Best use of blend with distortion

the low one · #1 03-12-2010, 10:07 AM

I've got the MXR M80 and when I first started using the distortion I tended to keep lots of clean channel in and crank the gain but now I'm starting to think that's not the best way to do it. I think the distortion cuts through nicely and just sits better in mix with the blend a bit higher, say about 12:00 (50/50 mix) and lower the gain to about 10:00.

What do you think about blending distortion with clean tone? For those who have the capability to run 2 rigs, 1 clean and 1 dirty does that automatically give you a 50/50 mix between them?

bongomania · #2 03-12-2010, 10:13 AM

There is no "best". There's only what sounds good to you, with your specific rig. Having two identical rigs, set with the exact same EQ and levels, would automatically give you a 50/50 mix. If one amp is different from the other, the mix will probably not be 50/50. But who's to say 50/50 is the right mix? It's all subjective.

BassBrass · #3 03-12-2010, 10:18 AM

I think that for fuzz it's necessary, but not so much for overdrive (If you have a bass friendly overdrive) My pedal board ends with Blowtorch at 1/2 blend that can add a midrange buzz to overdrives or a Attack Goat at 2/3 clean, full midrange, low drive that adds another octave UP harmonic to any other distortion or overdrive, it's my treble add-er. Without blend this wouldn't be possible. (They sound great by themselves too, but I'd use more fuzz in the Attack Goat blend when it's alone). I've never considered hauling another amp around to be too productive, and it isn't necessary anymore; there must be a dozen fuzzes for bass with blends, not to mention blend pedals.

the low one · #4 03-12-2010, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

There is no "best". There's only what sounds good to you, with your specific rig. Having two identical rigs, set with the exact same EQ and levels, would automatically give you a 50/50 mix. If one amp is different from the other, the mix will probably not be 50/50. But who's to say 50/50 is the right mix? It's all subjective.

Fair point, you’re right, there is no “best” way, I should have said “preferred”

warwick.hoy · #5 03-12-2010, 04:55 PM

I've been experimenting with the blending my fuzzes with my clean tone via an LS-2. I have to redo the signal chain because I want loop B open for clean blend. Right now I have a gated fuzz in loop A and a Muff derivative in loop B and for some reason,...with the the Muff off and trying to blend in a clean tone on the gated fuzz,...it's very clanky and abrasive (not in a good way). Basically I'm not get everything I can out of the LS-2. What I need to do is put both fuzzes in the same loop.

It's also got me thinking that I should put flatwounds on my bass.

Anyway,...sorry for the derail but I guess my point is that when blending you really have to nail your clean tone so you can have a good foundation for stacking distortion and fuzzes on top of.

lowfreq33 · #6 03-12-2010, 05:07 PM

I'm not really crazy about the distortion on the m-80. To me it's a little too fizzy to use at higher gains, and doesn't blend too well with the clean tone at those settings.

But I only have active basses, it might sound better with pazzive electronics.

I use mine for a lower gain "touch o' grit" with the blend at about 60% clean.

theunknowndude · #7 03-12-2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the low one

I've got the MXR M80 and when I first started using the distortion I tended to keep lots of clean channel in and crank the gain but now I'm starting to think that's not the best way to do it. I think the distortion cuts through nicely and just sits better in mix with the blend a bit higher, say about 12:00 (50/50 mix) and lower the gain to about 10:00.

What do you think about blending distortion with clean tone? For those who have the capability to run 2 rigs, 1 clean and 1 dirty does that automatically give you a 50/50 mix between them?

my preferred option is through my pedalboard having overdrive as just overdrive in the chain,... this then goes into LS2 with devi ever hyperion in one loop so I can blend either:
dry with fuzz
OR
OD with fuzz...

the OD has unity gain, the actual knobs for volume on the LS2 are sitting on 12 o'clock each but the hyperion has a slightly reduced volume on the actual pedal (as its quite an overpoering volume knob)

I generally use it as a 'stand out in the mix more' option as its slightly louder than unity but works well with the songs I use it for... out of all of the dirt pedals I have used and the few combinations I have tried blended, nothing has worked for my ears as much as the current combination