I want to gain a cello/violin type effect....

Fassa Albrecht · #1 01-01-2008, 05:24 PM

so what kind of pedal or effects should I use? I want to get that long drawn out sound a bowed cello or double bass gets.

I ask this because I am converting a cello/double bass piece to electric bass.

Ben Rolston · #2 01-01-2008, 05:26 PM

Have you looked into an ebow?

I think they're available from musician's friend, or sites like that.

Fassa Albrecht · #3 01-01-2008, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Rolston

Have you looked into an ebow?

I think they're available from musician's friend, or sites like that.

I've used them and they're a pain in the ***! No, seriously...

TheCiscoKid · #4 01-01-2008, 05:37 PM

I use a Line6 Echo Park set to swell and a chorus pedal for the cello effect. Sounds really nice.

Meyatch · #5 01-01-2008, 05:42 PM

Boss Slow Gear type effect. I have a Behringer Slow Motion Pedal which is basically a clone of it, pretty decent job approximation of that type of sound.

bongomania · #6 01-01-2008, 05:50 PM

Check out the Pigtronix ADSR as well.

bigchiefbc · #7 01-01-2008, 05:53 PM

guyatone also makes a micro-size slow gear type pedal, I think its the SV-2

spunj13 · #8 01-01-2008, 06:02 PM

i would've also suggested the e-bow... which i've had no problems with...
but... it only works if you are playing relatively slowly...
quick note changes onto different strings doesn't work so well.

[spunj13]

xJasonSmithx · #9 01-01-2008, 06:07 PM

I use a volume pedal for swells. This works really well while playing chords with the volume low then bringing it up to full volume. I think some reverb or light delay really would help as well.

-Jason

Jared Lash · #10 01-01-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyatch

Boss Slow Gear type effect. I have a Behringer Slow Motion Pedal which is basically a clone of it, pretty decent job approximation of that type of sound.

Guyatone makes one called the SV-2, though I wasn't all that happy with it. B.Y.O.C. makes a clone as well - The Lazy Sprocket, but I haven't tried it yet.

The "Swell" function on the Echo Park works pretty well, but it isn't as tweakable as an SG-1 or a clone would be.

Swift713 · #11 01-01-2008, 06:12 PM

I use the volume knob, volume pedal, BYOC Lazy Sprocket (slow gear clone) and a touch of delay to stretch the notes out. I tried an ebow in a shop and it felt way too difficult to me. I have to say the vol knob feels the most expressive but requires tapping which isn't my strongest technique.

Jared Lash · #12 01-01-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

I've used them and they're a pain in the ***! No, seriously...

Seriously? Well, if the pain from using it was localized in that region, I can only surmise that you were using the ebow incorrectly.

Fassa Albrecht · #13 01-01-2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Seriously? Well, if the pain from using it was localized in that region, I can only surmise that you were using the ebow incorrectly.

Thank you for giving me the biggest laugh all day!

bongomania · #14 01-01-2008, 06:25 PM

Actually I saw his performance, and he was actually using his elbow, not an ebow. And yes, it looked painful.

lunarpollen · #15 01-01-2008, 06:35 PM

I use my Digitech Digiverb set to reverb type 5 (gated), with the level all the way up (all reverb, no dry signal), and the decay set to minimum. I use my neck pickup on my bass (Schecter Hellcat VI), as it sounds the most "natural"

I recorded a soundclip using the little microphone in my mp3 player... unfortunately because the microphone is so easily overdriven, i had to record it with my amp turned way down low, and so the microphone picked up some some actual acoustic (unamplified) noise from the bass like string squeal and plectrum noise. Had the amp been turned up louder (or up to practice or gig volume levels), no one would hear that anyway; you'd only hear what comes through the amp.

You can download the soundfile here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7v0ei9

syciprider · #16 01-01-2008, 07:30 PM

Bass Micro Synth

Swimming Bird · #17 01-02-2008, 08:16 AM

+1 for Ebows. I use mine all the time and it really isn't that hard to use. Even without magnetic pickups it gets notes going pretty quickly for me.

I assume you want a slow bowing sound cause you're not going to get a fast one with any of these effects. The SV-2 was disapointing, but not nearly as much as the Pigtronix ASDR. With envelope effects you have to allow the envelope to close before you can get another swell, which is a bit lackluster IMO.

Reverb with the mix up could work, but the attack isn't going to be as strong as you'd want. A reverse delay with only one repeat followed by a reverb could do the trick though.

Or you could go the DIY route: get/make a bypass box, a volume pedal and a gain booster. Put as heavy a spring as you can fit under the tow of the volume pedal, and have it after the gain boost in the bypass loop. Preto, you have an easy to control (not to mention variable swell rate) bowing system.

JanusZarate · #18 01-02-2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Actually I saw his performance, and he was actually using his elbow, not an ebow. And yes, it looked painful.

He?

Check her profile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syciprider

Bass Micro Synth

That may be a few too many goodies for someone seeking just a volume swell.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimming Bird

Or you could go the DIY route: get/make a bypass box, a volume pedal and a gain booster. Put as heavy a spring as you can fit under the tow of the volume pedal, and have it after the gain boost in the bypass loop. Preto, you have an easy to control (not to mention variable swell rate) bowing system.

Couldn't you technically just use an active volume pedal instead, and nothing else? If I'm not mistaken, your scenario assumes the volume pedal is passive.

A pedal like the Visual Sound Visual Volume should work nicely.

speak_onion · #19 01-02-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunarpollen

I use my Digitech Digiverb set to reverb type 5 (gated), with the level all the way up (all reverb, no dry signal), and the decay set to minimum. I use my neck pickup on my bass (Schecter Hellcat VI), as it sounds the most "natural"

I recorded a soundclip using the little microphone in my mp3 player... unfortunately because the microphone is so easily overdriven, i had to record it with my amp turned way down low, and so the microphone picked up some some actual acoustic (unamplified) noise from the bass like string squeal and plectrum noise. Had the amp been turned up louder (or up to practice or gig volume levels), no one would hear that anyway; you'd only hear what comes through the amp.

You can download the soundfile here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7v0ei9

That sounds amazing! I really like that sound.

nickbear · #20 01-02-2008, 10:00 AM

cant help you with a bowed sound but just in case you ever need a pizzicato sound:

i can get a nice pizzicato type violin/viola/cello sound by using my micro pog with the octave up boosted quite a bit then with a little bit of octave down and a little bit of the original signal, then if you palm mute with a fat pick or use a mute it sounds really cool. oh it also sounds better in the higher registers

obviously its not going to get you an ebow sound or a really convincing violin sound but i use this technique in one of my bands songs and the sound and technique does remind you very much of a few strings instruments playing together.. we are recording the song really soon so il send it to you when its done.