I consistently am unable to get the same high end clarity in my sound when I negage my filters. I will say that even though I have been playing for 30 years, I am a relative effects novice (newby). I have tried the MXR Bass Envelope FIlter and now have the EBS. I have to set the EBS with all the knobs wide open and then crank up the highs on my Roscoe basses. The one I use mainly has an Aguilar OBP 1 pre and has an insane amount of high and and with this one I get a great sound but only after I boost the highs from flat to about 50%. Am I doing something wrong that my filters sound so muddy? Am I giving them too much of a hot signal comming out if the bass? I really doo not understand how the effect works as far as what it does what the signal and I also do not know if this is just how filters sound? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
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What am I doing wrong, difficulty getting highs out of envelope filters?
- Thread starter armybass
- Start date
Here's a thread that I started a little while back about filters. There is a lot of good info on how to set them up properly as well as filter recommendations.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/why-cant-i-find-a-filter-pedal-that-i-like.1095145/
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/why-cant-i-find-a-filter-pedal-that-i-like.1095145/
I'm not familiar with the EBS. I'm looking at a demo right now and it seems that to get a pronounced effect on each note you should set the threshold fully open, the attack at a low value and the mode to Hi-Q. Your technique may need to be adjusted too: try plucking harder and near the bridge.
If that still sounds too muddy it may be time to find another envelope filter.
If that still sounds too muddy it may be time to find another envelope filter.
Filters can be hugely sensitive and the best ones can really respond well to your playing dynamics.
I do find that often my filters (I use Mu-Trons - originals, clones and reissues) sound better with less than 100% of my signal from a passive bass. If I roll back the volume - even a little bit - it quacks that much harder. The muddy thing can happen if I am flooding the filter and it doesn't know what to do.
Adding a sfx thumpinator helped "tracking" as well.
I do find that often my filters (I use Mu-Trons - originals, clones and reissues) sound better with less than 100% of my signal from a passive bass. If I roll back the volume - even a little bit - it quacks that much harder. The muddy thing can happen if I am flooding the filter and it doesn't know what to do.
Adding a sfx thumpinator helped "tracking" as well.
That's simple but great advice about the volume and playing dynamics. I know this is obvious too, and I hope you don't think I'm insulting your intelligence, but if you try turning up the treble and rolling back the bass gradually on your bass or amp it will also bring the best out of your filter. Filters take a lot of playing around with sometimes to get that exact sound that you want. It's not just the controls on the pedal that impacts the amount of quack and squelch you can get out of the filter.
Great! No insulting my intelligence.... I am a true novice with effects. I guess my biggest problem is that when I use the pedal it is usually for a solo and I don't have the experience in making multiple changes to my bass ect just before a solo. But practice makes perfect.
I don't think you should have to make any changes on your board for a solo or a different song. You shouldn't have to bend down wearing your bass to fiddle with knobs in a stage's dim lighting! Or mess with your amp either. The effect should be dialed in so that it does what you want it to do when you stomp it on, no adjustment needed on the board. Only things you might have to adjust are on your bass itself, and these should be fast and easy to return to default positions afterwards—maybe just blend and/or volume. And ideally, the only thing you should have to change is how you play. A good filter sound is delicious and great for soloing, but it can be frustrating to get it right. And keep it right.
I totally agree. I am getting there I think. I have to set the EBS at its most extreme setting to get the sound I am looking for... but I found it on the pedal and think it sounds great. So it is a keeper but I wanted a tone for soloing (the sound I got out of the EBS) and another that I could use for an entire song... a little more subtle and I think I have found that in the Aguilar filter. That pedal sounds really good to me and is is maybe more natural sounding to my ear and I like the way it kinda has that vocal quality to it with out sounding overly synth-like.
I really have to say that the MXR is just not for me at all. I really tried to like that pedal and all the youtube videos I see sound great...I am just unable to get that kind of a tone out of it. I am not sure but it might be that my Roscoe basses just do not blend will with the MXR but I purchased the MXR filter three different times over the past few years only to sell it in frustration each time. I think I have given it a really fair shake but it just isn't me.
If you don't mind having 2 filters on your board, that's a good way to go. Another thing to investigate is how the envelope filter works with other effects—perhaps a distortion or an octave pedal or even a chorus—because the two together change the sound of the envelope filter a good bit, seeming to dial it down a bit. And yes, I like the Aguilar filter.
