Tremolo Users - What Are You Using Yours For?

[Unrepresented]

I've noticed that there seem to be a lot of TBers with tremolo effects on their boards -- even on smaller boards that seem to contain just "the basics." What kind of uses are you putting them to? My stereotypic view of their function seems like it'd be difficult to utilize them with bass effectively in a band situation, but apparently their fairly popular. Fill me in. Links are great.

[bongomania]

I use mine for rhythmic changes in amplitude. I can make that fit into any type of tune.

[Mark Olson]

CREEDENCE.

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by bongomania

I use mine for rhythmic changes in amplitude.

Originally Posted by bongomania

I can make that fit into any type of tune.

My stereotype of tremolo effects is that they're best on chordal instruments -- organs, guitars, etc.

A rhythm instrument with rhythmic amplitude changes sounds potentially interesting in a controlled environment, but for practice or performance without a tap tempo I'm still missing how it'd be anything but an obstacle...

Are people using it on subtle settings? Using it all the way to square gating and letting the thing set the tempo itself? Something else entirely?

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

CREEDENCE.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe that Stu Cook ever used a tremolo on any of the CCR catalogue.

Fogerty used one frequently, but my question is what use bass players have for one, not guitarists.

[Jared Lash]

I use mine for lots of stuff. Here's a quick example.

It also sounds good with a slow pulse or with a square wave trem after distortion.

[TimmyDX]

i use it for ambient swells, giving distortion riffs a synthy pulse sort of sound and in recent times thanks to the controls of the shape shifter, a reverse delay sort of sound...

and so much more, its my favourite effect save distortion and harmonizing

[Mark Olson]

Yeah but it's not that hard to play some John Fogerty on the bass. I think it sounds quite cool, check it out:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7036564

But yes, I was being a smartass. I use my Tremolo for 60's style psychedelic textures, which yes were typically done on guitar but that doesn't mean it can't be achieved with a bass (if anything it guarantees it). I achieve a lot of things on my bass that most bass players are too small minded to even think to achieve, so whether that sort of thing has any relevance to you whatsoever is up to you.

[Mingus Addict]

I think at one point there was a thread on popular songs with tremolo on the bass. You might search for that. I remember Black Thumbnail by Kings of Leon being mentioned and I know the bass player from The Flaming Lips uses a tremolo often.

[Mingus Addict]

Okay, I decided to be nice and find it for you

Give me an example of a song with the tremolo effect on bass.

Hope that helps

[rratajski]

When it fit on my board, I would use it for a fast, choppy effect. I would have my muff on for heavy dirt, BMS for square wave balls and octaves, delay to extend slides/sweeps, and tremolo to chop it up at a very fast tempo in time w/ the drums. It was absolute insanity.

GGG's EA Tremolo replica does the job quite well. It's no Empress Tremolo (see helicoptors), but it does the trick of a good chop.

I always adjusted the speed of trem w/ the tempo of the drums to it was tasteful. I usually kept the depth at about 90% so it would be noticeable...

BTW, listen to Yes' The Yes Album. Chris uses it a lot on there...

[bigchiefbc]

I think that tremolo is one of the best effects (along with delay) for making psychadelic freak-outs and trance-y drones. That's mostly what I use it for

[evan_phi]

i want to get a nice trem and use it allllllll the time. I can only imagine how it would sound in a feedback loop.

[Jared Lash]

I remember answering this question months ago back in May. Here's a cut-and-paste of that post:

My Empress Tremolo is still one of my favorite effects, and I love trems on bass in general.

I use my trem in a lot of ways. Slow pulsing basslines are a favorite. But I've also cranked the rate (and with the Empress I use the different rhythms) along with a flanger and harmonics (and some compression) to give an eerie, underwater type sound.

I also like to set my Empress to transition between two speeds (with a normal trem you could just adjust the rate with your foot or use something like a 3rd Hand) where the first rate is fairly high and the second is very low. It gives this "braking" type sound which is good for leading into something else.

Also, I sometimes I keep the depth relatively low and use a triangle wave just to give lines a bit of color without a full on trem effect. Or I set it to square wave with high depth with a fuzz or distortion (I like the XXLB for this) for a really biting rhythmic pulse. Finally, something I've found I like to do lately is to set the trem to the beat of a song and then play slightly ahead of the beat so my initial attack is lost for the most part and I get sort of a reverse delay/sudden autoswell type of sound. Very cool.

Here's one of my favorite commercial uses of tremolo on bass, from a band I find myself liking more and more: "Black Thumbnail" by Kings of Leon. (Bass starts at about 0:45)

Hope that helps.

[tomhanzo]

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

Yeah but it's not that hard to play some John Fogerty on the bass. I think it sounds quite cool, check it out:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7036564

But yes, I was being a smartass. I use my Tremolo for 60's style psychedelic textures, which yes were typically done on guitar but that doesn't mean it can't be achieved with a bass (if anything it guarantees it). I achieve a lot of things on my bass that most bass players are too small minded to even think to achieve, so whether that sort of thing has any relevance to you whatsoever is up to you.

Calm down dude bro. Awesome jam by the way.

I also use my trem the way Mark does. I sometimes turn it up as fast as possible, to obtain that synth jagged sound.

[jumbo_steelie]

I found out something neat. When I turn my PN-2 on with my fuzz and OD engaged, and then slide my right hand across the strings, I get this whacked out tom morello effect. Haven't had a chance to use in a band setting yet, but believe me I will when the chance comes. It's one of my fav effects too...

[James Hart]

this does it for me... one of my favorite 'effect' bass lines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wilUcXb-VM4

No I haven't put one on my board... but I am soon

[rratajski]

Originally Posted by James Hart

this does it for me... one of my favorite 'effect' bass lines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wilUcXb-VM4

No I haven't put one on my board... but I am soon

Seriously! That's what I was thinking above.
That whole album blows my mind when I listen to it...

It's crazy to think about the stuff Chris (and the band) was doing back then...

[JohnDavisNYC]

i should get a tremolo sometime... could be fun. but my board is almost full now.

john

[dannybuoy]

I haven't got one, but if I did I would put it before my envelope filter to get some rythmic bow-chicka-wow-wow goin on.