Octave Effect

[yarg682]

I have a multi effect pedal and I just discovered the octave effect on there, I really like how it makes every note sound thicker. Is this an effect that can be frequently used or would it just be a crutch?

[warwick.hoy]

ALLEFFECTSARECRUTCHESANDANYBASSPLAYERTHATUSESTHEMC LEARLYHASNOREALTALENT.






FACT

[dsl]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

ALLEFFECTSAREGREATANDANYBASSPLAYERTHATUSESTHEMCLEA RLYHASTALENT.

Fixed

[warwick.hoy]

There's no foolin this guy.

[Eric!]

Well, with the popularity of such effect pedals like the Aguilar Octamizer and the MXR M288 Bass Octave Deluxe (thanks Uriah Duffy!!), and with a quick look into an "octave" or "octaver" search, it's clear that it's one badass effect.

[mattfong]

I'm pretty sure octavers are my favourite. I have 2 on my board - Danelectro Chili Dog and EHX MicroPOG.

The Chili Dog, for being a cheap piece of junk, sounds amazing.

[Plays_For_Dog]

If you're a crappy bass player, the effects will make you a modulated, octave, fuzzed, phased crappy bass player.

Effects are not crutches, they're tools of the trade.

[TOOL460002]

Why can't you play octaves on your bass? Something is wrong. This clearly belongs in another forum.

[Robertron]

Octave effects are awesome. Combining them with other effects like dirt and envelope filter effects can create really some really interesting bass tones.

[Mike in Chicago]

Call me crazy...but didn't Jaco use a chorus and a echoplex? Seemed to work out for him.

Oh and "Warwick" I assume you play with your fingers, right?

[Smurf-o-Deth]

"HQ, come in! We're having a sarcasm detector malfunction!"

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by Mike in Chicago

Call me crazy...but didn't Jaco use a chorus and a echoplex? Seemed to work out for him.

Oh and "Warwick" I assume you play with your fingers, right?

I play my bass with a fried chicken leg. I find the grease adds to my speediness.

And Jaco sucked because he only played on a four string.

psst,...in case you didn't realize This is my setup.

As far as my OP (and thisP),...yeah,...it's a little something I like to call satire.

–noun
1.
the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.
2.
a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.
3.
a literary genre comprising such compositions.

Stay in School.

[JimmyM]

there are a lot of people who say effects are a crutch. i consider these people morons. meanwhile, they all seem to flock to the effects forum like they think we care.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by yarg682

I have a multi effect pedal and I just discovered the octave effect on there, I really like how it makes every note sound thicker. Is this an effect that can be frequently used or would it just be a crutch?

I love octavers and use them frequently. Great for filling space or adding a heaviness to a section or whole song, works great with a fretless and can give a great synthy tone. Very simple but very usable and versatile effect.

I'm not sure why you'd worry about it being a crutch. I suppose if your clean tone is anemic and you're using the octaver as an always on effect to beef it up maybe. In that case the solution is to improve your rig, but if you dig your clean tone then add in the octaver whenever it sounds good.

[HolmeBass]

"effects" != "crutch"

Octaver is a great effect. I have 2 on my board too. One (Boss OC2) I use with the pass-through tone plus a little bit of one-octave-down for thickening / lead tones, the second (MXR BOD) I use just the octave-down signals to generate a fat dubby synth tone for basslines. I'm not sure what you mean by "frequently". With my current main band, basically a pop acoustic-rock original music outfit, I only use effects of any kind on about 25% of the songs. The octaver/fuzz/envelope filter get used individually or in concert for bass breaks, for the funkiest hardest-hitting songs, and as a compositional element in some sections of a few songs to induce extra heaviness.

[silky smoove]

Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer (bass playing courtesy of Tony Levin) is all you need to know about using an octave effect for the majority of a song.

[Higgie]

Originally Posted by silky smoove

Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer (bass playing courtesy of Tony Levin) is all you need to know about using an octave effect for the majority of a song.

+ 1

Pino Palladino on Tear Your Playhouse Down by Paul Young also is a fantastic example of an octaver on fretless.

[scHism]

HELP:
For those who have octave pedals, specifically OC-2, is it normal to lose the octave effect intermittently when pedal is engaged? IT is not audible if it is the only pedal engaged but paired with dirt or fuzz, you can hear the octave effect go on and off.

The natural, unaffected note/tone is OK, it is clear and audible, but the octaved note, 1 up or 1 down, disappears for a couple of milliseconds and then reappears. It is like when you are listening to a stereo headphones when one of the cables has an issue, ie, left side is continually heard, right is on and off.
It is more apparent on the higher frets specially on the octave up.

Is this the tracking issue that they talk about octavers? I thought it is only on the lower notes.

I have checked all my connections, there are no other pedals on the chain except for bass > OC-2 > Swollen Pickle > amp, I have also tried bass > OC-2 > MXR DI > amp. The more fuzzy/gritty the tone is the more the cutting of the octaved signal is apparent.

I just wanna make sure if it is normal or if there is really an issue with the pedal before I take this up with the seller.

[Vlad5]

non-professional advice...
Octavers require an articulate and accurate attack, sustain, release for each note. The best tracking octavers are more forgiving to your technique than those that don't track well. This applies to octave down analog effects. Digital octavers have little problem tracking, but sound thinner (usually) than analog octavers. Of course I am talking about single notes. Analog octavers won't track a chord down, and some (like EBS) can track the lowest note of a chord down, but only the lowest note.

So, play each note carefully and deliberately. An octaver can actually make you a better player if approached it this way. Your notes will become cleaner, less fret buzz, more articulation, etc...

When you get this down, then you can start playing faster and faster, and be amazed at how well your octaver 'tracks' your notes, even at high speed.

And yeah, due to the need for articulate notes, the octaver works best as number one in your signal chain. Or number 2, right after a compressor.

Hope this helps.

[Vlad5]

FWIW digital octavers track just about anything, sloppy playing, chords, whatever, but you have to live with the digitized signal, which isn't to everyone's taste.