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Octave Sound Without Octave Pedal Trick

Elmstreet

Elmstreet

Supporting Member
Mar 22, 2023
422
1,059
Mesa, AZ
#1
I stumbled across a video of Michael League showing this trick on how to get an octave sound without an octave pedal.

Basically you pluck the note you're fretting but an octave up. So if you're fretting a G on the 3rd fret E string, you pluck the note on the 15th fret E string, he demonstrates it here.

I didn't know about this, thought I would share.

 
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#2
Doing that emphasizes the fundamental, but sorry, it doesn't create an octave below the note you're playing. As we often hear the 2nd harmonic (the octave up) as the prevalent part of the tone, you can de-emphasize that harmonic by where you pick, and maybe fool yourself into thinking it's an octave lower, but...is just isn't.
 
#3
micguy said:
Doing that emphasizes the fundamental, but sorry, it doesn't create an octave below the note you're playing. As we often hear the 2nd harmonic (the octave up) as the prevalent part of the tone, you can de-emphasize that harmonic by where you pick, and maybe fool yourself into thinking it's an octave lower, but...is just isn't.
Click to expand...
To be fair, the O.P. didn't say that it actually "creates" an octave effect, only that it produces what sounds like one to the human ear. Your point doesn't negate that; it just explains why it happens (which I found to be very interesting, BTW).
 
#4
Lobster11 said:
To be fair, the O.P. didn't say that it actually "creates" an octave effect, only that it produces what sounds like one to the human ear. Your point doesn't negate that; it just explains why it happens (which I found to be very interesting, BTW).
Click to expand...
The OP says it gets you an "octave sound" without an octave pedal. An octave pedal creates a signal an octave down. This technique has fooled Michael League into thinking he's doing that, but he isn't. If you play through a PA that actually supports the fundamentals of notes low on the E and B strings* (bass guitar cabs don't do that well at all), you will find that the results of that technique sound FAR different than what an octave pedal does.

*I have the privilege of playing through very capable PA's on a regular basis. With a good 5, that is truly glorious.
 

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