Effects are FUN!

[kesslari]

Yeah, yeah, I'm preachin' to the choir...

But while I'm preaching, I have to confess - 90% of the time I'm either pedal-free or just have a compressor and a clean boost for if I need more oomph. (I don't say "effects free" - active electronics in a bass are an "effect", and mine is a filter-based preamp). But that sound (fretless Zon with an ACG pre) hits the spot for me in 90% of the situations in which I play. And I am not wired to play around with new sounds as a way of inspiring creativity. That's just me. So mostly the board stays home.

But I started playing with an electronica-funk-jam band, and so my board can come out to play and it's so much fun! In that context I hear lots of different tones. The C4 is a godsend, I use about 4 different sounds from that (3 different filters and a great octave up + down). I can easily see digging into it to find or try more. And I hit the delay (and kismet! the delay time was perfect) during a spacy jam. And then that called for a little chorus...

As I said, I don't always hear the space for them, but when it's the right space, these are some FUN tools to have!

 

[cheapbasslovin]

My Blondie gig is great, but I do miss busting out the funk machines.

 

[Killing Floor]

Right!

I play really clean most of the time. But I LOVE effects when they contribute as an "effect", as an accent. And honestly there's nothing like goofing around with a weird pedal to drag an idea out of my dumb head. Then I can apply it to something, maybe a line I wouldn't have thought of without the pedal taking me out of normalcy.

 

[Solarmist]

And I hit the delay (and kismet! the delay time was perfect) during a spacy jam. And then that called for a little chorus...

As I said, I don't always hear the space for them, but when it's the right space, these are some FUN tools to have!

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I'm no longer in a band (a living room bassist now), but I'm a big fan of chorus & delay pedals when applicable + my always on B3K overdrive. I've thought of trying out an octave pedal, but haven't yet - I'd be real curious how it would sound with octave down on the B string.

And honestly there's nothing like goofing around with a weird pedal to drag an idea out of my dumb head.

Yeah it is fun - like all the crazy sounds you can get with a flanger & delay used together.

 

[Snaxster]

...these are some FUN tools to have!

Yes, and they are serious, too. Many years ago I ceased calling them "effects" when I realized they were actually instruments.

I don't mean to say that there's anything wrong with them being fun for someone. However, for some of us, audio signal processors can be as much a direct path to musical substance (inspired or not) as a bass guitar can be.

 

[Frodolicious]

Pedals and effects are hobbies for me, so I like to indulge. Recognizing I don't need it any of it makes it all the more fun for me! Not really chasing any one person's tone, but really what brings me joy.

 

[bassbrad]

@kesslari for true effects are fun, for me clean tones are my foundation and about 60% of the time, I play in instrumental trios mostly. There is so much in the C4 that I've banked almost all the sounds.

 

[n!k]

Once you get really into effects, playing your pedalboard becomes almost an instrument unto itself. My big board feels more like a synthesizer that I use a bass to trigger notes for.