Filling out the sound with no rhythm guitar

[12stringbassist]

The answer is a decently balanced mix, with the bass level matching up with the guitar for rhythm and the guitar not leaping out to an overly silly degree on solos.

[Bluewine]

12 hours ago, prowla said:

Some bands use synth bass pedals to add things; you can do strings, choir, orchestral sounds and suchlike.

An octave pedal like a Mosaic can do things too.

You can run the sounds to separate amps or the PA to make them distinct.

And they don't have to be on all the time; they can even just add points of interest during songs.

Rush are probably the best example of that approach.

 

Alternatively don't overthink it and just be a 3-piece.

Budgie are a good example of that (and are not dissimilar to Rush when you listen).

Robin Trower's work (Bridge Of Sighs & Long Misty Days) doesn't sound empty.

 

I think allot of guys in trios are faced with this issue. When trios work it's fantastic when it doesn't it's a train wreck. 

 

We have two guitarists so it's not an issue for me. However,  for certain songs I will engage my MXR Bass Octave pedal to fill out the sound.

 

Daryl

[Al Krow]

On 14/01/2025 at 21:41, Bluewine said:

We have two guitarists so it's not an issue for me. However,  for certain songs I will engage my MXR Bass Octave pedal to fill out the sound.

 

Agreed - a judicious use of an octaver can add definitely add something to the basslines of some songs for filling them out (and some of the original tracks e.g. MJ's Billie Jean did exactly that). 

 

On 11/01/2025 at 13:02, chris_b said:

Guys, stop racking your brains for ways to thicken up your sound in a solo. If the bass sounds thin in a solo then it'll sound thin for the rest of the song, and that's bad. Get a tone that works for the whole song, from the intro to the coda.

If you think you have to fill in all the "holes" you're thinking is wrong. When a solo starts you stay locked with the drummer. Whatever the lead instruments are doing is irrelevant to you, and if they are having sound problems it's not your job to fill in. You can't anyway, you're on the wrong instrument.

A good solo is about dynamics so many guitarists will drop out for a bar or two at the start. The solo will then build. If the bass or drums start filling in the gaps there are no dynamics and the whole section is a mess. If your bass line is good for the verse  then it's good for the solo.

 

Out of interest Chris do you use any pedals for tone shaping/EQ/compression etc or are you a purely bass --> amp & cab bass player?