EFX setup: reality Check for Gig tomorrow

[LarryR]

I'm kinda new to this stuff and could use some feedback.
After some experimentation I got my board to the setup below. I've learned some things: POG sounds cool on Barge Feedback loop. Frantone lo-tone sounds cool after the POG, but, NOT in th feedback loop. Out with Frantone (to be put somewhere else in the chain) in with a Chorus which I'm not a big fan of, but, I have the board space and the swirl I'm getting is kinda cool.
FWIW, the gig is a raucous free jazz rock funk anything goes deal, so, I'm just throwin' sh-t on the wall to see what sticks.

I have a gig tomorrow night. While I'm happy with the setup, again, if anyone has idea’s or comments, please fire away.

Equipment
Stereo Head, 2 single 12’s
Fender P

Sounds
Octave low, Octave high, Filter, Distortion, Delay and Chorus, plus some 'ok' combinations. I feel I'm short on sounds, but, this is what I have for now.

Chain
Bass > Tuner > A/B switch (both CH always ON)
CH A - straight to Amp Input 1 (dry)
CH B - to Pedalboard EFX (wet)
Micro Switches (2)
Switch 1 (Filter > Compressor)
Switch 2 (Octave > SansAmp) to
Barge Loop 1 (POG > Chorus) to
Barge Loop 2 (Distortion) to
Boss DDL > Countryman DI > Amp Input 2

Some Rationale
I use the Countryman because a) there’s space (velcro’d under the board), b) it’s supposed to be a decent line drive, c) Post EFX XLR to the house if a) it's cool to do and B) a soundman would even want it).
I use the Sansamp after Octave for tone shaping.
I use the Compressor after Filter for taming.
I use 2 Barges because a) there’s space, b) added control of signal.

Other Thoughts and Feelings
I realize I have more switches than actual sounds!!
Plusses: no shortage of dry tone.
Minuses: I’m out of real estate for addit pedals.

[Deluge Of Sound]

So, are you asking anything here, or is this just an excuse to post pictures of your drool-inducing rig?

[OptimusPrime]

There's no way you're new at this. This **** almost confuses me.

[kevteop]

Hmm. I'd want the octave before the filter. And the fuzz before the filter, too. But I haven't heard your combination so maybe it does what you want already.

[OptimusPrime]

Originally Posted by kevteop

Hmm. I'd want the octave before the filter. And the fuzz before the filter, too. But I haven't heard your combination so maybe it does what you want already.

+1 to that. I'd also try to find a way to put the B:assmaster between the POG and chorus. Barge needs to start making looper strips that have blend knobs on a couple of the loops.

[cheapbasslovin]

For jazz funk goodness I highly recommend that the filter funk and the octave funk go in parallel for serious über-funk.

Your board, your rules, and maybe you just wont like it.

[LarryR]

All you guys, thanks for the quick responses. I need to work on, learn about effect placement. Good call.

Cheapbasslovin: mind describing what parallel is? Series I presume is one after the other, but, how do you run parallel? Unless you mean putting them in separate amp channels. I know I have that option, but, didn't have the gonads (and time) to try that. I guess having a stereo head (with individual efx loops in each channel) opens lots of options.

OptimusPrime: I just found that with all these pedals, I was dancing too much. I simplified and put most everything on its own switch. So I just hit one switch for Octave+Sansamp, one for Filter+Compressor. Now, the A/B thing is me just wanting a dry tone so I can always rely on clean bass coming through.

DelugeofSound: thx for the compliment. When you're pushin' 50 and have finally finished your alimony/child support payments, you have a few dollars to try stuff. Thank G-d I'm in a position (for now at least) to have the dough to do it.

[JohnDavisNYC]

i would agree that you have way too many switches for sounds... it appears to me that you really only have 5 distinct sounds, and various combinations thereof... the first real estate saving move that i would make would be to get rid of the A/B box that is splitting... you have a perfectly good split from the tuner pedal, or you can just wire up a custom Y cable... the A/B box is nothing more than a Y cable in a really big box that you can accidentally step on.

if, for a theoretical excercise, you plugged every pedal in line, not using any loopers or blenders, you would have 8 distinct sounds... now, granted, you would lose the blending options, but you might be able to re-think some sonic stuff, in terms of combinations... as far as the blenders and loopers go, that is up to taste and '****** bypass' syndrome...

i am a fan of linear, serial effects, because i enjoy the straightforward interaction between different effects... also, for me, having multiple pedals in a loop or blender would make me psychologically compartmentalize the sounds within, and not be as free with my sonic combinations, i think.

bla bla... i had 7 hours of rehearsals today. i am fried and blabbering.

back to the wine...

john

[OptimusPrime]

Originally Posted by LarryR

OptimusPrime: Is it really confusing? I just found that with all these pedals, I was dancing too much. I simplified and put most everything on its own switch. So I just hit one switch for Octave+Sansamp, one for Filter+Compressor. Now, the A/B thing is me just wanting a dry tone so I can always rely on clean phat bass coming through.

It's not particularly complicated, it's just too condensed to be useful. Read JohnDavisNYCs post. I think you should ditch the Barges and trythis to replace the blenders. None of those effects really need to be blended. Keep everything in it's own loop, with the filter and compressor together in one. You will be way less limited.

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by JohnDavisNYC

i am a fan of linear, serial effects, because i enjoy the straightforward interaction between different effects... also, for me, having multiple pedals in a loop or blender would make me psychologically compartmentalize the sounds within, and not be as free with my sonic combinations, i think.

I sort-of know what you mean. I have quite a complicated set-up around my filter, which goes:

Filter's loop-> (Boss LS-2 (A: OC-2 | B: Pulse Synth) -> Mammoth) -> Out

And lately I've been considering getting a second OC-2 because switching between pure OC-2 and blended OC-2 / PS isn't possible with my foot, but that blend sounds ace and I don't want to lose it. Or the ability to adjust the blend mix (I've tried PS->OC-2 which tracks OK, but I got too much synth and not enough OC-2, or an unacceptable volume drop trying to match them)

It can be a bitch to decide how to wire good-sounding boxes together.

Originally Posted by JohnDavisNYC

i had 7 hours of rehearsals today.

Ouch. I haven't done that for ten years.

But then I think about what I spent 7 hours doing today and frankly your job sounds more appealing.

[cheapbasslovin]

Originally Posted by LarryR

All you guys, thanks for the quick responses. I need to work on, learn about effect placement. Good call.

Cheapbasslovin: mind describing what parallel is? Series I presume is one after the other, but, how do you run parallel? Unless you mean putting them in separate channels. I know I have that option, but, didn't have the gonads (and time) to try that.

You'd need a Boss LS-2 or similar item to do it. There was a thread a few days back with some clips to a sound with it. I made a pretty crude clip of the same style effect (from about the 0:15 to 0:25 mark).

Basically it is like putting a filter on one channel and an octaver on another channel and mixing them together. When you get the time I suggest you give it a go, unless you hate the clips you heard.

[JohnDavisNYC]

5 hours with a swiss drummer and a japanese keyboard player and then 2 hours with a roots rock band...

no complaints here! i am actually glad i got to play bass so much today, just a bit mentally fried.

john

[LarryR]

Originally Posted by JohnDavisNYC

.......the first real estate saving move that i would make would be to get rid of the A/B box that is splitting the signal

Doh! I'm such a rookie, I didn't even see that. Thx.

Originally Posted by JohnDavisNYC

having multiple pedals in a loop or blender would make me psychologically compartmentalize the sounds

For me, it's all I know having setup everything in loops to avoid "the dance". This all started with me playing upright through this board. Playing and dancing was a b-tch, hence the loops. I sacrifice tonal options though. Hmmph.

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime

I think you should ditch the Barges

Thought about it since many of these pedals already have a mix knob.

[LarryR]

I ripped the board apart and put all the efx (+some) in series...including running a 2nd chain off my TU-2.
Bass > TU-2
Chain 1: old Ibanez BP10 Comp > Octabass > GEB-7 > B:Assmaster > AF-9 > Compulator > FL-9 > DDL > AMP CH1
Chain 2: POG > Frantone Fuzz > Tweaktronix > Analog Flanger > AMP CH2

I'm diggin some of the sounds here, but, I can see I've turned my setup into 2 similar chains (ie. Octave/Dist/Filter/Flanger). Is this common or just plain redundant?

[dubsymmetry]

it´s about your own preference in the end, but to have 2 chains almost the same would be redundant to me - but I tweak my effects all the time, especially on an improv gig. sometimes I have a few pedals on a table, sometimes people really dig my show talent if you know what I mean.

[rasthedoctor]

Originally Posted by JohnDavisNYC

5 hours with a swiss drummer and a japanese keyboard player and then 2 hours with a roots rock band...

no complaints here! i am actually glad i got to play bass so much today, just a bit mentally fried.

john

One day I hope I can both find band members willing to do that and the time to make it happen...