Do you practice with your effects?

[343 Salty Beans]

Simple question. I'm just curious. It seems like when I practice I never bring my board in from the trunk of my car (which is safer than fort knox, as the only way to open the pressure-sealed thing is with a non-car key).

When I say practice, it can be anything from random jamming to actual scales, modes, speed and accuracy exercises, and random Real Book learning.

[69nites]

I always prefer to practice with a clean tone. It's much easier to identify and correct poor technique when it isn't masked by effects.

[jsingles]

I dont have any effects

If I did though I would not use them. When I practice I dont pay too much attention to my tone unless I am paying along to a track or something. If I am just do scales and exercises I pretty much ignore the tone completely.

[KarateKid25]

Oops... I voted Always! Then I read your post....

I always use them when practising songs with the guys I play with, but thats because we are practising the whole setup if you like. If I was going to use an effect out, then obviously we practice with it. I guess thats more of a rehearsal?

For practice, as in scales, speed etc, then the answer is never. As posted before, you want to hear the technique your practising properly.

[diechris]

if im doing some drill and kill type stuff like scales and exercises i play clean... but when i practice songs that i click effects on and off i NEED to practice with pedals... main reason is that when you play live and arent used to clicking pedals on and off it'll screw you up. theres nothing worse then getting to a part where you got this highly wet signal coming up and it hits.... and bam.... clean tone

[leftdecay]

I almost always practice and rehearse with my effects on, although I don't practice that often
I have been playing bass for 15 years or so, but just in the last 5 years started using effects. I'm not any good in terms of skill and speed. I've tried to improve myself but these fingers are getting old Nowadays I mostly just tweaking my effects to get interesting sounds that I can use in my band.
I am more interested in finding new sounds right now compare to skill and speed (although I know those are more important but it's just the way I am)

[fenderthrupeave]

I just use my BDI to get the tone I like cause my crate amp sounds like crap.

[bigchiefbc]

Most of my practicing is rehearsing songs, so I always use my effects. However, the rare times when I am just practicing technique and such by myself, then I run clean.

[PunkRocker33133]

At lessons I don't even bring any effects because my teacher just doesn't let me use them and at home if I'm practicing technique, scales, modes, soloing, ect... I don't use them but if I'm playing along to songs that use them or I am playing one of my bands songs then they're used.

[Mytola]

I always bring my board and plug it in. The MultiComp is a must anyway, and I use the MultiDrive a lot with the band. I use the board at home all the time as well.

[adge]

always.... 99% of my practicing is with the band, so effects are being used...

i also have them plugged in when we're writing, never know when that effect may make that standard sounding 2nd verse that much cooler...

[Pilgrim]

When I practice solo at home, no. But when I join the rest of the band for regular practice, always. That's the only way I can be sure what effects will sound like in performance.

[andvari7]

Well, I don't really PRACTICE with an amp, let alone effects, so never. That said, every time I plug in, I use my effects. So, does that make my answer 'Always' or 'Never?'

[dancehallclasher]

nope, usually for practice I go boardless and just focus on technique and the line. Stepping on pedals at the right time is easy enough that I don't need to practice it.

[rustinstrings]

I recently learned that distorted/fuzzed bass lines need to be practice with distortion/fuzz (duh!). This is the best way to discover if you are leaving any nasty, sustaining open string sounds caused by unclean muting technique.

[Valerus]

Depends on what I'm practicing. If it's the songs I play using the effects then...yeah.

[keb]

Seldom, unless I'm practicing a part where the effect is an integral element... like volume pedal swells, a pingponging delay, or whatever. Or basically any other effect that relies in part on your touch and technique, like envelope filters. Stomp-and-forget effects like chorus/flange/etc is something else.

[wazzel]

When I am just learning a song, no. Once I get the tune then I will add to get the sound. Sometimes I run scales and what not with a pedal or pedals to try to find sounds.

[Higgie]

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

Most of my practicing is rehearsing songs, so I always use my effects. However, the rare times when I am just practicing technique and such by myself, then I run clean.

This.

Originally Posted by wazzel

Sometimes I run scales and what not with a pedal or pedals to try to find sounds.

This also.

[Choosh]

Practicing scales and such, I do it without an amp! I get to hear how my fretting technique really is like.