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- Thread starter Ryan Mohr
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My living doesn't come from playing the bassplayer, but this style totally annoys me. Maybe, just me. But I'd rather hear Jeff Beck or Santana free flowing during this than Jacko. Guess I'm not really a bass players' bassist.
I think that's the key. It's hard for me to even consider what would be the most useful effects without filtering it through the context of the band I'm in and the music we play. In a funk-rock band I'd say octaver, wah and OD/distortion would be my three. For post-rock I'd say fuzz, chorus and reverb. For dub I'd go low pass filter, phaser and maybe an envelope filter. It all depends on context.
But I can certainly imagine a situation where the three you listed would be the ones I'd want/use most.
I like chorus. Well, I like certain chorus sounds. I'm not a fan of the cold 80's style ones. But I've found I don't really like it or find much use in a rock context. I like a touch of it on fretless bass for jazzy stuff. And I like it a lot after synth sounds to add some eeriness. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] I made a while back.
That said, I've heard a lot of guys that uses it in "alternative" bands where it sounded good.
I like chorus I use it on one origanal song in my band just to punch in and out a lil bit and than I set it a bit different to do a cover of In the air tonight (Phil Collins/ NonPoint )
Err OK ... never use them
... as in B A S I C
But again, even what is considered basic is a function of the music you play.
I can't even imagine how I would use a chorus for dub or roots reggae. And I have a hard time envisioning an octaver in post-rock though a reverb would be among my essentials, one of the very few genres I could say that.
Took me until about 92 to hate it incredibly. Didn't dig it much as an effect on bass after the 80's pop bassists started (over)using it, but I always dug it blended with an overdrive so I kept it. Then in 91 I got in this original rock band where the guitarist, who was great otherwise, had this damn chorus on 24-7, and it was a grindy, unpleasant chorus sound, too. He loved it, though. After that, I gave up the chorus. Just started using it again just to see if the love was back, and it's not. I use phase shifter instead.Since about 1990
I have bought more effects peddles than I care to remember, but the only thing I use anymore is over drive (sparingly), octave, and some reverb/delay. Everything else just doesn't work for me.
Well I'm an 80's baby, so I'm pretty sure I've been hating chorus since I was in utero.
OD is my GO-TO effect. Love it, but $#@% it took me a while to find one I like!
Chorus and octave together sounds bad.
Hearing that makes me want to snap one off. And chunder. And bleed from my eyes. I don't normally want to do these awful things.
The chorus makes me do it!
And to be honest, I find excessive use of octave sounds like lack of technique/practice. But used sparingly, I can dig it, so long as chorus is nowhere to be heard!
I'd take a Wah over chorus any day.
Chorus and octave together sounds bad.
Hearing that makes me want to snap one off. And chunder. And bleed from my eyes. I don't normally want to do these awful things.
The chorus makes me do it!
And to be honest, I find excessive use of octave sounds like lack of technique/practice. But used sparingly, I can dig it, so long as chorus is nowhere to be heard!
I'd take a Wah over chorus any day.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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Since about 1990
Best response ever!!!
I do have a Chorus pedal, but it's one of my least-used effects. There are actually a lot of professional situations where I have gotten bad looks for just having one on my board! :scowl:
I still have one for experimentation purposes, but the current trends of "popular music" are still a bit jaded against the bass chorus... Actually, this is a little surprising given the resurgence of 80's influence in bands like the Killers, etc... but that's been my experience as a hired-gun.
For me, the 3 most "useful" pedal effects are overdrive, octave and filter (with pedal-type compression a distant 4th). Quality studio compression aside, the range of genres I actively play in give me the most opportunities with od, octave and filters. Actually one of my "signature tones" has been an octave-down plus Mu-Tron sound. And I almost always use a varying amount of drive...
I think it's cool that everyone has different go-to sounds. I'd hate for us all to be playing out with the same stuff. I always love it when I see a show & the bassist is using a pedal I personally dislike, but they make sound great!
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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Me too!
Sounds like he's trying to cover up bad technique with that killer tone..
Ha! I think that playing is killer! Pino doesn't need to "cover up bad technique"... Frankly, given the time period, that bass part & tone make the song.
That's what is great though, different strokes for different folks!
I was kinda joking mostly.
Err OK ... never use them
Exactly. I would never see the use of chorus because I really do not like the sound on bass. But for others it's just part of their sound. I like a filter because I think it makes dynamics pop out so much more, and adds to the bounciness of some songs. Other people would say it always sounds like a bunch of quacking ducks. It's all in the music you play.
A chorus is an effect best used in moderation IMHO
I keep mine turned way back and at a very slow sweep, almost can't tell it's working as opposed to a big swooosh! of 80s sound. Used under a slow ballad it just gives a little fill and with an octaver adds a little sweep and shimmer. Still at best it's a compromise as opposed to a Uni/Micro Vibe running on reduced voltage (what I usually use), but the original post was about a three pedal basic setup.
All effects have their place and never thought of them as being a cover for bad technique ... but to each his own I guess.
Under the best circumstances they are worked into the music so well that the audience (as opposed to other musicians) are blissfully unaware that an "effect" is being used at all. The Pino Paladino clip is a perfect example, just can't imagine anyone hearing that, thinking, hey I wonder if he is using a Boss OC-2 on that? Even a good fat overdriven basic rock tone ... is that a real 72 SVT or a VT Bass pushing a GK 1001rb, is not a subject you will likely hear the crowd talking about.
And as it has been stated you use what "your" music calls for, Reverb, delay and a Q filter are not on my list of needs but I can see how it could fit in to someone elses.
... The way I use effects the audience should be un-aware of them and the sound just fits the tune.
I keep mine turned way back and at a very slow sweep, almost can't tell it's working as opposed to a big swooosh! of 80s sound. Used under a slow ballad it just gives a little fill and with an octaver adds a little sweep and shimmer. Still at best it's a compromise as opposed to a Uni/Micro Vibe running on reduced voltage (what I usually use), but the original post was about a three pedal basic setup.
All effects have their place and never thought of them as being a cover for bad technique ... but to each his own I guess.
Under the best circumstances they are worked into the music so well that the audience (as opposed to other musicians) are blissfully unaware that an "effect" is being used at all. The Pino Paladino clip is a perfect example, just can't imagine anyone hearing that, thinking, hey I wonder if he is using a Boss OC-2 on that? Even a good fat overdriven basic rock tone ... is that a real 72 SVT or a VT Bass pushing a GK 1001rb, is not a subject you will likely hear the crowd talking about.
And as it has been stated you use what "your" music calls for, Reverb, delay and a Q filter are not on my list of needs but I can see how it could fit in to someone elses.
... The way I use effects the audience should be un-aware of them and the sound just fits the tune.
I like this guyI can go along with the OPs choice
On a side note, do you ever use you chorus with a low depth and high speed setting for a leslie tone? Sounds great IMOYou definitely got my point. It's all about context, and that's what I was trying to address. I wasn't saying that chorus, octave and overdrive are the be all end all effects, just that they are the most useful for the music I play.
Ben Kenney is one of my biggest influences. I would consider Incubus and his solo project Alternative Rock. He mainly uses chorus, overdrive, octave and fuzz. However, my band doesn't do music as heavy as Incubus can get at times, so I don't use fuzz. Here are a few tasteful IMO examples of how he uses chorus, overdrive, and octave:
Octave (OC-2): ) and Blink 182. For this music, I use overdrive when the music gets heavier, and a little chorus give a little dimension to my tone. I am always using a pick with this style.
