a suboscillator track mixed quietly below that ... or something to that effect.

[8bit9bot]

Love that track sheet! Some of these tracks were recorded on my 15th birthday, 1-28-83.

wow... that was my 0th birthday - the day i was born!

[gridsleep]

I opened this topic expecting, surprisingly, some discussion of Motteke! Sailor Fuku! Why am I surprised that the result was actually more mundane? And, no, there is not a single iota of anything about Madonna that interests me in the least.

[orlando56]

A friend somehow got hold of the 16-track master and passed it on to me. The bass line is an electric bass doubled with what is called on the track listing "ARP bass." All the other synth parts (at least as labeled) are Prophet 5.

[bigman2005]

Great info. Thanks Phillip. Never thought it could be a 2600.

Since we're talking about her, does anybody know what synth was used for the bassline in "Like a Prayer"?

Depends on which version you're talking about.

Album/Music Video Version: Randy Jackson is playing bass

Shep Pettibone Remix: Minimoog Bass

[Aaron2]

Love that track sheet! Some of these tracks were recorded on my 15th birthday, 1-28-83.

wow... that was my 0th birthday - the day i was born!

Odd coincidence, eh?

[guillermotin]

Great info. Thanks Phillip. Never thought it could be a 2600.

Since we're talking about her, does anybody know what synth was used for the bassline in "Like a Prayer"?

Depends on which version you're talking about.

Album/Music Video Version: Randy Jackson is playing bass

Shep Pettibone Remix: Minimoog Bass

I was referring the album version, sorry I didn't specify. I find the Shep Pettibone remix to be quite boring...

I believe that the Like a Prayer bassline in its original version is doubled between a real bassist (Randy Jackson, as you mentioned) and a synth bassline. The real bass comes doubled from 3:00 on.

The synth bass sounds very minimoog-ish, I was just wondering if somebody could confirm if it was really a minimoog.

[bigman2005]

I was referring the album version, sorry I didn't specify. I find the Shep Pettibone remix to be quite boring...

I believe that the Like a Prayer bassline in its original version is doubled between a real bassist (Randy Jackson, as you mentioned) and a synth bassline. The real bass comes doubled from 3:00 on.

The synth bass sounds very minimoog-ish, I was just wondering if somebody could confirm if it was really a minimoog.

According to "The Complete Guide To The Music Of Madonna" it was a Minimoog.

[JoeCat]

First post - hopefully I'm actually contributing something.

Been having a little love fest with another Madonna song lately (Borderline - brilliant melodic / harmonic bass line, especially given the way the pre-chorus / chorus move away from the root key, but that's another topic).

No way to vet this, but according to this old post on another forum, the synth used was an ARP 2600 modified with a switchable Moog filter - Moog for Lucky Star, ARP for Borderline:

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread ... You_Really

"The best example of this synth is the bassline I played on Madonna's first record. On "Lucky Star", I used the Moog filter side of the 2600 and on "Borderline" I used the Arp side. "Borderline", however was a doubled bass line played live together in the studio, with myself and Anthony Jackson. (one of the most fun sessions I have ever done)."

[Bitexion]

Yeah, I guess you wouldn't need much soldering to put a switch on the panel and install both filters.
The Korg ARP Odyssey comes with all 3 filter types and a switch.

[Jabberwalky]

Also, on Lucky Star the bassline was recorded in stereo, which is still considered "wrong".