Is it a sin to use effects on upright?

Dirty D · #1 09-17-2008, 10:31 PM

Just wondering. I couldn't find a topic on this. I have been playing for a little while and just started messing around with: Delay, Overdrive, and Reverb and am kinda digging the sound. Anyone else, or am I alone and ridiculous?

Dave Muscato · #2 09-17-2008, 10:32 PM

There are no sins in music, only **** that people aren't yet ready for

Gearhead43 · #3 09-17-2008, 10:33 PM

You are alone, and ridiculous.

burnunit · #4 09-17-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty D

Just wondering. I couldn't find a topic on this. I have been playing for a little while and just started messing around with: Delay, Overdrive, and Reverb and am kinda digging the sound. Anyone else, or am I alone and ridiculous?

I don't see anything wrong with it. As soon as you have a pickup involved, you're into effects right there, anyway. So go ahead, phase it, flange it, delay it, harmonize it, send it around the room and back and have a ball.

jellymax · #5 09-17-2008, 10:57 PM

if it sounds good---it is good

MisterV619 · #6 09-17-2008, 10:57 PM

It's been done. Sounds interesting, check it out.

http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?...Dfunky%2Bskull

burnunit · #7 09-17-2008, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterV619

It's been done. Sounds interesting, check it out.

http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?...Dfunky%2Bskull

Mmmm...that looks good and it has the added bonus of Cold Duck Time on it. Love that jam.

Ramsy · #8 09-17-2008, 11:03 PM

Hell No......
One of the reasons I started playing bass (Electric in my case) was seeing my high school music teacher rip out "For whom the bell tolls" with fuzz and wah on his upright half way through a school recital.

thombo · #9 09-17-2008, 11:06 PM

christian mcbride (live at tonic) and chris wood (mmw) do it. imo, as soon as you amplify it, it's electric. enjoy your effects!

Chrix · #10 09-17-2008, 11:11 PM

Check out the Esbjorn Svensson Trio. That whole band used effects to great...um...effect...

Jeff Michael · #11 09-17-2008, 11:24 PM

Same as always: when you play for art you can do whatever you want. When you play for money you have to do whatever you're paid to do. Go ahead and effect up your bass--make it your own thing. But don't be surprised if the jazz casual calls dry up some.

JAM

Dirty D · #12 09-17-2008, 11:38 PM

Its something i've been having a lot of fun with so I'm happy to see mostly positive feedback. I'm diggin that Melvin Jackson and have always been a fan of Esbjorn svensson so perhaps it was my subconscious ear putting these crazy thoughts in my head from listening to him

Phil Rowan · #13 09-17-2008, 11:43 PM

Ask Mark Dresser.

mattfong · #14 09-17-2008, 11:50 PM

I've had a lot of fun with effects. Ran my bass through an octave pedal, delay, the most disgusting distortion you've ever heard, and a wah pedal. A drummer and I performed some improvised free/noise music as a backing track to an abstract painting performance art piece.

My bass didn't even sound like my bass. I was using a fishman bp-100 pickup which picks up stuff like tapping on the body and bridge really well so I was doing a lot of percussion stuff too.

joel kelsey · #15 09-18-2008, 12:57 AM

I wish I had a funky skull...

Roger Davis · #16 09-18-2008, 04:09 AM

Even though I'm a 67 year old dinosour of the bass I wouldn't have a problem so long as the effect is used appropriately and in context with the piece. I personally wouldn't want to venture on the wilder shores of effects but could see a chorus pedal enhancing a slow ballad solo to great, er, effect.

GreyBeard · #17 09-18-2008, 04:27 AM

If it sounds good it is good. When you think about it, amplifying your upright is an effect and I'm sure many view that as a sin as well.

Eric Swanson · #18 09-18-2008, 04:56 AM

Check out Terry Plumeri's album, "He Who Lives in Many Places" with Herbie Hancock, John Abercrombie, and Mike Smith.

Double bass, playing 12-tone melodies through a wah-wah, over a killer rhythm section. Very cool, very wild, very vocal.

http://www.amazon.com/He-Who-Lives-M...1735220&sr=8-2

http://cdbaby.com/found?artist=terry...in+many+places

bolo · #19 09-18-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty D

I couldn't find a topic on this.

Do an 'Advanced Search' in this forum for "effects" in titles of threads. I saw half a dozen or so threads.

Timbo · #20 09-18-2008, 07:30 AM

I recently got a boss me-6b and when the synth/flang is turned all the way up my BG makes some realllly crazy almost bubbling noises. I"m curious to see what would happen if I bowed my upright through it so I had a constant signal instead of a decaying one.. I think it could be really cool!

And bass is there for you to have fun AND for people to enjoy listening to it. If you can get one of those accomplished go for it.. if you manage both you're in business.