Nick Smith's Floor Bass Pedal at Shadowmania

[barryg]

Nick Smith was the bass player with The Shadowers at SM and he was using a large bass pedal that gave out really low bass notes. He used it on several numbers just standing there pressing the foot pedals which sounded out earthquake type bass notes. It was quite unique in it's way and added a new dimension to the music. Did anyone else notice him playing it.

I was sitting near the stage so I had a good view of him playing it but what is this "instrument" called and does anyone know anything about it. I have doctored one of Amanda's photos so you can see it clearly.

Barry

[Jay Bass]

Hi Barry
Nick uses Midi bass pedals, these are the connected via midi to a sound module
its like playing keyboards with foot pedals.
have a look on Nick's website it will give you some more info.
regards
Jay

http://www.freewebs.com/doctor_bass/

[RogerCook]

Moog Taurus pedalboard I believe. Quite a lot of info if you google Moog Taurus

Roger

[barryg]

Thanks Jay and Roger,

It appears to be the Moog Taurus 3 analogue system with Midi and USB. I've had a look on U tube and found this demo of the pedal if anyone wants to hear it's potential.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHNATdBHPGY

Now I've heard it's range of distinctive sounds it's very familiar and It's been used by a number of popular bands since it's incarnation in the mid 1970's. It reminds me of the sort of sound heard in film scores as well.

Wikipedia said with this pedal the sound is more felt than heard and that was how it sounded (and felt) on Saturday when Nick played it with The Shadowers.

Barry

[Nick Smith]

Hi guys!

Managed to get logged on! Thanks for the interest, yes, very lucky to have source a set of the latest Taurus III bass pedals; found them last December on Ebay complete with custom flight case! Moog are only producing 1000 units so in time they could become investment material so am looking to buy another set that I can store for the future as these get a lot of use in the many bands I'm currently working with! I also have a set of original Taurus pedals from the mid '70s (which are in need of a service!) and as Jay notes, I also use a set of Roland PK-5 midi bass pedals that I hook up to a Nord Lead module and have actually used the PK-5 midied up to the Taurus for use on smaller stages as the Taurus is a large unit!! If you want to hear the classic Taurus sound in use, check out anything Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, Sting or Genesis have done!

Just to say that I was running the bass guitar (1983 Squier JV 1957 re-issue Precision) through my Markbass Tube 800 amp into the 4 x 10" cab and the Taurus was going through my Little Mark head into the 15" cab - then both were DI'ed into the fantastic PA! We put both mine and Brian's basses through the Tube 800 as it has two discrete inputs each with their own gain controls, Nivram was our tribute to Jet.

[barryg]

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the info. I don't know how I've come through the last 35 years or so without coming across these units but then I'm not a bass player. Having watched the U Tube demo of the Moog it really is a very versatile instrument and capable of producing many sounds.

Watching you play it on saturday was really interesting especially as I was sitting by the right hand corner of the stage where I could see you and with the PA speakers not far away I was able to feel and hear the notes as you played them. Excellent sounds.

Barry

[GuitarPhil]

Nick, I really enjoyed Nivram. My mate Terry who is a bass player was blown away

Phil.

[Nick Smith]

Nick, I really enjoyed Nivram. My mate Terry who is a bass player was blown away

Phil.

Hi Phil! Thank you, tell him he needs to get out more often! Hehe! Seriously, it was a great honour to play duet bass with Lic - we had a blast!

Cheers!

Nick

[Nick Smith]

Here is a clip from Shadowmania of us playing the theme from Missing; the Taurus pedals first come in at around 2 mins 10 seconds when I hit the low D note and then up to the G note etc etc! Thx to Angel V. Sohsten for the clip! Really pleased with the sound, try listening with headphones for the best effect!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv_1VU8_1HA

Cheers!

Nick