Effects for metal

[Burlington]

Besides fuzz (which I only use when the two guitards are harmonizing leads together) what are some good effects for a metal bassist? I already have a BOSS EQ I run all the time, a modded CS-3 on the way. I have an EHX Enigma but it's kind of out of place for metal

[odin70]

A compressor can come in handy.

[PZapdos]

What kind of metal? What kinda sound are you lookin for? I could be suggesting a d.I. or a synth box depending on your needs

[Burlington]

That's why I have a modded CS-3 on the way I'm currently using the compressor on my Line 6 HD750 head, but it hums alot. Hopefully this pedal works better.

[gnasher1993]

I'd go for a gritty overdrive and a flanger for metal.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by PZapdos

What kind of metal? What kinda sound are you lookin for? I could be suggesting a d.I. or a synth box depending on your needs

It's like... prog death metal I guess. We have some songs on our Myspace but our new songs are more intense. I think I'm covered on the DI, I prefer to use it from my amp because I use the modeling on it a little. A EHX Microsynth would be fun to play with tho...

[PZapdos]

go try out some different overdrives or flangers, should give you a bit of a different sound :]

[sutarappa]

no effect is "out of place" in metal or otherwise. the user chooses the place and determines according to his or her own context.

that being said, for metal, in addition to fuzz, i enjoy more fuzz.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by PZapdos

go try out some different overdrives or flangers, should give you a bit of a different sound :]

I am looking for a better OD. I have a BBM that I like alot, and I'm borrowing a BOSS OD, but the BOSS just doesnt do it for me.

[jrmy]

Originally Posted by sutarappa

no effect is "out of place" in metal or otherwise. the user chooses the place and determines according to his or her own context.

that being said, for metal, in addition to fuzz, i enjoy more fuzz.

+1 to this. It's entirely what you want to make of it, and what you want your own "voice" to be. Also, I agree, MOAR FUXZXZ!

If you do go further down the fuzz road, try some octave fuzzes (like a Foxx Tone Machine or Devi Ever VFM), or some dual overdrive/fuzzes (like the Wounded Paw Battering Ram). Or some effed-up disharmonic fuzzes (like the Malekko B:assmaster).

Also, because I am a shameless follower of Cliff Burton: FUZZ WAH!!!

And if you're looking for crazy effed up stuff, try a ring mod. Not much of that in metal bass, but dammit, there's no reason why not! Maybe a Fairfield Circuitry Randy's Revenge, or the EHX Ring Thing (once it's released). Go crazy!

[sutarappa]

ring mod and octave up fuzz rules! ---> CopilotFX: Android, Orbit; Wounded Paw: Battering Ram; Guyatone: TZ2 The Fuzz...

overdrives i dig are: Sansamp: RBI, VT Bass, California, (wanna try Leeds), Digitech Bass Driver, HAO Rust Ride...

for interesting / solo parts: EHX Bassballs (e.filter)

[bassman1185]

I don't play metal in my band, but I am in a pretty aggressive hardcore/post hardcore band with some metal influences. In my band, I ALWAYS run at least some drive from my Tech21 Bass VT. In addition to that, I also use both the fuzz and overdrive sections of my Pigtronix Disnortion pretty often to make a big wall-O-fuzz or make things extra raunchy. For more specific sections, I use delay and/or sub-octave to spice stuff up a bit. In the past I have also used pitch shifting and chorus in this band. In my last band, I used many of the same effects, plus wah. If I ever break down and get a bigger board, I'll probably have my Digitech BSW on the board as well.

As has already been said, ther is no right or wrong effects for metal, especially if you're doing more experimental stuff.

[Burlington]

Thanks for all the help guys. I think I'm gonna try to trade my Enigma for a higher end fuzz, and when my tax return comes in I might get a Microsynth. I've got alot of research to do hahah.

[devilock76]

Well Metal is a wide scope. The old standby is fuzz of course. Now I use a multi pedal and we play a progressive rock/metal mix. I use the following. Now I play some atmosphere stuff on the bass that is designed to reduce how dependent we are of me reaching the the keyboard on certain songs.

Noise Suppressor
Compressor (late attack, high ratio, quick release) - basically to keep my slap tone in range without clipping.
Fuzz - high gain low level, trying to emulate a bit of the Big Muff fuzz on it, used sparingly though.
Chorus - Don't use it a lot and best used for higher register stuff, or once in a while to thicken a line.
Delay - a quick delay but enough to create a rhythmic effect, very specific to a song we use it for.
Wah - and well the best attempt it makes at being a bass wah, only use that for one song right now as it is.

Now I will say this, I have found the multipedal route leads to slightly less musical effects if you lay it on thick.

If I was to go the stomp box route I would probably go a little more experimental. I would at minimum start with this.

Tuner pedal (I like the convenience) -> Enigma for bass -> quality delay pedal (possibly the memory man or boss DD series (the 2 pedal one)

If I was to add to that from there I would then add the following:

Big Muff (only if I grew to not like the distortion portion of the Enigma Pedal)
I would probably get down to adding an EQ and Compression pedal. Also I would want a loop pedal at some point and maybe a synth pedal. But I could do 90% of what I need to do with the Enigma and delay pedal and be pretty happy with the tone.

My opinion of course and my bass lines tend to be a mix of Funk/Metal/ and on occasion a touch of classical influence in there. I also have a lot of intro parts in our music between bass and keys, most of them on bass. It somehow worked out like that.

Ken

[NKBassman]

I recently hooked up my guitarists ancient wah pedal as a joke but wound up getting some pretty sweet tones out of it. I use it more to 'tune' my fuzz rather than in a typical wah-wah fashion. It can get really synthy sounding at times. Me likey!

[jrmy]

Speaking as a proud Microsynth owner (whose Microsynth is sadly defunct after many years solid service), that is an excellent choice! You can totally do fuzz-wah-ish stuff, as well as more out-there and synthy stuff. Also, I always found that it stacked well with other pedals... for a really raunchy solo sound, I used to drive mine with a bass-modded Turbo Rat, and it was face-meltingly good.

[Burlington]

Anyone have expirience w/ the Digitech Whammy?

[WaldoNova]

I was using a Whammy4 for a little while. It was fun to mess around with but it never found a home on my board. It was to big, not really that easy to switch through the different intervals and uses an 18v wallwart. It was fired after about a month.

[Deluge Of Sound]

I use the Whammy. I also play loud, slow, fuzzy music.

I don't use the Whammy to play said music.

[Gopher Bob]

Those boss bass flangers show up on ebay from time to time.