Is this a speculation about MXR Phase 100, or you have read it somewhere, or seen him live? I just ordered online Phase 100 along with MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe, with the idea to return one or both of them, if I can't get that sound, and actually I got much closer with the chorus only with my high C-tuned Ibanez SRH505F, while Phase 100 is too much to my opinion. I think though that at some point his sound has changed and became not-so-hollow, as it used to be in the 70s, and became much more punchier, so is it possible that in the 70s and early 80s he used indeed a phaser be it Bi-Phase or Phase 100, and later switched to chorus only or to a much subtle phaser + chorus? With Phase 100 I am actually able to get closer to that more hollow 70s sound of his, but I like his later sound more as present on "Pendulum", "Endless Days" and in the context of Jan Garbarek's group starting from "I Took Up The Runes" and later. @DoubleMIDI mentioned above only chorus, without phaser, but again maybe we are talking about different periods? As far as the reverb goes, again I am curious whether you have got that information about the plate reverb from somewhere, because there is an article about Jan Erik Kongshaug where it is stated that his most favorite reverb was Lexicon 480L.
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Double Bass Eberhard Weber’s Effects?
- Thread starter Keith Rawlings
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- eberhard weber effects eub tone
What do you mean by "pitch modulated feedback" - any examples how it sounds and how it can be achieved? Interestingly you don't mention a phaser, while @trkkazulu above mentions an exact model (MXR Phase 100), but as I already asked him - is it possible that in his earlier years Mr. Weber has used a phaser, having a more hollow sound, while in his later years he has switched to chorus or to chorus + a more subtle phaser, which gives more punchier sound? I am wondering also to what extent the electromagnetic pickup is important for his sound, and thinking about adding an electromagnetic pickup to my piezo-only Ibanez SRH505F - I have even contacted EMG, because Steinberger/NS Design seem to be using their pickups on their EUs and omni basses, and they replied that those pickups can be bought separately, but they don't know how I am gonna attach them to my fretless, so another option would be a more traditional bass guitar pickup, but I am not sure whether it would be worth it to damage the beautiful Ibanez - only getting closer to the desired sound would justify it.
I haven‘t talked to Mr. Weber (didn’t felt he would like to talk about technical stuff), only seen the effect units in his rack. And since these units have a lot of effects available I cannot say what exactly he was using.
But I read an article where he was interviewed about his use of effects but cannot remember more than that he only used phaser, flanger, chorus and reverb as these effects keep some sound characteristics of the double bass whereas distortion does not.
The modulated feedback is from a digital delay line where the delay time is modulated with an LFO (low frequency oscillator) which results in a variation in pitch. And optionally the output is partly feed back and mixed to the incoming instrument signal which was used too.
I tested this decades ago with a very cheap digital delay line. I guess that the sampling frequency was modulated as it was cheaper to implement but with a similar result.
At that time I was still a student with no money and realized that I get close to the effect but would need a second one and a reverb to get much closer.
As for the magnetic pickup I can only guess. Magnetic pickups won’t pickup bowed notes well, but bridge mounted piezos are louder with the bow than plucked. A mix of both might get a more balanced volume of bowed and plucked notes.
But I read an article where he was interviewed about his use of effects but cannot remember more than that he only used phaser, flanger, chorus and reverb as these effects keep some sound characteristics of the double bass whereas distortion does not.
The modulated feedback is from a digital delay line where the delay time is modulated with an LFO (low frequency oscillator) which results in a variation in pitch. And optionally the output is partly feed back and mixed to the incoming instrument signal which was used too.
I tested this decades ago with a very cheap digital delay line. I guess that the sampling frequency was modulated as it was cheaper to implement but with a similar result.
At that time I was still a student with no money and realized that I get close to the effect but would need a second one and a reverb to get much closer.
As for the magnetic pickup I can only guess. Magnetic pickups won’t pickup bowed notes well, but bridge mounted piezos are louder with the bow than plucked. A mix of both might get a more balanced volume of bowed and plucked notes.
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Mr.Weber was using a custom-made magnetic pickup, coupled with Wilson piezo pickups.
Saw Eberhard Weber twice in the mid 80ies with the United Jazz & Rock Ensemble and both times he used a TC 1210 Spatial Expander + Stereo Chorus/Flanger.
Love "The Colours Of Chloe" (1973) and "The Following Morning" (1976) most
Love "The Colours Of Chloe" (1973) and "The Following Morning" (1976) most
Thank you! Wondering whether I could get something similar with my TC Plethora X5 - so far it sounds a little inferior to the MXR Bass Chorus I got for testing. Otherwise there seems to be a 1210 plug-in, which is not very expensive, so might give that a try also, although only for studio stuff.Saw Eberhard Weber twice in the mid 80ies with the United Jazz & Rock Ensemble and both times he used a TC 1210 Spatial Expander + Stereo Chorus/Flanger.
Love "The Colours Of Chloe" (1973) and "The Following Morning" (1976) most
Thank you! I am not sure I understand this completely, but the main question is: does this add to the color of the sound, or only adds pitch variation?
Depends on the combination of effects.
As I attended a solo concert he used sound changing effects like modulated delay, chorus, phaser/flanger etc. but also sound neutral freezed delay lines for accompaniment and some reverb for room simulation.
My experience with most musicians is that they don’t like to talk about technical stuff but rather about music (if they do like to talk at all).
And they don’t like to get copied but rather want other musicians to find/do their own thing.
Sometimes you might get a more general hint, but almost never a complete description that you can duplicate.
I don’t think it is important now which exact device model was used in much earlier years (except for history). There are so many effects with a lot of possible parametrization now that it doesn’t make sense to chase for rare old devices (that may break down rather earlier than later).
For trying things out there are so many rather cheap but still flexible devices available now (even very cheap not too old used devices) that it makes sense to get something cheap and experiment with single effects first and then try find good combinations.
It is time consuming, but if you use effects you should know what you use and why.
And if your device of choice is no longer available or reliable, you would be able to transfer the principle to actually available device and know what the need to be able to do.
Agreed,
Chasing down a particular sound can be a noble effort, but it can be an exercise in futility. How many of us tried to replicate Jaco Pastorius, George Mraz, or any of our heroes. Easier to emulate rather than duplicate. Just my take however.
