What's your application for pedals?

[Unrepresented]

I like the sound of the electric bass. I like the sound of things that aren't the electric bass.

I'm a fan of diversity in arrangement, and rather than limiting myself to just the standard stock tone, I have the ability to create other sounds that can hopefully provide the music with more variety and more interesting voicing.

 

[neatobassman]

I've only really played in a 3 piece, so I use effects to fill out the parts the guitar can't.

 

[soulplane83]

I use effects in my band because we do alot of improv and we cover a wide range of styles. The music is unpredictable and often times a jam will call for a certain sound, texture, pattern, drone, etc. that simply cannot be achieved without effects pedals. I feel like our group sound would be failing to live up to its potential if I didn't have my effects.

But on the flip side, I have to echo everything that's been said previously about using said effects TASTEFULLY. That's the key to the whole thing for me. You really have to know your gear and what it's capable of. I might not step on a pedal more than once a show, or maybe not for many shows...but having the option of being able to kick it in when the music calls for it is totally worth hauling the board around.

 

[KromaatiKlauun]

Solely to hide my poor playing and to draw attention away from lack of songwriting skill.

+1, and also to annoy engineers

 

[Synplicity]

40% enhance songs, 30% cause i like having a pedal board 30% make noise and p*** off the neighbours.

 

[kaputsport]

I use them for all sorts of things.

Songwriting is one. I might write a part specifically for that effect in a song.

I use them to cover synth lines in songs we cover. To fatten up the mix.

I used to just be a bass player... Now I am a BASS player. I get more use out of my board than I ever though possible. Honestly, I could manage a gig without, but it is more fun, and a better experience for the crowd when I do play with them.

 

[Higgins666]

Well, it al depends on if it'll add to the song really, I've been using a pretty high gain overdrive alot recently to give me a sort of chainsaw type tone in my bluesy hard rock band (with prog tendencies) along with some chorus to thicken things up abit, flanger to make it interesting, a fuzz in some parts to give my sound abit more of... welll, fuzz (because fuzz is awesome) & I've been using my wah to accent some bass fills & solos. Although I do also bring things like extra chorus, delays & phasers to practice, as our lead guitarist is somewhat lacking in pedals (he has an overdrive/distortion, a tuner & a wah, like that's enough)

 

[neatobassman]

+1, and also to annoy engineers

Yep, my BMS would piss off sound men.

 

[bigchiefbc]

The last gig I played, when I clicked on my Turbo Rat -> Stereo Polyphase combo, the soundguy started furiously grabbing faders to turn me down. God do I hate soundguys. Especially the stuck-in-the-box/bass-should-be-felt-not-heard/this-is-how-bassists-were-mixed-back-when-I-had-hair-and-got-laid types.

As for how I use effects, I do play in a relatively normal band that does covers, and effects really help me nail the covers. Secondly, ALL of my writing is done using effects. I think the Edge said it best, so check the sig.

 

[Fishyfan]

They help me create textures and sounds that would be impossible to recreate by simply plugging directly into the amplifier.

This.

I also like to create sonic illusions that give people pictures in their minds.

 

[Toasted]

Mainly for making my bass go voooOOOooomvoooOOOooomvoooOOOooomvoooOOOooom, and wwaaaahwwaaawikkiwahhhawaaahwikki, and bashhhhhhhhhhhszzzzzzzzzzeeeerrrkkkkkkk.

 

[rustynuts]

I used to just be a bass player... Now I am a BASS player. I get more use out of my board than I ever though possible. Honestly, I could manage a gig without, but it is more fun, and a better experience for the crowd when I do play with them.

We've started using my pedalboard as the intro to our second or third set. After the break, stage dark and volume at zero, I start manipulating strings and pedals to get random noise, jack hammers, helicopters, percussive racket, synth tones, etc., while our singer slowly brings the levels up. We've done it at three shows now and it's pretty interesting watching the crowd as they slowly realize that something is happening onstage, but they're not quite sure what.

I have to give credit to Steve, our singer. He works those sliders so slowly and consistently that you barely notice anything at all. He'll take a couple of minutes to bring the levels up but by the time he's done just about everyone's attention is back on the stage when the lights go up.

 

[groooooove]

Link Removed

to be more like him.

 

[Lindsay]

Especially the stuck-in-the-box/bass-should-be-felt-not-heard/this-is-how-bassists-were-mixed-back-when-I-had-hair-and-got-laid types.

That's funny... and so true

 

[Mudfuzz]

To make my sound more effected when needed.

 

[lowbass68]

What do you use your pedals for?

Generally to add textures (phasers, chorus, wah), thickness (eq and POG), degrees of grit (ODs, Fuzz) and add synth tones (BMS and combos of other pedals).

what kind of music?

Prog/power metal, classic rock, jazz, funk, southern rock.

Is it solely for personal use, something to just mess around with?

Used effects in every band I've played in, generally rock trio's (effects work great in a trio) and small jazz ensembles, even a couple stints in 2 country bands.

Or is it for gig and live usage?

Both, though not in a band at the moment due to my schedule at the moment.