Making a three-piece sound fuller with effects.

[powellmacaque]

So my band is looking to beef up our sound a bit (we play punk/roots rock). We would eventually like to add another guitarist, but I think it'd be cool if we added another dimension coming from the bass.

I would like to have a split signal, one being more "traditional bass" with maybe some overdrive and maybe chorus, and another with more experimental effects.

I'm open to all ideas, but I really like what MXR, Boss, and EHX have to offer. I'd like to have octave, synth, fuzz/dist/overdrive, chorus, anything to help make our sound full. I'm looking for a way to split the signal, possibly to two separate amps... I'm an effects noob. If you guys could tell me the best way to accomplish my goal thatd be great.

[rratajski]

I play in loud, noisy 3 piece. I used to use the EHX HOG to pull in multiple octaves when slamming one note. It definitely fills out space!!!
I have since started chording waaaaaasy more, so I downgraded to the EHX Micro POG and am very happy. Adding suboctave and +1 octave to your dry signal works verrrrry well and you can still chord with digital octavers.

Look into a Boss Bass Chorus as well to warble and double up bass parts.

If you band plays in close to perfect time, get into looping. You can record a riff before songs or on the fly and play over top off them!

[WaldoNova]

I was doing the same thing for a little while but playing gigs was kind of a pain lugging around two amp rigs. My solution was splitting my signal and having all of my dry bass go through my sansamp and all my effects through my mic'ed rig.

+1 for the micropog except I use it mainly for the +1 octave to fill up sonic space while the guitarrist is soloing( I have a MXR BOD for -1 octave which I like the sound of a lot more). But the best feature , for what you want, is that the Micropog has a wet and dry output so you can split the signal there.

I think you have most of the space covered with what you mentioned (octave, synth, fuzz/dist/overdrive, chorus) but I've always prefered phaser to chorus but as always YMMV.

With a lot of tinkering what you want to do will work. Good Luck!!!!

[syciprider]

Encourage your drummer to play like Ginger Baker. That guy can really fill up space.

My church drummer pedals the high hat so he can free both hands to do space filling.. umm.. fills.

[lambrusco]

I play in a 3 piece I used to go stereo out of my bass with one pickup going to my sansamp clean, then direct out the P.A. and my other pickup going through my effects to my amp, which had a mic on the cab.

I felt I didn't have as much tonal and volume control over my sansamp DI sound. I felt more at the mercy of the soundguy than if I had a physical amp representing my tone. It may be irrational but it didn't feel comfortable to me. Stereo and plain split signal dual amping made a significant difference in my band's overall sound presence.

+1 on the Pog. I use the Pog2 for both octave stuff and organ-like sounds. Fuzz Octaves are a good bet too.

[sk8]

in the three piece i'm currently playing in (well its four with the singer) i use Octave, Fuzz, Chorus, OD, Distortion and delay to fill out the sound. Got a Flanger coming too!

Don't use a blended signal but i do use the ODB-3 for my distortion so i can blend some clean back in but the fuzz and od are just as is

[fasto]

Try the AKAI UB1 Unibass + Distortion/Fuzz + WahWah, here are some clips: http://www.hansvanrock.com/akai-ub-1-unibass/

Since the Unibass is out of production you have to check eBay or Craiglist for a used pedal.