Octavers: Define It

Choosh · #1 02-26-2008, 11:47 PM

Okay, my friends want me to play with them, potentially starting a band that plays some metal (Killswitch Engage - Rose of Sharyn our first cover) .Anyways, I usually like to play on standard tuning, but they want me to downtune drop D one step. If I get an octaver, would I be able to downtune one step without fiddling the tuning heads? If so, could you recommend me one that is cheap but works really well?

Thanks!

Jared Lash · #2 02-27-2008, 12:03 AM

Short answer: No.

Long answer: An octave pedal will generate a note an octave below the one you are fretting. You can blend in this octave with your clean tone.

You could set the blend to be all the octave below and none of your clean tone and then play a D on say, the fifth fret of the A string and the pedal would give you a low D. But I have yet to find an octaver that would both sound convincing and track well enough to play whole songs in this fashion.

You might be better served getting a Hipshot Detuner for your E string or stringing your bass BEAD rather than EADG to give you those low notes.

The BurgerMeister · #3 02-27-2008, 12:03 AM

strictly speaking, yes. you'd have to play all the "low" lines an octave higher with the octaver on, thus producing a note an octave lower than what you're playing.

i suggest the micro POG.

that being said, you'll be hard pressed to find an octaver that sounds as good as just overcoming the hurdle and learning to play in drop d.

jucas · #4 02-27-2008, 12:05 AM

Nope, octave pedals are just going to give you an octave (usully down), not one step. They're a great idea in theory, but they have their limitations... not sounding too much like your original signal, and tracking problems, so playing higher on the neck to make up for it is probably not a great solution in this case either.

Are you going for drop D down a step (CGCF) or just drop D (DADG)? And is the problem the detuning the low E, or just that you don't like having things down a whole step? I guess either way, if you don't have one already you'd probably be better off with a tuning pedal that anything else...

Choosh · #5 02-27-2008, 12:16 AM

Yeah, I love standard tunings. I don't really want to get a new bass just to play with my friends, so I don't have to tune often. Oh well, I guess I'll just buy a pedal tuner (frigid expensive). Well, it's a 100 dollars you really HAVE to spend. =/

Rose of Sharyn is in CGCF with unfortunately a lot of open fret on the E string. =/

dustdbass6 · #6 02-27-2008, 12:19 AM

If only you played a fiver...

TeeMartin · #7 02-27-2008, 12:25 AM

Buy a hipshot detuner or learn to quickly go from standard to drop D by ear

GabeN · #8 02-27-2008, 12:40 AM

Drop D is a great tuning. The only difference between standard and drop D is 2 frets on the E string so why not drop tune? I started using drop D and found it so easy to use that I never tune up anymore.

Choosh · #9 02-27-2008, 12:45 AM

Drop tuning messes up my scales =/ I write my own lines (even if they aren't as good) based on them.

dannybuoy · #10 02-27-2008, 01:08 AM

If you go the tuner pedal route, I can recommend the new Ibanez LU20, half the price of the Boss and it's true bypass. And it has a blue LED!

Sean S · #11 02-27-2008, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choosh

Drop tuning messes up my scales =/ I write my own lines (even if they aren't as good) based on them.

Adapt?

fuNKmaster83 · #12 02-27-2008, 06:40 AM

i was once asked to fill in in some metal HC new age ****...

they where drop C... i played my 4 string normally but with an octaver... i played every thing in the middle of the neck and they said that no bass player had such a huge sound... i told them why do you drop tune... you loose all the tension!!! but you have to know witch notes and cords they are playing by ear cuz there is no way to cheat like most bass player by looking at what the guitarist is doing!!!

Darkstrike · #13 02-27-2008, 06:44 AM

What about a pitch shifter?

Ruoska · #14 02-27-2008, 06:59 AM

You don't have to spend $100 on that tuner unless you really wanna blindly buy that Boss TU-2 some place where they word discount is unheard of. For example, the Fender PT-10 which I think does it's job nearly as well is like $40 or so.

johnvice · #15 02-27-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruoska

You don't have to spend $100 on that tuner unless you really wanna blindly buy that Boss TU-2 some place where they word discount is unheard of. For example, the Fender PT-10 which I think does it's job nearly as well is like $40 or so.

I have a Korg pocket tuner that I paid $10 for. It ain't rocket surgery, they all do the same thing!

While I am a 4 stringer at heart, I bought a 5 string as a back-up and to play stuff in drop tunings.

Higgie · #16 02-27-2008, 08:17 AM

Rocket Surgery?

Trevor.A · #17 02-27-2008, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeeMartin

Buy a hipshot detuner or learn to quickly go from standard to drop D by ear

+1, just flip the switch and you're there. Any pitch shifters/octavers might mess with your tone.

jucas · #18 02-27-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choosh

Yeah, I love standard tunings. I don't really want to get a new bass just to play with my friends, so I don't have to tune often. Oh well, I guess I'll just buy a pedal tuner (frigid expensive). Well, it's a 100 dollars you really HAVE to spend. =/

Rose of Sharyn is in CGCF with unfortunately a lot of open fret on the E string. =/

Yeah, I've played with people that wanted to go down .5-1 step and I just didn't want to keep my bass like that for the longest time. I used a hand tuner until really recently because I couldn't believe how much more than a hand tuner one with a footswitch was. Its not strictly necessary, and theres at least a few people on here with a hand tuner on their pedal boards, but I find the pedal tuner to be way more convenient. I'm quite glad I sucked it up and bought one.

Lebowsky · #19 02-27-2008, 08:46 AM

Didnt Tayste to a very informative octaver thread? search...

CHILDISHGAMBINO · #20 02-27-2008, 10:38 AM

I play in a metal band and we are usually tuned BEAD using a medium gauge 5 string set and toss the g string. If you do this you will have almost the same string tension you had when tuned standard and you can still play in standard minus the g. Some might like having a g but I don't need it for the stuff I'm doing right now and would rather have the option to go lower rather than higher(we're bass players right?). All it takes is a new set of strings and a little time with a tech to set it up and maybe file the nut down a little(you might have to get a new - nut that is - one if you go back to standard - not a big deal). It cost me 40 bucks for strings and about 10 bucks for setup. Hope this helps.