Is Simple The Way To Go?

[LowActionHero]

I started playing bass in 1968. It was bass > amp then, and all these years later, it's still bass > amp. I understand and appreciate that others want - and even need - other things in their signal path. If that's you? More power to ya... For what I like to play, I've just never felt the need for any doo-dads between the bass and the amp. However, I'm about to visit a good friend, who I'm sure is going to try very hard - again - to get me to please, please, at least put a chorus pedal in there... I have to confess, he's starting to wear me down - a little...

I have to admit, I never used or wanted a chorus until I heard the Alice in Chains Unplugged disc. Love that sound. Now I use it for a couple songs (not Alice in Chains)

My main sound is just a lil compression, but i have a song or three with effects or dirt - I've played One of These Days with no effects, but it's not right.

 

[lfmn16]

Simpler is better.
Sing your parts. No gear at all.
The End.

Think your parts. Less effort and no need to let your voice get in the way.

 

[okcrum]

Nope. Your fingers will never sound like an envelope filter. If you’re in a situation where you need an envelope filter and you don’t have one, then you’ve engineered your board wrong- your lack of one is now a hindrance instead of a benefit. There’s no implicit good or bad.

Also, if people were so worried about the potential of gear breaking down at a gig that they would eschew a pedalboard solely for that reason, they’d be walking to gigs instead of driving. Oh, but what if you get a blister.....

ISTR there was a thread here recently about a scare that a well-known TBer had until he discovered a power plug unseated on the last device in the pedal chain. I'm simply advocating using what you need and no more. I'm not advocating using NOTHING.

KISS (not the band) would not exist if it were not proven true by experience. It's the first thing you learn when you learn to design anything.

 

[dtsamples]

In a 4pc cover band with one bass and one guitar, I'ma use some cottdorn effects. two drives, compression, octave up, octave down, plus HPF and a reverb/delay (just incase).

In a 10 pc with horns, keys, multiple guitars, I'll probably only engage the OD and maybe compression, if that.

It does kind of stress me out to worry about all those little connections on the board, but with ample time at soundcheck to troubleshoot and a few extra patch cables, I'm not really too worried about it.

I did stop using active basses, though. Used to use an 18V, but dang are 9vs expensive, and even then, I only liked actives with a passive tone control. I've been here long enough that I've graduated (lol) to precisions and I couldn't be happier with not having to worry about my instrument functioning or batteries dying on me mid set or replacing them before every gig just for peace of mind.

 

[P. Aaron]

At my Country gig, I tune de bass and plug directly into the amp whether it’s the Precision V or the Dimension 5’er. No effects, or a tuner, etc. You bass is at the mercy of your gear, abilities, the room and where applicable, a PA guy.

One can compensate fractionally to improve tone but, when you’re in a band, you’re competing for space and having a simple sound that utilizes a range no one else occcupies is the best way you can actually affect your tone on the fly. If you’re DI’d, you either work with the sound guy or keep it simple to make your own changes.

The more gear, the more complications. Learn from the (fidgeting with the boxes between songs) guitarists. Get a good amp, a playable bass and cautiously build from that.

You’re playing live, many times set ups are done within minutes, in hostile territories at the mercy of strangers operations the sound FOH. Limit your obstacles to getting your sound so you can focus on your performance and melding with your band mates.

 

[pfschim]

At my Country gig, I tune de bass and plug directly into the amp whether it’s the Precision V or the Dimension 5’er. No effects, or a tuner, etc. You bass is at the mercy of your gear, abilities, the room and where applicable, a PA guy.

One can compensate fractionally to improve tone but, when you’re in a band, you’re competing for space and having a simple sound that utilizes a range no one else occcupies is the best way you can actually affect your tone on the fly. If you’re DI’d, you either work with the sound guy or keep it simple to make your own changes.

The more gear, the more complications. Learn from the (fidgeting with the boxes between songs) guitarists. Get a good amp, a playable bass and cautiously build from that.

You’re playing live, many times set ups are done within minutes, in hostile territories at the mercy of strangers operations the sound FOH. Limit your obstacles to getting your sound so you can focus on your performance and melding with your band mates.

.... said the guy with an extra string on his bass

 

[Kro]

.... said the guy with an extra string on his bass

 

[Slevage]

...one's a tuner lol.

JJ didn’t use one

 

[Rich Emme]

If the bass needs tuning, it's time to throw it out and get a new one.

No, no, no. It's time to put it in the music room AND get a new one...repeat when necessary

 

[gotly]

Bass -> Sansamp Bass Fly Rig DI -> amp if I have one at that gig, or the PA if I'm amp-less. Simple is better.

 

[TonyP-]

It's whatever you need to execute your craft to the best of your ability.

I play with pedals...

To some it might be a lot and to others next to nothing...

You must do what you think is right for you.

 

[ClusterFlux]

KISS (not the band) would not exist if it were not proven true by experience. It's the first thing you learn when you learn to design anything.

If KISS was always the rule, then musicians would only play 12-bar blues all day long, and Adrian Belew would be out of a job.

The focus should be "what works best for the musician." That might mean plugging straight into the amp; it might mean a preamp and a tuner; it might mean compressor + tuner + preamp + drive; or comp + tune + chorus + flanger + preamp + HPF; it might mean a dozen stomp boxes; or a single multi-effects unit.

Plenty of musicians are accustomed to short set-up times. Setting up a pedal board is pretty quick, and lots of musicians (even guitarists!) successfully use effects without wrecking momentum. And adding a little chorus here and there shouldn't stop you from paying attention to the kick drum, or make you miss a chord change.

 

[okcrum]

If KISS was always the rule, then musicians would only play 12-bar blues all day long, and Adrian Belew would be out of a job.

The focus should be "what works best for the musician." That might mean plugging straight into the amp; it might mean a preamp and a tuner; it might mean compressor + tuner + preamp + drive; or comp + tune + chorus + flanger + preamp + HPF; it might mean a dozen stomp boxes; or a single multi-effects unit.

Plenty of musicians are accustomed to short set-up times. Setting up a pedal board is pretty quick, and lots of musicians (even guitarists!) successfully use effects without wrecking momentum. And adding a little chorus here and there shouldn't stop you from paying attention to the kick drum, or make you miss a chord change.

I'm not arguing for no effects, but I'm not arguing reductio ad absurdum, either. 12 bar blues?

Last time I saw Adrian, he was actually using all his effects. That's my point.

 

[ClusterFlux]

I'm not arguing for no effects, but I'm not arguing reductio ad absurdum, either. 12 bar blues?

You missed the emoticon which indicated that was a joke.

Last time I saw Adrian, he was actually using all his effects. That's my point.

He's got a bunch of stomp boxes, tied into a guitar synth, all tied into a foot controller. If Belew's rig is an example of "keeping it simple," then nothing is complex. That type of claim makes phrase seems rather pointless.

Or... Let's say I want a compressor. I can pick up one that has one dial -- simple! -- but gives me little control over the parameters. Too simple? Maybe, maybe not. I can get compressors with two dials, three, four, seven, gain indicators, multiple channels.... I can even go nuts and use the TC SpectraComp, where the computer editor lets me control two dozen separate parameters. (Or, download a preset, and use the single dial on the unit.) When is a compressor too simple? Or too complex? There is no real answer, because different musicians have different needs, as well as different aptitudes for wrangling electronics.

It seems to me that in this context, "keep it simple" is not a design principle. It's a platitude, which can interfere with the musician selecting the equipment that works best for a given situation.

 

[Rumbledore]

are people not going to their own gigs earlier than their show-time?

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I've always had the absolute best luck with a minimalist setup.

Bass > sansamp > tuner > amp. That's it.

So long as you're not pushing tons of effects, there's literally no point in getting more complicated than this. At least that's what I've found. The simpler, the better.

Thoughts?

As long as your preamp has a 3 Band midrange EQ, (you really need to boost the low mids specifically) your good to go.

 

[okcrum]

You missed the emoticon which indicated that was a joke.



He's got a bunch of stomp boxes, tied into a guitar synth, all tied into a foot controller. If Belew's rig is an example of "keeping it simple," then nothing is complex. That type of claim makes phrase seems rather pointless.

Or... Let's say I want a compressor. I can pick up one that has one dial -- simple! -- but gives me little control over the parameters. Too simple? Maybe, maybe not. I can get compressors with two dials, three, four, seven, gain indicators, multiple channels.... I can even go nuts and use the TC SpectraComp, where the computer editor lets me control two dozen separate parameters. (Or, download a preset, and use the single dial on the unit.) When is a compressor too simple? Or too complex? There is no real answer, because different musicians have different needs, as well as different aptitudes for wrangling electronics.

It seems to me that in this context, "keep it simple" is not a design principle. It's a platitude, which can interfere with the musician selecting the equipment that works best for a given situation.

Use what you like, as much or as little as you want. If it's too complex, you'll find out the first time it has no output right before sound check if your troubleshooting skills are up to your rig design.

 

[J-Bassomatic]

When in doubt, leave it out,

 

[WI Short Scaler]

bass to wireless to stomp tuner into Rumble amp

Since I run our sound from the stage I find the wireless is essential to walk out around and check out the Pa during the gig. And the stompbox tuner has the double purpose of muting the signal path like on break and as a tuner.

The tuner and wireless are connected via pedal connectors and are mounted in a small case in a foam cutout. I set the case down on the amp pull out the power cable and the 1/4" to the amp, ready to go.

 

[cassanova]

The only things I bring to a gig are my basses, Ampeg SCR-Di, and Digitech. Most of the people I work with have their own PA, or the venue they're playing at does, so I have no need to bring an amp with me. I won't lie, I was skeptical about doing it like this at first, but it really does make sense. If there's a pa, then there's really no need to have an amp on stage. You can just as easily hear yourself through the monitor mix.