|  | | 
12-29-2009, 05:14 PM
| | | | Effects for Lead Bass?
Sign in to disble this ad
I recently joined a bass duo where I am required to play fretless leads while the other bassist holds down the low end.
What are some effects that I can employ to get a better lead tone? I was thinking delay and chorus or something along that line....
Thanks,
BassClef |
12-29-2009, 05:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | | It all depends on what you're going for. Are you going to be doing Manring-style solos, Wooten-style, Burton-style, Pino-style?
If chorus and delay is your first instinct, then I'm guessing you'll be going for the ambient sound. Reverb also tends to sound nice for ambient fretless. Almost any kind of other modulation would probably work pretty nicely as well. |
12-29-2009, 05:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Oregon | | | When I think lead bass, I think growling, hissing distortion tones. |
12-29-2009, 05:41 PM
| | | | I plan on having a clean tone. As FreaqyFrequency said, I am going for an ambient tone. |
12-29-2009, 06:24 PM
|  | I'm gonna love and tolerate the **** out of you! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Memphis/Knoxville TN | | | In my experiences a chorus alone can definitely beef up some lead lines. Combine that with a phaser and all of a sudden your tone will be pure liquid goodness. Add a little delay and it`s mm mm good! |
12-29-2009, 06:32 PM
|  | I took the one less traveled by | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Reims, Champagne, France | | | I love pitch modulation on fretless. Nothing beats a wide vibrato to make a melody stand out. |
12-29-2009, 07:07 PM
|  | Mostly french, not really fried | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Somewhere near Montreal, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya  In my experiences a chorus alone can definitely beef up some lead lines. Combine that with a phaser and all of a sudden your tone will be pure liquid goodness. Add a little delay and it`s mm mm good! | +1
Another alternative: Octaver. Boss OC-2 and MXR BOD would be good options
__________________
Fender Jazz 4 str. / Peavey Grind 5 str. / PT-2, DC Brick, Planet Waves cables > TU-2 > BEF > BSW > Blow Torch > Phase 90 > Stereo Chorus > LMB-3 > PBDDI > Hartke 5500 & 215vx
|
12-29-2009, 07:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassmike62 +1
Another alternative: Octaver. Boss OC-2 and MXR BOD would be good options | I was going to suggest an octaver, but then I realized that there's another bass player in this who's holding down the bottom. Ever played two notes simultaneously in the bottom octave of a piano?
'Nuff said. |
12-29-2009, 08:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: BC/AB, Canada | | | What about an octave up pedal or harmonizer?
__________________
Clubs: Gibson #83 / Yamaha #133
|
12-29-2009, 08:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jacksonville and Pensacola, FL | | | If you don't mind me making such a crazy suggestion, why don't you put some piccolo bass strings on your bass? It'll still play like a bass, it'll just be up an octave. It would probably work easier as a lead instrument.
That's not to say you shouldn't look for some effects either. I think it depends on your style of music, but some dirt is always good. Or lots of dirt.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsal It be a sad world where even girls have girls, yet you have none :D | The Silver Age |
12-29-2009, 08:28 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Berkshires, Ma | | | When I think lead bass I think overdrive. |
12-29-2009, 08:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Netherlands | | | Not sure about your effects, but just wanted to say that concept (two basses, one lead, one "bass"-bass) sounds really interesting. You got a myspace or a real website or something?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsal Dude, when you can go loud, who needs tone? :D | Quote:
Originally Posted by Smurf-o-Deth Dirt is my friend. It wants to be your friend, too. | |
12-29-2009, 08:34 PM
| | | | We've actually been meaning to put up a website for some time now. I'll PM you with the link when we've created it and put some audio on it. |
12-29-2009, 08:36 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by wdinc01 If you don't mind me making such a crazy suggestion, why don't you put some piccolo bass strings on your bass? It'll still play like a bass, it'll just be up an octave. It would probably work easier as a lead instrument.
That's not to say you shouldn't look for some effects either. I think it depends on your style of music, but some dirt is always good. Or lots of dirt. | Sounds interesting, how would piccolo string work on a fretless? Also, dirt is not my cup o tea. I prefer clean tone. |
12-29-2009, 08:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Plano, TX | | | Do whatever's cheapest. It's not like the lead/rhythm bass thing is a money makin machine
__________________
Who booked this gig anyway??
|
12-29-2009, 08:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by billhilly66 Do whatever's cheapest. It's not like the lead/rhythm bass thing is a money makin machine | Who knows. Maybe we'll end up with a few all-bassist bands one day, with Lou Pearlman's third cousin at the head of it. |
12-29-2009, 09:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jacksonville and Pensacola, FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by BassClef 2010 Sounds interesting, how would piccolo string work on a fretless? Also, dirt is not my cup o tea. I prefer clean tone. | I imagine it would work the same as a fretted bass. I'm not really sure how to address that question. But, here's a video to give you an idea of what I talk about (and I mean this in the loosest definition possible) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF4sJHBIYEo
Jeff Schmidt actually posts on TalkBass, although I haven't seen him recently (I don't know if he comes into Effects often). But hopefully this gives you some idea as to the possibilities of piccolo strings.
As for effects, since you don't like dirt, then I would suggest more modulation effects. That video has some flanger about two and a half minutes in. So a flanger might be useful. I'm more of a fan of phasers myself, but I think they work best with a dirty tone.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsal It be a sad world where even girls have girls, yet you have none :D | The Silver Age |
12-29-2009, 10:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Long Island, NY | | i never get tired of posting this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI1l_6vOf6s
thats definitely the most "lead bass" thing ive ever heard..
wah wah pedal left on, into a whammy set to +2 octaves, with a volume pedal after it to control swells.. |
12-29-2009, 10:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chicago, Il. | | | If you play hard rock and heavy metal, try using distortion with flanger. this combination can give you an eddie van halen sound on bass. |
12-29-2009, 10:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia | | if you ever get a chance, dig up an defunct australian band called "Pre shrunk".
2 bassists and a drummer. Best execution i've seen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFiO4wZwjOQ
effects wise: delay, wah and a modulation of some form are essential.
after those 3, you can pretty much go nuts with everything else.
probably the biggest thing in my opinion, is to have basses, amps and eq-settings that complement eachother. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
