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Do you need FX pedals for rock?
- Thread starter Mr.Ace
- Start date
nonsense. ''The question'' in the fx forum must be posed as ''what fx for rock?''
The reason for ''group'' moderation was everyone tired of the same nofx roosters decrying fx at any opportunity.
What mic?
I've been experimenting with various pedals for an aggressive rock tone. I have a DiMarzio Area P loaded Matt Freeman P-bass, it goes into a GK MB200 and Avatar neo 2x10s. I was using my Idiotbox Blower Box and got some SICK grind playing with that and a pick. It wasn't quite SVT or big tube breakup dead on, but it definitely had that vibe and sounded great. Good for an always-on or when you need to get more aggressive in a song.
Key word here is "need." Answer is clearly no.
That said, they can be fun. Try to borrow something, check some stuff out at a store, or get say a cheap zoom do-it-all B1on and see what you think.
That said, they can be fun. Try to borrow something, check some stuff out at a store, or get say a cheap zoom do-it-all B1on and see what you think.
But that's not the question here. The question here is "Do I need effects for rock?" If you are in the effects forum, you must already have asked yourself this question, and the answer had better have been "yes".
So my version of need?? I have always used a compressor and bbe. I just like the fatness they bring to my sound. I started with a cheap zoom multi effect and if you are just starting out the zoom b3 is a awesome unit to find the right effects for you. Check it out might fit the bill. Then when you find out what effects you like you can go from a multi effect unit to individual pedals.
but you painted the question as if it HAD been asked in the fx forum and proceeded to deride the fx forum.
depends on what is the tone you are going for, is a loaded questions IMHO.
Is like asking do i need to use roundwound to play classic rock song?
and who are these classic rock band anw, if you are trying to cope Motorhead tone, you need a dirt pedal.
If you are trying to get a chris squier tone, go get a delay pedal
if you are trying to get Duff Mckagan tone, get a chorus pedal
so decide what tones are you trying to achieve before making the decision to use fx pedal or not
Is like asking do i need to use roundwound to play classic rock song?
and who are these classic rock band anw, if you are trying to cope Motorhead tone, you need a dirt pedal.
If you are trying to get a chris squier tone, go get a delay pedal
if you are trying to get Duff Mckagan tone, get a chorus pedal
so decide what tones are you trying to achieve before making the decision to use fx pedal or not
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Depends upon the songs you are covering. For example, if you are playing 80s songs where the bassist was using chorus or a phaser (like, say, some Cure songs or Pink Floyd), then you'd benefit from one of those too if you want to sound similar. It would be pretty much impossible to cover Sledgehammer without an octave pedal. Going to do RHCP - better look into an envelope filter. Some 90s grungy stuff would benefit from dirtier tones.
Lots of guys are happy to not use effects when they are covering the work of other bassists who *did* use effects on the original tunes. Only you can decide if that is right for you (or, rather, you in conjunction with the band you play in - they may want you to do a good job of recreating the original bass part). Just realize though that there are a lot of tones on a lot of songs that magical fingers and tweaks to an amp will NOT recreate.
When I've played covers and/or in cover bands, I benefitted from having a board that had on it a tuner, a boost, an overdrive, a fuzz, a chorus, an octaver, and a compressor. With these effects available to me, I felt pretty good about being about to cop tones for the tunes that we played.
Bottom line is that no one can tell you what you should do or what is needed for as broad of a genre as "rock covers". See what you feel comfortable with and what your band requires you to be able to do, then decide.
As a final note, if you do decide you'd like to try effects or seriously look into them, then most certainly drop by the effects forum, where there are all sorts of bassists playing all sorts of styles of music with a mountain of experience using any and every effect you can imagine. You'll get all the help you need there to figure things out.
Best of luck with the new project!
I'm primarily a heavy rock player, and I have a full pedal board consisting of:
Line 6 m5 (primarily used for octave)
TC Electronic Spark Boost (light, tubey overdrive)
Bearfoot Uber Bee (more saturated overdrive)
Mojo Hand Colossus (fuzz)
Boss Super Chorus
MXR Bass Compressor
MXR 10-Band Graphic EQ
MXR Bass Preamp/DI with Distortion (for a more aggressive metallic drive)
I use every single pedal regularly, and they definitely add an extra layer of goodness that I really miss when I plug straight into the amp.
Conversely, you could cover a whole lot of ground with an amp that can get some good drive/breakup when pushed, and then control it with your bass volume. A lot of guys do that to great effect.
Line 6 m5 (primarily used for octave)
TC Electronic Spark Boost (light, tubey overdrive)
Bearfoot Uber Bee (more saturated overdrive)
Mojo Hand Colossus (fuzz)
Boss Super Chorus
MXR Bass Compressor
MXR 10-Band Graphic EQ
MXR Bass Preamp/DI with Distortion (for a more aggressive metallic drive)
I use every single pedal regularly, and they definitely add an extra layer of goodness that I really miss when I plug straight into the amp.
Conversely, you could cover a whole lot of ground with an amp that can get some good drive/breakup when pushed, and then control it with your bass volume. A lot of guys do that to great effect.
Hey!! I'm one of them!!
But seriously no, you don't need FX for Rock music..i personally dig overdrive , compression and chorus for Rock, but I'm just really picky so...
And since people have brought using amps for dirt, Darkglass is releasing the "Microtubes 700" sometime this spring that features both clean *and* dirty channels!! I'm definitely getting one, but in the meantime I have this!!
An amazing DI/Preamp that replicates cranked tube amps, does the touch response thing as well, the era knob can go from 60's-90's tones and these older ones are probably gonna sell for cheap now with the updated version available!!
An amazing DI/Preamp that replicates cranked tube amps, does the touch response thing as well, the era knob can go from 60's-90's tones and these older ones are probably gonna sell for cheap now with the updated version available!!
Depends what sounds the other instruments are getting. IE, I was playing bass in a bar band doing pop/rock covers, but the acoustic guitar and electric guitarist played straight in to the PA no effects - so if I did anything more than a clean octave or light OD, it sounded out of place. Kind of match what the guitar uses.
my personal preference (until a specific pedal need arises) is to run:
whatever OD/Dist/fuzz you feel that day > Boss PS3 (delay, octave/pitch shift, chorus, and whale noises, at the turn of a knob) > amp (or Tech21 VT Bass > PA)
Does your Mesa head have channel switching? If so you're halfway there already.
my personal preference (until a specific pedal need arises) is to run:
whatever OD/Dist/fuzz you feel that day > Boss PS3 (delay, octave/pitch shift, chorus, and whale noises, at the turn of a knob) > amp (or Tech21 VT Bass > PA)
Does your Mesa head have channel switching? If so you're halfway there already.
No, because the dirt is already on the pickups...!!!
There's no need for FX in rock, or any genre. Do what you want.
Me personally, I use a modified DS-1 for some distortion in loud choruses or some hard rock songs we're playing, and I have a compressor before it because it's sensitive to how hard I play and I want it consistent most of the time. Tried my bass wah and CE2 chorus last week, and both had a place in the music, but also both are not required.
I'd get in the band and get playing and you'll soon work out what will make the music more exciting, and you'll likely end up in the bottomless pit of pedal ownership!
Or just buy a cheap multi-FX until you work out what you want.
(incidentally I found the Bass Big Muff Pi to be an awful pedal. It didn't cut through the band, and gave an overall weak fizz to my sound, so don't assume because it's well known and well liked it will work with YOU).
Dial in your amp tone first. If it sounds good, then keep rockin.'
After that, I'd say add an overdrive or fuzz. Pick one that complements the sound you're loving from your amp. I highly recommend pedals that have a "clean blend" or "wet/dry" control, as they let you dial in the amount of effect you want.
After that, an octaver. I like the EHX POG pedals for playing during guitar leads. Turn on some low octave and a bit of higher octave (and a bit of drive from the other pedal) to fill out the sound hole left by the nonexistent rhythm guitarist. I also like the MXR bass octave deluxe pedal, but that doesn't have the octave up option that the POGs have.
After that, a flanger or chorus.
Have fun and rock the house! That's what it's all about, in the end.
After that, I'd say add an overdrive or fuzz. Pick one that complements the sound you're loving from your amp. I highly recommend pedals that have a "clean blend" or "wet/dry" control, as they let you dial in the amount of effect you want.
After that, an octaver. I like the EHX POG pedals for playing during guitar leads. Turn on some low octave and a bit of higher octave (and a bit of drive from the other pedal) to fill out the sound hole left by the nonexistent rhythm guitarist. I also like the MXR bass octave deluxe pedal, but that doesn't have the octave up option that the POGs have.
After that, a flanger or chorus.
Have fun and rock the house! That's what it's all about, in the end.
I have a big bass muff fuzz, so versatile for dirt, or going back to that old school blues depending on how you dial it in.
I am getting a Darkglass b7k for extra overdrive, dirt and you can dial in your highs, miss and lows and also acts as a DI box.
To me effects are one of those things you will never be sorry you have, although you may not need.....
I am getting a Darkglass b7k for extra overdrive, dirt and you can dial in your highs, miss and lows and also acts as a DI box.
To me effects are one of those things you will never be sorry you have, although you may not need.....
- Oct 18, 2012
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I have been playing rock and blues since 1978 and have never needed pedals.
Do I need Effect Pedals? No.
All I use is a Footswitch for my Rumble 150 amp with built-in Overdrive, with a reasonable blend, for songs like "Hash Pipe" and "Breed." Sounds good enough for me.
I do use a Rocktron Talk Box for "Hair of the Dog" and "Man in the Box" because the guitarist doesn't own one, nor will I ever let him borrow mine unless he buys his own tube. I have the signal go from the FX Send, on the amp, to the Talk Box. Therefore I still keep a bass sound from the amp, while talk boxin' on the mic.
All I use is a Footswitch for my Rumble 150 amp with built-in Overdrive, with a reasonable blend, for songs like "Hash Pipe" and "Breed." Sounds good enough for me.
I do use a Rocktron Talk Box for "Hair of the Dog" and "Man in the Box" because the guitarist doesn't own one, nor will I ever let him borrow mine unless he buys his own tube. I have the signal go from the FX Send, on the amp, to the Talk Box. Therefore I still keep a bass sound from the amp, while talk boxin' on the mic.
