Bassists who use Effects

[SunnBass]

With all do respect if you want to rock out like a guitar player why not just buy one!

Buy a guitar player? Interesting concept.


Also: it's "with all DUE respect" and know that when using qualifiers like this one or the old "no offense" is whats known as a disingenuous qualifier.
Disingenuous qualifiers are those little phrases we tend to say that are always followed by the conjunction “but,” after which whatever is said next directly contradicts the preceding phrase. How pointless to say "with all due respect" and then immediately disrespect someone.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Flanger and distortion

 

[azfatboy]

Mike Kerr of Royal Blood uses a ton of FX.

Although technically correct, literally every pedal on his board is used for his 2 (or 3?) "Fake guitar" chains. His bass signal is dry as a bone... Of course, he is very secretive about his setup, so there is certainly a chance this is not 100% correct (especially with his new setup, which has most of the pedals in a drawer, controlled (it appears to me) with some kind of midi controller on his board), but there is no denying that at least the vast majority of his effects are not for his "bass" sound.

 

[socialleper]

Although technically correct, literally every pedal on his board is used for his 2 (or 3?) "Fake guitar" chains. His bass signal is dry as a bone... Of course, he is very secretive about his setup, so there is certainly a chance this is not 100% correct (especially with his new setup, which has most of the pedals in a drawer, controlled (it appears to me) with some kind of midi controller on his board), but there is no denying that at least the vast majority of his effects are not for his "bass" sound.

But he makes a guitar sound out of a bass, so while one half of his tone is clean, the other half is still heavily processed. Recently I watched a live performance of them and noticed two distinct patterns in the playing, which leads me to believe that he may also be using a looper of some kind. That counts as an effect as well.

 

[Dean-oh]

Although technically correct, literally every pedal on his board is used for his 2 (or 3?) "Fake guitar" chains. His bass signal is dry as a bone... Of course, he is very secretive about his setup, so there is certainly a chance this is not 100% correct (especially with his new setup, which has most of the pedals in a drawer, controlled (it appears to me) with some kind of midi controller on his board), but there is no denying that at least the vast majority of his effects are not for his "bass" sound.

In their new song sounds like there is an envelope used on the bass tone.

 

[vegas532]

Eugene Goreshter of Autolux is super creative with effects.

 

[AztecViking]

Sorry to mention Anthony Jackson again but different song...
Sounds quite "flangery" here yet could still be his tried and true phaser?

 

[SunnBass]

Juan Alderte gets my vote, but he's already been mentioned half a dozen times.

 

[madbass6]

Buy a guitar player? Interesting concept.


Also: it's "with all DUE respect" and know that when using qualifiers like this one or the old "no offense" is whats known as a disingenuous qualifier.
Disingenuous qualifiers are those little phrases we tend to say that are always followed by the conjunction “but,” after which whatever is said next directly contradicts the preceding phrase. How pointless to say "with all due respect" and then immediately disrespect someone.

Wow.. Last I checked
"No do respect intended" meant exakly that! No disrespect intented!
With that being said Beilieve it or not no disrespect intended here! Maybe I should of ended my comment with a question mark istead! So let's try it again,
(serious, legit question here!)
if someone wants to rock out like a guitar player why not just buy one or just play guitar ?

 

[CryingBass]

Let's all play nice here boys!

I mentioned Stanley: I have almost come to tears hearing him play live double bass solos ( nothing but at pre, if ). And his work with electric ( = Alembic + often effects has also pleased my ears on many occasions. Hell, I bought his Wah pedal.

Excellent bassists like Lee, Clarke, Armstrong, Pastorius, etc. - they use effects as a supplement, not as a replacement for fundamentals, as does seem to be the case with others...

 

[acleex38]

Wow.. Last I checked
"No do disrespect intended" meant exakly that! No disrespect intented!
With that being said Beilieve it or not no disrespect intended here! Maybe I should of ended my comment with a question mark istead! So let's try it again,
(serious, legit question here!)
if someone wants to rock out like a guitar player why not just buy one or just play guitar ?

If someone wants to rock out on a bass with effects pedals, why should they play guitar?

I'm still looking for the written rule that says "this sound is only for guitars - basses are not welcome." That's not a music thing, it's a social thing.

I have basses where the pickups were "designed for guitars" - they sound good and they're installed on a bass, so they're bass pickups now. The same thing applies to effects (and playing style). If you like the sound of it, then it works.

"Bass is an instrument AND a role." Some people only master one or the other, some master both, and some choose to define the role for themselves.

 

[madbass6]

If someone wants to rock out on a bass with effects pedals, why should they play guitar?

I'm still looking for the written rule that says "this sound is only for guitars - basses are not welcome." That's not a music thing, it's a social thing.

I have basses where the pickups were "designed for guitars" - they sound good and they're installed on a bass, so they're bass pickups now. The same thing applies to effects (and playing style). If you like the sound of it, then it works.

"Bass is an instrument AND a role." Some people only master one or the other, some master both, and some choose to define the role for themselves.

awsome ! Thanks.

 

[jerry]

Sorry to mention Anthony Jackson again but different song...
Sounds quite "flangery" here yet could still be his tried and true phaser?

I usually post this one when AJ and a flanger comes up:

 

[JimmyM]

Here's his rig:

Well, it was his rig a few years ago

 

[40Hz]

Well, it was his rig a few years ago

Well...it's close enough for me. I doubt I'd ever purchase or use half of what he's using for a live gig.

But that's fine. Why copy someone else's setup and sound when you can just admire it, and then go develop your own, right?

 

[Blaargh]

Well, it was his rig a few years ago

Conveniently enough...

Just yesterday.

Lotta cool stuff on that board- The Prunes & Custard is so awesome.

For me, Lightning Bolt- super loud, lots of Whammy usage. Who needs guitars, right?
The Brian Gibson Interview: Lightning Bolt's Low End

If someone wants to rock out on a bass with effects pedals, why should they play guitar?

I'm still looking for the written rule that says "this sound is only for guitars - basses are not welcome." That's not a music thing, it's a social thing.

I have basses where the pickups were "designed for guitars" - they sound good and they're installed on a bass, so they're bass pickups now. The same thing applies to effects (and playing style). If you like the sound of it, then it works.

"Bass is an instrument AND a role." Some people only master one or the other, some master both, and some choose to define the role for themselves.

I was just looking back over a bit of the thread and saw this. I totally agree- there aren't really any limits on what works, it's just what sounds good to you.

Plenty of bands use bass in a traditional guitar role- Royal Blood most famously, but I think Death From Above 1979 make a better case for it. You just could never make a guitar sound that fat and chunky. Same goes for Lightning Bolt that I mentioned above. Experimenting with tones and doing your own thing can lead to some amazing, unique sounds that are lot more interesting than just another rock band.

I personally tend to play somewhere inbetween traditional bass roles and rhythm guitar roles because a) Guitars feel tiny and weird b) I prefer the tone of an overdriven bass and c) Because in my band the guitarist writes the fancier bits and I tend to come up with the catchy riffs. I want to be able to hear me play my riffs. It sounds good to us and I don't see how adding a second guitar and putting me in the background would improve anything.

 

[JimmyM]

Well...it's close enough for me. I doubt I'd ever purchase or use half of what he's using for a live gig.

But that's fine. Why copy someone else's setup and sound when you can just admire it, and then go develop your own, right?

Totally!

 

[winterburn69]

Not sure if I missed it but I didn't see Tim Lefebvre mentioned yet. He's got pretty cool ideas when it comes to how to use effects. He even has a signature octave pedal.

Justin Meldal-Johnsen uses piles and piles of effects.

Dallon Weekes of Panic! at the Disco also uses effects (mostly OD & fuzz) and is an Aguilar endorser.

 

[acleex38]

Not sure if I missed it but I didn't see Tim Lefebvre mentioned yet. He's got pretty cool ideas when it comes to how to use effects. He even has a signature octave pedal.

I mentioned him very briefly in my post, but not with any details. He deserved a second mention.

 

[littlebooner]

Chris Wolstenholme of Muse.