Bass Whammy....use to tune down work?

[bassbones2]

Im getting old and the hands are hurting......I play a six now but its on the chopping block. I'm going back to four strings but will miss the super lows....can I get these from the whammy with enough realism?...at least in a band setting? (mixed in with everything else). Anybody do this?

JB

 

[LSMFT6]

The B-wham is actually my favorite for down-tuning that way (getting a low B on a 4-string).
Even though you don't get the added polyphonic benefits of Chords mode, I keep the pedal in Classic mode when doing this because the notes sound a lot more natural and full, especially longer notes. The tracking is still fine, just stay away from complex chords.

 

[CoarseBass]

I wouldn't....the new bass whammy is great, by the artifacts of digitization and processing are still obvious. Tune down orplay a five.

 

[J Posega]

It sounds fine if you're pitch shifting down a 5th or less, but the octave down shift sounds fairly artificial.

 

[Dave W]

I would just tune down or play a 5er.

 

[J Posega]

I would just tune down or play a 5er.

I would too, unless it's only for a song or two. If it's all the time, then string BEAD would be better, or just spend some time finding the perfect 5 or 6 string.

 

[ole Jason]

It will be fine in the context of a mix.

 

[dresdenbass]

Eventide Pitchfactor does this very well, I use it to play down in C rather than have to have a seperate bass set up especially. Not as cheap as the Bass Whammy though unfortunately.

 

[bassbones2]

hands hurt....old man can't play 5's and 6's anymore

JB

 

[KickingBass]

even an Ibanez SR 5 string? mine is very light and has a thin neck.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

hands hurt....old man can't play 5's and 6's anymore

JB

So get a 4-string and string it BEAD.

 

[ole Jason]

You're only missing 5 notes if you move to a 4 string... unless the song requires you to chug those notes just take it up an octave. I guarantee the audience won't mind

 

[J Posega]

The audience won't mind, but sometimes those low notes just feel and fit better.

 

[ole Jason]

Obviously, but if it is a case of having hand pain it is not worth it.

 

[bassbones2]

well.....I have been using an octaver and playing an octave up, but sometimes its too "synthy" for the song. I also tune down the E to D often.....but its that B and C that I miss. I can't switch basses quick enough in my setting so I was looking at the whammy. I've been at this for almost 40 years, I know all the tricks....I'm looking for input from Whammy users that take the "4th down" option.

THanks

JB

 

[J Posega]

I use it to Whammy down a 4th, but I've never thought to leave it there. There's a vid on Youtube of a lady bass player using the ^2 setting to emulate a fretless. Very convincing to my ears

 

[ArvindJayaram]

I have a Kemper and it's got a fabulous transpose feature. I find it works best at lower values, but something like changing a bass tuning from EADG to BEAD would be possible with minimal artifacts and superb tracking. Has a lot of other effects too and could save you a lot on building your rig. Has a whammy too, should you choose to switch tunings this way.

 

[pink pbass]

i use a bass whammy to "change tuning" on my bass. i play four string basses tuned to drop C, CGCF. we have a few songs a step lower in drop A#, A#FA#D#, that i used to switch basses for when playing live. our latest record has a song where the guitar players tune with a low G, GGCFAD. i was trying to figure out how to approximate the bass sound for that song live to avoid having to bring out another bass for one song and tried several different octave pedals. i ended up liking the octave down harmony setting on the bass whammy the best out of everything i tried. then i tried pitch shifting the drop C bass down a step for the drop A# just to see if it would work, and ended up liking it so much i stopped bringing the drop A# tuned basses out. so, it works for me and i love it. i was looking at having to take 5 basses on tour, and the whammy lets me take 2 instead and i don't have to change basses at all during the show anymore.

 

[bassbones2]

thanks.....I'm going to pick a used whammy up and give her a try.....I wish I could afford a Kemper......but sadly...no.

JB