Kaoss Pad on Bass?

lovebrigade · #1 11-06-2007, 06:13 PM

I've been checking out these korg kaoss pads and think theyre awesome. I would definetly get one but i play bass and am not sure if it would have any use. Are there any bass players out there who have one? How is it on bass?

Thanks, Lovebrigade

Sean S · #2 11-06-2007, 06:14 PM

You've seen Muse, haven't you

Mon Rominee · #3 11-06-2007, 06:22 PM

to say it sounds awesome is an understatement. I was lost in a bass / kaoss pad loop / euphoria for a few hours once. I still want one.

Ely · #4 11-06-2007, 06:23 PM

Oh the Kaoss pad is a wonderful little toy. I have played with my friend's KP2, and it sounds cool with anything played through it really. But the KP3 looks amazing, and I am definitely going to buy one.

KarateKid25 · #5 11-06-2007, 06:38 PM

+1 KP3 looks awesome!

Swimming Bird · #6 11-06-2007, 07:33 PM

Mine's on its way. The way to use it definitely depends on your style of play, but it should be very easy to use a multi effect, though with only one effect at a time -- this is doable with the effect hold button. Any oscillating or static effects should work really well for this setup, you just need to be able to hit the preset button you want and select the effect parameters when you want a new effect in song.

Also, if you got a midi controller, most of this could become foot operable.

You could do all sorts of things with samples and different effects etc, but it'll take some time to learn, and may only end up being halfway practical. Then again, you could get very good at single hand tapping.

This should be a decent guide for possible uses:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jks09pKu3bU

Ignore that the pad is mounted -- otherwise you'd be in a similar playing situation.

OhThePeacock · #7 11-06-2007, 07:36 PM

I thought they were like MIDI things...do they have a 1/4" in/output.

icarussmicarus · #8 11-06-2007, 09:51 PM

The singer in my band uses one for vocal and ambient effects.

It doesn't have 1/4 jacks but the leads required are not too hard to find. It is after all a DJ tool by trade, as such you have to go into a bit more effort to get it work. In order to get it to run through his vocal track, he actually brings his own PA on stage to run the Kaoss pad into and then his PA goes into the house PA.

I've yet to try in on an instrument, but its amazingly fun.

superbassman2000 · #9 11-06-2007, 10:14 PM

i think it's a cool idea, although it might be hard to control the effects while playing bass--i have heard a lot of people putting them after loopers to screw with the loops while not playing bass

Swimming Bird · #10 11-06-2007, 11:08 PM

Shouldn't the mic and headphone jacks be 1/4"?

Mon Rominee · #11 11-07-2007, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimming Bird

Shouldn't the mic and headphone jacks be 1/4"?

edited because I was mistaken.

OhThePeacock · #12 11-07-2007, 06:48 AM

So you have to get a midi-1/4 cable and put it through an effects loop?

Mon Rominee · #13 11-07-2007, 06:53 AM

For the short while I tried it, I just plugged my bass into my SansAmp BDDI (just incase the signal wasn't hot enough), then output to a 1/4" mono to dual rca y cord, into the kaoss pad. Did fun loopy type stuff, tried out the effects onboard, and was generally smitten with it.

I would use it for manipulating loops on the fly with different effects / parameters while also playing live bass or something else on top of it...prolly trough an A/B box or split signal routes...I haven't had enough time on it, but it was neat, and different enough...just wish I had more time alone with it to be sure it would be practical and worth the money for the applications in mind...no doubt it's worth the coin for the unit itself tho, it's awesome.

Mon

ga_edwards · #14 11-07-2007, 07:03 AM

One of my guitarist buddies used to use the Alesis AirFX to similar result.

He did like being 'creative' with his fx. He once glued a delay pedal to the front of his guitar so he could tweak the knobs whilst playing.

He also built his own retrofit infinite sustainer and defretted another guitar. It resulted in what could only be described as an oversized stylophone

Swimming Bird · #15 11-07-2007, 07:08 AM

All I'm saying is that those mic and headphone jacks look 1/4" to me. If not, could someone please tell me what they are?

Magical_Max · #16 11-07-2007, 07:13 AM

Can confirm that those front jacks are 1/4" however the main inputs and outputs (line I/p and O/p) on the back are phono or RCA jacks, or at least they are on the KP1.

Mon Rominee · #17 11-07-2007, 07:16 AM

Ah, my apologies swimming bird, it'd been a while since I'd used one...I must have forgotten the mic input there.

That said, I still used the rca inputs on the back...but apparently that's not the only option.

Swimming Bird · #18 11-07-2007, 08:46 AM

Don't worry about it Mon.

The back panel looks RCA to me. Midi is for control purposes and USB is for editing samples and effects on the computer.

Mon Rominee · #19 11-07-2007, 09:01 AM

I imagine this and an MPC5k hooked up together could provide years of fun... this hooked up with certain models of electribes would certainly be blissful.

KarateKid25 · #20 11-07-2007, 02:22 PM

I've been GASing for a Kaoss pad for a while now... This thread is not making life any easier!