GaryTheBassMan Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Hello, So I have been quite the traditionalist and kept away from pedals for a long time....but...I just bout a bass VT and it is awsome!! and on top of that My band is dropping down to a 4 piece so I need to fill out the sound a bit more!! Any one got suggestions for pedals I NEED and just generally cool pedals that don't over dominate my tone (I was thinking maybe delay or reverb? Im not sure) so any suggestions would be helpful as I don't have a clue with this stuff!! lol just preferably nothing over £100 would be good!! lol Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 It really depends what sort of sound you're after. I like my bass with a filter (sometimes auto, sometimes with a pedal), a little drive, some kinda flanger (or filter) sweep & either a little slow chorus or loads of fast chorus. I want an octaver as well. My advice to anyone new to effects is get a multi fx pedal (zoom, line 6 & roland are all good starters). This way you'll find out what kind of fx you're going to use & don't end up spending money on things that you never use & bought just because it had a funny name or someone who plays a completely different style suggested it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 You can still be a purist with a VT bass - you're still going bass -> amp, just that your amp is a modeled one! I'm sure you could get a Boss or Zoom digital multi-fx for £100 second hand with all the basic effects. Once you know what specific effects work for you you can always shop around a bit more for standalone boxes (but for effects like delay and reverb, the multi-fx boxes may be more flexible anyway) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Jinx! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryTheBassMan Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='topo morto' post='1236738' date='May 19 2011, 10:41 AM']You can still be a purist with a VT bass - you're still going bass -> amp, just that your amp is a modeled one![/quote] Ah this is true I guess!! lol It just gives that little bit more drive than my amp can!! Yeah I have looked at and tried the multi effects modules but in my experience of playing with other people's gear they just sound a bit shoddy!! lol but probably a good idea to choose which effects I want to buy!! I hadn't thought about a octaver either!! That would make sence now we have lost a guitarist!! Maybe Ill seek out a second hand multi-effects I think my guitarist may have one of those korg ones but we could never figure out how to use the thing!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I always run 2 chorus pedals on my board. A bog standard boss for general use and a cheap PSK guitar chorus that only processes the signal from the upper register. This comes in handy if I'm playing chords and tapping the root notes. Other than that I'd maybe go with an Octaver and Wah. Maybe a decent synth too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='Mog' post='1236750' date='May 19 2011, 10:55 AM']I always run 2 chorus pedals on my board. A bog standard boss for general use and a cheap PSK guitar chorus that only processes the signal from the upper register. This comes in handy if I'm playing chords and tapping the root notes. Other than that I'd maybe go with an Octaver and Wah. Maybe a decent synth too.[/quote] This kind of hints at something else I was going to say too - good sounding effects chains for bass are often very simple (bass -> one effect -> amp), or quite complex - where you have some kind of parallel / split band processing going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burno70 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I'm in a 4-piece band and I can't recommend the Boss OC-2 highly enough. Its well respected round these parts and should only cost you around £40 from either here or Ebay. It will change your tone though - but only in a good way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='GaryTheBassMan' post='1236710' date='May 19 2011, 10:21 AM']generally cool pedals that don't over dominate my tone (I was thinking maybe delay or reverb? Im not sure)[/quote] All the cool pedals dominate ur tonez. Reverb is probably a bad idea, delays are nice in small doses but tricky to pull off live and you need tap tempo really to get them working well on bass. Filters and phasers sound funky/gutsy, choruses and flangers sound shimmery/lush/cheesy/'80s, fuzz will dominate ur tonez but often works so well it doesn't matter (if your guitarists aren't using a lot of distortion it's easier for the bass to use it without getting swamped in the mix), octavers are a neat-sounding effect but don't rely on them to 'thicken up' anything. Naturally your sound will become denser but it's more about the nature of the sound than the broadness of the bandwidth, it may or may not work in your band. Eh... Experiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 As someone that loves pedals.. I've gone in a full circle on this.. I even work in a 3 peice and don't use pedals for that and the audienace always comment on our 'big' sound.. make sure your natural bass sound is eq'ed well both on your bass, pre amp and amp. It's also helps if your gituarist and drummer can fill their shoes well and not by lots of riffs, just good sound.. Led Zep did ok live I personally thing you use a pedal if you want a different 'bass sound' rather than just fr the sake of FX.. I have a distortion (big muff), and a mirco sythn by EH.. and to be honest, I use them twice a year.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Experimentation is the key. What sounds the wick in your room might sound rubbish with the band. I personally feel that Reverb is too often overlooked as a bass effect. It can really smooth out transitions between notes during quiet passages and can really smooth out tapping and solo passages. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='Truckstop' post='1237058' date='May 19 2011, 04:24 PM']Experimentation is the key. What sounds the wick in your room might sound rubbish with the band. I personally feel that Reverb is too often overlooked as a bass effect. It can really smooth out transitions between notes during quiet passages and can really smooth out tapping and solo passages. Truckstop[/quote] I agree in the studio, but live I think technique is the key to smoothing out playing not reverb.. it's in the fingers and live can lead to lots of issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanOwens Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I think multi effects have come a long way since I first tried my guitarist's Zoom 505. Perhaps more importantly I have a better understanding of how to use effects. I have a Line 6 M13 as well as 2 boards of pedals and I suppose that (IMO) you have two paths. The former would be my choice: 1. Listen to examples of effects and decide what sounds you like. Buy a decent multiFX and work on finding those sounds on your own, then try and apply them in your band. This method has intention and process, in my mind these are the key to success 2. Buy a multiFX and make some sounds that you like, experimenting to find whether (for instance) a flanger, phaser or chorus is the sound you want. This method is more trial and error. Happy accidents can prove fruitful. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryTheBassMan Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 I got fairly big sound anyway as I just want to fill out the sound spectrum further. But I may just try out some of the weird more dominant effects as well just to mix things up a bit!! I think Im just gonna try to figure out the korg multi effects we have kicking around and see what I can do!! Im still thinking a reverb or delay could sound really cool with a few of my bass lines where I dont have accompaniment so I have arranged to steal my guitarists to try it out!! Defiantly gonna give a octave pedal a try out though!! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) [quote]I got fairly big sound anyway as I just want to fill out the sound spectrum further. But I may just try out some of the weird more dominant effects as well just to mix things up a bit!! I think Im just gonna try to figure out the korg multi effects we have kicking around and see what I can do!! Im still thinking a reverb or delay could sound really cool with a few of my bass lines where I dont have accompaniment so I have arranged to steal my guitarists to try it out!! Defiantly gonna give a octave pedal a try out though!! Cheers[/quote] i can thoroughly recommend the source audio bass envelope filter. loads of awesome sounds for not much cash. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l3hf0Aipz0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l3hf0Aipz0[/url] Edited May 19, 2011 by phil.i.stein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankai Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 GuitarGuitar are doing 3 for the price of 2 on all Boss stomp boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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