Worship Bass Pedalboards

[SteveC]

For all of you using the OCSD, how much of a difference in tone are we talking in comparison to only using a good preamp/DI pedal like the Mesa Subway DI that is on my board? Is it THAT much more noticeable to you, the sound guys, or anyone out in the congregation?

Before my OCSD I wasn't using a preamp of any kind. I play a Roscoe active 5 so I never used a "preamp" and had a Radial JDI that I loved and had used for years. When I used the OCSD for the first time, my sound guy who usually doesn't say much about my bass tone, said something after one note. I think it's especially noticeable when you are doing a DI/IEM gig which most of my gigs are.

 

[jacoby75]

For all of you using the OCSD, how much of a difference in tone are we talking in comparison to only using a good preamp/DI pedal like the Mesa Subway DI that is on my board? Is it THAT much more noticeable to you, the sound guys, or anyone out in the congregation?

The big difference for me is in how the OCSD works with drive pedals. Both the Tech21 VTDI and the Aguilar TH I have used in the past are fantastic DI's and preamps in their own rights, but I was never happy with how my drive pedals sounded direct. It didn't matter what I did. They always sounded "harsh", "fizzy," or "buzzy" (hard to describe, subjective terms, I know). With the OCSD I finally like how my overdrive and distortion pedals sound. It's not "night and day" different, but it's significantly better. Being able to tame the high end and dial up the low end, the mid punch you can get, and the "whump-whump" sensation you get from the resonance knob are fantastic. The resonance is really the "secret sauce" to me. It's the key to making it sound like a miked speaker, in my opinion. It makes a big difference if you're running direct and ampless. And the headphone amp is a huge bonus for practicing. You're going to hear exactly what you'd hear coming out of the DI, so it's easy to dial in the exact sound you want to send to the house.

 

[fauxtoe]

The big difference for me is in how the OCSD works with drive pedals. Both the Tech21 VTDI and the Aguilar TH I have used in the past are fantastic DI's and preamps in their own rights, but I was never happy with how my drive pedals sounded direct. It didn't matter what I did. They always sounded "harsh", "fizzy," or "buzzy" (hard to describe, subjective terms, I know). With the OCSD I finally like how my overdrive and distortion pedals sound. It's not "night and day" different, but it's significantly better. Being able to tame the high end and dial up the low end, the mid punch you can get, and the "whump-whump" sensation you get from the resonance knob are fantastic. The resonance is really the "secret sauce" to me. It's the key to making it sound like a miked speaker, in my opinion. It makes a big difference if you're running direct and ampless. And the headphone amp is a huge bonus for practicing. You're going to hear exactly what you'd hear coming out of the DI, so it's easy to dial in the exact sound you want to send to the house.

Great responses from everyone! Thank you!

 

[Rickter]

Sure. Seems simple enough. But then you'd still need to go through a direct box since it's all 1/4" ins and outs. Maybe something like the ART or the Radial Mix 2:1 would have the same end result while eliminating the need for a direct box. 6 of one half dozen of another, I suppose.

As for me, the reason I chose the mixer I did is that it is passive and does not require power. One less thing to worry about getting a lead from my 1spot pro. I have the Whirlwind DIs, so I don't have a problem with implementing multiple DIs for a mic level out. Eventually I will replace with either get a compact stereo DI like the Radial ProD2 or the Whirlwind equivalent or a pair of micro DIs like the Radial StageBug. May eventually end up going with a powered mixer like the Rolls Mix4, but my reasons for using that would be to have the ability to also mic my cab in addition to the clean DI and the Alpha Omega Ultra. Most worship environs I play in however supply their own DI for the bassist, so coming off the mixer hasn't been an issue as of yet.

 

[jacoby75]

Using a Darkglass VMTD - YES!, it is that noticeable to me, the sound lady and musicians in the congregation...non-musicians, as always, usually don't have a clue.

Right. The average congregant, and maybe the average sound tech, will have no idea, and they don't care. A bass sounds like a bass to most people. But to discerning musicians, and especially to bassists, the difference is tangible, and certainly audible.

 

[Eadger]

The big difference for me is in how the OCSD works with drive pedals. Both the Tech21 VTDI and the Aguilar TH I have used in the past are fantastic DI's and preamps in their own rights, but I was never happy with how my drive pedals sounded direct. It didn't matter what I did. They always sounded "harsh", "fizzy," or "buzzy" (hard to describe, subjective terms, I know). With the OCSD I finally like how my overdrive and distortion pedals sound. It's not "night and day" different, but it's significantly better. Being able to tame the high end and dial up the low end, the mid punch you can get, and the "whump-whump" sensation you get from the resonance knob are fantastic. The resonance is really the "secret sauce" to me. It's the key to making it sound like a miked speaker, in my opinion. It makes a big difference if you're running direct and ampless. And the headphone amp is a huge bonus for practicing. You're going to hear exactly what you'd hear coming out of the DI, so it's easy to dial in the exact sound you want to send to the house.

I can't speak to the OCSD as I've never used one - but I can definitely echo the sentiments of having a variable low pass filter (which is essentially what the "Hi Response" knob is on the OCSD is if you look at the manual) when running overdrive and distortion through IEM or direct. I almost got rid of my Grizzly Bass pedal at one point before I realized that every dirt pedal I ran sounded terrible direct unless it was run through it. It's got a shelving hi-cut that works very much like the Hi Response of the OCSD (the Grizzly is my poor-man's amp/cab sim), and I now I can't imagine not having it in my signal chain.

 

[jacoby75]

I can't speak to the OCSD as I've never used one - but I can definitely echo the sentiments of having a variable low pass filter (which is essentially what the "Hi Response" knob is on the OCSD is if you look at the manual) when running overdrive and distortion through IEM or direct. I almost got rid of my Grizzly Bass pedal at one point before I realized that every dirt pedal I ran sounded terrible direct unless it was run through it. It's got a shelving hi-cut that works very much like the Hi Response of the OCSD (the Grizzly is my poor-man's amp/cab sim), and I now I can't imagine not having it in my signal chain.

True. The low and high pass filters of the OCSD can be found in other forms. Some swear by the Broughton Low/High Pass Filter, the Thumpinator, and others. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Or, get your drives not to sound sucky. I was told the AGS circuit of the Aguilar Tone Hammer had a low pass filter to make its own drive sound not farty, but I was never happy with it, nor with how my drive pedals sounded through it. The OCSD gives me those features with infinite tweakability to get just the right sound from my hair pedals. Plus the added bonus stuff. YMMV.

 

[Eadger]

True. The low and high pass filters of the OCSD can be found in other forms. Some swear by the Broughton Low/High Pass Filter, the Thumpinator, and others. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Or, get your drives not to sound sucky. I was told the AGS circuit of the Aguilar Tone Hammer had a low pass filter to make its own drive sound not farty, but I was never happy with it, nor with how my drive pedals sounded through it. The OCSD gives me those features with infinite tweakability to get just the right sound from my hair pedals. Plus the added bonus stuff. YMMV.

Yep, totally agree. I wasn't trying to steer anyone away from the OCSD by suggesting there are other ways to do it...to the contrary, I was just vouching for how instrumental I could see that pedal being based on its controls that I happen to be using in other formats. And I'm with you on the AGS circuit - was never happy with it either on the Tone Hammer pedal.

 

[jacoby75]

Great responses from everyone! Thank you!

NPD DSM Noisemaker OmniCabSim

 

[Dan Knowlton]

Yep, totally agree. I wasn't trying to steer anyone away from the OCSD by suggesting there are other ways to do it...to the contrary, I was just vouching for how instrumental I could see that pedal being based on its controls that I happen to be using in other formats. And I'm with you on the AGS circuit - was never happy with it either on the Tone Hammer pedal.

I must be a slow learner! I bought a Tone Hammer three different times trying to like it - after the third time, I gave up!

I really like the sound and control I get with the Darkglass VMTD and Super Symmetry and, if I want more distortion, I have the M900 head with the B3K channel.

Dan

 

[MTN.bass72]

Great responses from everyone! Thank you!

You won't regret it, if you pick up an OCSD... I have two.. one for bass and one for electric guitar...
You mentioned the subway di... I also have a D800.. by far thy he best, easiest head I've ever used..
But for just DI... The OCSD is the bees knees... it's a close second to my Noble

 

[ExaltBass]

Great responses from everyone! Thank you!

Older pic, Matryoshka is gone, as is the tuner. I'm now using a Shure GLXD (wireless) but still have the 2 OCSDs. I'm using a more compact PB, 'Little' this summer (metro20) but just ordered the metro24 to fit the second OCSD on to it.

 

[simotek]

I'm also in a church where if there is a bass amp on stage its only for foldback. Thats part of the reason why I ended up with a pedal board, the other reason is it means I can practice while my kids sleep.

If your playing direct and using any form of drive then a cabsim is a must more to fix the high end fizz. I'm using a Neunaber Iconoclast, If your only ever playing clean a good valve preamp or DI is going to make a much bigger difference to your sound though. Maybe not everyone can here it but I can, I tend to run my cabsim off for cleans

 

[fauxtoe]

You won't regret it, if you pick up an OCSD... I have two.. one for bass and one for electric guitar...
You mentioned the subway di... I also have a D800.. by far thy he best, easiest head I've ever used..
But for just DI... The OCSD is the bees knees... it's a close second to my Noble

I too have a D800, which is the best amp I've ever owned! As far as my Mesa DI, it's hard to think that it gets much better than that for my needs, but maybe it does! You guys are just intriguing me a bit with that OCSD.

 

[MTN.bass72]

I too have a D800, which is the best amp I've ever owned! As far as my Mesa DI, it's hard to think that it gets much better than that for my needs, but maybe it does! You guys are just intriguing me a bit with that OCSD.

I was actually trying to twist your arm, so your next post would be "just ordered one"
I'm slipping

 

[MTN.bass72]

I'm also in a church where if there is a bass amp on stage its only for foldback. Thats part of the reason why I ended up with a pedal board, the other reason is it means I can practice while my kids sleep.

If your playing direct and using any form of drive then a cabsim is a must more to fix the high end fizz. I'm using a Neunaber Iconoclast, If your only ever playing clean a good valve preamp or DI is going to make a much bigger difference to your sound though. Maybe not everyone can here it but I can, I tend to run my cabsim off for cleans

I almost got an Iconoclast for guitar, but already had an OCSD.. so I tried it at church one Sunday.. worked amazingly well, so now I have two

 

[Rayjay]

64Audio is doing a giveaway today for those of you willing to post on social media and tag friends - they are choosing the winning tonight on Instagram. Public service announcement. The more you know!

 

[fauxtoe]

I was actually trying to twist your arm, so your next post would be "just ordered one"
I'm slipping

Hahaha! Well, if they weren't $259 on Reverb I probably would have bought it! The last two pedals I purchased were $100 total, so that's a little hard to stomach for something that I have yet to test. However, I was listening to the recording of the service from Sunday and my Modulus FB5 was cutting through when it needed to with its signature sound. On Glorioso (Glorious) the bass is front and center with a little ditty for one of the verses and you couldn't miss a note I played. We also had a little interlude type of slow jam in C for the offering and it about brought me to tears with how good it sounded when the rest of the band wasn't at full volume. I don't know what the congregation was hearing in that particular venue, but my gf was sitting in the very back and she had no problem feeling it.

 

[jacoby75]

Hahaha! Well, if they weren't $259 on Reverb I probably would have bought it! The last two pedals I purchased were $100 total, so that's a little hard to stomach for something that I have yet to test. However, I was listening to the recording of the service from Sunday and my Modulus FB5 was cutting through when it needed to with its signature sound. On Glorioso (Glorious) the bass is front and center with a little ditty for one of the verses and you couldn't miss a note I played. We also had a little interlude type of slow jam in C for the offering and it about brought me to tears with how good it sounded when the rest of the band wasn't at full volume. I don't know what the congregation was hearing in that particular venue, but my gf was sitting in the very back and she had no problem feeling it.

Do share the recording if you can! We love listening to what other people are doing.

 

[fauxtoe]

And the board has grown a couple little purple monsters...