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Bass Effects - how many of you use them?


BottomE
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For me. no "on the floor" effects... Just a dash of Tubetone and Spectracomp as required...

Mark


[quote name='BottomE' post='1170875' date='Mar 21 2011, 04:41 PM']Apology accepted.

I hope not to have offended anyone as this is not my intention. I really don't like distortion on a bass guitar. So what. I have no problem with others playing with HairyMuffs et al.

Its hard to post on here without upsetting someone - feel like i need to run everything through the BC PC filter if i had one. I think the thread has been great and i have learnt a lot (that i am a dinosaur) and realised that there are some effects out there that i might like to try.[/quote]

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I've only ever used an effect on my bass on one occasion. Someone insisted we try Blur Song 2. Set a cheapo Behringer gtr OD to full beanz and kicked it in on the whoo.

Just [i]fantastic[/i]. Blew the guitard's nads right back up his throat. As the banshee feedback shrieked away, the little sh*t had his hands over his ears begging for mercy. :) :)

Edited by skankdelvar
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[quote name='BottomE' post='1170875' date='Mar 21 2011, 04:41 PM']Apology accepted.

I hope not to have offended anyone as this is not my intention. I really don't like distortion on a bass guitar. So what. I have no problem with others playing with HairyMuffs et al.

[b]Its hard to post on here without upsetting someone - feel like i need to run everything through the BC PC filter if i had one. [/b]I think the thread has been great and i have learnt a lot (that i am a dinosaur) and realised that there are some effects out there that i might like to try.[/quote]
I wouldn't worry about it. There is no need to be PC. There are always people who will get a bit upset, that's life mate.

In terms of effects, they can be as mad or as subtle as the sounds in your head. I like all colours and I'm as fickle as f***, I change my mind constantly, but all I want is a smile on my face.

If you think the effects v no effects debate is a little steamy, try the analogue effects v digital effects one for the full on volcano.

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[quote name='silddx' post='1170903' date='Mar 21 2011, 04:58 PM']If you think the effects v no effects debate is a little steamy, try the analogue effects v digital effects one for the full on volcano.[/quote]

Digital for me, less danger of spelling it wrong. :)

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I use Overdrive pedal + Fuzz pedal + OD on the amp in various combinations depending on song, occasional chorus at slow rate but maximum depth, and occasional delay.
That does me now I have taken the wah out of the circuit, it wasn't getting as much use as before due to the bands set changing a bit, so I removed it to stop me getting tempted.
Might stick a flanger in there for occasional subtle usage, works a treat on the clean stuff.
Pedals are player-specific, what works for you might not work for anyone else, but I am also a little narked by the "covering up lack of talent" inferred in the title.
Then again, one mans talent is another mans bag of cold sick... :)

Edited by robocorpse
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[quote name='robocorpse' post='1171068' date='Mar 21 2011, 06:48 PM']Maybe, but its in my sig now :)[/quote]
I think enough of you have mentioned the sub heading being offensive for me to apologise. It was meant in context to guitartists that i have worked with who can't seem to play as fluidly without a ton of effects as they can with - independant of genre. It was an observation not intended to harm or cause offense.

I did try a compressor last night and was, well, left thinking whats it all about. In some ways i found it a bit of an impairment when i wanted to put some natural emphasis in certain passages of the song i was working with. All the compressors i have tried built into amps have been switched off after a minute due to IMO a negative impact on the sound.

I am interested in trying a chorus though. Wondered what that might do for someone playing mainly old style funk and soul? And lastly - i probably DO use effects as the filters on the Little Mark are very powerful and i love 'em.

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[quote name='fumps' post='1170850' date='Mar 21 2011, 04:32 PM']It's a stereo-type[/quote]

So is my delay. :)


[quote name='BottomE' post='1171113' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:08 PM']I think enough of you have mentioned the sub heading being offensive for me to apologise. It was meant in context to guitartists that i have worked with who can't seem to play as fluidly without a ton of effects as they can with - independant of genre. It was an observation not intended to harm or cause offense.[/quote]

I knew where you were coming from dude, don't worry it's just the usual suspects* causing trouble.

* Yeah **** all of y'all** you got usual-suspected.

** Sorry Nigel! Not you.

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[quote name='BottomE' post='1171113' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:08 PM']I think enough of you have mentioned the sub heading being offensive for me to apologise. It was meant in context to guitartists that i have worked with who can't seem to play as fluidly without a ton of effects as they can with - independant of genre. It was an observation not intended to harm or cause offense.

I did try a compressor last night and was, well, left thinking whats it all about. In some ways i found it a bit of an impairment when i wanted to put some natural emphasis in certain passages of the song i was working with. All the compressors i have tried built into amps have been switched off after a minute due to IMO a negative impact on the sound.

I am interested in trying a chorus though. Wondered what that might do for someone playing mainly old style funk and soul? And lastly - i probably DO use effects as the filters on the Little Mark are very powerful and i love 'em.[/quote]

I think you have shown a genuine interest in effects and there uses since the start of this thread but have obviously riled a few people with the sub-heading.
Intentionally or not, it's been an interesting read and hopefully has opened a few minds to try a few effects out.
There do seem to be a few people on a quest for the ultimate pure tone Nirvana - the 'One', the tone to end all tones. But surely variety is the Spice of Life?

Anyway, regarding compression, a difficult beginning if your an 'effect newbie' as such. Although, really well suited to your needs if you prefer your tone to be on the purer side of the spectrum as you said,
used correctly it can give more punch and clarity but still enable you to play dynamically.
Of course, like all equipment, nothing is equal. Compressors can range from sub £50 pedals through to many thousands of pounds worth found in some studio's.
It's also a bit of a 'black art' to learn, with terms such as ratio, threshold, attack and release times etc. and I think most people would admit to it being a bit of a head scratcher at first.
You could start with [url="http://wiki.basschat.co.uk/info:effects:compressors_and_limiters"]Wiki - compressors[/url]

As for any other effects and there uses, try diving into the 2228+ topics in the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=6"]Effects[/url] forum! :)

Edited by Sawtooth
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Seems I've come to this thread late, but I thought I'd share a few thoughts :)

I've not personally had a lot of experience with effects, and most of those forays have resulted in me selling the pedals on. However, I'm now at a stage where I'd like to experiment more with my tone to get a little [i]je ne sais quoi[/i] out of my bass and playing - I'm currently looking at fuzzes and ODs, have had a less-than-stellar experience with a Boss ODB-3 (wasn't for me) and a Digitech Bass Synth Wah (just downright plain weird).

About a year ago I had the good fortune to run into Nigel (Silddx) at the SE Bass Bash and I ended up with his SansAmp Para-driver. Must say, it's a wicked bit of kit, and invaluable now to my tonal arsenal - I don't leave for a gig without it. Obviously can be used as a straight DI with EQ, but the mid-shift is particularly handy, as well as the Drive control to add a little grit to the basic tone, with adjustable blend. It's really given my passive basses a whole lift into 'active' territory.

I'm sure if the need arises I shall look into other effects - my wish-list is quite long at the moment, only hope my 'earning' power can keep up with my 'yearning' power! I also think that sometimes less-is-more, and Bass > Amp > Cab cannot be beaten in most situations.

HTH,
Ian

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[quote name='silddx' post='1170903' date='Mar 21 2011, 04:58 PM']If you think the effects v no effects debate is a little steamy, try the analogue effects v digital effects one for the full on volcano.[/quote]

It's gotta be analogue all the way.

Unless it's programmable or useful, then digital can be just as much fun :)

[quote name='BottomE' post='1171113' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:08 PM']I think enough of you have mentioned the sub heading being offensive for me to apologise. It was meant in context to guitartists that i have worked with who can't seem to play as fluidly without a ton of effects as they can with - independant of genre. It was an observation not intended to harm or cause offense.

I did try a compressor last night and was, well, left thinking whats it all about. In some ways i found it a bit of an impairment when i wanted to put some natural emphasis in certain passages of the song i was working with. All the compressors i have tried built into amps have been switched off after a minute due to IMO a negative impact on the sound.

I am interested in trying a chorus though. Wondered what that might do for someone playing mainly old style funk and soul? And lastly - i probably DO use effects as the filters on the Little Mark are very powerful and i love 'em.[/quote]
I don't think many on here really took any offence, I didn't even think about it.

I don't find a compressor of use to me. Maybe I just don't know how to properly set one up, but each that I've tried only raised my noise floor & restricted my dynamics so I'll leave them to the soundman to apply if he wishes.

I'm using a chorus just now. I used to have it on a slow shallowish setting so it was just subtle, but now it's on max depth & speed along with a few other fx to give that dubby wobble sound (it's a bit like me, BIG & thick).

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I've got a Boss GT10-B, it does what i need it to:
Variations of overdrive and distortion to suit which ever track i'm playing, very occasional chorus, i use the octave a surprising amount, i do love the thick sound it gives and it fills out a 4-piece band during a guitar solo etc, and as much as i love using auto-wah i try to use it sparingly in case i just spend all night quacking like a duck.

The other fancy time based effects are pretty much never used, nor is the fretless simulator or synth etc..

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Oh, i did have literally about a dozen single unit pedals (some very rare) all hooked up via a gig-rig Midi-8 patch which was truely awesome, but i got REALLY bored of having to mess around with levels and tracing knackered cables etc so i sold the lot to buy the multi-fx.
(oh, and i could barely lift the bloody thing!).

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[quote name='Marvin' post='1171182' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:54 PM']QUOTE (silddx @ Mar 21 2011, 02:31 PM)
I need to pretend I'm a cello sometimes.

Really? This is very worrying. Have you sought professional help? :)[/quote]

^ My wife calls me a total pianist sometimes... at least i think that's what she's saying... :)

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[quote name='Skol303' post='1171956' date='Mar 22 2011, 12:13 PM']^ My wife calls me a total pianist sometimes... at least i think that's what she's saying... :)[/quote]
At least your's might be a compliment. My wife calls me a tw@t.

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[quote name='BottomE' post='1171113' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:08 PM']I did try a compressor last night and was, well, left thinking whats it all about. In some ways i found it a bit of an impairment when i wanted to put some natural emphasis in certain passages of the song i was working with. All the compressors i have tried built into amps have been switched off after a minute due to IMO a negative impact on the sound.

I am interested in trying a chorus though. Wondered what that might do for someone playing mainly old style funk and soul? And lastly - i probably DO use effects as the filters on the Little Mark are very powerful and i love 'em.[/quote]

Compression requires knowledge of how it works and what it can and should do for you to use it well. If you look through my old posts you're bound to run into my Compression 101 which I jotted down for someone.

Personally I think the same can be said for most effects, in order to get the most out of them you really do need to understand what it is they are doing, but compression is the trickiest as its so hard to really hear what is going on, and if you can hear it its doing too much so you think its stopping you being dynamic.

All 1 knob/button built in compressors should be detroyed at once. Sweeping statement, but its true, they are all utterly useless due to the huge compromises for average styled bassists playing an average bass in an average way, or being a very hard and nasty limiter under the guise of a compressor. Either way do yourself a favour and just dont go there...

Old style funk and soul is full of effects on the bass, from nice heavily overdriving valve stages, through all sorts of filters, phasers, choruses, overdrives, distortions, whatever you want to get the funk out:-

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I have reverb for trying to get an upright-ish style in quiet passages, I have a boost to beef up the volume and bassify the tone for loud bits and I have a chorus/tremolo for choruses and chord-y/arpeggio-y parts.
Need a volume pedal, a whammy and a delay and I'll be set!

Truckstop

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I keep it pretty simple:::



MXR80 Bass +DI
Dan Morely PT-13 Tuner
DeltaLab DD-1 Digital Delay
LMG-2 compressor which I use SPARINGLY - mostly for a slight clip on certain songs.
That [b]A-B[/b] pedal is my amp control for my Notch Filter and StandBy.



That dual-amber lighted thing is my 120V polarity and ground integrity tester with a built-in GFCI functional tester.

And of course, my 1SPOT power supply.

I really don't need many EFX as my amp has six freq banks to adjust the EQ and the (as reported) Notch Filter that I can turn on or off at will.

I DO have a really good FUZZ though and when I play C/W, and a certain Marty Robbins song (Don't Worry About Me) is played, I use it to sound like the [u]1-Ton Bee[/u] that they used for that bass fuzz tone.

Edited by Circle_of_Fifths
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I use, overdrive,chorus,synth and a wah pedal. Also have an octaver which I use as a boost and to add a little grit and depth.
Playing in a 3 piece metal band, its nice to use some effects to help add a little atmosphere...................ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh spooky.






[url="http://honeyforchrist.blogspot.com/"]http://honeyforchrist.blogspot.com/[/url]

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