I Need Advice for My Effects Rig

[BootsRiley]

i've always been a bit of an effects junkie, but it took me a long time to learn that the order of effects makes a big difference in the way the chain will sound (forgive my newbishness i beg ya).

so recently i got an Ampeg 6x10 and a B4R. I use a Lakland Skyline 55-02 deluxe. Right now i plug it into a Moogerfooger Low Pass Filter > Moogerfooger Ring Modulator > Aguilar Octaver > Digitech X Series Bass Synth/Envelope > Moogerfooger Phase Shifter > Tech 21 Programmable DI

basically i'm wondering which order would sound best, and an explanation of why, because i kinda don't get it

i also just got the Tech 21 and have found it a bit of a challenge to dial in some good sounds. It could be because i have it in the wrong order in the chain If you've had some experience with this DI i'd hear every word of advice you can give me, especially tone settings. Also, do you use a 48V DC to power it? Do you use the Phantom Power setting live? the manual generally confuses me even though ive thumbed through it about half a dozen times.

thanks in advance, TB!

[Jimbob Jones]

I would try octaver>Digitech>ring mod>phaser>DI

You want to put your 'tracking' effects first, as they work best with a clean signal. It's best to put Modulation after dirt, but as your dirt is also your DI, then it has to go last.

I don't know much about the programmable Tech21, but if you're struggling with getting a good sound, try setting your EQ all flat and your gain at about 9 o'clock and use your ears to adjust to a sound you like; for years I used to set my pedals up to a pre-concieved idea of how they 'should' be, and they often sounded awful.

Hope that helps!

[BootsRiley]

Jimbob, thank you very, very much for those pieces of advice. i'm really really grateful, seriously!

i wouldn't mind hearing where you would suggest the Lowpass Filter go!

[Jimbob Jones]

Sorry, I missed that one out, didn't I?

I don't have a lot of experience with filters, but I would stick it either before the ring mod or after the phaser.

[thebean]

Id place the ring mod between the phaser as so Octive>Envelop Filter>Ring Mod>Low Pass>Phaser>Sansamp. Basically what JimBob said. The sansamp should run off of a 9v Dc power supply. Just like any other pedal. But it can run off of phantom power. Hope that helps.

[Headless Llama]

Hey Boots - I can put the moog stuff on my board if you are still undecided

[kevteop]

Tech 21 Programmable DI
Aguilar Octaver
Digitech X Series Bass Synth/Envelope
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
Moogerfooger Low Pass Filter
Moogerfooger Phase Shifter

I didn't really know what to do with the bass driver DI, I've never found a use for one, but if you're going to have dirt I find it's better to put it earlier, so you can give a richer sound to effects further down the line (filters particularly).

Octaver and Bass Synth next because they both synthesise notes and they need a clean-ish signal to work from. I put the bass synth wah last of the two because it has a filter in it, which you might want to use on the octaver's sound.

Then the ring mod, then the filter, because the ring mod is likely to generate a lot of noisy treble frequencies that you don't want or at least want to be able to manipulate, and what better way to control that than with a low-pass filter.

Finally phaser, although phasers aren't something I use much. You might want it earlier in your chain if you want it to have a less destructive effect.

[BootsRiley]

thanks you guys! i had the gain at nine but i didn't have my EQ flattened. I ended up trying the LPF last with the DI before it and that didn't sound very good at all, so i switched up that order and it sounded better. Tomorrow i am going to try the DI at the front of the chain and try the Phase Shifter at the end. If you have never played with the Moog Phase Shift, you just might be missing out! I think it has a huge, warm, ballsy sound to it, and it also sounds excellent with the Low Pass Filter. When the Shift sweeps high, i lower the Cutoff, and when it sweeps low, i brighten the Cutoff - i love it!

[tech21nyc]

A couple of suggestions. Your Lakeland bass as I understand it is an active bass. This means you have a bass with an on board 9 volt preamp. If you leave your other effects out of the equation for the moment you have the 9 volt preamp from your bass running into the 9 volt preamp of your BDDI into the preamp of your bass amp. That's a lot of preamps. To make your rig sound its best you need to properly set the gain structures of the aforementioned components first before you start adding other effects. This is assuming you like the sound of your bass amps preamp. If you don't you could just use your BDDI into your amps efx return and bypass your bass amp's preamp altogether.

You should really use your bass amps low input and try to set the tone of the amp flat. Set the BDDI's output to the normal position. Do not use the boost. The other thing to take care with is to not run your bass full up as you may start to clip the BDDI. With the BDDI in bypass set the volume of your bass amp and then try engaging the BDDI but set it for unity gain. That means when the pedal is engaged it will be at approximately the same level as when the pedal is bypassed. The presets were done with a couple of 70's passive Fender bass guitars with low output pickups. Chances are you will need to lower the gain of the BDDI to make those settings work with your bass.

After you get the basic tone happening with your bass, BDDI and amp then you can start adding effects. There is no hard and fast rule for placement with the exception of time domain effects like reverb and delay. Those are best placed late in the signal chain. Just experiment and try adding things one at a time. If you hook up everything all at once it makes it difficult to isolate what is working and what is not.

To power your BDDI you can either use 48 volt phantom power or the 9 volt adapter.

[Headless Llama]

^ Very good explanation. Thanks