Calling all 'NERVE' fanatics and EFFECT ENTHUSIASTS alike... help please!

[Greg.Bassman]

Hi all. 'Live in Europe' and 'Live at Nublu' have definitely become some of my favourites from Nerve.

I'm intrigued to know how John is achieving the following effects; settings? How is he manipulating/controlling the effect?

I am already aware that he favours the Boss OC-2/Zvex Woolly Mammoth/Moog MF101 set-up. I'm trying to understand the science behind the sounds; how are the pedals working in conjunction to one another?

'Live in Europe' at 31:48? [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prOtgYuLC0E"]https://www.youtube....h?v=prOtgYuLC0E[/url]

'Live at Nublu' at 09:00? [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6kGbZuEp1M"]https://www.youtube....h?v=G6kGbZuEp1M[/url]

All feedback greatly accepted?

Edited November 24, 2015 by Greg.Bassman

[dannybuoy]

I think he runs the OC-2 into the Mammoth into the Moog... Even though in my experience the Mammoth sounds quite thin unless connected directly to passive pickups.

You want to use the same building blocks as a synthesiser basically, start off with your basic waveform (your bass), add octave(s) or other harmonies, then add filter and distortion. These basic units can be swapped around to run in different orders too.

You don't need to use exactly the same pedals as him to get those effects either. E.g. a ZVEX Mastotron, COG or Aguilar octave, and Source Audio Manta would be able to pull those sounds off plus far more besides!

He's JohnDavisNYC over on Talkbass, you could always ask him direct about anything specific!

[Byo]

I followed John Davis for a while as I was into Nerve and JoJo Mayer's drum chops.

As mentioned above, John and similar players' aproach is the modular synth path and create their "modules" by using pedals.

There is other great fuzzes around, I use a Brown Dog as it has various flavours and a nasty gate too, but in the past I used the CoPilot Fx Orbit with great success.

Rather than going for his sound, use what you have available but using the same aproach.

There are some videos on Youtube where his older setups can be seen, I believe that he used a Line6 M9 for some of the filtering stuff (great digital unit btw), and to control all his midi gear he used a Moog MP 201 controller that is no longer in production.

I would also add some modulation, tremolo and delay to my setups when playing electro/synth with my former band.

Edited November 25, 2015 by Byo

[xgsjx]

He's recently changed a lot of his stuff.
The moogs have all been replaced. He now has an eurorack for low & high pass (& bitcrushing too) & the MP201 has been replaced with a RJM Mastermind GT. The octaver he now uses is the Pearl Octaver.

I used to use an OC3 into a splitter, then into dirt, Moog LPF & then some fast chorus to give that DnB wobble. Sounded tremendous & sometimes I wish I still had my rig.
Like is said above, think of your bass as just a controller & tone generator & learn about modular synths.

Edited November 29, 2015 by xgsjx