Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Keeley Bassist
- Thread starter gary mitchell
- Start date
I had one. It was very good what it was supposed to do. After 6 months I realized I didn’t need it. So on it went to a new home. Case closed.
You have heard enough people talk about the differences in the pedals.
I have another question. Will either of these pedals make a significant difference through the church FOH system? Unless you are running primarily through your own cabs, my experience has been that most church systems do not translate the desired effects/tone very well, if at all. I have played in several very large churches with high end systems, and they all seem to lack the ability to effectively translate bass effects due to bass levels being kept very low during the actual services (lack definition, punch, and clarity). I now just plug into whatever DI they send my way, and get my desired tone when playing out at gigs where my own cabs are being used. Besides, if you are already running through the house system, it seems weird the sound guy would ask for compression when the system likely already has it.
Just a thought in a different direction, but might make the pedal decision of less concern. You could also have someone play your bass and see how much of the desired effect is actually transitioning into the sanctuary. Just a thought.
Good luck
I have another question. Will either of these pedals make a significant difference through the church FOH system? Unless you are running primarily through your own cabs, my experience has been that most church systems do not translate the desired effects/tone very well, if at all. I have played in several very large churches with high end systems, and they all seem to lack the ability to effectively translate bass effects due to bass levels being kept very low during the actual services (lack definition, punch, and clarity). I now just plug into whatever DI they send my way, and get my desired tone when playing out at gigs where my own cabs are being used. Besides, if you are already running through the house system, it seems weird the sound guy would ask for compression when the system likely already has it.
Just a thought in a different direction, but might make the pedal decision of less concern. You could also have someone play your bass and see how much of the desired effect is actually transitioning into the sanctuary. Just a thought.
Good luck
Last edited:
SLO Surfer? Very cool, I am in Arroyo Grande. Sorry to hijack the thread briefly, but not often I find a fellow TB member in my area. Peace
It’s a transparent Comp and there’s every chance you are feeding it a low/weak signal.
By all accounts it’s doing it’s job.
By all accounts it’s doing it’s job.
Last edited:
It’s ok. I think it’s important to take a moment and let people know how disgusting the central coast is. I’m sorry you also have to deal with traffic, congestion, pollution, no open spaces, miserable people, and terrible weather. Best of luck!
Part of a good compressor is it can be transparent, I have owned the Keeley a couple different times, it is reasonably transparent, doesn’t color the sound, Too much, it does IMO knock of a little high end off the. tone, and it also can completely SQAUSH the signal, which can be a cool effect in itself. If it doesn’t work for you, don’t use it, simple as that.
I have had a MXR Bass Comp for an entire gig season. I also have a Walrus Fathom reverb.
I never compared these two because they are completely different pedals that do completely different jobs --
And neither should you compare your compressor to your EQ pedal.
A compressor can have many uses for a bassist.
You can make a lot of your FOH person's work easier when you set a comp as a limiter that starts limiting (hard) a bit over your normal playing volume. So when you produce unwanted spikes by strumming chords or slapping, they don't pop out the audiences' eardrums.
You can even out your playing when you're hitting 8ths or 16ths.
You can get a longer sustain.
Most of these have literally nothing to do with EQ, modulation or whatnot. It's just the volume of the whole thing.
When you set the comp to super squish mode, basically starting at -60dB, with a super high ratio, instant attack and slow release (and a lot of makeup gain), you will have the same playing volume no matter how you play. So you can barely touch the string and you can hammer on it like you want to break it and it will be the same volume - but sound vastly different. That's how a compressor can affect your sound. In most cases you want at least some of your playing dynamics intact, so you set it a lot more subtle.
My first comp was sold off after half a year because I could not tell whether or not it's on by ear alone and I figured a nice Fuzz on my pedalboard would make better use of the limited real estate.
A few years later, working more intense with FOH and IEM systems, I came back to compression.
I myself use my comp as a peak limiter. I have it after a touch sensitive preamp (BDDI) and can toy around with the drive knob. I set it that normal playing is clean while hard playing adds overdrive and the comp starts limiting just above normal playing so by playing harder I add overdrive instead of volume.
Compression like that gives your FOH personnel a max value to work with. Bass is super dynamic and depending on how high profile your FOH equipment is they don't have a limiter or comp they can apply to the bass channel exclusively.
So in a nutshell:
You're not the least bit crazy for not 'getting' the use of a comp. They are not for everyone and they are very subtle in most cases.
The only thing I account you for being crazy is to compare an EQ to a compressor. One is meant to make you sound different and one is meant to make your sound levels more even.
I use mine in a P&W setting. I think of it as a clean boost with a compressor built into it. There are only 3 fx pedals on my board; the keeley and a Broughton h+LPF, and a sansamp para di. It’s a pretty useful trifecta.
Again thank you all for your help, I do understand the difference of the EQ and the Keeley. And when I first got it I like it, and I liked the EQ. i got the EQ mostly I could bump up the volume, and I could take out some treble. I am a guy that likes the low end. it could be I am just tired of my sound maybe. i have the EQ after the compressor. The only reason I have the delay, my song leader lets me sometime play leads on the bass. And years ago and I still am I was a lead guitar player, playing rock, blues and even Heavy metal. Until they needed a bass player and I love playing bass as well as guitar. Oh they do not run me through the PA, we have a small church 300 people and I am heard very well, i use an SWR 350 head and a SWR 410 cab. Like I said I use to like it may just be wanting something new. I do know the Boss EQ if not careful can make your bass like mud. I was thinking about taking the eq out and bumping up the volume with the Keeley. But I leave the keeley on all the time Guess for the sound man, at first I thought I had know need for a compressor. But the sound man kept bugging me because he use to be a bass player. He has left now and we are training a new sound man. i might take the Keeley out for a while and get a better EQ pedal then the Boss. Which h of you guys would keep the EQ are the Keeley if you took one out. And for distortion i use a metal zone just because someone gave me one. I don't use it much and when I do its at a low gain. For a long time I just used the Keeley and the Delay. But I also now try to keep up with the new Praise and Worship music and their sound. I finally told them I want to play like Gary and not like another dude, if you want that sound go get him. i do play very close but if we all sound a like life would be boring. So am I crazy. bumping up the Keeley sometimes makes it red light more are stay on. I just had a thought maybe a Volume pedal, Keeley and delay. Again you all are great to listen to this dumb ass.
Seems to me, an EQ and a compression pedal are for two different goals. Compression smooths pulses, and an EQ changes the tonal structure of your sound.
If the PA was recently upgraded, did they add a compression unit in the rack? Secondly, if I’m a sound guy, given a choice, I’d rather have a EQ rather than a compression pedal.
I’m not familiar with your boss pedal. Does it come with compression as well?
you can do that without a pedal. Turn the volume up and treble down on your bass. Get rid of the Boss EQ pedal.
You don’t need a compressor because you can’t give a reason for using it other than the old sound guy said you needed it cause he’s a bass player too. He couldn’t explain why you need it and neither can you (sound/tone thickening or peak limiting?). Get rid of the Keely limiting amplifier pedal.
You clearly don’t need any pedals for your situation. Get rid of them all!
I may have them in the wrong order, First is my TC tuner, the bassist compressor, overdrive, Boss eq and delay is last.
The “right” order depends on what you’re using each pedal for, and can be different from other musicians based on your own personal preference.
WHY DO YOU WANT A LIMITER/COMPRESSOR IN YOUR CHAIN? WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO DO?
I am really considering just going with the TC electronic tuner, Keeley Bassist, and Delay. thats what i am going to do this Sunday. What do you all think.
Ditch everything but the tuner.
I run my own cab, the acoustics of the room, my bass and amp does not need to be run through the PA system. Now that makes me wonder why the old sound man, thinks I needed a compressor.
