paddy109 Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 I’m fairly new to playing with pedals in a band setting. My pedals sound great when setting up solo but seem to get lost in the band. Any advice and tips for getting the fuzz and distortion to cut through the mix? Paddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 What other gear are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 Fuzz can do that - keep as much clean low end as possible and blend the fuzz on top if you are mixed with other instruments-if you are solo - be as fuzzy as you want. Clean low end can be achieved depending on the pedal or splitting your signal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted August 27, 2020 Author Share Posted August 27, 2020 13 minutes ago, paul_5 said: What other gear are you using? Sterling stingray - Terror - Barefaced Compact Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Does your fuzz pedal have a "Mix" control, so you can blend the clean & dirty signal? If it does, great, put more clean signal through. If not, then maybe look at finding a fuzz pedal that has that ability. Unfortunately, any distortion pedal robs the low end from your signal, so although it will sound cool in isolation, in a band mix, there will be no distinct "bass". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 11 minutes ago, Skybone said: Does your fuzz pedal have a "Mix" control, so you can blend the clean & dirty signal? If it does, great, put more clean signal through. If not, then maybe look at finding a fuzz pedal that has that ability. Unfortunately, any distortion pedal robs the low end from your signal, so although it will sound cool in isolation, in a band mix, there will be no distinct "bass". Agree with most things, but not every distortion does - some have a cross over keeping the low end, but what you say holds water and finding a pedal that blends clean in, or one that keeps it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 The Bass Terror has a valve pre-amp so you're already getting much of the 'overdriven valve' snarl that I imagine you're looking for. Rather than using a fuzz pedal, why not just re-balance the controls ... more Gain / less Volume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 (edited) 45 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: The Bass Terror has a valve pre-amp so you're already getting much of the 'overdriven valve' snarl that I imagine you're looking for. Rather than using a fuzz pedal, why not just re-balance the controls ... more Gain / less Volume? This^^^^^ plus as a fellow owner of a Terror head I would have a look at the EQ settings. They are a bit weird on the terror heads and I find I have to roll off the bass to next to nothing and really boost the mids and treble. That really helps cut through but won’t sound as good when playing solo. I also revalved the head for a punchier sound, cheap and dead easy to do. Edited August 28, 2020 by T-Bay Damn autocorrect! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 More mids. If the pedal doesn't have a blend then the Boss LS-2 can be a life saver. Put the drive into one of the loops on the LS-2 and leave the other one unconnected. Then you can blend clean with it. Overdrive sounds are naturally compressed and the clean sound may decay at a faster rate than the drive. Often a good idea to compress the clean just enough so the decay on a note is about the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 1 minute ago, T-Bay said: I also revolved the head for a punchier sound, cheap and dead easy to do. Amusing as that image is (and it's now in my head) I'm going to call TYPO and suggest that should read 're-valved'. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Blimey ... nine years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 1 minute ago, Happy Jack said: Amusing as that image is (and it's now in my head) I'm going to call TYPO and suggest that should read 're-valved'. Damn the auto correct 😂 Yes you are right, I will change it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 The drive on the Terror is pretty mushy, I only have it set to very mild settings. It can't replicate what a lot of distortion/fuzz pedals can do. I haven't tried the revised preamp on the new OTBs, but on the original, flat EQ according to BassGearMag who measured it, is achieved with bass/treble at minimum and mids at maximum. Sounds odd, but it's common with passive tonestacks. So don't be afraid to whck the mids up and the bass down! There are plenty of pedals that don't need a blend to retain lows. Many even boost lows, like the Sovtek Muff reissue, SolidgoldFX Beta and IdiotBox Blower Box. But if the issue is not low end but cutting through the mix, adding clean blend might make you cut through even less! A Big Muff for example can sound really distorted soloed, but mix it with the band and it just sounds like bass with mega sustain! I don't know what pedals you're using but I like various Tech21 pedals like the VTDI / YYZ / DP3X that have really agressive upper midrange to cut through. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted August 29, 2020 Author Share Posted August 29, 2020 Thanks all - lots of good suggestions. I will apply some of these next week at band practice. I am very happy with how my tone without pedals but some of our songs would be enhanced by a bit of something different. Paddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, paddy109 said: Thanks all - lots of good suggestions. I will apply some of these next week at band practice. I am very happy with how my tone without pedals but some of our songs would be enhanced by a bit of something different. Paddy. Def worth trying to eq the pedal a bit while playing, sadly some sounds that are great In a band sound pretty awful in isolation! What fuzz do you have? Edited August 29, 2020 by 0175westwood29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted August 29, 2020 Author Share Posted August 29, 2020 I briefly used a Little Bear BS1 and just bought a Cusack Screamer Fuzz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 4 hours ago, paddy109 said: I briefly used a Little Bear BS1 and just bought a Cusack Screamer Fuzz. That fuzz looks cool man! id just try it is before worrying about blenders i must admit to liking having a fuzz that changes the position i sit in the mix, but i can take alot of time finding a fuzz that works with your set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StickyDBRmf Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 (edited) I swear - I have said this before - the guitarist I played with called it the "Make our ears bleed" sound - a Morley Wah AFTER a Big Muff. With a Morley you can effectively "cut" thru a mix by tuning in the frequency. Guaranteed to make tipsy females throw-up (I've seen it) and one girl told me after the set she almost lost her bowels. Edited: I had pedals backwards Edited September 3, 2020 by StickyDBRmf I had it backwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cLepto-bass Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 On 28/08/2020 at 09:25, fretmeister said: ... Put the drive into one of the loops on the LS-2 and leave the other one unconnected. Then you can blend clean with it... Been doing this for years even with distortion/overdrive pedals with dedicated blend control. Great option assuming you got pedal board space. Also, having an LS2 in your arsenal is well worth it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 Or KMA audio machines The Tyler 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 I find that sometimes you just have to play around with the knobs to find a sound that really works in the situation. It might not be as nice as your solo sound, but it will sound better in context. I used to do the LS2 blend thing, but it got to to the point where I prefer to not have the clean signal blended in (and I didn't want to carry an extra pedal). Even if the pedal has a blend control, I have the dry signal pretty low or off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McFly Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 I’ve found that a preamp like the SansAmp BDDI V2 that I have enhances fuzzes and distortions put before it. It gives them more body and punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 Thanks for all your thoughts. I had band practice last night and started with the Terror eq and then onto effects whilst fiddling as much as I could. The effects are def cutting through more and I will get used to a new clean sound. Only one of the two guitarist made last night so next week will be the real test. Paddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 (edited) - Edited March 8, 2022 by Jus Lukin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salt on your Bass? Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 IMO, Definitely tweak as much as you can at rehearsal - try and get the band on board to do this as it's about the music as much as individuals. I've had a few sessions with my guitarist and drummer focusing on the right band sound for a section, and how my fuzz tone works with our guitarists lead/ fuzz/ driven tones so it all stacks together (often telling the guitarist to get out of my EQ space XD) At the moment, I dont use a clean blend, I've just found a pedal I like that works with my amp and my band, but gain structuring is definitely worth spending time thinking about as well. I keep getting drawn to the Tyler or the Ouroboros though..... 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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