Basic Funk Board, Advise Please!

[Higgins666]

*Advice

Hey all, now I'm normally a rock bass player, so I have a pretty damn good pedalboard aimed in that direction, but I'm also playing alot of funkier stuff now (after learning some Jamiroquai), so I'm wondering, what would be some interesting pedals to have on a pedal board for this style of music? Currently I'm thinking:

Korg Pitchblack -> Dunlop Bass Crybaby -> DOD fx52 (Classic Fuzz) -> Flanger

So, what other pedals are generally "stereotypical" for this style of music, or could give some interesting effects & sounds. Any advice is much appreciated.

[WashburnBasser]

Envelope filters. Lots of envelope filters.

[Kosko]

Envelope filters and compression.

That said, I don't really understand the difference between a flanger, an envelope filter, an auto-wah, phaser and a modulator.

[kenstee]

Phaser
Uni-Vibe

[kenstee]

Originally Posted by Kosko

Envelope filters and compression.

That said, I don't really understand the difference between a flanger, an envelope filter, an auto-wah, phaser and a modulator.

The Google search function is your friend!

I'll get you started...

http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/filter.shtml
http://www.noiseguide.com/

[cheapbasslovin]

Add an octaver for your funkified pleasure. I suggest a parallel looper, an octaver and an envelope filter, but that's how I roll with my funk. Your funk may roll differently.

[bassbmx]

For filthy, nasty, dirty funk on the cheap...

Boss OC-2 for octave
DOD FX-25 for filter
Boss LMB-3 for compressor/limiter
Digitech Bass Synth Wah for synth

Joe

[Kwesi]

My board (and I use the term loosely because as of right now it only consists of 2 pedals, three if you include the looper) i primarily geared towards funk and later on electronic music. Right now here's the line-up:

EHX Bass Micro Synth
MXR288 Bass Octave Deluxe
3Leaf Groove Regulator (on the way)
Boss RC-20XL (not really part of the board though)

I plan on getting a Source Audio Multiwave Bass Distortion (Pro?) and a Subdecay Prometheus. When I think funk I think "wet" and so far my planned board is drippin. If I had to simplify it down to 3 pedals it would be an envelope filter, octaver, and synth. Some might swap the synth for a fuzz but I think it's easier to get cool fuzz sounds with a synth than the other way around.

[babyjo]

Flatwound strings are a good place to start. Here is my funk rig: Lots of envelope filters. My board has a DigiTech Bass Synth Wah, A EH Micro Q-Tron, A HAZ Mu-Tron, A Modded DOD FX-25B, A Malekko Chicklet Reverb (for when I play baritone) A modded Big Muff Pi (for analog synth sounds) I run a bunch of envelope filters before the fuzz pedal and one after the fuzz pedal. I also have a chrome Dunlop 535 wah pedal which has several switchable wah sounds and a 5dB boost. I power everything with a Godlyke Power-All and I play through an 8x10 GK Goldline cab with a vintage (1976) GK 400b head. I find the ten inch speakers to be better for funk than 15 inch speakers. I only rock 15s when I'm playing 5 string. I usually play my 1981 G and L L2000e or my 1997 Ernie Ball Stingray. Sometimes I bust out the T-40 since passive electronics, in some settings work better with envelope filters. I swear by bass guitars with humbucking pickups. I have never used a compressor and I have never had a reason to get one but most of my friends use them. If you get a compressor, don't put it before an envelope filter in your signal chain since it will render the filter virtually useless. Compressors are largely for people who lack subtlety, like for example guitar players! I play everything from Jackson 5 and Sly and the Family Stone to Parliament Funkadelic and 80s David Bowie with this setup. I hope this helps.

[SirBlend12]

Compressor
Filter
Synth
Octave
Light Fuzz
OD?
Phaser

I'd recommend simplicity, err, for the most part...

Good bass comp (whatever you like best)
BassBalls, Q Tron, Subdecay Prometheus (whatever you like best, what style filter you want)
EHX Bass MicroSynth
Micro POG
FF/Muff of some variety (whether you want a little fuzz or a wall of BOOM)
Crank your amp/DI box/any bass drive
MXR Phase 90/ Small Stone


Hope that's helpful, except for the parts that were vague!

[mitchellprice]

MXR BOD
groove regulator or Q-tron
boss bass limiter
and a light od

and ofcorse always tuner

[carlos840]

this

[stjohn1299]

I'm in the exact same position as the OP. I've played rock for years, but started getting into funk because of Jamiroquai.

My question for everyone is about a compressor. From my guitar playing days, I have a MXR Reissue of the Script Dyna Comp that came out a year or so ago. Has anyone used this in conjunction with a filter and liked the sound, or is it too squishy? I also have the reissue script Phase 90, which sounds really good with bass, so that's at least ONE pedal I don't have to buy!

[Jared Lash]

You can obviously play funk without a single effect, but if I was making a list of the effects I'd want on a funk board it would look like this (in order of importance IMO):

Envelope filter
Octaver
Synth
Phaser
Fuzz
Wah
Delay

And of course there's no reason you can't use overdrive, tremolo or even a ring mod to play funk if it sounds good, but that's my list.

My mini-board for the last funk jam I went to was octaver (Boss OC-2), Fuzz (Chunk Brown Dog), Filter (Chunk 00Funk), and phaser (T.C. Electronics XII B/K Phaser)

Since I still had my Deep Impact at that point I would have liked to have grabbed it too, but I was just grabbing pedals to go and I always babied that one.

Anyway, hope that helps.

[Higgie]

OC-2
Fuzz
Subdecay Prometheus
Phaser
Maybe a compressor, depends on your technique or the sound you're going for. If you want a super-squashed noticeable effect get an Orange Squeezer clone that's been optimized for Bass. Something less noticeable and transparent I'd recommend the Demeter Compulator!