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Question for the octave users

Vic Winters

Vic Winters

Apr 20, 2006
4,057
398
Western NY
#1
When it comes time to fill space during solos do you jump up an octave on the fretboard to fill in for the missing guitar, and kick on the octaver to simulate the bass part? Or do you simply stay where you are and use the octaver to add a sub octave?
 
#2
Vic Winters said:
When it comes time to fill space during solos do you jump up an octave on the fretboard to fill in for the missing guitar, and kick on the octaver to simulate the bass part? Or do you simply stay where you are and use the octaver to add a sub octave?
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I wish it was that simple! A little of both, I suppose. I've found that note selection plays a bigger part in "filling space" than just kicking on my octaver- but employing both the octave down & finding a good 'part' to play can keep things full sounding!
 
#5
RCCollins said:
octave down is not necessarily the best solution for what you are talking about. I would simply kick in a little boost or OD
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That works too! :bassist:

Ultimately, I believe, good note selection and right hand technique can do more than effects ever will- but the effects can certainly bolster your part to help fill-in extra frequencies. Any effect can "add" to the soup- delay, od, octave, chorus, etc... But, finding a musical part that helps to support the moment is the prime exponent.

Still, I add od or octave quite often in a trio format. Watch out for just getting louder, though. That can lead to the guitardist shrieking even louder- which means the drums get louder, which means you turn up more, which 'inspires' the guitarist to go for more gain, which makes the drummer get louder, which......
 
#6
If I were using an octaver for that purpose, I'd jump up an octave, especially since analog octavers can't track below A and even with the digital ones that can track that low the audience won't be hearing so much as feeling the suboctave at that point.

But personally I find that if the mix sounds weak or empty during a solo then my bass tone isn't cutting it. I think some overdrive and somewhat busier playing are fine, but if the mix loses power when the guitar switches from rhythm to lead then the bass tone itself needs to be reexamined.

Just my 2 cents.
 
#7
Yeah, you need to fill the space horizontally, with a rich, full sound and lotsa mids, not vertically jumping octaves or whatever. Those overtones are there already. Longer, fuller, ringing notes to fill the space helps, and, as mentioned, a little crunch can help provide a more full sound. When the gp goes off to solo, the mix changes, so you have to change how you're sitting in that mix, by a combination of technique, note choice, and tone, since a tone that sits behind the guitar and does not crowd its sonic space is not the same tone you want when you are trying to fill that space.
 
#8
I echo Jared's sentiment and will add that if you and your drummer are in the pocket it shouldn't matter that the guitard switched from rhythm to lead. As long as your normal tone whether clean, fuzzed or distorted is full and strong you should be golden.

A slight boost my help so long that you back off during the rhythm parts to avoid the volume battle. Here is where musical communication between band members is critical.

For me, octave isn't about filling space; it's about taking all the human/natural aspect out my tone and creating something artificial and synthy sounding (something I learned/copped from Jared). Octave is the first step in this process and envelope filter is the last step. YMMV.
 
#10
For my part, I find that when soloing, I want a *very* clean clear tone - I use the sub-octave only for parts that call for it... and a bit on fretless. Of course, many of my solos are slap bits (I'm not much for soloing, but it seems obligatory, and audiences like the showmanship of fast slapping - which does *not* go well with an octave pedal). I can see a bit of distortion & chorus, but I like to hear the string *ring*...
 
#13
I usually use my BBM or PD7 during guitar solos. I mainly use my BSW as an octave during Incubus - "Nice to Know You" (similar to the Red Rocks version), Bravery - "Believe" and a few others but only as an added effect, never to fill space. But there are some songs we do that could use something else during the solos (more than dirt) to make up for that lack of rhythm guitar.
 
#14
Vic Winters said:
I usually use my BBM or PD7 during guitar solos. I mainly use my BSW as an octave during Incubus - "Nice to Know You" (similar to the Red Rocks version), Bravery - "Believe" and a few others but only as an added effect, never to fill space. But there are some songs we do that could use something else during the solos (more than dirt) to make up for that lack of rhythm guitar.
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Attack goat or B:assmaster?
 

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