Pedal set up

general questions, comments and ideas about recording, audio, music, etc.
bassrat
audio school
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:28 pm
Location: chico,cali

Pedal set up

Post by bassrat » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:35 pm

I was curious if anyone knew a way to maximize the use of my pedal set up. I have the boss pedal tuner, morley bass wah, bass compressor, bass overdrive, bass limiter enhancer, bass chorus, and an aphex dual effect with big bottom/aural exciter. I know that compressors should go last(i think) and my aphex said to use it last in my pedal line. I want to maximize the pedal board by setting them up just right. Any suggestions for a bassrat in need?
nada

User avatar
marqueemoon
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1593
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:56 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: Pedal set up

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:51 pm

I have nothing to say other than that's a LOT of pedals for bass.
I the prostitute, shall not hide...
But I was very much bothered with my work!

puls
takin' a dinner break
Posts: 156
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2003 11:18 am

Re: Pedal set up

Post by puls » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:58 pm

If it was my rig, I'd try to get that tuner out of the chain & put it on a by-pass or dry signal out from one of the other boxes. Those tuners don't have true bypass & will effect your signal. Try the rig w/ & w/out the tuner - you may be surprised. I was.

JWP
The universe is under no obligation to conform to your beliefs

bassrat
audio school
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:28 pm
Location: chico,cali

Re: Pedal set up

Post by bassrat » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:00 pm

puls wrote:If it was my rig, I'd try to get that tuner out of the chain & put it on a by-pass or dry signal out from one of the other boxes. Those tuners don't have true bypass & will effect your signal. Try the rig w/ & w/out the tuner - you may be surprised. I was.

JWP
So do you think that this is why my volume is lower thru the chain than when i go direct to the amp with no pedals at all
nada

User avatar
nacho459
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 748
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2004 10:53 pm
Location: Pasadena USA
Contact:

Re: Pedal set up

Post by nacho459 » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:03 pm

I would build a bypass petal that could bypass your whole petal board, unless you use your petals all the time. I hate using more than 3 or so petals because it really starts to degrade the sound.

I always try to put the dominant petals last. Play around find the sound you want. There is no definite order, especially if you don't have an FX loop.

User avatar
bad_dude_69
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 681
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Chicago - IL

Re: Pedal set up

Post by bad_dude_69 » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:11 pm

that morley wah probably does wonders to muddle your tone as well. i'd get a good instrument cable to start with (ala mogami, george L's) , and like puls says get the tuner out of there. the chorus should probably go before your compressor and you may find that you don't even need to compressor if you put the overdrive in front of it. you should place any pedal with a preamp (overdrive, compressor, limiter) closer to the front of the chain. that said, i'd probably keep the aphex last.
medicate? oh, i thought you said "meditate."

User avatar
marqueemoon
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1593
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:56 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: Pedal set up

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:15 pm

Oh, and I agree with the other folks. If you really need to use all of those, definitely try to set up some kind of bypass.
I the prostitute, shall not hide...
But I was very much bothered with my work!

Antero
gimme a little kick & snare
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 4:29 pm
Location: LA,CA
Contact:

Re: Pedal set up

Post by Antero » Tue Jan 18, 2005 7:59 pm

You'd generally put the compressor first thing after your instrument, so that the instrument signal is compressed rather than whatever effects you put afterwards.

I mean, you don't HAVE to do that, but that's the usual way.
I hate my species.
Spatata
Chuckie Anvil

User avatar
TheStevens
pushin' record
Posts: 253
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:19 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Pedal set up

Post by TheStevens » Tue Jan 18, 2005 8:13 pm

Antero wrote:You'd generally put the compressor first thing after your instrument, so that the instrument signal is compressed rather than whatever effects you put afterwards.

I mean, you don't HAVE to do that, but that's the usual way.
I agree.

Catoogie
buyin' a studio
Posts: 930
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 12:28 pm

Re: Pedal set up

Post by Catoogie » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:23 pm

I would build a bypass petal
You could also try building a bypass pedal, that may work a little bit better for ya.

How about using your ears and taking the time to try all sorts of combinations? Really get to know your gear and find out where it sounds best. How in the hell is someone on a message board going to tell you in what order to place your effects? C'mon man there is no easy way out. You gotta pay your dues!! That is the way you develop your ear and learn what sounds good to you.

Shit, I didn't go into a guitar store when I was a kid and ask the guy behind the counter where I should set the knobs on my distorion box so it sounds good. I fiddled with the fucking knobs until it sounded pleasing to my ears. Do the work!

User avatar
Randy
tinnitus
Posts: 1078
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:54 am
Location: Minneapolis
Contact:

Re: Pedal set up

Post by Randy » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:47 pm

Catoogie wrote:
I would build a bypass petal
How about using your ears and taking the time to try all sorts of combinations?
you could also modify your pedals so they have true bypass. All you need is a double pole double throw switch (DPDT) I think a Carling 316-PP would do the job. AMZ has a good article on it:
http://www.muzique.com/lab/truebypass.htm

Small Bear Electronics has an alternate method:
http://smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BypassO ... tuator.htm

Here is a place that sells switches:
http://www.banzaieffects.com/parts/switches.htm
I haven't bought from these folks yet, so I can't vouch for their service etc. I bought stuff from Small Bear Electronics, but they are closed for a little while. Small Bear is great.

When it comes to effects chains, I agree with Catoogie. Not to be all Zen about it or anything, but there is no one way to order effects. For example, putting distortion first seems like it would be the logical first step, but have you ever heard slight distortion over some chorus? cool stuff. I like putting chorus on distorted guitar, too. Mix things up.

Also-
If your bass amp has a biamp section, see if it has separate effects chains for the low and the high. I just rigged up our bass players cabinet so the two speakers were run by the separate bands (top one high, bottom one low). His bass amp has separate effects loops, so he puts distortion and chorus on the high end and lets the low end just be clean rumble. It's like having two bass players. It's great. You don't loose any of the butt rattling tones.
not to worry, just keep tracking....

kayagum
ghost haunting audio students
Posts: 3490
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:11 pm
Location: Saint Paul, MN

Re: Pedal set up

Post by kayagum » Wed Jan 19, 2005 8:05 am

Since you're obviously not averse to buying equipment, you should trying getting one of these boxes:

VHT Valvulator- it's advertised as a tube preamp, but its real genius is that it takes your high impedance guitar pickup signal, and steps it down to a low-z output. That output signal can go through a lot of boxes and cord length without losing much. I use it on my baritone, and it works great.

ZVex Super Hard On- it has a ridiculously high input impedance and can boost the signal by a lot. So much, it could overdrive your other boxes (in a good or bad way, YMMV).

Zoltar
gettin' sounds
Posts: 132
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:39 pm
Location: Ontario Canada

Re: Pedal set up

Post by Zoltar » Wed Jan 19, 2005 4:31 pm

The old digitech and zoom units i used to have went:

Compression
Distortion
Modulation(chorus, Wah)
Delay/reverb

(then anything about enhancing here)

I think this order makes sense. And then I would try to put the tuner on a send or dry out somewhere early on the chain.

User avatar
JohnDavisNYC
ghost haunting audio students
Posts: 3035
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 2:43 pm
Location: crooklyn, ny
Contact:

Re: Pedal set up

Post by JohnDavisNYC » Wed Jan 19, 2005 5:03 pm

the compressor last thing definately makes sense to me, to even out any radical changes in volume or transient information from different combination of pedals... although i'd opt for a dbx160 with an SVT, Colin Greenwood style. next thing on my gear additions for my bass rig, definately... i play with alot of pedals in one of the bands i play bass in, which is a live drum'n'bass/jungle thingy, and i use the gain knob on the moogerfooger lowpass to get a good bit of signal into the second half of my board. but i'm rebuilding it, so it may all change.

john
i like to make music with music and stuff and things.

http://www.thebunkerstudio.com/

Zeppelin4Life
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 673
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 2:29 pm
Location: Purdue University

Re: Pedal set up

Post by Zeppelin4Life » Wed Jan 19, 2005 5:17 pm

id put that limiter first, the compressor last. but for me, id use just that wah....thats one alterned tone my friend!
?I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.?
David L
KC2UUM
RadioReference.com Admin, Albany NY

Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 34 guests