Subtle or over the top?

[JimmyM]

I hear a lot of talk about subtlety with their effects...people want them but they want them to be subtle. I hear things like, "If you notice them, they're too much."

I'm not seeing the point of that. I tried being subtle when I first started using effects again, and as time goes on, I dial up way more over-the-top sounds. As most of my gigs are oldies gigs, naturally I'm not using a Nocto Loco or anything, but when I kick them on, I want people to know they're on, with the exception of compression, which I quit using a year ago.

Anyone have any opinions they'd like to share about it? I know folks on here are very shy about their opinions, so try to force yourself to open up

 

[xjeremiahx]

I have to agree with you...
although i'm not much of an effects guy myself, i do REALLY enjoy distortion, and for a while i kind of just wanted it to be a little growl - like a tube amp w/ the gain pushed a bit - but then one day I just kinda said 'f-it. if i'm using distortion, i want people to be absolutely clear about the fact that this bass sounds like a demon tearing through their ears" hahahaha. i fully support effects dialed WAY in.

+1

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

It all depends. That's why I like versatility/blend knobs for many effects.

For overdrive, I like it subtle; for fuzz, pretty much in your face (unless it's a good "fizz" effect), chorus and modulation somewhere in between.

All as a generality, though.

 

[warwick.hoy]

I like my OD...mild, almost to get some burp out of my sound (and some grit to my octaver). I like Fuzz as in your face as possible....I like my octave wet and synthy sounding...as for other FX...I can't comment on those.

 

[rcubed]

Over the top! I doing the bi-amp/stereo of effected and dry-ish sounds so I'll always have the bottom in there.

 

[bassteban]

At home, wanking/*composing*: Over
Live: Subtle
I played Time after time a week ago w/one acoustic guitar & a harmonica- I put juuust a touch of EHX Wiggler(vibe/leslie sim)on, & it worked great.

 

[Unrepresented]

Both, depending on what's called for.

Generally I prefer wetter, but I currently use the first channel on my BassDrive more as a subtle eq shaping tool than for anything particularly overdriven.

In the live mix even some of my wilder tones blend in, but I still think they benefit the mix as a whole. The audience may notice the intensity or dynamics shifting without realizing I'm responsible. One need only peruse the Jokes forum here to realize that the audience usually attributes most of the sound they hear to guitar anyway.

 

[sonic assassin]

when i kicked on my distortion.. people knew. and they looked. and they gawked.

the chorus was pretty subtle i guess.

the talk box.. well that turned a LOT of heads, and at the same time caused a lot of confusion. younger crowds arent exactly frampton fans

 

[cheapbasslovin]

IMO if it is subtle to your ears, then it is nonexistent to a live audience ears. Not that your effect has to scream, "look at me, I'm an effect!!!!" but unless it is an always on tone pedal, there is not any good reason to flip it on unless it significantly changes the sound.

If you're doing it right the people should be simply digging the music first, wondering where all the sound was coming from second. If they wonder where the sound is coming from first, that's probably bad. I've done it both ways.

IMO and stuff.

 

[nad]

Not a fan of subtle, and that goes for my playing, tone, and effects.

I try to blend that attitude with serving the song, but since I always find myself in bands that like a relatively gonzo bassist, so far so good.

 

[Joe Gress]

No subtle for me.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Just as long as I don`t lose too much bottom end, I like to stick out every once in a while with my effects

 

[phatbass]

When I hit an effect live, I want everyone in the area, including the little old deaf lady who lives 2 blocks away, to know about it. I mainly use Wah and some sort of distortion or fuzz. Lately I've been adding chorus as well.

Subtle is o.k. in the studio, but live it's all about in-yer-face.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

It all depends.

+1. I like my SCP because it just boosts with just a little bit o' extra bassyness. Brings my really light fingerstyle back into the hearable dB range

As for everthing else: **** subtle. Even blended (via audacity, still waiting on my VBjr) its not subtle. It definitely changes the sound

My next board (more of an addition to the current one) is gonna be even less subtle

 

[iridiumrocks]

Effects can kill the low-end of you if you add too much. I generally use compression, distortion, reverb and throw in some chorus for some songs. I used to think that bass players should never use distortion, but changed my attitude on that in recent years. Some of the Geddy Lee-type tone relies on a good edge distortion to get that gritty sound. Sometimes, I use a small mixer and run the effects through the effects loop of the mixer so I can blend the direct bass sound with the effects. This helps to keep the effects from killing the low-end.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Effects can kill the low-end of you if you add too much.

that reminds me: this is exactly why the addition is gonna be stereo ("dry"+wet). Keeping at least one signal bassy is something I'm really looking forward to having

 

[iridiumrocks]

when i kicked on my distortion.. people knew. and they looked. and they gawked.

the chorus was pretty subtle i guess.

the talk box.. well that turned a LOT of heads, and at the same time caused a lot of confusion. younger crowds arent exactly frampton fans

My band does a cover of "Do You Feel Like We Do" just like the version on Frampton Comes Alive. Even though the younger people may not be Frampton fans, the older classic rock crowd goes crazy for that song.

 

[thehangingmist]

over the ******* top! i like my effects right in your face
whats the point of an effect if one can make out something interesting is happening! my first few effects were subtle by nature and i got rid of all of them

 

[theunknowndude]

I have my carbon copy set to mostly subtle for delay,... like just a nice background effect for ballady type stuff,...

fuzz is in your face,... distortion is more of a mega boost with a rough around the edges sound,... almost an OD but rougher,...

noisebox... well tis always noisy

wah I tend to use for screaming accentuation with dirt so mostly in your face there...

PS-3 is in your face in the way that I dont dial in any original signal,... so its VERY synthy/organy type sounding... but its not agressive at all

mostly depends what songs im playing / riffs in the song,... distortion is good when guitars start soloing to boost the low end alot...

most the other stuff I kick on as I need it for individual parts (ie carbon copy for metal ballady intro's)

 

[DosiYanarchy]

Subtle effects? if i dont know its on, then its too subtle.

It depends on the effect - distortions get more distorted, but crank a chorus and you've got some horriffic vibrato sounds going on.

my approach with most pedals is to get the most 'effect' out of it - the wettest envelope filter, the fuzziest fuzz, the octaverest octave.