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Double Bass Envelope Filter on Upright?

devnulljp

devnulljp

Supporting Member
Oct 13, 2009
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BC, Canada
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#1
Anyone use effects pedals with your upright? I've been on the hunt for the perfect envelope filter to use with my bass, as there's a sound in my head I'm shooting for based on experience with electric bass. Tried a whole bunch and I'm still not 100% happy (everything from vintage MutronIII and Lovetone, through boutique ones like 3Leaf, Malekko, SolidGoldFX...). Some seem to have a hard time triggering off the piezo, others just howl. Wondering if I'd be better off with a crybaby like Miles Mosley uses.
I've got a nice little compressor I use sometimes too.

Any suggestions?
 
#2
devnulljp said:
Anyone use effects pedals with your upright? I've been on the hunt for the perfect envelope filter to use with my bass, as there's a sound in my head I'm shooting for based on experience with electric bass. Tried a whole bunch and I'm still not 100% happy (everything from vintage MutronIII and Lovetone, through boutique ones like 3Leaf, Malekko, SolidGoldFX...). Some seem to have a hard time triggering off the piezo, others just howl. Wondering if I'd be better off with a crybaby like Miles Mosley uses.
I've got a nice little compressor I use sometimes too.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Check out the bassist Viktor Krauss there's a past issue of Bass Player that lists his gear.
 
#3
Have you tried a 60-80 Hz low high pass filter before the effects? Most EB effects assume EB frequency response, where the 2nd harmonic is stronger than the fundamental. Trigger problems indicate your preamp doesn't have enough output.

This assumes you are using a preamp, of course. If you are not, you should.

EDIT - corrected filter thinko
 
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#5
The sweep is going to give problems with any envelope filter so shopping for a particular one to solve the problem is not the answer. I hope you still have some of those wonderful boxes you listed. I like the 3 Leaf stuff a lot. I've got a really old one but he seems to capture the nasty funk in all of his envelope filters.

Tackle this as your would any other feedback problem and get your speaker up to shoulder height. As suggested a low pass filter is a good idea here (Broughton makes a nice little stompbox with both HPF and LPF functions). I don't know how effective notch filtering would be but against sweeping frequencies but it might be worth playing with. And there's a magnetic p.up which besides no pickup at all is the most effective feedback killer.
 
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#6
Jeff Bonny said:
Tackle this as your would any other feedback problem and get your speaker up to shoulder height. As suggested a low pass filter is a good idea here (Broughton makes a nice little stompbox with both HPF and LPF functions).
Click to expand...
okcrum said:
Have you tried a 60-80 Hz low pass filter before the effects? Most EB effects assume EB frequency response, where the 2nd harmonic is stronger than the fundamental. Trigger problems indicate your preamp doesn't have enough output.

This assumes you are using a preamp, of course. If you are not, you should.
Click to expand...
Those are good suggestions, thanks. I have a HPF, but didn't think to put LPF before the envelope filter. I'll have to try that.
I have an FDeck3 pre w/ HPF, just got the Lehle basswitchDI too that also has HPF (but no LPF)
 
#8
devnulljp said:
Those are good suggestions, thanks. I have a HPF, but didn't think to put LPF before the envelope filter. I'll have to try that.
I have an FDeck3 pre w/ HPF, just got the Lehle basswitchDI too that also has HPF (but no LPF)
Click to expand...

Crap. I meant to write HPF! I will correct my post before it spreads too much disinformation.
 

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