Best Octave Pedal to Get Low B up to E- on a Four String Bass

[tedw]

I'm new to octave effects and would appreciate some input.

I prefer four string basses but occasionally need to play lower notes (B up to E-). I went to a bass clinic with a pro this weekend and he suggested using the octave effect to get the lower notes. He demonstrated it, and I seems like a pretty slick idea.

Based on your experience, I'm interested in learning what octave pedeals you feel would work best for this application.

Thanks,

Ted

[RickenBoogie]

The best sounding octave down fx, imo, are all analog. However, none of these will track well below a normal low A. So, you'll need a digital octaver, like a Micro POG to do what you want.

[Lemon Of Troy]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

The best sounding octave down fx, imo, are all analog. However, none of these will track well below a normal low A. So, you'll need a digital octaver, like a Micro POG to do what you want.

Agreed. I couldn't stand the sound of the POG, though.

The Aguilar Octamizer and MXR Bass Octave sound much better, but like Boogie said, they don't track well on the bottom strings. But I find that with my Octamizer, if I play the E/B higher on the neck it does fine. Especally if you don't need to hold the notes.

[HaVIC5]

I think what OP meant was low B up to Eb, the pitches afforded by a 5-string. In this case, most octavers will do just fine. Analog octavers would be a little glitchier, but almost all of them will handle a B, in my experience.

[JonnyAngle]

Line 6 m5

[topo morto]

Do you need the G-string? have you considered going BEAD?

[yaksonator]

Octron by foxrox.

[tedw]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

I think what OP meant was low B up to Eb, the pitches afforded by a 5-string. In this case, most octavers will do just fine. Analog octavers would be a little glitchier, but almost all of them will handle a B, in my experience.

Thanks HaVIC5, you interpreted my question correctly. Sorry for my lack of clarity.

I stumbled into an EH Micro Pog and actually like the effect, but the lower notes (B to E- on the A string) sound too effected (like an organ) to me.

So I'm very open to other ideas. I've heard some good things about the Aguilar unit as well as the Boss OC3.

I appreciate any and all ideas.

[tedw]

Originally Posted by topo morto

Do you need the G-string? have you considered going BEAD?

Thanks for the suggestion. I do use all four strings and need to drop down the lower notes afforded by the B string only occassionally.

So I can see how BEAD could help, but I think it would create a different problem for me...

[chatterbox272]

Originally Posted by tedw

Thanks for the suggestion. I do use all four strings and need to drop down the lower notes afforded by the B string only occassionally.

So I can see how BEAD could help, but I think it would create a different problem for me...

But you could still play just about anything from regular tuning, it would just need to be shifted up 5 frets. so unless you're playing those top notes on the G, BEAD will definitely give the best sound.

[krstko]

Another pedal you should check out is EBS Octabass. Tracks well (even below A) and it produces a awsome fat analoge tone. Also it's built like a tank, looks like it will work for ever

[willbassyeah]

+1 on mxr BOD and octamizer, both are very different sounding though, and i think octamizer sounds better when the octave is solo-ed without the clean sound blended in.

[topo morto]

Originally Posted by chatterbox272

But you could still play just about anything from regular tuning, it would just need to be shifted up 5 frets. so unless you're playing those top notes on the G, BEAD will definitely give the best sound.

Yeah BEAD is a big change, but as you say, not generally because you don't have the notes available.

You do tend to find yourself playing higher up the neck, so it somewhat depends if you like that sound. On the other hand, it can be a lot easier playing where the fret spacing is a bit narrower! As you can tell I am a BEAD fan, think it should be the 'standard' four string tuning!

Back to octavers... as others have said, the octavers currently available either have some tracking issues, or are essentially just pitch shifters and will sound a bit organ-y. Also, there's always going to be a slight delay.

You do tend to find that performance of octavers is very dependent on the particular instrument, your playing style, etc, so if you try a few you might find one that works well for you.

[sillyfabe]

As stated before it depends on how you want it to produce said octave...

Organic? Synthy? Monophonic? Polyphonic? Able to blend in your own signal? Analog? Digital? Size? Age?

A good starter for an analog octaver is the Boss OC-2. It's monophonic (as are ALL analog octavers) and is really a FAT octaver. I own this and use it along with the synth mod.

Looking for a more organic tone? Look at the Aguilar Octamizer. Sounds true to your tone but can also get really deep. I've borrowed it but prefer the synthy nature of the OC-2.

A good polyphonic octaver will always be digital and depending on which model you get there will be some....digital-ness to it. BUT with that said a really good one has tone control/filter/freq controls that really can shape its sound.

A good start is the EHX micro POG which has orig,+1 and -1 OCT blend able in anyway you want. Of course it is nowhere near as FAT as the OC-2 but its polyphonic nature means it can handle just about anything.

[bomber moran]

any of the line 6 M series, using the pitchglide effect set to -5. it will detune your EADG to BEAD in one stomp.

[tedw]

Originally Posted by topo morto

Yeah BEAD is a big change, but as you say, not generally because you don't have the notes available.

You do tend to find yourself playing higher up the neck, so it somewhat depends if you like that sound. On the other hand, it can be a lot easier playing where the fret spacing is a bit narrower! As you can tell I am a BEAD fan, think it should be the 'standard' four string tuning!

Back to octavers... as others have said, the octavers currently available either have some tracking issues, or are essentially just pitch shifters and will sound a bit organ-y. Also, there's always going to be a slight delay.

You do tend to find that performance of octavers is very dependent on the particular instrument, your playing style, etc, so if you try a few you might find one that works well for you.

Thanks, Topo Morto. You make good arguments for BEAD. The thin is, I never cared for the sound of a B string above the 5th fret and I've had some pretty good 35" and 34" scale 5ers. Other than that, BEAD makes a lot of sense to me.

I'm getting the point that I'm going to have to try several of the octavers before I find the right one(s) for my basses. Currently, I play a Rob Allen Mouse (30" scale four string) and 34" 4-string P (I'm not mentioning my two 5ers here since I'm inclined to move away from them). So maybe I'll need two octavers.

[Gadgetjunky]

Originally Posted by bomber moran

any of the line 6 M series, using the pitchglide effect set to -5. it will detune your EADG to BEAD in one stomp.

Yep, great detuner.

[tedw]

Originally Posted by sillyfabe

As stated before it depends on how you want it to produce said octave...

Organic? Synthy? Monophonic? Polyphonic? Able to blend in your own signal? Analog? Digital? Size? Age?

A good starter for an analog octaver is the Boss OC-2. It's monophonic (as are ALL analog octavers) and is really a FAT octaver. I own this and use it along with the synth mod.

Looking for a more organic tone? Look at the Aguilar Octamizer. Sounds true to your tone but can also get really deep. I've borrowed it but prefer the synthy nature of the OC-2.

A good polyphonic octaver will always be digital and depending on which model you get there will be some....digital-ness to it. BUT with that said a really good one has tone control/filter/freq controls that really can shape its sound.

A good start is the EHX micro POG which has orig,+1 and -1 OCT blend able in anyway you want. Of course it is nowhere near as FAT as the OC-2 but its polyphonic nature means it can handle just about anything.

Thanks, Sillyfabe.

My objective is to find an octaver that sounds like my bass, and is especially good at dropping B to E- on the A string by one octave (thereby allowing me to play a 4 string only while stilling being able to occaissionally access the extra low notes available on a 5 string).

I got my hands on a Micro Pog and I really like the artistic options that it gives me in all ranges. But the organy feel is too much for me on the lower notes. Yet, it may work for me considering that (1) I don't need to play the extra low notes all that much (2) tonal differences between my clean tone and the Micro Pog may not be all that noticable in the mix when I engage the lower notes on the Micro Pog and (3) it just sounds cool in the upper registers.

I'm in an exploratory phase, so I'm getting a very clear message from the posters that I should try a serveral octavers.

Thanks for your help.

Ted

[sunbeast]

You won't find any analog octavers that actually reproduce the tone of your instrument faithfully due to how they work- you can EQ out the harmonics of your bass to sound more like the octaver signal, but not vice-versa. The closest I have heard is the MXR BOD, as it has a built-in mid-boost for the clean signal that can be dialed in to sound like it is part of the harmonics of the octave rather than a seperate signal. The one I had didn't have the greatest tracking though, and any analog octaver will come with a learning curve to play it without glitches. Digital pitch-shifters can get closer (the POG series are all pitch-shifters), but all of them I've ever heard have their own weaknesses (ie- that organ-like synthesized sound of the POG).

I agree that the Micro Pog will likely not be very noticeably different than your bass in a mix (especially in the lower registers where the harmonics usually aren't as clear anyway), and they track pretty well as long as you aren't playing super fast (at least I recall mine having a noticeable little delay in tracking when playing fast).

[tedw]

Thanks, Sunbeast.

After all, it's what's happening in the mix that really matters, right?

Exploring pedal effects is a whole new world to me, and I'm not sure where it will take me. We'll see how the Micro Pog does the next time I play at our church.