Let's combine this thread with the one asking what a "true bassist" is, and see what happens.
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Do You Use Effects Pedals?
- Thread starter wizzkidder
- Start date
"Sorry for the thread resurrection..."? "worth a chime in..." Really?
I'm sorry to hear you're disillusioned, and for your thread insurrection, but maybe you need to work on dialling in your effects better or buy better quality effects. Unless you're financially constrained, there's no reason not to have great sound whether you're running pedals or not. Even so, there's great gear at affordable prices if you do your homework and buy used.
"My best, most clear, onstage sound is always the pure sound from bass to amp." Well that's jim-dandy if that's all you want — a "clear" and "pure" sound. I, too, want a clear and pure sound, so that my delay and reverb can really sparkle, and so that the harmonic overtones of my Elements can send my double-bass into howling feedback with just the slightest nudge. Maybe that's not for you. Maybe you're in an originals band and have no need for effects, but if you're doing covers there's no other way to get those specific tones and effects that were on the original recordings without taking some time to dial in the OD, autowah, fuzz, flanger or whatever effect(s) was/were used on the original recording. Then again, maybe your band does covers but puts its own stamp on them. There's no right or wrong way of doing it, just different ways. Good luck with paring down to your tuner, if that's what you want to do, but maybe consider keeping a minimal amount of effects in case you change your mind.
Yeah, I like clear and pure sound — because otherwise it's garbage out of, and garbage back into my effects loop.
Sorry for the thread comment, but thought it's worth a chime in. In the mid-80s I started dabbling with the bass and eventually purchased quite a collection of them. In the first few years, I was running one bass, just with one cord into my amp. But it didn't take long before I became disillusioned with the narrow range and lack of diversity that the bass and the cord provided, so I've slowly started to acquire pedals. I'm up to about 10-12 pedals now, all on one board although I'd love a second one, and I've come to realize that I can't play without them, even my tuner. My best onstage sound is always the unique and quality sound coming from my bass running through my effects and into my amp.
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I think it's interesting that someone went to all the trouble to dig up and resurrect an ancient thread just to spout that he doesn't like effects any more. Is it less annoying than starting an entirely new 'I don't need any effects' thread in the 'effects' forum? There's something to ponder.
Anyone who says effects can't improve the sound of bass either hasn't heard good effects, or doesn't know how to use them. Not all 'effects' are wild things like ring mods or fuzzes. Most of the effects I use are pretty subtle -- a bit of compression, or a boost in a certain frequency range to give the bass more 'presence' in the mix on certain songs, etc. On rock songs I use a harmonic booster to 'thicken' the tone a bit. EQ is an 'effect'.
IMO, effects are like the salt in cooking -- in that a little can be really good, and some people use too much and don't know when to stop, but with none at all everything would be pretty bland.
Anyone who says effects can't improve the sound of bass either hasn't heard good effects, or doesn't know how to use them. Not all 'effects' are wild things like ring mods or fuzzes. Most of the effects I use are pretty subtle -- a bit of compression, or a boost in a certain frequency range to give the bass more 'presence' in the mix on certain songs, etc. On rock songs I use a harmonic booster to 'thicken' the tone a bit. EQ is an 'effect'.
IMO, effects are like the salt in cooking -- in that a little can be really good, and some people use too much and don't know when to stop, but with none at all everything would be pretty bland.
yes sir.. i do use effects....
dunlop cry baby rack wah tuned and e-q'ed for bass frequencies
pedals looped into my switcher are as follows
channel one , mxr bass overdrive
channel two, mxr carbon copy/analog chorus
channel three, mxr phase 90
channel four, tc electronics hall of fame reverb, using the "girl with the dragon tattoo" tone print
dunlop cry baby rack wah tuned and e-q'ed for bass frequencies
pedals looped into my switcher are as follows
channel one , mxr bass overdrive
channel two, mxr carbon copy/analog chorus
channel three, mxr phase 90
channel four, tc electronics hall of fame reverb, using the "girl with the dragon tattoo" tone print
Does anyone else here use bass strings? I think people are overcomplicating things. The industry standard is bass, cable, amp, they never said nothin bout no strings, man!
Strings are overrated, and so last decade.
As real bass players are not to be heard anyway, I wouldn't go through the trouble of putting on strings, it only increase the chance of hitting wrong notes.
I have to admit I'm not a "real bassplayer" ... but then again, I've never claimed to be one, or even aspired to become one. I'm happy to just have fun faking it with as much help from gear as I can afford, and gladly leave this "real" playing to others.We're not addressing the real issue: fingers. That's the key. Why bother buying pedals if you can comp, phase, fuzz, overdrive, distort, chorus, flange and delay with your fingers. That's what real bassplayers, do.
I personally don't care what anyone outside of my band thinks of my use of effects. I play music for me. If other people like it that's awesome, if they don't whatever. Being a "real bass player" is overrated. I'm more into music and songs than bass chops. Id rather listen to Muse or Tool than Victor Wooten or Marcus Miller.
