How Twenty One Pilots Turned “Seven Nation Army” into a Bass-and-Drums Power Duo
Twenty One Pilots showed up at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year and decided to keep things simple. No guitars. No backing tracks. Just bass and drums.
Tyler Joseph grabbed a Fender Precision Bass and kicked straight into that legendary “Seven Nation Army” riff. The tone was round and gritty, with just enough drive to cut through the live mix. Josh Dun kept the pocket deep and heavy, the kind of groove that makes you nod without thinking about it.
For most of the performance it’s all about the bass and drums, but there’s a short moment where Joseph switches over to synth. It’s quick, just enough to change the texture before landing right back on that P Bass growl.
It’s a cool reminder that you don’t need much to make something huge. A good tone, a solid groove, and a song built on a riff that never gets old.
No Treble CEO Jody Miller is a Chicago-based bassist, guitarist, engineer, and producer best known for his bass gear demo videos and as the co-host of The Bass Nerds podcast.
It was already a drum and bass power duo. The whole thing is played on a short scale bass.
no it wasnt, it was a guitar that the riff was made on. using a guitar tuned to open A and using the lowest octave setting on his wah pedal.