• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Always-On vs. Selective Use

How Do You Use Pedals?

  • To Enhance Tone

    Votes: 69 26.0%

  • For More Obvious Effects

    Votes: 62 23.4%

  • I Consistently Do All Of The Above

    Votes: 134 50.6%
  • Total voters
    265
#23
I have a DI pedal with EQ, a preamp and a compressor that I keep on all the time; mostly just to have "my tone" even if my amp dies I can go straight into the PA and have a good sound dialed in. I've also got an overdrive I kick on most of the time unless I REALLY feel the need to go clean (I'm usually playing rock which requires a fair amount of grit). The rest of my effects (distortion, fuzz, modulation, delay) I kick on when I want to enhance a part/make silly noises :D
 
#25
micro Thumpinator, Wampler Ego compressor (blend knob is essential), SansAmp programmable bddi and Source Audio programmable eq (my newest aquisition taking the place of my Boss eq). All always on for tone. I sometimes use a Big Muff Pi for fuzz (not a fan of distortion or overdrive o for bass).
 
#27
I already voted "all of the above," and this has probably been said by those smarter than me, but one player's tone enhancer is another player's now-and-again special effect and vice versa. Those of us who really get into pedals tend to have certain ones that are left on all, or most, of the time, in addition to others that get popped on and off throughout the gig. Which ones are which? Well, put two identical pedal boards in front of two different players and actual mileage may vary. No rules, but, for me, if I'm going to take the time to string up a bunch of stomp boxes before the show, I'm certainly going to dance around on them from time to time during the show!
 
#30
Angel Switch said:
I'm curious. When I use my pedals, they're just about always on. MXR Bass Compressor, Fulltone OCD, and Sansamp BDDI. They are each huge parts of my tone. But looking through threads, I often forget that I appear to be one of few who views pedals like this. Most of you/us use them sparingly or only on certain songs, especially with effects like flangers, choruses, delays, fuzzes, etc. So I'm wondering, how many of you use your pedals to define your sound/tonality, and how many just use them for more obvious traditional effect styles?
Click to expand...

It's not that simple. You can't - or shouldn't - lump all effects into the same category. Some are more or less designed to be used continually - like compressors & EQ pedals, for example - and are used primarily as signal conditioners or processors to shape one's core tone. Some are not - like extreme distortion, flangers or phasers - and are intended to generate special sonic flavors for special musical applications, which by definition suggest that they should used sparingly, else their impact will be lost.

The fact that they all share a similar form factor should not obscure the fact that they are not all the same type of accessory. In my opinion, if the core of your sound comes from a little box, something's missing. It should come primarily from your style, your technique, and your instrument/amp settings.

MM
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dexter_Bass
#31
my always on pedal is an OC2... haha. kind of. 90% on pedal. been thinking to get a compressor pedal or darkglass or something as an always on pedal, but got too many thing I'm always tap dancing on all the time. For a while I was running a Tone Hammer always on, and that was nice, but no room on the pedal board for it.

John
 
#32
I have a mix of both.
My LMB-3 is always on, as is my VT Bass.
Ok, well my VT isn't ALWAYS on.
There are a couple of songs I leave it off for an intro or what have you.
But mostly, it is always on.
Then as needed I have overdrive/distortion, chorus, and delay.
The most important aspects of using pedals properly are discretion and taste.
 
#34
I don't play bass...

















:p











Seriously though, the only effect I have always on is the preamp (Submarine Designer). But I often have various dirt effects on for whatever reason.

One cool thing I discovered recently, when all my effects are one at once, it sounds awesome! That doesn't always happen with the effects boards I've had.
 
#36
i use about 5 pedals (6 if you count tuner) a distortion (the hyperdrive from ashdown), octave (ashdown), wah (old dunlop bass wah...black one, modded), envelope filter (mooer bass sweeper), chorus (ashdown) and i use them to add different textures or for more dynamics and make parts more obvious or to stand out
 
#37
It depends on what I have on my board on a given night.

I generally have my compressor on all of the time, but it's not always on my board.
Every other pedal is basically used to add a little flavor to certain sections or entire songs. A little phase here, some octave there, chorus here, dirt there. I do not use pedals to get "my" tone.

When it comes to dirt, I usually coax most of it out of my bass/amp without a pedal. If I play light my tone is clean, if I dig in it dirties up in a way that most people need an OD to get. I'll use a heavier fuzz or distortion though, I can't make that happen on it's own :)
 
#38
Diamond Compressor (clarify and adds thickness to the tone) and VT DI for EQ and tone "shaping" are my always on. VMT at low settings is on frequently as well since I crave that classic rock sound and it seems to fit nearly every situation.

When it's just me messing around I add in distortion and either a filter or modulation because it really inspires me to attempt new things...
 
#40
Empress Compressor and Darkglass B7K (slight dirty w/ EQ) are always on. Everything else is occasional at most. (Part of my extensive collection of pedals is due to playing both bass and guitar. I use delays, modulation, etc. a lot more frequently on guitar.)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back