The right effects for metal?

[malicant]

Hi guys

Over the last few weeks, I've been listening to a lot of progressive metal music as it's a area of playing that I that I need to get into. Naturally, I've learned a few tunes and I'm enjoying the change but there's something I can't quite get right; the tone.

Normally, I would play jazz or funk and I've never had much of a problem with a good sound there but when it comes to metal, I just can't seem to get that bright, aggressive growl out of my basses. An ideal example of the tone I'm aiming to replicate would be the Pot by Tool.

I use an ampeg 300 watt amp and both Ibanez and Fender basses. I have been able to get something close to the right sound out of the ibanez (sr1200) but it's just not there yet. Obviously, a professional band like Tool would have a lot of effects and EQ going on but for an amateur like me, what could I do to replicate that sound? Are there any pedals or effects that would be useful for metal bass? Bear in mind that this would be a new area for me.

[Crystalman85]

Overdrives, distortions, and tube-emulation pedals are usually the standard effects for playing heavy metal music. if it's a bright sound you want, an exciter pedal like the aphex bass xciter or the aphex punch factory would be right up your alley. stainless steel strings can also give you a bright and punchy sound. if you're interested in additional effects to go with your rig, check out some modulation effects or wah effects(since you've mentioned you normally play funk). personally I like chorus and flanger effects on bass. they sound awesome. I also like distortion and overdrive effects on bass. those effects has been a big part of my sound along with chorus effects.

[spaz21387]

proco rat!

[bongomania]

Playing with a pick, or with a sharp/crisp finger attack, can help. Stainless rounds, yes. And low action to encourage fret buzz! I know, seems like most people want to eliminate fret buzz, but it can be a good and proper part of getting a bright growling metal tone.

[Laurent]

It's going to be a balancing act between effects and being heard in the mix. Competing with a loud drummer and one to two guitars is not easy.

Said being said, I would look at aggressive sounding pedals: MXR Blowtorch, B3K, Amptweaker tight drive, Bass Muff (EH, Tall Font Russian, Stomp Under Foot Civil war or Dirty Rooster), Woolly Mammoth and Swollen Pickle can also get there. Also the MXR Bass DI has a very bright distortion on it and you get EQ plus DI. Di might be a big plus...

[franksgbass]

Get the B3K, seriously, thats what you want. I had to get rid of it, I loved it, but I don't play metal. The two boost switches will help you nail the tone you want. Listen to a few demos on the Darkglass page.

[MCS4]

Originally Posted by malicant

Normally, I would play jazz or funk and I've never had much of a problem with a good sound there but when it comes to metal, I just can't seem to get that bright, aggressive growl out of my basses. An ideal example of the tone I'm aiming to replicate would be the Pot by Tool.

You would be surprised how many great metal bassists don't use much in the way of "always-on" effects in the way you describe. A lot of the growl you mention comes more from aggressive picking or plucking and/or low action for a "clack" sound, bright-sounding strings in a heavy gauge, low tunings, and EQ'ing, as described by the other posters. To use your own example, Tool's current bassist does use tons of effects -- but their previous bassist did not.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Playing with a pick, or with a sharp/crisp finger attack, can help. Stainless rounds, yes. And low action to encourage fret buzz! I know, seems like most people want to eliminate fret buzz, but it can be a good and proper part of getting a bright growling metal tone.

+1. Jazz bass with SS rounds and a pick should get you a very nice tone.

No need for effects to get the majority of the "bread n' butter" tone that these guys use for 90% of their stuff.

I don't think you're trying to...but since you mentioned it: Replicating Justin Chancellor's tone is a difficult path that a lot of bassists try to follow. You really need a Wal to do it. You can get close with other stuff, but it's just not quite the same.

[gregmon79]

I can honestly say that my B7K gives me quite an edgy tone the way I have it EQ'd. I use it as a SOMEwhat gritty preamp and is always on. I barely use drive on the pedal but I flip both my attack and grunt switches up and let me tell y'all, it is an aggressive tone indeed. And I love it. Plus, I use my Fulltone OCD for straight up raunch, my ODB3 for an almost always on gritty almost tubey dirt and an MXR bass fuzz deluxe I recently started using again with good results. All in all, I use almost every common effect on my board for bass. Flanger, chorus, delay, dist/OD, fuzz, envelope filter, vibrato, preamp, octave, I love them all. I suppose if I were you, I would start with a really good or well recommended distortion/OD pedal, a chorus and an octave pedal. Delay is really fun too btw, especially if youre in a position to use it in a progressive band yea yea

[malicant]

Thanks for the replies. It's actually a surprise to me that many metal bassist would play clean. I, rather naively, assumed that there was some magic pedal out there that make me sound more "metal". I guess I just need to play with more aggression!

Otherwise, I've checked out a few of the effects mentioned above. I am looking to expand my pedal collection so I'll probably pick up a few of those mentioned, they'll likely find a home somewhere.

Thank again

[warwick.hoy]

+1; keep your strings fresh and get appropriate gauged strings for downtuning. May require some mods to your bass like widening the nut slots and adjusting the intonation. May also want to think about more modern/aggressive sounding pickups.

If you intend to gig; an overdriven tube amp powering lots of drivers helps. In a pinch you could use a Distortion or Overdrive to emulate that OD'd tube amp sound. And you can never go wrong with a good bass friendly fuzz pedal.

Out of curiosity; what songs have you been learning? I personally love the distorted bass tone on the intro of Karnivool's Simple Boy,...I think that guy might use the Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive,...but don't quote me on that.

[malicant]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

+1; keep your strings fresh and get appropriate gauged strings for downtuning. May require some mods to your bass like widening the nut slots and adjusting the intonation. May also want to think about more modern/aggressive sounding pickups.

If you intend to gig; an overdriven tube amp powering lots of drivers helps. In a pinch you could use a Distortion or Overdrive to emulate that OD'd tube amp sound. And you can never go wrong with a good bass friendly fuzz pedal.

Out of curiosity; what songs have you been learning? I personally love the distorted bass tone on the intro of Karnivool's Simple Boy,...I think that guy might use the Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive,...but don't quote me on that.

I've learned a few and I'm compiled a long list of tunes I want to learn. Mostly, I've been looking at Tool songs as I've wanted to explore unusual time signatures but I'm also going over some Mudvayne Dream Theater, which is limited slightly by my lack of a 6-string bass. I know that Karnivool song as a guy I used to jam with was a big fan of theirs, it's got just the kind of aggressive tone and metaler would be proud of! I actually do have a Boss overdrive pedal somewhere at home, a good start.

[SGbassist]

IMHO, the key for the metal tone is in the bass, strings and the way u attack the string. Not much in the effects you use. Due to the sonic atmosphere of most metal songs, u will wanna go clean to cut through. If there is any distortion in your tone, u will just blend into the guitar sounds and hence not audible. P of J basses, or anything with a good growl will do it. Strings, as mentioned, stainless steel, and do the sweep across the string thing that Bryan beller does. To me that helps a lot.

That being said, if u do want some effects, sansamp or any exciter will do great to give u extra high end, maybe a little chorus/flanger/phaser at times.

[MCS4]

Originally Posted by malicant

Thanks for the replies. It's actually a surprise to me that many metal bassist would play clean. I, rather naively, assumed that there was some magic pedal out there that make me sound more "metal". I guess I just need to play with more aggression!

Playing with a metal band is what will make you sound "metal." In fact, IMO, many of the efforts bassist take trying to make their solo'd tone sound "metal" -- like scooping the mids out, using too much distortion, etc. -- actually make them get buried in the mix. If you isolated the bass tracks from many of your favorite metal albums, I'll bet you'd be surprised how "normal" a lot of them sound.

I've tried a ton of basses, effects, tricks, tips, etc. in metal bands for 10-15 years, and still the tone that sits best in the mix and gets me the most compliments is my Carvin LB70 jazz-style bass played clean through a relatively hi-fi, full-range rig.

[gregmon79]

Originally Posted by malicant

I've learned a few and I'm compiled a long list of tunes I want to learn. Mostly, I've been looking at Tool songs as I've wanted to explore unusual time signatures but I'm also going over some Mudvayne Dream Theater, which is limited slightly by my lack of a 6-string bass. I know that Karnivool song as a guy I used to jam with was a big fan of theirs, it's got just the kind of aggressive tone and metaler would be proud of! I actually do have a Boss overdrive pedal somewhere at home, a good start.

If you're going to learn tool, def get some type of dist, chorus and a whammy pedal. Just my opinion. New strings a def plus too. He uses Ernie ball hybrids I think. I got a set of them once, they're great.

[gregmon79]

A delay pedal too for tool songs.