Upgrading Reverb

[TheLowDown33]

And you play bass, and worries about reverb? C'mon is this even a serious thread, and not a put on?

The more bass and more church you play in, the less reverb you need. Any! Trust me on this one.

The only reverb I've heard that can be used for any bass - which means bass frequencies for sound effects such as explosions and stuff - is the small German under-the-radar company Quantec, who makes the Quantec Room Simulator rack effect unit. And it's really something you can't buy if you're not involved into any high end Hollywood blockbuster moviemaking, but it'll sure turn your bedroom into a church, if you want, but impossible to take out and play live with. Especially regarding the cost. You can't afford it. They're like 3 K plus dollars, and then you need a high end AD/DA unit to at almost the same price... they don't work wihtout them.

Trust me, you'd be better off without any reverb at all. It's not being snarky, it's a serious advice.

Reverb on bass is awesome, especially in a worship setting where you can play drones. Of course you wouldn't use reverb when playing in a typical scenario, you want to be tight and articulate, not smeary and ethereal. If you're playing solo, or with a very empty mix, reverb can fill things out very nicely.

To the OP: I played the Bluesky, it's pretty freakin good. Never played the IE but it looks and sounds amazing too. It really comes down to the subtle features, as both have some sort of EQ on the reverb, expression controls, etc. Another poster mentioned it, but the SA Ventris may be worth the wait. It looks very promising.

 

[Honch]

Yes I read the thread. All of it, every post. Not that long winded. Then if the HOF won't cut it, then I think the BlueSky or the other ones won't help either.

 

[fuzzyhead]

And you play bass, and worries about reverb? C'mon is this even a serious thread, and not a put on?

The more bass and more church you play in, the less reverb you need. Any! Trust me on this one.

The only reverb I've heard that can be used for any bass - which means bass frequencies for sound effects such as explosions and stuff - is the small German under-the-radar company Quantec, who makes the Quantec Room Simulator rack effect unit. And it's really something you can't buy if you're not involved into any high end Hollywood blockbuster moviemaking, but it'll sure turn your bedroom into a church, if you want, but impossible to take out and play live with. Especially regarding the cost. You can't afford it. They're like 3 K plus dollars, and then you need a high end AD/DA unit to at almost the same price... they don't work wihtout them.

Trust me, you'd be better off without any reverb at all. It's not being snarky, it's a serious advice.

Don't know about you... But I use reverb on a lot of worship songs... But I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion

 

[fuzzyhead]

Yes I read the thread. All of it, every post. Not that long winded. Then if the HOF won't cut it, then I think the BlueSky or the other ones won't help either.

It basically comes down to trying something new out. I've had the HOF for a while. Can't I not give something else a try?? I can always go back to the HOF if I can't find anything

 

[fuzzyhead]

Then if the HOF won't cut it, then I think the BlueSky or the other ones won't help either.

I leave my bass rig at the church. I don't really have much time to bring it home. (Also saves on lugging.) Working Monday-Friday and not have much time on Saturdays, I don't get much time to play other than Sunday's or the chance I have time off or can go down to the church. So I really don't have much time to spend fiddling around with every tone print the HOF has to offer.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

Yes I read the thread. All of it, every post. Not that long winded. Then if the HOF won't cut it, then I think the BlueSky or the other ones won't help either.

Others have expressed a different experience.

The Blue Sky and Nimbus are not like most other reverbs, they are distinctive in that they have the ability to roll off the bass in the reverb channel - most reverbs only roll off treble, in order to give a darker reverb character. Rolling off low end means that these units are particularly useful for applying reverb to bass without becoming mushy.

 

[Driven Crane]

I have found: two reverbs much better than one. Strymon Big Sky adds space and tone, Walrus adds magic and the final polish.

 

[fuzzyhead]

Others have expressed a different experience.

The Blue Sky and Nimbus are not like most other reverbs, they are distinctive in that they have the ability to roll off the bass in the reverb channel - most reverbs only roll off treble, in order to give a darker reverb character. Rolling off low end means that these units are particularly useful for applying reverb to bass without becoming mushy.

That's what I want.. The HOF doesn't have the Bass control like the Nimbus has, which I think can come in handy and be very useful. Thanks!

 

[Alfonso Alba]

I'm not familiar with most of the reverbs mentioned here (Nimbus, Strymon, HOF), but I have a TC Nova Reverb that can be as subtle as you want and has a Dynamix setting that controls the amount of ducking, so that the reverb level is attenuated while you play, and is brought up when you stop playing. That helps reduce muddiness quite a lot. Also has a color control to attenuate/enhance high frequencies (no bass roll-off that I know of, but you could turn up the color and turn down the overall reverb mix for a cleaner/airier verb). There's also a pre-delay control to separate the reverb from the main sound, so you can make the reverb less obtrusive but still noticeable. And it's cheaper than other options, I got mine NOS for about $170. Oh, and it can save one preset

 

[Honch]

I am using BlueSky on my guitar pedalboard, for guitar. Never plugged a bass into it, and played, yes, once just for testing. I did way back try to play bass with reverb, even digital ones, as I thought that you could shape the sound more, didn't find anything that worked. The BlueSky (apart from Big Sky) is as simple as you can get, with one favorite preset. It got high damp, low damp, predelay, length, mix and a few switches between hall/spring/plate. Nothing too much to get worried about, or confusing. Tried the bass in it the other day, but didn't like it at all, no matter at what settings. You can get second hand BlueSkies these days. The "spring reverb" in it is good enough for me, on guitar, but purists may curse at it.

I think like this when it comes to reverb: At some frequeny range it becomes a "law of diminishing returns" in terms of what you put into it. Stomp box reverbs may be good for guitar, vocals, and keyboards, to a certain extent, but when it comes to trickier instruments like drums, bass with "huge" energy in them, one can hear some artifacts and drawbacks and unpleasant ringing that occurs. Especially in bass frequencies and the highest one (say, from cymbals). You must ramp it up to the more expensive ones liek Eventide, Strymon BIG Sky, or even ramp it up to expensive rack ones. If you still want to cut the low frequencies with the low damp filters and just bring the highest ones through (or really, mid) then I think the two choices above, as well as most suggestions here are overkill anyway. If you do play other instruments, sing, and do home studio work the box can come in handy at other ventures. BlueSky is one of the few stomp boxes that is good (very good) on vocals. I've refrained from TC Electronic since I bought their NOVA reverb once. It had just one or two sweet spots, and the "delay tracing" could be heard. As many many small echoes bouncing of the walls, instead of a whole reverb hall. You yourself said you tried to get something with the HOF that you couldn't. And you don't want to dabble with toneprints. Maybe it's just that that you hears, but can't really pinpoint it what's wrong with it.

One of the more underrated reverb pedals out there, are from Digitech. Their algorithms are borrowed from Lexicons large rack units. RV-7 Hardwire can be bought for cheap second hand these days, since it is discontinued, but the others DigiTech has out is quite decent, and right up there with the usual suspects like Strymon, etc.

Hasn't the church enough reverb for you, acoustically?

 

[fuzzyhead]

I am using BlueSky on my guitar pedalboard, for guitar. Never plugged a bass into it, and played, yes, once just for testing. I did way back try to play bass with reverb, even digital ones, as I thought that you could shape the sound more, didn't find anything that worked. The BlueSky (apart from Big Sky) is as simple as you can get, with one favorite preset. It got high damp, low damp, predelay, length, mix and a few switches between hall/spring/plate. Nothing too much to get worried about, or confusing. Tried the bass in it the other day, but didn't like it at all, no matter at what settings. You can get second hand BlueSkies these days. The "spring reverb" in it is good enough for me, on guitar, but purists may curse at it.

I think like this when it comes to reverb: At some frequeny range it becomes a "law of diminishing returns" in terms of what you put into it. Stomp box reverbs may be good for guitar, vocals, and keyboards, to a certain extent, but when it comes to trickier instruments like drums, bass with "huge" energy in them, one can hear some artifacts and drawbacks and unpleasant ringing that occurs. Especially in bass frequencies and the highest one (say, from cymbals). You must ramp it up to the more expensive ones liek Eventide, Strymon BIG Sky, or even ramp it up to expensive rack ones. If you still want to cut the low frequencies with the low damp filters and just bring the highest ones through (or really, mid) then I think the two choices above, as well as most suggestions here are overkill anyway. If you do play other instruments, sing, and do home studio work the box can come in handy at other ventures. BlueSky is one of the few stomp boxes that is good (very good) on vocals. I've refrained from TC Electronic since I bought their NOVA reverb once. It had just one or two sweet spots, and the "delay tracing" could be heard. As many many small echoes bouncing of the walls, instead of a whole reverb hall. You yourself said you tried to get something with the HOF that you couldn't. And you don't want to dabble with toneprints. Maybe it's just that that you hears, but can't really pinpoint it what's wrong with it.

One of the more underrated reverb pedals out there, are from Digitech. Their algorithms are borrowed from Lexicons large rack units. RV-7 Hardwire can be bought for cheap second hand these days, since it is discontinued, but the others DigiTech has out is quite decent, and right up there with the usual suspects like Strymon, etc.

Hasn't the church enough reverb for you, acoustically?

The church I play in isn't large by any means but it overally small. It's got carpet and cushioned pews to obsorb sound. So it isn't really echoey in there.

And, it's not that I don't want to play around, it's I don't have the time. So I want something that is great and can be set with a bit of time. What I don't want is to fiddling with it every time I turn it which I would with tone prints.

Also, you don't need to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on rack unit and top of the line stuff. I've read lots of great reviews on reverbs here at TB that go for less than $250.

Now, I get it, you don't like (or think it's nessescary) for reverb on bass and that's fine. I'm sure you're not the only one. But my opinion is different, and I like the idea of reverb on bass. I'm not the first to do it and I'm not going to be the last. Lots of TB'ers LOVE reverb. This thread wasn't created for you to come on and talk down reverb on bass. My opinion isn't going to change. It was created for people to suggest and talk about the reverbs they use and like. Thanks


Here's what I do... I'm not a big fan of vibrato or tremolo and that's ok. I RESPECT the people that do. When I see a thread that talks about either, yeah I might read some posts but I don't go on and talk about how much I don't like or think it shouldn't be used. I don't use it, so I don't say anything because it would be unnecessary. Thanks

 

[Fun Size Nick]

Hasn't the church enough reverb for you, acoustically?

A lot of modern church buildings don't actually have a lot of natural reverb, they're often more akin to a concert hall (if well-designed) or an anechoic chamber/slap echo box (if not!) than the classic church building designed for choral singing. In Australia at least, the 80s was quite a low point in church acoustic design

 

[Honch]

Now, I get it, you don't like (or think it's nessescary) for reverb on bass and that's fine. I'm sure you're not the only one.

No, I am just saying that it's exactly the same as when you try to decide on a Chorus pedal. There are special Bass Chorus pedals out there, specially tailored for low frequency, and whenever people are deciding on that, they more often than not choosing Bass Chorus Pedals. Now, it's just the same for Reverb, you can't get away with anything otu there, but you must take a look at the few who makes this:

Bass Verb - Ashdown Engineering

Because, THAT'S my main gripe with people. They think you can use any verb pedal out there, that is suitable for "everything" just as well on bass. You should take a good look at those very few companies who've understood this, and made special reverb pedals for bass. If you read my post thoroughly I said that the only reverb I think (and I've heard it and tested it too) works with bass, is - sadly - those high end posh studio racks, i e like QRS and something similar. So I do very much like reverb on bass...then. I do wish that QRS would come out with a pedal, that have few options, but one type of reverb that is suitable for bass, which their universal units can take anyway. So it would be more affordable. It's not that I want to be snobbish and posh, and urge you to go the luxury way, it's just the same as with choruses. I don't think regular chorus pedals sound as good on bass, as the dedicated bass chorus pedals. It's actually the same with compressors, but that's a whole other kind of deal. And OT. But why should reverb be any different?

So if there was a thread about Choruses, I would chime in with getting a dedicated Bass Chorus pedal instead. Or a compressor thread. Even if I don't like Chorus on bass. That is the ordinary chorus pedals out there I am not liking. It's the same with "regular" reverb stomp boxes out there. If I have to go with them, I'd rather not using any, and if I had to choose among them, well, there you go, I don't like reverb on bass if that's the case. I still stand by my opinion, and one things for sure, neither any FOH soundman, or other engineer likes it. In studio though, it's a whole other game. I can drench the bass with as much reverb as I like, and I even like doing this from time to time, and ever so often! If it fits. Live, I want it as dry as possible (in the reverb dept). And you know one thing more: I am not especially alone on this.

 

[theunknowndude]

What if you want reverb as an "effect" though:.. similar to a delay? Not running all the time but just for certain passages?

I've ordered a nimbus, haven't gotten it yet, but I like it that it will fix the muddy issues of using rv3 and doesn't have the limited issues I find with either reverb and delay or modulated delay on the same pedal... will report back when I get it though.

 

[fuzzyhead]

No, I am just saying that it's exactly the same as when you try to decide on a Chorus pedal. There are special Bass Chorus pedals out there, specially tailored for low frequency, and whenever people are deciding on that, they more often than not choosing Bass Chorus Pedals. Now, it's just the same for Reverb, you can't get away with anything otu there, but you must take a look at the few who makes this:

Bass Verb - Ashdown Engineering

Because, THAT'S my main gripe with people. They think you can use any verb pedal out there, that is suitable for "everything" just as well on bass. You should take a good look at those very few companies who've understood this, and made special reverb pedals for bass. If you read my post thoroughly I said that the only reverb I think (and I've heard it and tested it too) works with bass, is - sadly - those high end posh studio racks, i e like QRS and something similar. So I do very much like reverb on bass...then. I do wish that QRS would come out with a pedal, that have few options, but one type of reverb that is suitable for bass, which their universal units can take anyway. So it would be more affordable. It's not that I want to be snobbish and posh, and urge you to go the luxury way, it's just the same as with choruses. I don't think regular chorus pedals sound as good on bass, as the dedicated bass chorus pedals. It's actually the same with compressors, but that's a whole other kind of deal. And OT. But why should reverb be any different?

So if there was a thread about Choruses, I would chime in with getting a dedicated Bass Chorus pedal instead. Or a compressor thread. Even if I don't like Chorus on bass. That is the ordinary chorus pedals out there I am not liking. It's the same with "regular" reverb stomp boxes out there. If I have to go with them, I'd rather not using any, and if I had to choose among them, well, there you go, I don't like reverb on bass if that's the case. I still stand by my opinion, and one things for sure, neither any FOH soundman, or other engineer likes it. In studio though, it's a whole other game. I can drench the bass with as much reverb as I like, and I even like doing this from time to time, and ever so often! If it fits. Live, I want it as dry as possible (in the reverb dept). And you know one thing more: I am not especially alone on this.

If I'm not mistaken the Iron Ether Nimbus is design specifically for bass.. And it's NOT "high-end" like you said are only the good ones apparently. Lots of people say it's amazing.

But that's all your opinion. I've got good feedback about the sound of my bass while using effects. You don't need to have thousand dollar studio rack gear to have great sound.

Also, I have a chorus pedal that isn't designed specifically for bass and I think it's great! Just because it doesn't have "bass" written on it or if it's not designed specifically for bass doesn't mean it won't sound great on bass.

I'm not alone on this either... I'll let you though stick with your high-end rack gear if that's only what you think sounds good.

 

[fuzzyhead]

What if you want reverb as an "effect" though:.. similar to a delay? Not running all the time but just for certain passages?

Exactly, just because you have a reverb pedal, doesn't mean you always have to have it on.