THE PAD BASS & STORMSystem

For info on getting yourself a STORMSystem, please contact:

Alan Carter 800-222-4700 ext. 1354 Alan_Carter@sweetwater.com
Sweetwater Sound
5501 US Highway 30 W
Fort Wayne, IN 46818

I am unfamiliar with the term "pad bass." Is this a synthesizer using a bass voice?

Yes... but the bass voice utilized must have certain characteristics, which I'll address with verbiage and with links to quicktime movies. Even though highly compressed you will understand the nature of this sound.

On your particular synth, or virtual library running through something like LOGIC, look for patches with name-types like WARM PAD, or SLOW STRINGS or STRING PAD. Because many manufacturers make use of the term, "PAD" in their patch descriptions, I have adopted the term PAD Bass so as to cover a range of possibilities across a variety of different synthesizer manufacturers.

BUT, the synthesizer needs to be detuned by an octave, possibly two dependent upon the synthesizer in question. (Whether it is a 49-key controller or an 88-key controller for instance.) The resultant tones, void of "rosin", should sound an octave and 2-octaves below the Tubas, or lowest element in the ensemble being voiced. Good examples of the PAD Bass reside on the STORMWORKS CDs.

Please continue to read below. Listen to examples here. Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4.

"Nothin's wrong with electricity." George Duke
( On Synths) "God Bless 'em all!" Johnny Mandel

The STORMSystem Simply Put by Martin Wisblishauser

PAD Bass Quicktime Video     

A TRIBUTE saying FAR MORE about KARL GEROLDINGER and his fine Musicians! But I'll take his commentary on the PAD BASS!!! He understands completely!

The STORMWORKS Chapter 1 Prime CD: a WISH to the WORLD was recorded at Troy University. Look forward to another exciting CD superbly delivered by future Music Educators!

"I am beginning to understand - A sonic field - transparent - like strings - needs to be created to make your music so effective. Synth - Harp - Pad Bass- voices - aux percussion creates a depth - sets the expectation for sounds not always listened for in a traditional band setting. Multi-dimensional sound canvas. A glow - takes new thinking - well, worth it! Harmonic Series pops Richness - (kind of a Haiku...)" Tom Davis, Canandaigua City School Music Department

"Hi Steve! On tuesday I rehearsed (correct english?) with my band with the PAD bass and just after few minutes I and many of the musicians could hear the perfect fifth playing only C. This is a great thing, and so they start to hear and listen what they are playing! I would thank you an other time for your teaching." Giovanni Bruni, Italia

on 6/2/05 7:37 AM, masaki takahashi wrote: "It goes from tomorrow to the 6th to Nagoya to perform. It is a combination concert of the army, naval forces, and the air force this time. Keep our do tuning of F every day. The thing that goes out considering the down beat just is considered. Ganbarimasu!! I will do a good performance." Takahashi

You are an EXCELLENT Man, Takahashi! All my best to the JASDF Bands, and to Major Matsui. You are all doing the right thing! Arigato domo & Godspeed! S

"I want you to know that your methods and ideals for instrumental music pedagogy have had a profound effect on my ensembles. Since August, we have implemented the PAD Bass into all facets of our daily rehearsal routine. It is now not uncommon for me to hear overtones when the students tune themselves, and my bands are finally achieving a characteristic sound that has eluded me for the first six years of my career." Ron Fussell, Mastricola Middle School

"I have to tell you, I tuned my jazz band today, at the summer music camp. I used the keyboard bass set an octave below the tuba and by the time I made it up from the bari sax and bass trombone to the tenors I heard the 5th ringing like someone was playing it!!! Hairs stood up on my arm, amazing!! The kids were flipping out, it was awesome." Mike Iapicca, PA.

SOUND SYSTEM JUSTIFICATION

The Music of the 21st century composed for the High School Concert Band has seen many changes. The inclusion of synthesized sounds, played by a piano proficient student, is becoming more important as we progress into this new realm of possibilities. PADBass, Harp, Piano and Voices from this new source add to the overall capability of the modern High School Concert Band to render some of the most moving Music yet written. In order to properly render this outstanding Music and to involve more students in this moving experience, it is important to have the necessary equipment. A sound system with the correct amount of power and clarity is essential for our Band to be able to render this Music. Not only will it enhance the types of Music we can experience, it will also become an important part of our curriculum in teaching the basic concepts of tuning, intonation and sonic mix. We are already utilizing a synthesized bass in our Marching Band. It would be very rewarding for the students playing this instrument to become part of the Concert Band. It is our resolve to bring the wonderful world of Music to everyone possible and having this sound system will make that possible for now and years to come. Mike Lee, Lovington HS, NM

Band of the 3rd Millennium:

In the Band of the 3rd Millennium, the orchestration utilized in STORMWorks, we find the wind and percussion ensemble augmented by the use of 2 synthesizers. A seemingly innocent leap, it is replete with functionality. (See also Function Chorales)

The generic sounds ascribed to the synthesizers are: PAD Bass, (sometimes Piano) and Harp. Comments about the types of sounds and manner of interpreting the varied notation may be found in the Brief Intro which accompanies the scores, and in the FAQ section.

See Recent Article where the PAD Bass is dicussed.

See an Unedited Article about the PAD Bass as originally written and intended by Mike Lee for the Instrumentalist August 2001 Issue.

See an Unedited Article about the PAD Bass as written for the October 2001 Issue of School Band & Orchestra Magazine.

 

Photo by Sean Collins on the premiere date of The Universe Below

I have, in all of the "Storm" works written for an instrument called the PAD Bass. There has always been an immensely strategic reason for doing this, and the possibilities for dramatically improving the experience of Band are considerable.

The PAD Bass provides a new fundamental for the Band of the 3rd Millennium. While accomplishing the task of releasing new overtones in to the sonic scape of Band, it also provides an inviolable fundamental and tuning reference. Intonation and Tuning are immediately improved.

Because the instrument functions by supplying a fundamental which is at least one octave below the Tubas, it also provides for, and reinforces the correct path of listening from the wind players, which is towards the base or fundamental. Correctly implemented, the simple addition of this new instrumental colour will provide for a whole new world of acoustic possibilities in the winds and percussion idiom.

In addition, Music Education is enhanced by means of the following: Students who might otherwise not be a part of the band program, pianists by example, now have a place and important function. The instrument (instruments, when including the synth-Harp) presents the opportunity for consistent rehearsal practices, including the commencement of a rehearsal by the simple sounding of the concert "F".

Access to the keyboard in the rehearsal environment provides for greater student interaction with instruments belonging to a more complete inventory of the modern orchestra. It also provides a medium for exploration, experimentation and of course, the demonstration of score passages, etc. Utilize the PAD Bass to establish the rehearsal by providing the reference fundamental. From the Concert F, the entirety of the rehearsal logically unfolds.