So what effect do I need?

[radiophonic]

There's a song in our set for which I can hear how the bass should sound, but I can't achieve that sound. What I'm after is a long sustaining almost Hammond like sound, so if I hit a low note or maybe a double stop, it will sustain over a 4 beat bar and carry enough low end to be a convincing bass line. I only want it for an intro and a mid section, so I need to be able to switch it in and out easily. Normally, we have a keyboard to do this sort of thing, but the KB player is playing a violin solo over this bit. I can't engineer it with the effects I have and I suspect I need something like an Ocatver (maybe?) or a Synth pedal, but I have no idea. II have a fuzz if more dirt were needed and I have a delay but that makes everything too indistinct - it needs to be a real on/off type thing. I saw a demo for a POG and that might be the right kind of thing, but they are expensive and I don't need a tonne of options and I probably won't use it that often either. Any advice? Feel free to link to youtube and I can try and narrow things down a bit.

[Thunderbird]

Would this be of any use?

http://www.ehx.com/products/b9

[dannybuoy]

That's the one! There's also the C9, but I preferred the B9. This reminds me I have lent mine to a friend and need to get it back!

[BigRedX]

Buy a keyboard synth

[radiophonic]

and a C9[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1491205016' post='3271107']
Would this be of any use?

[url="http://www.ehx.com/products/b9"]http://www.ehx.com/products/b9[/url]
[/quote]

That looked promising, but EHX state on their that it isn't a talent booster, alas. Seriously though, the demos I've heard have been a bit patchy - and it won't reliably track below C. C9 might be better as it has a 'Prog organ' - which is kind of what I want I think (like VDGG 'theme 1'). I'd imagine I'd need to add some fuzz too.The Mel 9 looks cool though - not sure I'f ever use it other than trying to imitate the choir on Firth of Fifth. Most of the demos are for guitar unfortunately. Pretty close though.

[Thunderbird]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1491206673' post='3271122']
and a C9

That looked promising, but EHX state on their that it isn't a talent booster, alas. Seriously though, the demos I've heard have been a bit patchy - and it won't reliably track below C. C9 might be better as it has a 'Prog organ' - which is kind of what I want I think (like VDGG 'theme 1'). I'd imagine I'd need to add some fuzz too.The Mel 9 looks cool though - not sure I'f ever use it other than trying to imitate the choir on Firth of Fifth. Most of the demos are for guitar unfortunately. Pretty close though.
[/quote]I have never tried one but they seem well regarded on bass I can't really think of anything else but I am no effect guru

[radiophonic]

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1491207726' post='3271133']
I have never tried one but they seem well regarded on bass I can't really think of anything else but I am no effect guru
[/quote]

I've found a demo of the Mel 9 on bass that sounds really promising. Not what I'd originally imagined. but both the Orchestra and Cello sounds would work like a charm I think. The choir tapes wouldn't be too useable though! They all cost about 200 sheets so if PMT are stocking them, I'll try and have a play. all three would have a fair amount I'd never use plus one or two things I would, probably.

[Dood]

Can your keyboard player do 'splits' on his deck? Most modern keyboards are capable of setting up to do a note hold on one split whilst soloing elsewhere. Could be a possibility?

[radiophonic]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1491208407' post='3271141']
Can your keyboard player do 'splits' on his deck? Most modern keyboards are capable of setting up to do a note hold on one split whilst soloing elsewhere. Could be a possibility?
[/quote]

She's playing an actual violin at the time, so no! I don't want to go the KB route for myself either since we already have so much gear and I'd need to be able to swap sounds over a single beat. I think the Mel 9 might do the job. A bit pricey though for limited use.

[Dood]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1491209249' post='3271149']
She's playing an actual violin at the time, so no! ....
[/quote]

Ah ha ha ha! Sorry! I assumed it were a violin part on the keyboard! - Ooops, more coffee needed here!

[radiophonic]

Does anyone have a Mel 9? Sounds like the tracking below C is iffy, but the orchestral setting adds an octave down, so it might not be an issue. Double stop on A/D strings at 7th/9th fret would add bottom E and B below C, so plenty of bass power in theory.

[Westenra]

EHX freeze...?

[ben4343]

Can you not just wander over to the keyboard and play the notes required? Once at a practice as a joke I started playing a synth with my right hand with my fretting hand just doing hammer ons for the bass line. Sounded awful to begin with, but after about 5 minutes practice it worked fine!

If you were planning on doing this drone note on your bass, maybe you don't even need to multitask as there isn't another bass guitar part anyway; just take over the keys for the 4 bars!

[radiophonic]

[quote name='ben4343' timestamp='1491220788' post='3271279']
Can you not just wander over to the keyboard and play the notes required? Once at a practice as a joke I started playing a synth with my right hand with my fretting hand just doing hammer ons for the bass line. Sounded awful to begin with, but after about 5 minutes practice it worked fine!

If you were planning on doing this drone note on your bass, maybe you don't even need to multitask as there isn't another bass guitar part anyway; just take over the keys for the 4 bars!
[/quote]

Not easily. see pic of a soundcheck (so best possible circumstances - no stray cables and nothing had been knocked over yet!). I'm usually extreme left, this was about my second gig with them so we were still working it out. Keys are extreme right. I'd need to climb over two pedal boards plus a Cajon and it's player plus the Khol he's playing there and get past the singer. Everyone will be going full tilt at this point. The 4 bar part is played 9 times during the intro and another 4 times during the middle of the song... I think a pedal would be easier! Especially as I go straight into 2 bars of harmonics played through a delay pedal (I forgot about that bit).

[ben4343]

I thought I was being too obvious...

[wulf]

I'm a bit late to the party on this one but recently got an EHX B9, which I'm loving. It can get some very convincing organ tones and, although tracking isn't perfect all the way to the lowest notes, you can play a bit higher without losing low end as most of the settings include an octave or two below the original sound. Once you give it an input from a bit higher in the bass range, it can cope very well both with single notes and chords.

Aside from messing around at home with extreme settings, my main practical use so far has been at church. By blending in plenty of the original bass sound and a more subtle dose of one of the organs (typically jazz or gospel settings rather than the cathedral one) it fills out the sound and creates the illusion of an extra musician in the group but without drawing too much attention to the fact. Obviously some gig settings call for a bit more showing off but it has definitely been a worthwhile addition. I had previously messed around with combinations of synth, octave and other things on my Zoom B3 but the B9 is above and beyond anything I managed to achieve on the multi-fx for allowing me to 'double' on keys.

Wulf

[jposega]

You need to sustain one note?

EHX Freeze will do that.

The 9 series pedals reportedly don’t sounds good on bass if you’re playing lower than an A. And they won’t add sustain.

[radiophonic]

I did decide that the Freeze was probably the answer, but too pricey for a one trick pony. Does anything else do this effect?  It looks like EHX are the only ones to really pull it off - I've not heard anything else as smooth.  I tried the Mel 9 etc, but didn't like the tracking.  In the end I've just cranked the compressor so it acts like a sustainer.  I can add Sub 'n' Up to get it more keyboardy if needed. Still interested in the Freeze though, even though I'm not 100% sure what I'd use it for. 'm going to need a bigger board at this rate.

[irvined]

Hi,

I use a Zcat hold pedal:

http://www.zcatpedals.com/?dir=view&id=hold

I've modified mine so that I can use an expression pedal on the  sustained note to be able to fade it in and out.

Tracks really well.

 

Regards,

 

Doug

[Quatschmacher]

What about a set of keyboard bass pedals hooked up to whatever patch you want to play? It’d be easy for you or the violinist to hold down that note for as long as required.  

[Sibob]

Play the keyboardists keyboard for the mid section and outro?

Si

[wulf]

On 16/11/2017 at 01:04, jposega said:

The 9 series pedals reportedly don’t sounds good on bass if you’re playing lower than an A. And they won’t add sustain.

They (at least the B9) can get a bit warbly trying to follow lower notes but it doesn't stick out too much if you are playing a chord. The simple answer to that is to play a bit higher up and let the built in octave drop take care of the low end. Blending with the original signal is another approach to helps cover tracking deficiencies at the lower end.

They do (same B9 caveat) add plenty of sustain. Hit a note or chord and hear it go on... and on... and on... (etc). Eventually the tone of the sustained note begins to change - it isn't in quite the same ballpark as what freeze pedals seem to offer - but there is definitely sustain that goes well beyond what you'd get from the un-effected bass.

Wulf