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Weird questions regarding Flea's sound/effects

W

weazelbeater

Guest
Sep 2, 2013
18
0
#1
I've been trying to pay more attention to studying particular players' techniques recently, and I have discovered a few Flea related oddities I'd like to ask you all.

Question 1: I cannot seem to accurately replicate the oddball distortion tone in the later passages of 'Sir Psycho Sexy'. I know (reasonably sure, 99%) it's a Q-Tron, but when I finally got one recently, I'm still not able to get that exact weirdo slowed down/muddy/Quaalude tone. What am I missing there, some other octave pedal or something? I'm still a beginner when it comes to identifying particular effects and the associated pedals that create them. This (really sweet) Flea jam video is an example of what sound I do get out of the Q-Tron:

Anyways, thanks for your time. I appreciate it. You guys rock!
 
#4
I know that, for a while, Flea used a Boss ODB3 for OD and an MXR micro amp for boost. Now he's using a B:Assmaster instead of the Boss but still uses the Micro Amp. Also, he's using an older Q-Tron so the circuitry is [del]probably[/del] different from modern ones.

Here's his rig rundown from Premier Guitar:

Invalid Link Removed
 
#5
I guess I maybe got a Q-Tron mixed up with a Mu-tron. But then I see other people swearing up and down it's done with a Bassballs or a Q-Ball or something like that, it's pretty confusing. I'm really a novice when it comes to putting a specific sound to an effect type. I wasn't even aware that different ages/eras of pedals make different sounds...I thought that the type of circuit that makes a Q-Tron a Q-tron was a very specific thing that doesn't really change over time (otherwise it should be called a different pedal, I guess? Naive thoughts). The Q-Tron is still a really cool pedal though: I'm currently trying (rather poorly) to see if I can learn 'Higher Ground' with it (original tune, not the RHCP cover) and I have the blistered fingertips to show for it! Obviously I have a huge amount of learning to do.

So. Any insights on that second question? That weirdo sound is really bugging me. :hmm:
 
#10
Jared Lash said:
Supposedly "Sir Psycho Sexy" was an original MuTron III+ with dying batteries.

Don't know about Secret Song Inside. I'll have to listen to that one later.
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that a pedal would still work with dying batteries and change the sound so much, I thought it would just...stop working. I never use batteries because they just aren't cheap to replace all the time and a few pedals I have are notorious for killing it in a few short hours (like the DF-7). Makes me wonder if there's a way to modulate the voltage going to any pedal to coax out weird, unexpected sounds.
 
#11
weazelbeater said:
That sounds right on the money. Thank you for that. Interesting that they chose to do that on one song but not the rest.
Click to expand...
Producers are odd creatures.
weazelbeater said:
I wasn't aware that a pedal would still work with dying batteries and change the sound so much, I thought it would just...stop working. I never use batteries because they just aren't cheap to replace all the time and a few pedals I have are notorious for killing it in a few short hours (like the DF-7). Makes me wonder if there's a way to modulate the voltage going to any pedal to coax out weird, unexpected sounds.
Click to expand...
There's absolutely a way to starve pedals. While I have one pedal that has a built in voltage starve function (Dwaftcraft Shiva) which causes some very interesting sounds, there is also a voltage starve slider built into a couple of the outputs of my Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2+ which allows you to simulate a variety of battery levels on your pedals.
 
#14
Yeah I cant say exactly what was on the recording of sir psycho sexy, ive heard various things from a q-tron, mu-tron and bassballs and he varies his live set up too.... I did read somewhere that flea struggled to get the sound he wanted out of it on the recording so much that he destroyed one of them by stamping on repeatedly, so it may take you some time to get it sound spot on! (i'll try and find the link to that article/interview).

I also dont think they started treating their tracks with boizarre outboard synths until a later point. maybe when john frusciante rejoined the band after one hot minute. i do know that by the way and stadium arcadium both feature this heavily. once again there is an article somewhere of Frusciante explaining all the mad things him and Rick Rubin (producer) did to the tracks ons tadium arcadium... though i think it focuses mainly on the guitars.

Unfortunately i cant find wither article right now, will dig them out later i promise!

EDIT: i apologise it was actually for 'Coffe Shop' off one hot minute that fell destroyed his bassballs
 
#15
It was definitely a MuTron III+ with dying batteries on Sir Psycho Sexy. And apparently when trying to get another take they found the battery was too far gone and couldn't replicate the sound.

And as long as we're resurrecting this thread, Unrepresented was right about Secret Song. Just a doubled, palm muted guitar line that adds that click.

"Coffee Shop" was recorded using the Boss T-Wah but originally written with an EHX Bassballs.
 

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