• 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.

octave pedal cool or not.

#41
Octave pedals are not useful for EVERY song, in fact they can get annoying when used with many songs. BUT, with the right song it can make magic.

For instance, I have an OC-2 in my little board (with a compressor, BDDI and tuner) and use it under only two conditions:
1. If I am playing under an extended solo and need to have flexibility in neck positioning, I will move up the neck, stomp the box and now have full range halfway up the neck to move around. Or,
2. If I am playing Rocky Mountain Way or Stranglehold.

I think any controversy over analog versus digital is moot, since you will only be using it periodically in live settings, and let's be real, can you really hear significant tone variations in a cacophonous club?!?

+1 for Octave pedals ...in moderation!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deak, Maiden Bass and skydivingninja
#42
I have yet to find a really good octave down pedal and yes, I've tried them all. Digitech comes the closest with the Bass Whammy IMO. I HATE the OC2, but it gets a ton of love here.

Now octave up? There are an abundance of amazing octave up pedals that work really well with bass.

Octave downs just don't track right from my experience. I'd imagine it's just extremely hard to make one that functions as I would want.

I am picky though LOL
 
#44
Besides compression and EQ, neither of which I use as an effect, my favorites are octave, chorus and light (tube emulating) distortion.

Cheaper octave pedals may not track well and can sound crappy, especially on the lower notes. The EHX POG is one of the best and even the mini has both octave up and down. Sometimes adding a smidge of light distortion and/or rolling off the bass can help cover for bad tracking.
 
#48
Octavers are cool. Personally I use a Bass Whammy for my octaving needs, but I might get another and make more use of the unique whammy features. Apart from POGs and OC-2s, the Pitch Bay from Earthquaker Devices is great. Small footprint, cool features and Juan Alderette approved.

 
#49
I guess the "cool" level depends on your situation and how effectively you use it in that situation. ;)

I've messed around with a few different octaves and pitch shifters, hoping to use it to fill out my sound when our two guitarists are doing harmony or unison solos. I've tried a T. Rex Quint Machine, an EHX Pitch Fork, and a Mooer Tender Ocatver.

Out of those three, I'm sticking with the Mooer Tender Octaver based on:
- its small size
- the ability to individually set the level of each of the three tones (dry, octave down, and octave up)
- how good it sounds in the role I'm using it for
- it's low price, especially if you wait for one of Prymaxe's common 17% percent coupons

With a little bit of octave down (about 10:00 to 11:00) and slightly more octave up (about 11:00 to noon), I get a much fuller sound without sounding too obviously "effect-y". But, if you want a synth-y kind of sound, you can turn up the levels and get it. That's not what I'm using the pedal for, though.

And, just to mention it, I have an Fdeck HPF 3 that's next in the chain after the Mooer. It's always on so it's always stripping off the lowest lows, not just when I turn on the Mooer and the octave below kicks in. But I like that about it.
 
#50
friendlybass said:
Anyone using the new TC sub n' up? Haven't played it so didn't want to recommend it to our friend here
Click to expand...
I have one and like it quite a bit. It's also my first octave pedal. For a few poppier songs that I'm practicing ("Sledgehammer" in particular) I'm using the classic mode with the clean tone on full and the sub 1 set halfway for a cool keyboardy sound. For a Royal Blood/fake guitar-type sound, I also use it in poly mode with just dry and octave up combined with distortion, and that sounds cool too, good for filling out sound without it getting muddy on the lower notes. The toneprints are fun to mess around with, but I think the most useful ones are yet to come, or they're ones you create yourself.

I don't like it the way people use the OC2, with everything off except Sub 1 (in classic mode, which I think is supposed to be OC2-like). I have no use for that and I don't think it sounds very good on the Sub N Up. The "totally not OC2" toneprint might be better for that, but you might as well get an OC2 or Octafebvre if you don't want to risk the possibility of not getting that sound out of this pedal.

One of my favorite sounds with it right now is to use it in classic mode, full clean, sub 1 at 11, octave up at 1, and add a deep chorus and mild overdrive. It inspired me to make a solo bass version of "The Rhythm of the Heat" by Peter Gabriel, it sounds very similar to those big percussion hits.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: friendlybass
#51
I have an Eventide Pitchfactor, and I use it for two main functions:

1. De-tuner - 100% wet. I don't tune down my bass; I just turn the knob on the stompbox to get the tuning I need. So much easier, and less annoying for the audience.
2. Octave - We're tuned to low Bb, and A on one song, always heavily distorted. I add an octave higher to thicken my sound for parts where the guitar is thin.

It's nice having the versatility, so that it's not just an octaver, but a true harmonizer.
 
#52
One thing I learned about my pedals is I want simplicity. Smaller footprint, few knobs and few options is fine with me. The OC-2 fits that. I either dial my direct 50% in, or leave it off. I crank Oct 1 and I'm done.
 
#53
skydivingninja said:
I have one and like it quite a bit. It's also my first octave pedal. For a few poppier songs that I'm practicing ("Sledgehammer" in particular) I'm using the classic mode with the clean tone on full and the sub 1 set halfway for a cool keyboardy sound. For a Royal Blood/fake guitar-type sound, I also use it in poly mode with just dry and octave up combined with distortion, and that sounds cool too, good for filling out sound without it getting muddy on the lower notes. The toneprints are fun to mess around with, but I think the most useful ones are yet to come, or they're ones you create yourself.

I don't like it the way people use the OC2, with everything off except Sub 1 (in classic mode). I have no use for that and I don't think it sounds very good on the Sub N Up. The "totally not OC2" toneprint might be better for that, but rather than risk that not working out if you're looking for an OC2 tone, just get an OC2 or Octafebvre.

One of my favorite sounds with it right now is to use it in classic mode, full clean, sub 1 at 11, octave up at 1, and add a deep chorus and mild overdrive. It inspired me to make a solo bass version of "The Rhythm of the Heat" by Peter Gabriel, it sounds very similar to those big percussion hits.
Click to expand...
I was hoping for a review like this. I've had a love/hate relationship with tc's pedals but this one really caught my eye. So far what Ive heard is it's the closest you can get to a pog2 without the huge footprint (and price tag). I'm really curious to try it myself but I haven't seen it at my local shops yet.
 
#54
friendlybass said:
I was hoping for a review like this. I've had a love/hate relationship with tc's pedals but this one really caught my eye. So far what Ive heard is it's the closest you can get to a pog2 without the huge footprint (and price tag). I'm really curious to try it myself but I haven't seen it at my local shops yet.
Click to expand...
Prymaxe had it on sale for $100 for father's day, at least on their eBay shop. Check if they're doing anything for July 4th. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: friendlybass
#56
I originally got the MXR 288 BOD to emulate a 5 string. It doesn't do that very well.
However, I've come to love the cool low glitchy sound the Growl knob has. Methinks I should just get an OC-2 and call it a day. (I'm watching the Cog T-16 & TCE Sub 'n Up as well)

I use mine to add some girth during really big choruses (usually the last chorus of the song), to add low end when the guitarist in a trio hits a solo, add some spice when doing a high melodic line on a "down chorus", or to cop rap basslines.

Gary, since you're in Austin, you're welcome to come catch one of my shows and see how I use it.
Though I gotta invite you to the right one where I'll use it often.
 
#60
friendlybass said:
Anyone using the new TC sub n' up? Haven't played it so didn't want to recommend it to our friend here
Click to expand...
I'm using the Sub n Up and to me it's a wild horse that you have to tame to appreciate. The four pots (and the three way switch) can be very responsive to subtle changes. There is so much that you can get from it that it can be intimidating but once you settle in and get comfortable and start to learn what cause and effect it can create it's a very good octave pedal.

Tracking is excellent IMO on the non tone print settings. Most of the tone prints on this pedal are so far a novelty. Some are just plain awful and the tracking goes way south. I do appreciate a lot of the tone prints on my tc chorus though. YMMV.

That said, I placed mine in front of a Two Notes Le Bass (an absolute keeper) and it changes EVERYTHING. Mixing with other pedals can make a mud pie quickly. Might just be my set up atm, or most likely my inexperience as well.

As I mentioned earlier, in my opinion, the more subtle the use, the better this pedal will add to your tone. I would definitely buy it again in a heartbeat.

One more thing. the up octave is not hard to miss. I can see using it a lot. It can be pretty crisp and present if you want when dialed in and if you like sub 2 on this pedal and go deep, you'd better have a great cab that has a pair . . . of great speakers. :)

Deak
 
  • Like
Reactions: skydivingninja

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back