Effects for double bass

[tHeSoN42]

A few recent occurrences have led me to gain an interest in using effects on upright bass and there is very little information out there that I can find on the matter, probably because the notion of effects used with an upright is considered to be taboo by many. I think, however, some effects pedals, especially used while bowing, may produce very interesting sounds, good for the type of experimental jazz that I am getting into. I was basically wondering if there is anyone who has any kind of experience with the subject or knows of any upright bass players who do. Currently, I am experimenting with an old multivox tape echo that my friend gave me a while ago and getting some neat sounds out of it without, surprisingly enough, sacrificing any tone. I'm now looking to expand my use of effects but I want all the advice I can get before I start investing any money. If anyone has anything to say on the matter I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

[hensonbass]

I've used many effects with my upright. The ones in parentheses are what I use personally. Some of the best are octaver pedals (Electro-Harmonix Micro POG), modulation pedals for chorusing, phasing, delays, reverb (Damage Control Glass Nexus).

In general you want all of your pedals to have true bypass switching and have a very transparent sound to maintain the upright sound. Using certain pedals made for electric guitar can mangle up your sound to where you wouldn't know it's an upright anymore.

Here's a solution to where you could use any effect pedal out there. I use a Radial Big Shot Mix pedal that allows your normal tone to be blended with the effected tone. http://www.tonebone.com/re-bigshot-mix.htm

There's no right or wrong way with any of this - just be willing to experiment, use good taste, and don't piss off the band leader.

[chris dammann]

finding pedals that work well for the db is an expensive adventure. the best luck i've had (without total choas) are with the moog effects. i use the low band pass filter all the time to give me a nice focused sound. the freq box also works well. most effects simply don't have enough tweaking ability to be subtle enough to work with a db and just give you crazy feedback (not that crazy feedback can't be fun). the blackbox quicksilver delay is also the best delay i've ever used for bass.
chris

[natbers78]

You should (if you haven't already) check out Dan Berglund (sp?). He played with Esbjorn Svensson for quite a few years. Unfortunately, Esbjorn recently passed away. Svensson recorded several albums with Berglund. Great stuff...especially if you are interested in double bass with effects.

[hdiddy]

Charnett Moffett does stuff with distortion too, while tapping and using arco. Funny this thread came up. I have been looking for effects too and I might just get a multi-fx pedal just so I can mess around and find sounds I like. I have a D-Tar solstice hanging around for this purpose but I forget if it's able to blend... otherwise I would just split the cable to my bass into the 2nd input so I can get a clean tone while playing around with an effected tone.

[RD]

Blasphemy I say, blasphemy!
RD

[drurb]

Originally Posted by RD

Blasphemy I say, blasphemy!
RD

Different strokes...

I agree. My holy grail is the unadulterated, unaltered acoustic sound of my bass. For me, amplification is a necessary evil with the ideal being "my bass but bigger." I'm just not into "effects"-- other sure are and they should enjoy!

[Uncletoad]

There is a time and place for everything. There is nothing wrong with using the string bass for things besides traditional classical music and jazz. I'm sure when the jazzbos started playing the string bass in that fashion it raised eyebrows from the classical camp. Now it's a traditional use of the bass.

Rock originated with the string bass as did country, bluegrass etc.

Tonight I'm playing in an 11 piece band on a gig where the computer rules the roost. It's non stop house/trance/drums and bass/ etc. kind of stuff.

Three bass players, myself on DB and an electric bassist and the computer playing synth bass. I use a distortion pedal and a delay box and make a bunch of racket with the bow. It adds an interesting texture to an otherwise dense mess that is exciting and frightening at the same time.

It's also great show business.

So pooh-pooh all you want. I got a gig tonight, do you? I still try to get to the holy grail acoustic bass tone on other gigs. Just not tonight.

[ToneRanger]

The pure sound is nice, but sometimes I like to mess with it...
If you're bowing, a phaser can be fun. I've got a cheap B******** knock of of the EH classic that works well on bass. I've also got a couple of envelope filters. The BassBalls Nano is the most fun; an old MXR is not as extreme but preserves the lows better.

After trying lots of overdrive/distortion pedals over the years, I've finally found one that really works for bass - MI Audio's Blues Boy Deluxe: http://www.miaudio.com/BBD1.htm
It's like a Tube Screamer, but can give more subtle drive, like slightly saturated tube amp, or go really extreme, but retains plenty of low end.

The other pedal I'd like (but can't afford yet) is a MoogerFooger - lots of control and great quality.

[Uncletoad]

I like my elderly Big Muff, the first big version. When run through the fx loop of the Focus it retains the original sound in parallel so I don't loose all the booty.

It's pretty sick.

[anonymous02282011]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

There is a time and place for everything. There is nothing wrong with using the string bass for things besides traditional classical music and jazz. I'm sure when the jazzbos started playing the string bass in that fashion it raised eyebrows from the classical camp. Now it's a traditional use of the bass.

Rock originated with the string bass as did country, bluegrass etc.

Tonight I'm playing in an 11 piece band on a gig where the computer rules the roost. It's non stop house/trance/drums and bass/ etc. kind of stuff.

Three bass players, myself on DB and an electric bassist and the computer playing synth bass. I use a distortion pedal and a delay box and make a bunch of racket with the bow. It adds an interesting texture to an otherwise dense mess that is exciting and frightening at the same time.

It's also great show business.

So pooh-pooh all you want. I got a gig tonight, do you? I still try to get to the holy grail acoustic bass tone on other gigs. Just not tonight.

LOL. Pedals? not for me. Do I have gig tonight? Fortunately, yes, but yours sounds like more fun! Enjoy yourself man.

[bkbirge]

Effects are cool when they are called for, they are just tone/timbre shaping tools to get the sound you want. Doesn't matter if it's DB, EB, or kazoo. There are no rules to music. I did a homebrew recording last night where I put a maestro phaser and echolution delay pedal on the double bass, sounded great for the track which is a rock thing with jazz flavors. I use the same suite of effects as I would on electric bass. Or guitar, or voice, or sax, or drums, etc. Don't be afraid to mess with your 'pure' tone, just don't use effects as a substitute for getting a good tone from your fingers first.

[damonsmith]

Last night I actually used the chorus with the bow, it was in the middle of a bunch electronic sounds and actually worked. In general I have found I can process the bass with the bow, and other objects like sticks and brushes.

I have started to use the laptop in performance with my bass, but even then I just process recordings of things like my espresso machine, escalators and frying a burger.
I do have a few double bass sounds in there so I am playing my EUB, and really miss them I can have them.

[hdiddy]

Ppl who only enjoy a clear tone, please stay out of this thread. Some of us would like to experiment and need to trade notes on what we've tried. Yes we like clean tones but we're also wanting to mess around with something different. You're not helping us out here. Some of us really don't give a rats ass if you have a gig that you are not using effects.

Anyways, Damon, I'm interested in using a chorus as well. What are you using?

Also, I know we have a few sansamp users who use it as a pre. How's the distortion on it for your bass?

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Also, I know we have a few sansamp users who use it as a pre. How's the distortion on it for your bass?

Not bad. I prefer muff myself.

I have the boss bass chorus. Doesn't do much for me on the DB. DD3 or DD5 Delay is much more fun. I had a bassballs for years and everytime I stepped on it on the gig it was like a vacuum tone sucker. Destroyed anything remotely basslike for me.

The Boss Bluesdriver is nice too. Not quite as over the top as the Boss Bass Overdrive which I couldn't use on the DB.

[Gornick]

I got a nasty tone out of a Rat distortion box before that works, and with a blend from a mic makes a really nice texture underneath of the real thing.

Also have found a lot of very useable fun outta one of these:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--DGTVOC300

great for delays and filters. takes some time to get the thing set up, but if you can get the pedal to tweak the right paramaters you can have the thing harmonize with your line quite nicely.

But in the end you have so many textures with a bow and your fingers available, it's just more fun to go straight bass.

[hdiddy]

I tried an old Rat on mine - didn't get much of anything.

Delay... i totally forgot about that one. Yeah I like delay better than chorus I think.

[damonsmith]

I just used the chorus on my GK last night. i played multiphonics and double stops in harmonics and it really thickened the sound.

[RD]

"So pooh-pooh all you want. I got a gig tonight, do you?"
No, I don't, and I was trying to be funny. I used the wrong smiley, I guess.
I have such a hard time producing a good tone on DB in the first place, it seems ludicrous for me to use effects.
I use plenty of effects on BG at times. But, even there, they can get in the way of the music, in my experience.
I'm quite new to DB and probably have a shrine to Brown, LaFaro, Pettiford and others in my head. So, I didn't intend any offense. I'm all for creativity and struggling to get to that. Just without distortion and infinite repeats to cloud my journey.
peace,
RD

[MR PC]

The old Boss Octave divider (OC-2) can be interesting sometimes. Putting these boxes in the effects loop makes a lot of sense. I've used an Analog Delay and Flanger that way. Wicked sounds that would make Ray Brown roll, I'm sure.