• 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.

Source Audio OFD

#402
scottfeldstein said:
My struggle seems to be that I want to feel as much bump in the low frequencies as I do in bypass. That's hard to do with a lot of these effects if you use them in earnest. I find myself boosting the lows to around 3 o'clock to achieve "bump parity." Am I alone?
Click to expand...

Well, remember that some effects that it is modelling normally lose lows. The first effects (tube ones) don't lose much lows but some of the others do. After all, a tube screamer would lose lots of lows. The EQ will help for sure. Personally, I have mine through my Blender V4 so, if I lose any lows, I just mix in a bit of my clean channel.
 
#403
I def don't have issues with losing low end with the OFD. What I normally am using is my ATK 300, preamp usually set with mids flat, bass and treble boosted a bit from flat. My Squier P with EMG-PAX's and an affinty p/j with stock pups (soon to be EMG geezer's :) ). The amp I use at home is an ampeg B50R and I don't run it loud anymore as I've gotten noise complaints from my apt peeps. The other is a GK 1001 RB II through a Neo 410. I think I'm having trouble thinking outside the box where SA pedals lay. I've had issues with the output volume as well in the past but I've just been cranking it to about 2 or 3 o'clock in practice or a gig.

But I think the way I've been setting the EQ and drive levels is why I'm struggling so to speak. I mean, I've been using it with success but I think I can utilize even better once I learn how to operate the OFD to optimal levels. I'm just thinking "in the box" too much when it comes to the pedal. I'll keep trying though till I master it!
 
#404
nshuman brings up a good point! I would also propose that what scottfeldstein is describing is an issue that plagues many bassists: the "low suck" syndrome and my own thoughts and experience:

Sometimes, a pedal is to blame. Sure, there are some popular pedals which start cutting off key lows and low mids. I eventually learned in my own experience, however, that it's often attributable more to the mistake (if you will) of dialing in 'unity gain' with your bypassed signal. Any clipping device (distortion, overdrive, fuzz, whatever) adds harmonics. Often these harmonics are midrange frequencies that our ears percieve as "more loud". Interstingly, when you start recording and watching level meters, what you thought got louder - didn't! Whammo - you're bass is lost in the mix!

Consider making your 'dirty' tone a bit louder than you think is warranted & definitely a bit more than 'unity'! Chances are, you are kicking on the grit when the musical context is ramping up in intensity and volume - your bass sound should compensate for this. The human ear is more sensitive to the mids, so don't make the mistake of adjusting your crunch tones too quiet. It makes a world of difference! You also don't want to get too muddy and lose the crunch, so beware of dialing in too much low punch.

Guitarists never have to deal with this stuff - but they also understand that their dirty tones are gonna be louder than their clean tones. There's a lesson in that, I think.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Thinker
#408
scotch said:
in my own experience, however, that it's often attributable more to the mistake (if you will) of dialing in 'unity gain' with your bypassed signal. Any clipping device (distortion, overdrive, fuzz, whatever) adds harmonics. Often these harmonics are midrange frequencies that our ears percieve as "more loud". Interstingly, when you start recording and watching level meters, what you thought got louder - didn't! Whammo - you're bass is lost in the mix!

Consider making your 'dirty' tone a bit louder than you think is warranted & definitely a bit more than 'unity'! Chances are, you are kicking on the grit when the musical context is ramping up in intensity and volume - your bass sound should compensate for this. The human ear is more sensitive to the mids, so don't make the mistake of adjusting your crunch tones too quiet. It makes a world of difference! You also don't want to get too muddy and lose the crunch, so beware of dialing in too much low punch.

Guitarists never have to deal with this stuff - but they also understand that their dirty tones are gonna be louder than their clean tones. There's a lesson in that, I think.
Click to expand...

This seems wise. I think I'll try making my distortion levels louder in anticipation that they blend better and stop trying to bump my lows all by themselves.
 
#409
scotch said:
nshuman brings up a good point! I would also propose that what scottfeldstein is describing is an issue that plagues many bassists: the "low suck" syndrome and my own thoughts and experience:



Sometimes, a pedal is to blame. Sure, there are some popular pedals which start cutting off key lows and low mids. I eventually learned in my own experience, however, that it's often attributable more to the mistake (if you will) of dialing in 'unity gain' with your bypassed signal. Any clipping device (distortion, overdrive, fuzz, whatever) adds harmonics. Often these harmonics are midrange frequencies that our ears percieve as "more loud". Interstingly, when you start recording and watching level meters, what you thought got louder - didn't! Whammo - you're bass is lost in the mix!



Consider making your 'dirty' tone a bit louder than you think is warranted & definitely a bit more than 'unity'! Chances are, you are kicking on the grit when the musical context is ramping up in intensity and volume - your bass sound should compensate for this. The human ear is more sensitive to the mids, so don't make the mistake of adjusting your crunch tones too quiet. It makes a world of difference! You also don't want to get too muddy and lose the crunch, so beware of dialing in too much low punch.



Guitarists never have to deal with this stuff - but they also understand that their dirty tones are gonna be louder than their clean tones. There's a lesson in that, I think.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the wisdom!
 
#410
scottfeldstein said:
My struggle seems to be that I want to feel as much bump in the low frequencies as I do in bypass. That's hard to do with a lot of these effects if you use them in earnest. I find myself boosting the lows to around 3 o'clock to achieve "bump parity." Am I alone?
Click to expand...
I think this is where the Blend knob comes in handy. I use mine in most cases on the right side of the knobs range. To be honest, the setting behaves weirdly, it's kind of hard to dial in the setting you want. The usable range is in such a small twist.
Then you are able to dial in some massive lowend of the cleansignal. With the EQ you only affect the distorted signal, therefore you may actually cut some bass there and dial in a good amount of mids and maybe some treble. This way you have a fat tone with a sharp top end.

What I just did is a fuzz and then exactly what I just described. When you now touch the strings lightly, you notice that it's just the fuzz you're hearing. As you continue to dig in harder, the fuzz remains almost the same, but the lowend fills up. This is real fun.

@scottfeldstein
Nice tone with that rat, but why do you have the gate so high?

@scotch
Well, imo guitarists sometimes have to deal with this issue, but they don't understand why the cleansignal cuts so mercilessly through the bandsetting. When you talk with them about attack and compression... well... :rolleyes:
 
#411
I've usually only been blending to the left side of the knob. I'm going to try the right side tonight and see if I can bump the bass down a little, see how that works out. Thanks for all the suggestions and thought provoking analysis, great stuff.
 
#412
aledeville said:
With the EQ you only affect the distorted signal, therefore you may actually cut some bass there and dial in a good amount of mids and maybe some treble. This way you have a fat tone with a sharp top end.

What I just did is a fuzz and then exactly what I just described. When you now touch the strings lightly, you notice that it's just the fuzz you're hearing. As you continue to dig in harder, the fuzz remains almost the same, but the lowend fills up. This is real fun.

@scottfeldstein
Nice tone with that rat, but why do you have the gate so high?
Click to expand...

Interesting approach! I'm going to try it tonight. As far as the gate, I was just messing around with it. I'm not sure I'll have it on at all, or maybe just on low, when dialing in this particular sound.
 
#413
aledeville said:
When you now touch the strings lightly, you notice that it's just the fuzz you're hearing. As you continue to dig in harder, the fuzz remains almost the same, but the lowend fills up. This is real fun.
Click to expand...

What you are describing is why I'm not a fan of lowpassed clean mixed with highpassed distortion, unless there is a compressor evening out the lows. I need to try the Billy Sheehan Signature drive which has a built in compressor to solve this problem!
 
#416
The left side of the knob is blending from all clean signal down at the bottom to all distortion channel at noon. The blend is blending the entirety of the clean signal, not just the lows. Therefore, the resulting sound out of the unit will have equal amounts of distortion on the highs, mids and lows.

The right side of the knob--past noon--blends in more and more clean signal, but only the low frequencies. The more you twist it, the more clean lows you get. Therefore, you're going to get less distortion--and less compression--applied to the low end of the resulting output.
 
#418
aledeville said:
...
Then you are able to dial in some massive lowend of the cleansignal. With the EQ you only affect the distorted signal, therefore you may actually cut some bass there and dial in a good amount of mids and maybe some treble. This way you have a fat tone with a sharp top end.
...
Click to expand...

I've been experimenting with your approach this morning, great idea! Sounds kinda Kings X'ish with the thinned out crunch and clean lows.


aledeville said:
@scotch
Well, imo guitarists sometimes have to deal with this issue, but they don't understand why the cleansignal cuts so mercilessly through the bandsetting. When you talk with them about attack and compression... well... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yeah, there's nothing worse than a clean signal that clangs out like that! I've been fortunate to work with really good players with great tone over the years, but I remember what that sounds like!
 
#419
@scott
The distorted part is much brighter than the clean signal (overtones) and therefore not as balanced. And it is more compressed.
Your calculation is not completely working, but probably more than with the blend on the right side.

@scotch
KingsX is a nice description! I'm generally looking for a heavy and massive tone, less for a vintage-y and warm overdrive. Hence this approach.

Haha, well my players are not always that "pro" :bawl:;)
 
#420
aledeville said:
With the EQ you only affect the distorted signal, therefore you may actually cut some bass there and dial in a good amount of mids and maybe some treble. This way you have a fat tone with a sharp top end.
Click to expand...

Ok, I tried this and...wow. Pretty great. Best way yet to keep the bump and get the sizzle at the same time!

I put the drive up to noon, the (regular) blend up to 9, then dialed the bass to 9, mids at maybe 11 and left highs at noon. Doing this I was able to switch between several distortion settings that sounded great and kept my lows in place.

Nicely done and thanks.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back