Distortion + Octave with clean lower octave?

[tbassist4]

Hey everyone,
I was just wondering how I'd achieve this with pedals, or if I need a multi-effect pedal. Here's the effect I want: Distortion + Lower Octave Effect, but with only the original signal being distorted, and the lower octave remaining clean (Also, see below). My Crate BT220 does this so I know its possible, but I will be upgrading soon, so I'd like to think about moving this to a pedal so that I can use it with whatever amp head I end up choosing.

I'm looking at the dumbed-down schematic in the manual and it looks like the signal goes through the distortion section and octave section simultaneously, instead of in a chain. Theoretically this means that there are three audible signals - two from the octave side (the original signal plus the synth lower octave), and one from the distortion side. Doing this would be fine too.

Thanks in advance,
Tyler

[chicago_mike]

It could be done. Most fuzz circuits are easy and tiny and if you use something like the ampeg octaver schematic, then the octave pedal isnt too difficult either...

So I imagine something with 2 footswitches and about 4 controls. The only "hard" part is the signal splitting / buffering so you dont loose any signal and dont get any wierdness joining them..upswing/downswing stuff.

[BassMonstrum]

I did this with a Boss LS-2:

- Distortion-pedal in loop A.
- Octave-pedal in loop B with the dry signal turned completely off.

Then put the LS-2 in [A+B --> Bypass].

Worked quite fine, but to honest it sounded better when the octaver fed the dirt and the whole signal was distorted.

[tbassist4]

Originally Posted by BassMonstrum

I did this with a Boss LS-2:

- Distortion-pedal in loop A.
- Octave-pedal in loop B with the dry signal turned completely off.

Then put the LS-2 in [A+B --> Bypass].

Worked quite fine, but to honest it sounded better when the octaver fed the dirt and the whole signal was distorted.

Excellent, I'm glad this can be done. I get what you're saying about adding to the overall dirt, but for my application I'll be playing under a guitar solo when I use this effect combo. We're a three piece group (guitar, bass, drums), and so while he's doing that I was hoping to add a little more overall depth and complexity to my sound to fill the gap left behind when he switches from rhythm to solo playing.

Now, I assume this could be done with something like a Boss ME-20B, correct? I added up the price of all of the pedals, and I'll be looking at around $330. A multi-effect processor like the Boss ME-20B can run around $200, so is there anything I'd really be sacrificing by going to a multi-effect versus a bunch of pedals with a switch box?

[cheapbasslovin]

I'd check out a Bass Micro Synth or a FoxRox Octron. They have octaves down and a distorted octave up. May give you a little more separation with your sounds.

[ehque]

The cleanest octave i've heard comes from a MicroPOG, and that has wet and dry outs. With the dry out going into a distortion, and then a blender of some kind mixing the distortion out and the POG wet-out, you could have your sound easily.

Agree on distorting the whole signal. Sometimes it works. Try distortion into octaver too, but some octavers will glitch.

[dannybuoy]

Before you run out and try fancy ways to get this done, try fuzz->octave first. I used to run a Supercollider or Wooly Mammoth into an OC-2 and it worked great for this, no problems with tracking either.

[adge]

Probably not what you want to read, but another +1 on the dirt going into octave. Im in a similar 3 piece situation as yourself and its exactly how i use mine- GT2 into EHX OM.

[Mike19]

Probably not practical, but if you have a second amp (even a guitar amp), use an ABY splitter and run the octaver to your regular bass amp and the distortion to the second amp. EQ the volume between the 2 amps and you won't believe how much better it sounds than running the octaver and distortion through a single amp (even with looping the distortion).