Lost without bass effects?

[b to g is yummy]

Any bassists out there (including yourself) who would be lost as a bassist if it weren't for effect pedals?

I think I kinda got the idea for this question reading about how Edge (u2) built songs using/playing with effects, wondered if there's any crazy bassists out there similar to this.

[OptimusPrime]

Tool songs would pretty much suck without effects on bass.

[B.C.]

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

Any bassists out there (including yourself) who would be lost as a bassist if it weren't for effect pedals?

I think I kinda got the idea for this question reading about how Edge (u2) built songs using/playing with effects, wondered if there's any crazy bassists out there similar to this.

Well, I could get by. Some of our songs would be lacking a bit. However, if I was in a rock band a la Muse I would be lost without Fuzz.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

Any bassists out there (including yourself) who would be lost as a bassist if it weren't for effect pedals?

I think I kinda got the idea for this question reading about how Edge (u2) built songs using/playing with effects, wondered if there's any crazy bassists out there similar to this.

I hate playing without effects!

[Jared Lash]

Two very different things here.

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

Any bassists out there (including yourself) who would be lost as a bassist if it weren't for effect pedals?

I do some fill in work as well as informal jams where I often don't bring a single pedal. I can play just fine as I think most can. The notes are still the notes. But it's nice to have those extra options available at my feet.

Originally Posted by b to g is yummy

I think I kinda got the idea for this question reading about how Edge (u2) built songs using/playing with effects, wondered if there's any crazy bassists out there similar to this.

I've found this to be the case many times. If pedals are part of your sound, they should be part of your writing process IMO. Sure you can write out a whole song and then decide later where to add effects, but I find it much more natural to involve them from the start, and sometimes play around with them to get ideas to start with.

I even set aside time after each practice to fool around with effects. Not only is it a reward for practicing, but it has given me plenty of new directions as well as prepares me to jam with my effects since I know my gear well and how to quickly get the exact sound I'm looking for.

[ThunderLizard]

I'd be lost WITH an effect.
Had to use one a couple of times at church and I found it really distracting.

[Swift713]

I'm lost either way

[nad]

In my regular rock tendencies, I could get by without effects, and have to some extent in the past (I've always had a chorus, distortion, or wah floating about, but didn't get serious about such things until a few years ago), but at this point in my playing I would be somewhere between bored and limited, artistically speaking, without them.

My noise project I started a few months ago would not exist without effects. As these two worlds get closer to merging together, I find myself becoming less able to function without my shiny metal boxes.

[tomvelsor]

i hope we all agree that bootsy fits into this category..

[Swimming Bird]

I feel very much naked without effects. I think I could get over it in time, but it would cause some confusion at first for sure.

[envika]

if you can't play without processing, you suck.

period.

[baalroo]

Originally Posted by envika

if you can't play without processing, you suck.

period.

I could easily respond with:

"If you can't make a chorus, a delay, two reverbs, compression, an octave, an env. filter, a whammy pedal, and fuzz all going at once sound cool then you suck.

period. "

but that would be ignorant and wrong now wouldn't it?

[MonetBass]

Originally Posted by baalroo

I could easily respond with:

"If you can't make a chorus, a delay, two reverbs, compression, an octave, an env. filter, a whammy pedal, and fuzz all going at once sound cool then you suck.

period. "

but that would be ignorant and wrong now wouldn't it?

LOL! +1 man.

I almost never use effects on my bass (besides some compression). My guitar is a different story...

[StoutXXX]

Originally Posted by envika

if you can't play without processing, you suck.

period.

Ignorant.

[SERPENT865]

I can live with or with out FX.

[Parabolic Box]

Originally Posted by baalroo

I could easily respond with:

"If you can't make a chorus, a delay, two reverbs, compression, an octave, an env. filter, a whammy pedal, and fuzz all going at once sound cool then you suck.

period. "

but that would be ignorant and wrong now wouldn't it?

o snap

[Elemeninki]

I'm not lost without effects and have almost no use for them in the band i'm in.

But that doesn't stop me buying them.

[Akeris]

Uh, the only time I really need effects is in my crazy experimental proggy jamband. There I couldn't survive without them. Well I could, but it would be boring IMO.

Anywhere else I try to limit my effect use, unless is suits the song. But In general I'm fine without effects. Unless I'm playing One of These Days. Then I'm screwed.

[nickbear]

the songs i have written in the past would suck without the effects they have but thats because they were written with the effects..


but

i can write and play just fine without effects...infact sometimes i find it really refreshing to just plug into an amp and play sometimes

[EricF]

For the music I play, effects are meerly the herbs and spices that fine tune the dish. I can eat without them, but it's more tasty with them.