Fuller sound

[bassix]

Hi,

I'm looking for a stomp pedal to "thicken" the sound of the bass when my guitarist goes into a solo, anybody got any thoughts as to how I can achieve this? I currently play through a Sansamp BDDI which I have on throughout to create a "valvey" sound but fiddling with the settings half way through a song isn't possible. We play 90's punk but when the guitarist hits the solo the song seems to drop without the chords going though and we don't really want to add another guitarist.

Cheers,
Liam

[thisnameistaken]

You could try an octaver or a chorus or something but my advice would be to use it as an opportunity to play something busier / different.

[topo morto]

[quote name='bassix' post='1226074' date='May 10 2011, 12:40 PM']fiddling with the settings half way through a song isn't possible.[/quote]

Not tempted by the progammable or deluxe versions? Or maybe a deluxe VT Bass?

How do you use the BDDI in your chain? Requirements for a booster pedal are going to be different depending on if it should work pre/post, whether you go out from the BDDI at line or instument level, and also if you are using a lot of drive.

You might have some joy with a pedal like the MXR M108. Running it before the BDDI will allow you to get different tones out of the BDDI distortion, while running it after will allow a general boost and eq tweak.

Still, i'd be tempted to keep it simple and try one of the programmable sansamps.

[topo morto]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1226081' date='May 10 2011, 12:44 PM']You could try an octaver[/quote]

Yeah, a micro-pog might be cool too!

[Wil]

Stomp on a big muff maybe?

[ahpook]

[quote name='topo morto' post='1226088' date='May 10 2011, 12:50 PM']You might have some joy with a pedal like the MXR M108. Running it before the BDDI will allow you to get different tones out of the BDDI distortion, while running it after will allow a general boost and eq tweak.[/quote]

plus the one.

even discounting the distortion, you could use it as a two-channel preamp, with different eqs on each channel.

[dumelow]

get a second guitarist

[xgsjx]

I agree with TNIT, Octave or Chorus.

I use a chorus to thicken up my sound (does a good job too).

Edited May 10, 2011 by xgsjx

[DanOwens]

It depends on what you mean by thicken, surely. Distortion, Octave, EQ, Compressor, Chorus, all these will add more harmonic content but each in their own ways.

Dan

[bassix]

Thanks for the responses, I would've considered a programmable Sansamp but I don't really want to get rid of what I have due to the extra money it will cost me to replace. I currently use the Sansamp to create a SVTish sound to the bass and just use as a amp emulator/pre amp. I already have a Big Muff Pi but i'm not sure the fuzzyness is really what I'm after. In my mind I was thinking of a chorus pedal which a few people seem to pointing me towards.

[deepbass5]

APHEX 1402 Bass Xciter pedal

You get enhancer and exciter in one unit, you get tons of girth in the bottem end and can bring out the harmonics with the exciter top end. a new model is out now as well

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='bassix' post='1226481' date='May 10 2011, 05:33 PM']Thanks for the responses, I would've considered a programmable Sansamp but I don't really want to get rid of what I have due to the extra money it will cost me to replace. I currently use the Sansamp to create a SVTish sound to the bass and just use as a amp emulator/pre amp. I already have a Big Muff Pi but i'm not sure the fuzzyness is really what I'm after. In my mind I was thinking of a chorus pedal which a few people seem to pointing me towards.[/quote]

Bear in mind that while a chorus does thicken things up a bit, it will also make you sound '80s as hell.

[ahpook]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1226746' date='May 10 2011, 09:25 PM']Bear in mind that while a chorus does thicken things up a bit, it will also make you sound '80s as hell.[/quote]

plus the one

[Doddy]

Would it not be better to play differently behind the solo,rather than rely on a pedal to fill the sound out?

[xgsjx]

Chorus doesn't have to sound 80s.
I either have the speed just about right down or right up depending on the type of sound I want (right up with some distortion is good for dance/DnB/Dubstep IMO).
I'm not a fan of the 80s chorus sound.

[thisnameistaken]

Yeah but chorussed fuzz is still cheesy-sounding even for electro tunes, it sounds very Euro.

[topo morto]

[quote name='bassix' post='1226074' date='May 10 2011, 12:40 PM']when my guitarist goes into a solo[/quote]


As the flipside to the suggestions from thisnameistaken / Doddy, does your guitarist just play single notes in his solo, or is it more of a chordy / riffy type style?

If the former, you might be up against it a bit.... unless you throw a few chords into your bass part!

Can't think of any great examples of breaks with just a bass player and a 'monophonic' guitar solo... always going to sound a bit sparse.

Edited May 10, 2011 by topo morto

[paul_5]

yay for bass chords. Tenths are even better, as they're often easier to play.

[deepbass5]

Picking up on Doddy's technique suggestion.

It is normal when someone is soloing, guitar or horns to drop back to a simpler line, longer notes so not to distract from the solo. Part respect and support. check you are not cutting the notes short, 4 beats/bar = 4 beats no fag papers in between. roll the treble off cut the middle n boost the bass for a more dub sound. That approach alone may do the trick without a pedal.
You may need to just knock out 4 to the bar root notes and follow the chord sequence, if you mean thin chord wise rather than volume, then if it seems to improve rework this basic verse to make it a little more interesting to complement the solo.
sorry if you are already doing this and just need a pedal

Edited May 10, 2011 by deepbass5

[nomis]

sell everything and buy an AD200

[chris_b]

[quote name='therose789' post='1227394' date='May 11 2011, 12:24 PM']....sell everything and buy an AD200....[/quote]
+1

My suggestion would be to keep playing what you're playing and get a better, fatter sounding amp.

When a bass player feels he has to fill all the gaps during a guitar solo the result usually sounds overplayed, and that’s not good unless your name’s Jack Bruce!

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1227429' date='May 11 2011, 12:53 PM']... the result usually sounds overplayed, and that’s not good unless your name’s Jack Bruce![/quote]

And even then, there's no guarantee.

[cheddatom]

I play a lot of chords. I wouldn't say distortion can "fill out" a band's sound for a solo, but an octaver or the like could be good.