Metallifreak 
RESPECTED MEMBER
Registration Date: 27.05.2005
Posts: 5,209
Herkunft: Köflach
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| The Hammering Down Heavy Robert Trujillo Grounds Metallica - Part 3 |
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You have quite a disciplined approach to all this.
I have to put a lot of effort into what I do. I don’t just pick up the instrument and then all of a sudden it happens. For coming up with parts, I almost always get my best result by living with the track for a while and trying different things, and I find out what placement works best. Where’s the low B going to sit? How is it going to work with everything else without overstepping any boundaries or messing with the balance of it all? I get pretty analytical, and then when I get it all in my fingers, it’s important for me to have a flow and a vibe all the way through. That’s what I strive for.
How did your earlier gigs prepare you?
It was different, say, in Infectious Grooves, where 80 percent of the songs were written around what I created on the bass, and the other instruments were catering to me. I learned a lot about the lessis- more attitude working with Jerry Cantrell on Degradation Trip. Even if it’s something simple, when the bass does speak, you want to present the statement in the right way, with the right dynamic and feel. Then playing with Ozzy was a learning experience because I had to dissect a lot of what his players were doing. Bob Daisley is an amazing player, but I couldn’t get away with his style in this outfit. You have to find what fits. That’s the challenge and the beauty of it all. That’s what I love about it.
TRUJILLO’S TOOLS
“I’M NOT LIKE SOME GUYS WHO USE JUST ONE BASS,” says Robert Trujillo. “I use many different instruments.” Onstage, Robert’s go-to axes include a trio of new custom Yamahas built by luthier John Gaudesi at Yamaha Artist Services Hollywood. There are numerous custom Fernandes basses— modeled after his favorite old Tobias—which Robert has used since several Tobias builders went to Fernandes after Mike Tobias left California. Then there’s a Japanese- built ESP, plus Robert’s signature Zon Sonus RT. “We love Zon,” he says. “Zons are always gonna be in the mix.”
Metallica’s amps and cabs sit behind a screen at the back of the stage, where bass tech Zach Harmon monitors the racks, switches effects, and keeps the basses ready to go with Robert's signature Dunlop Icon Series string set—four stainless-steel taper-wound strings (.045, .063, .080, .102) plus a non-tapered nickel-plated steel B (.130). Each of Robert’s two racks contains a pair of Ampeg SVT-2PROs and a single Mesa Quad Rectifier guitar head. One SVT-2 powers a pair of MESA 2x10s, another runs two MESA 4x12s, and the remaining two amps are spares. Also in the racks are Furman PL-PRO Power conditioners, a Shure U4 wireless system, Korg DTR-1000 tuner, and two drawers full of pedals, including an Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron, SansAmp Bass Driver DI, Sansamp XXL, and a Boss OC-2 Octave pedal, all powered by the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power and connected through a Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro. A Ridge Farm Gas Cooker mic preamp serves as the house DI.
After experimenting with numerous instruments and signal chains, Robert’s blue-flame-adorned Fernandes became the favored axe for tracking Death Magnetic, with a recording rig that largely mirrored the live setup. “The fact that I hit pretty hard creates part of my sound,” explains Robert. I use hot EMG pickups, which work well for the attack and presence. I always have both on, with the tone knob usually up mid-way. I like a semi-scooped sound with a little bit of mid to cut through, but I don’t want the mids to overpower the bottom, so I just find that sweet spot. I like the bottom to feel like the heavy bag in boxing. I don’t want the bass to slap you in the face, I want it to punch you in the gut.”
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
With Metallica Death Magnetic [Warner Bros., 2008]. With Jerry Cantrell Degradation Trip [Roadrunner, 2002]. With Ozzy Osbourne Down to Earth [Sony, 2001]. With Suicidal Tendencies Lights … Camera … Revolution! [Epic, 1990]; The Art of Rebellion [Epic, 1992]. With Infectious Grooves The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move … It’s the Infectious Grooves [Epic, 1991].
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