Roger2611 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi people, I need a little advice if possible, our current bass player has decided to leave the band which will result in me going back from rythym guitar to bass (which I am quite happy to do) Our lead guitarist is ok but I wouldn't class him as a strong guitarist and to me he really needs the help of a rythym guitarist to hold things together, the band doesn't want to bring another guitarist in and basically just wants to go out as a 4 piece which means I am going to have to cover both bass and rythym at the same time..my thoughts are to buy a bass overdrive or something along those lines so I can kick it in in the parts where the rythym guitar is missing but I don't want to lose the clean bass sound that most of the songs we do already have so I need to be able to keep the clean sound whilst being able to kick in the overdrive as well when needed I am using a Mini Mark Bass amp and the matching 102 cab and using my HS Stingray bass but I am not sure how or what I need to make this work (I have never been one for bass effects before so it's a bit of a new area for me) Is anybody doing the same kind of thing that can suggest how I can make this work Thanks Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 My thoughts would be that you aren't in need of an effect for this. It would be better to develop bass lines that support the song and fill any holes your guitarist can't cover (if indeed the holes need filling - sometimes less is more). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1358612625' post='1942208'] My thoughts would be that you aren't in need of an effect for this. It would be better to develop bass lines that support the song and fill any holes your guitarist can't cover (if indeed the holes need filling - sometimes less is more). [/quote] 100% this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1358612625' post='1942208'] My thoughts would be that you aren't in need of an effect for this. It would be better to develop bass lines that support the song and fill any holes your guitarist can't cover (if indeed the holes need filling - sometimes less is more). [/quote] I'd go with this. I've found that adding any kind of effect to your bass sound works better in situations where you have either that second guitar player or keys player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Isn't the answer "both", in a fashion? You'll need the basslines - and, if that's the sound you're after, you could take an overdrive. But you still need to be playing what's right to move the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Yes, a slight thickening of the sound may be useful, as Markbass are very clean (though surprisingly warm I find) as are Stingrays. I wouldn`t use mega-distortion, but more a valve-type simulation, to just add something to your regular sound. And from there, develop some fills/runs. The only other solution to keeping the clean bass sound, but having overdrive as well, as I see it, is having another amp for the overdrive. Have them both connected, but on a line selector and have your main amp on all the time, and just click in both for the rhythm parts. You probably wouldn`t need anywhere near as powerful an amp for this, probably 50 watts or so, as the whole point will be to drive it - maybe a guitar amp even. This way you add the drive but keep the clean solid presence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1358612625' post='1942208'] My thoughts would be that you aren't in need of an effect for this. It would be better to develop bass lines that support the song and fill any holes your guitarist can't cover (if indeed the holes need filling - sometimes less is more). [/quote] Agreed with this. Check out Pino Palladino playing in the John Mayer Trio with Steve Jordan on kit if you've not seen them already. He has a way of really holding together everything between the drums and Mayer's screaming lead parts that would make you think he's everywhere at once but without crowding the place sonically. I should imagine in your position this could potentially be a lot of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 MXR-80+ you can decide how the clean & fuzzed signals are mixed. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigash Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Have a look at the Akai Unibass. Gives you a power chord an octave above what you are playing. Ideal for when your lead player is soloing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garythebass Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1358612625' post='1942208'] My thoughts would be that you aren't in need of an effect for this. It would be better to develop bass lines that support the song and fill any holes your guitarist can't cover (if indeed the holes need filling - sometimes less is more). [/quote] I'm with you on this. Depending on the song and style it might be effective to busy-up the bass line or double-up the timing. The important thing is to work closely with the drummer on this - it's his job too! Have a listen to some bands with the same instrumentation who play a similar genre to yours and listen to what they do with the bass and drums in solo sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 [quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1358616606' post='1942305'] Isn't the answer "both", in a fashion? You'll need the basslines - and, if that's the sound you're after, you could take an overdrive. But you still need to be playing what's right to move the band. [/quote] This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 why overdrive - why not try an octave pedal and mix in a small amount of lower octave to give the tone a bit more beef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Strip the song back to basics and go from there You don,t need solos everywhere Get back to the bones of the song loads of bands have 1 guitar,bass and drums oh and a warbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Thanks everyone, I probably should have added that we are a fairly sucessful covers band (in the scheme of local covers bands that is!) with songs all chosen and played over the last five years as a five piece band so radically changing the basslines is probably not an option, with more experience the lead guitarist should really being adapting his guitar parts to cover the holes where the rythym guitar has been but he just doesn't hear it at the moment, but I think there are areas I can double up the timing of the bassline and I still have an old Octave pedal which may work elsewhere, I like the idea of a 2nd overdriven amp and may look at that option if nothing else is working. Thank you again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I have an old book by Adrian Legg where he had re- wired a P bass such that the D and G were sent to the left channel on a stereo xlr, and the E and A to the right. He then played in a trio with the D and G overdriven through a guitar amp and the E and A clean through a regular bass amp. Limits you in some ways regarding the lines you play, but I suppose you could play the root and octave together at some points - which would sound pretty thick for classic rock stuff? Maybe something to explore with a cheap P bass from the for sale section? The book is out of print I think, but you can buy them used on Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Customizing-Your-Electric-Guitar-Adrian/dp/082562262X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeystrange Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1358617400' post='1942329']The only other solution to keeping the clean bass sound, but having overdrive as well, as I see it, is having another amp for the overdrive. [/quote] A lot of pedals these days have a blend knob so you can find a balance between the effect and the clean sound. If you set it high enough you can still hear the clean sound pretty clearly as well as the effect over the top. Obviously it won't sound the same as two amps but it's a lot cheaper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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