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Bass pedal chain advice.
- Thread starter Nicholas Smith
- Start date
What's your reasoning for the order you've set?
Do you like it?
I would put the Pitchfork first to get a clean signal to track from. But, see my final comment...
Guessing the Compressore is last? It’s slightly hard to tell with the cables running out of shot
If you’re using the drive as a dirty boost (ie not always on) i’d try compressing before it.
But if it works, it works
Guessing the Compressore is last? It’s slightly hard to tell with the cables running out of shot
If you’re using the drive as a dirty boost (ie not always on) i’d try compressing before it. But if it works, it works
Are you using direct plugs instead of cables? I'd recommend using patch cables instead.
If it were me, I'd probably put the EQ first (esp since it looks like you're basically using it as an HPF), then the PitchFork, then drive, chorus, compressor. But that's me. It all depends on what sound you're trying to get and whether the sequence is getting it. For instance, are you using the compressor to even out the final volume of your signal as you turn different effects on and off during a gig? Or would you rather have it at the front of a chain to have an even signal you're sending into the other effects? And to an extent it only really matters if you have more than one pedal on at a time.
If it were me, I'd probably put the EQ first (esp since it looks like you're basically using it as an HPF), then the PitchFork, then drive, chorus, compressor. But that's me. It all depends on what sound you're trying to get and whether the sequence is getting it. For instance, are you using the compressor to even out the final volume of your signal as you turn different effects on and off during a gig? Or would you rather have it at the front of a chain to have an even signal you're sending into the other effects? And to an extent it only really matters if you have more than one pedal on at a time.
Yeah it never occurred to me to put a signal already overdriven or chorused into a pitch shifter. I have no idea what it would do.
To be honest, I simply followed some info online. I’m not a tech head but there’s a consensus out there for pedals to be in a specific order to maintain good flow...
Eh, I don't know about that. I certainly wouldn't put a Pitch Fork last, I can tell you that.
I would order the pedal as: pitch (works better in the beginning for better tracking), drive, eq (to fine tune the drive), chorus (the effect is more obvious after drive), compressor (to adjust dynamics after your main tone), delay (you don’t want anything affecting the trails)
For me it would be this:
Pitch -> Drive -> Compressor -> Chorus -> EQ-> Delay
Pitch -> Drive -> Compressor -> Chorus -> EQ-> Delay
The cleaner signal you give a pitch shifter, the better chance it has to accurately track the note you need and reproduce the pitch shifted note cleanly and without artifacts.
No, there isn't.
People disagree, both here on TalkBass and elsewhere. Part of the reason is: I use my pedals for my goals, and the next guy has different goals.
So help us help you: what is it you want from each of your pedals?
How do you expect us to know the perfect order for you?
There are no rules set in stone when it comes to pedal order, it will depend alone of what you want to achieve, how you use your pedals, and your personal preferences.
Ideally you would have your pitch shifter first in you effects chain though, eventual after your compression, for improved tracking, that's about all.
Tracking means your pitch shifter's ability to detect the note you are playing in order to be able to pitch it according to how you have it set, bad tracking can cause terrible glitch noises and in the worst case might not even give you an actual note from the effect, just digital noise.
It would want as clean and even a signal as possible in order to be able to track optimally, why placing it first in the chain but after a compressor, if you use one, is the optimal solution.
Shouldn't matter, but I would think you'd in fact would want them to interact if ever combining 2 or more of your effects, in which case the order is crucial, since for instance it makes a difference if you distort a signal that has been applied chorus or apply chorus to a distorted signal, however what way will work best for you is up to your personal preferences and impossible for anyone but you to answer.
Experimenting with the order of your effect pedals doesn't hurt you know, if you are not sure how you prefer it.
There are no rules set in stone when it comes to pedal order, it will depend alone of what you want to achieve, how you use your pedals, and your personal preferences.
Ideally you would have your pitch shifter first in you effects chain though, eventual after your compression, for improved tracking, that's about all.
Tracking means your pitch shifter's ability to detect the note you are playing in order to be able to pitch it according to how you have it set, bad tracking can cause terrible glitch noises and in the worst case might not even give you an actual note from the effect, just digital noise.
It would want as clean and even a signal as possible in order to be able to track optimally, why placing it first in the chain but after a compressor, if you use one, is the optimal solution.
Shouldn't matter, but I would think you'd in fact would want them to interact if ever combining 2 or more of your effects, in which case the order is crucial, since for instance it makes a difference if you distort a signal that has been applied chorus or apply chorus to a distorted signal, however what way will work best for you is up to your personal preferences and impossible for anyone but you to answer.
Experimenting with the order of your effect pedals doesn't hurt you know, if you are not sure how you prefer it.
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This is essentially what I'd do for the reasons mentioned. I definitely would not put anything after the delay except maybe the compressor just because you don't want the delay repeats going through any of those other pedals (they will start to sound messy and very odd, I would think). I'm a newb with compressor pedals, but it seems like some folks like to run them first or last or anywhere in between. That one seems to vary depending on what you're using it for.
The reason I asked those questions is because your effects chain is ultimately up to you and your preferences.
I used to run a Pork Loin Overdrive in front of my MXR Bass Octave Deluxe becauee it actually tracked better and I got infinite sustain out of my octaver. Rarely will you find a recommendation to put dirt in front of an octave pedal for better tracking but it worked very well for me.
You have to experiment with the order yourself and use your own ears to determine what's best.
Bassist4Eris
Frat-Pack Sympathizer
This. @Nicholas Smith, those connectors you're using are known to damage pedals. You're better off using patch cables. It causes less stress on the jack if you bump something.
I also second any suggestions to put the pitch first and delay last. Also, the chorus somewhere after the dirt.
