Cover band and multiple sounds

k2aggie07 · #1 11-03-2011, 08:54 PM

I play in a cover band that does 90s rock. I really need to be able to get multiple "types" of distortion at different points in my set (think: Nirvana - Breed vs Pearl Jam - Alive). What's the typical setup to do this? Multiple fuzz pedals and just use different ones at different times?

Also, what would be able to mimic a sound like this?
Interstate love song bass only Such a lovely sound.

Thanks.

stiles72 · #2 11-03-2011, 08:59 PM

Most guys I know (including myself) don't use any distortion in cover / bar bands because 9 times out of 10, you'll step on your pedal and the low end "bass" feel just disapears leaving people at the bar including the soundman to say "Where'd the bass go???"

k2aggie07 · #3 11-03-2011, 09:01 PM

What do you do for something like Breed that just -needs- that fuzz?

Breed

DeltaPhoenix · #4 11-03-2011, 09:02 PM

I think you are posting in the wrong forum stiles...Anyways tons of options that leave the bottom end. What type of other gear are you using? If you have an Ampeg SVT then a tech 21 vt isn't a good choice, etc.

k2aggie07 · #5 11-03-2011, 09:06 PM

Right that would help. I've got an Ashdown ABM 500 210 with a 115. I use a Fender P bass for drop tuned stuff and a Schecter Model T as my main.

Current pedal train is just Boss CEB with Boss ODB3 and a tuner.

I like the Boss ODB 3 and I feel like I can get nearly everything I want out of it, but I can't stop to change dials all the time. I'd love to be able to get a sound out of my setup like Robert DeLeo has in that recording - for that now I use the tube preamp on the head and set the ODB3 to full OD, zero gain. It's decent, but not perfect.

Edit - Here's a quick recording we did with the ODB3 set full OD zero gain. Interstate Love Song Cover
And here's Breed, with lots and lots of fuzz (probably too much). Breed Cover
That's basically the spectrum I want to capture.

lowfreq33 · #6 11-03-2011, 09:15 PM

There was a Bass Player interview years ago where DeLeo talked about his tone and gear on each record, but I can't find it online. I remember him mentioning how the bass soloed on that album sounded horrible, but fit perfectly in the mix. I guess that's confirmed now.

bassplayerbob · #7 11-03-2011, 09:15 PM

If you like the tone from the boss pedal why not grab a couple of used ones and set them for the certain songs you will use them for? Or maybe a multi fx pedal and program some patches for each song?

lowfreq33 · #8 11-03-2011, 09:16 PM

First thing I'd suggest is try the Way Huge Pork Loin and Green Rhino. Plenty of low end on both.

DeltaPhoenix · #9 11-03-2011, 09:17 PM

For the grungier stuff I would say Full Custom Musicc Barnacle Fuzz (new $150). Also check out Bassfuzz.com that is a good resource.

Waterpilot · #10 11-03-2011, 09:23 PM

I keep it pretty simple by finding a tone that I like and basing everything off of that or simply just using that. That being said I'm also not trying to copy every songs bass tone either.

But, yes, using multiple pedals will get you the different sounds you need. Don't be afraid to try some different pedals then the BOSS ones either. There are tons of options.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiles72

Most guys I know (including myself) don't use any distortion in cover / bar bands because 9 times out of 10, you'll step on your pedal and the low end "bass" feel just disapears leaving people at the bar including the soundman to say "Where'd the bass go???"

Clearly you've been out of the effects "loop" for a while.

bassplayerbob · #11 11-03-2011, 09:27 PM

I use a digitech hardwire distortion. Cheap and effective and it has bass and treble control so you can boost the bottom and smooth out the treble.

stiles72 · #12 11-03-2011, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaPhoenix

I think you are posting in the wrong forum stiles...Anyways tons of options that leave the bottom end. What type of other gear are you using? If you have an Ampeg SVT then a tech 21 vt isn't a good choice, etc.

No - just speaking from personal experience. I've gigged nearly every weekend for the last 15 years in a wide variety of cover / bar bands that have played everything from Metallica to Motown. I'm not saying it isn't possible - what I'm saying is that when the bass player steps on a fuzz pedal, the basic sound that was dialed in at soundcheck to work with the drums and fill out the bottom is now gone - and when what the people in the bar expect to hear (the clean low end) is not there anymore, leaving a big empty hole.

I have owned several bass fuzz pedals, including the Boss one mentioned above - and they all sound fine at home. They just don't work that well in the context of a live bar band IMO.

DeltaPhoenix · #13 11-03-2011, 10:26 PM

Well, you have to have the right tools for the job. I own and use (yes live, I play out as well) several fuzz pedals that add more bottom end to the sound of the bass. My Frantone Lo-Tone, Iron Ether Oxide(watch out). Plenty others at the very least retain the lowend, Sanford and Sonny BlueBeard. Those are just the one's that I have. I own a few Boss pedals, some are real good but I personally believe in spending the extra money on my dirt pedals because they are an important part of my sound. Granted I also have a preamp pedal that has 2 channels that I could set up to add any low end if I felt it was lacking (15db active EQ).

AdamR · #14 11-04-2011, 06:34 AM

Grab yourself a 3 channel BDDI or VT Deluxe

gastric · #15 11-04-2011, 06:37 AM

If I were playing a cover band I'd personally go with a multieffect like the GT-10B. Lets you use tons of different effects via presets and control assigns to easily change mid-song. With the GT-10B you can clean or LPF blend basically everything either natively right in the effect, or via running parallel signal chains with one being clean, or parallel signal chains with a crossover split keeping the low frequencies clean.

chokeslam512 · #16 11-04-2011, 06:40 AM

Toastfuzz · #17 11-04-2011, 07:11 AM

I'm in a cover band too and the range of our songs is probably too varied, but I have about 4 signature tones at my disposal for different uses. My most used is a Geddy-type semi-clean but biting tone I get from just my VT Bass pedal and bass tone wide open. Funk/overdrive rock I use an Ibanez PD-7 Overdrive to dirty it up (PERFECTLY nails if not enhances RHCP - Suck My Kiss). Classic rock stuff I kick on the Iron Ether Oxide fuzz. Smooth JPJ Zeppelin songs I go straight through the VT Bass but turn down the tone on my bass. Other than that, I switch my pickups for full PJ to just P for those classic tunes that demand a P bass. Just have to give yourself some options and spend the time learning how they work and how they work together, thats the most addicting part.

Right now I have a Boss digital delay and an MXR Octave on my board too, but haven't found any practical use for them yet. They're sweet pedals though.

k2aggie07 · #18 11-04-2011, 09:57 AM

I really like the sound of the Oxide Pedal. Thanks for the suggestion.

Will a VT pedal give me the kind of sharp-yet-grungy sound in that Interstate love song track? Edit: Yes, I believe it will... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr8kdWpB3U4

Would the VT deluxe be able to give me that strong fuzz sound? It seems like at that point I'd be one and done: 6 settings would be more than enough (for now!).

Jared Lash · #19 11-04-2011, 10:29 AM

Personally if I was in a cover band doing a lot of classic and modern rock stuff one of the first things I'd do is pick up a Tech21 VT Bass Deluxe. The three presets and my clean tone would immediately give me four sounds to approximate the recorded tones. I'm not generally a fan of amp modulation pedals but for a cover gig it would work well. Perhaps even a Tech21 Leeds or Oxford for different flavors, and a couple other dirt pedals (OD, Fuzz) depending on the set list.

As for the STP tone, is that actually the isolated bass? That farty low end and high end crunch is not NEARLY as apparent in the actual song. Hmm. If so that certainly says something about the difference between perfecting a solo tone vs one that sounds good in the mix.

For that tone the key is (IMO) biamping your rig. I know Deleo has always been a huge Jamerson fan and based on his tone I think he's clearly trying to get that Jamerson dark, thick and slightly fuzzy bottom end tone with an Entwistle like high end crunch. The easiest way to do that is to have two amps, one for the low end and one for the highs (maybe a guitar amp) with a crossover and some distortion on the highs.

If you didn't want to biamp, plenty of pedals can give that high end crunch (VT Bass included) though I personally would use a Darkglass B3K with a healthy amount of blend and a mild fuzz feeding into it to get that blurry bottom end.

My $0.02

Gearhead17 · #20 11-04-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k2aggie07

I play in a cover band that does 90s rock. I really need to be able to get multiple "types" of distortion at different points in my set (think: Nirvana - Breed vs Pearl Jam - Alive). What's the typical setup to do this? Multiple fuzz pedals and just use different ones at different times?

Also, what would be able to mimic a sound like this?
Interstate love song bass only Such a lovely sound.

Thanks.

I have played all of this stuff in my cover band.....

I use a BB Exotic Pre-amp (Guitar Version) and a Radial Big Shot Blend Pedal currently in my band. It's mostly overdrive, but it works out really well at shows. I have gotten away with playing Interstate Love Song clean for so long - I don't think I ever noticed it had that much distortion. Nirvana's breed will need some sort of fuzz pedal and Pearl Jam's Alive is mostly a fretless bass anyway - a clean tone on that will be just fine.

The key is the blend pedal - something to blend in your clean tone strongly enough so when you engage the distortion, you can blend both signals, have tons of definition and lose little to no bottom end. You do not need a bi-amp rig either.

I suggest one overdrive specific pedal and a fuzz pedal with some midrange - Mojo Hand Colossus is a good one. Fuzz pedals, when engaged, typically take out the midrange of your tone and give you a tone that disappears in the mix. The Colossus has the ability to not do that. A good overdrive pedal is the Tech 21 VT bass, or the EBS Multi-Drive. Just get two distortion pedals and stop on them when you need to.