Quebec-born Alain Caron has become the new heavyweight champion of the six-string bass. He started playing bass at age 11, and at age 15 began his pursuit of jazz. As a member of the Canadian super-fusion band UZEB, he took jazz beyond its known boundaries. Today, Alain is widely regarded as a 6-string bass pioneer, and is very popular among professional bass players around the world. His latest album, 5, features the Roland V-Bass on every song. For the past year, Alain has toured Europe with Mike Stern. Most recently he added a Roland D-Bass amp stack to his stage setup.

We recently met up with Alain, and here’s what he had to say about his use of Roland and BOSS equipment past and present.

• • • • •

How long have you been using Roland and BOSS gear?

I’ve been using different Roland and BOSS products since the very beginning. Probably more than 20 years!

What Roland/BOSS gear has been the most valuable to you over the years, and why?

Obviously, the D-Bass and the D-B series bass amps, the V-Bass, and the GT-6B are special to me. I feel very close to them — most probably because I was directly involved in the development with the BOSS engineers in Japan . But I also really like the V-series digital mixing console that I’ve been using for my last three recording and for touring as well.

Tell us about your foray into bass-synth experimentation and your path to the Roland V-Bass.

The first GK product I got my hands on was the GM-70 (a MIDI converter launched in 1986). I still have it now. At the time, I was very envious of UZEB guitarist’s use of guitar synthesizers, such as the GR-100 and GR-300. So, armed with the desire to try it out for myself, I reworked the GK guitar pickup [GK-1, launched in 1986] for the bass, and did my best to make it work by installing it on a piccolo bass in order to improve, even by a little bit, the tracking. To this I MIDI connected the sound generators of the day, such as a Roland S-330 sampler and D-110, and used it as a bass synthesizer. I also made heavy use of the GR-50 [launched in 1988] during the 1990 UZEB world tour.

Afterwards, there was a short period in which I didn’t use this setup, but as soon as I found out about the V-Bass, I gave it a try. The exact thing I was looking for, that would allow me to bring out all the potential in my playing, had arrived! That was how I felt.

Since the V-Bass processes and outputs the bass sound itself, there are absolutely no problems such as delayed tracking. I basically mix and output it with my own bass sound. I can do things like play a unison combination of bass and synth sounds without stress. In this respect, I consider the V-Bass a product that was designed as an instrument in its own right, and I can say that it has become quite indispensable to me. [Ed. note: See “Hands-On” sidebar at the bottom of this article for more info on how Alain uses the V-Bass.]

Of all the amps to choose from on the market, what attracted you to the new Roland D-Bass series?

I really think this is the best bass amp out there today. It has a very flat frequency response, lots of dynamics, and it’s very musical and lightweight. I also like the modular concept; it can suit all styles of playing.

Also, due to years of studio experience, I’m used to hearing the sound of my bass in a “flat” listening environment. When I’m using the D-Bass’s “Super Flat” amp type, it’s by far the closest “studio” reference I’ve ever had from a bass amp. It’s the system I was waiting for!

Describe your current stage setup.

I mostly play in stereo, using the V-Bass going in two D-Bass 210 sometimes using one or two D-Bass 115X as sub. I set the Amp-Type to Super Flat and I use the amp’s EQ only to make very light corrections for the stage, but I leave it flat most of the time. I use only one D-Bass 210 when I play acoustic bass, for example during the last European tour with Frank Gambale on acoustic guitar and Otmaro Ruiz on piano.

Have you been using D-Bass exclusively onstage, or have you recorded with it as well?

I use the amps live only, I record directly out of the V-Bass. The main quality of those amps is that they’ll give you the closest sound of what you get in studio, so you have a great reference between what you hear on stage and the P.A. Also if you do a live recording for a CD, DVD, TV, or radio, you won’t be surprise when you’ll listen to the mix, you’ll get the same thing if the engineer is good!

Any additional comments about Roland and BOSS?

A great company, always looking forward. . . . I’ve always like Roland and BOSS products in general.

Bring us up to date on your career.

I just finished the mixes of a live concert we did last year with my band to be release on a double DVD this coming June [2006]. After that I’ll be doing some jazz festivals with Mike Stern’s band at the end of June, then I have a concert with my Big Band at the Montreal Jazz Festival in July followed by a European tour with Billy Cobham, Didier Lockwood, and Sylvain Luc. I’ll be working next fall on a new CD and an educational DVD.

• • • • •

For more on Alain, visit him online at www.AlainCaron.com.