Bassists using pedals

Eggman · January 2019

I am by no means suggesting that bass players shouldn't use pedals. In fact, I think they are important for enhancing and improving the sound. However, I think that they should be used subtely (I think the same thing about guitar effects).
I play lead in a four piece blues-rock band. Recently the bass player has been getting more interested and experimental with pedals. While this is fair enough (we all love pedals

)sometimes he is playing with multiple effects at full blast, turning the bass noise into a mushy, shrill, tinny distorted wah flanger mess. In my opinion, this sometimes affects the solidity of the songs. Also, occassionally it limits what myself and the others can do because we're trying to hold the song together.
I have absolutely nothing against his use of pedals, but I'm not sure how to move forward. We've all been playing in bands for years, and I respect him and his musical choices.
Has anyone got any advice on how to handle the situation?
What do you think of bassists using loads of effects?

fretmeister · January 2019

I love loads of FX on bass.

Should be more of it.

Wonky · January 2019

I'm a singer/guitarist in a three piece band and the bass player uses pedals to great effect. It helps create a solid rhythm section, which is often a problem in a three piece. As a singer/guitarist I find I often have to simplify the guitar parts or even not play at all for some complicated vocal stuff, but it means that there's not a gaping hole in the sound, so it works well in this sort of situation. Like wise doing a guitar solo when it would normally leave it all sounding a bit empty with out the bass effects.

If it's not working in your situation though, you're gonna have to talk about it. Can't think what else you could do. Go out for a drink with him or something and just come out with it. You have to sort it even if it's a compromise where he's a little gentler with the effects.
Good luck man

fretmeister · January 2019

Doug Wimbish's board.

Looks reasonable to me. The Macbooks are out of shot.

Image: https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/jb-2013-03-19-00004-jpg.2571578/

horse · January 2019

Sounds like he's bored

Eggman · January 2019

fretmeister said:

I love loads of FX on bass.

Should be more of it.

Fair enough. I like effects on bass too. Problem is, it's genuinely got to the point where if you told someone to listen to the bass part, all they'd hear is randome alien like noise.

Maybe he is an alien?

Eggman · January 2019

fretmeister said:

Doug Wimbish's board.

Looks reasonable to me. The Macbooks are out of shot.

That looks pretty cool.

p90fool · January 2019

Just take the piss out of him. If you're on Facebook together tag him in appropriate memes about overuse of FX, doesn't matter if it's guitar stuff, you can say "Bassists too!"

Keep it light and fun, and include your bandmates.

fretmeister · January 2019

Eggman said:

fretmeister said:

I love loads of FX on bass.

Should be more of it.

Fair enough. I like effects on bass too. Problem is, it's genuinely got to the point where if you told someone to listen to the bass part, all they'd hear is randome alien like noise.

Maybe he is an alien?

I should confess - I'm a bassist.

BUT - would I use a shit ton of distortion and flanger in a blues tune?

Actually - probably yes. But SHOULD I use them in a blues tune? NO!

Slap that fool before he makes the rest of us look bad. There is a time and a place.

Sassafras · January 2019

Sack him.
As we all know, bass players are ten a penny.

Eggman · January 2019

Sassafras said:

Sack him.
As we all know, bass players are ten a penny.

We can't sack him! Without all the effects he is genuinely the best bassist I have heard/seen. That's why this is frustrating.

ICBM · January 2019

I like pedals on bass too, and they don't have to be at all subtle - but less is more, at least in terms of how many you use at the same time, or it very quickly turns to mush.

Currently I'm using only one - it's an extremely unsubtle fuzz. You cannot be in any doubt as to when it's on!

In the past I've used wah, overdrive, bass boost, limiter/enhancer, chorus, flanger, tremolo, octaver and synth as well... but rarely more than one of those at once, and as far as I can remember never more than two at once with the exception of the limiter/enhancer, which was an always-on pedal.

Johnnyseven · January 2019

Maybe make some suggestions as to how he can use them to compliment the songs.

grungebob · January 2019

Record it and play it back to him.

fretmeister · January 2019

I forgot to ask.

Is it me?

rico · January 2019

We went through this in an old band and it was genuinely awful. He thought it was rock n roll and was totally unreasonable. Thus I took the drummer and we started a new band.

Let that hat be a lesson to ya, bassists!

Grocer_Jack · January 2019

Use sparingly. Our bass player uses fuzz very sparingly and he's aiming for that McCartney type Rubber Soul fuzz so it's pretty tasteful.

Eggman · January 2019

fretmeister said:

I forgot to ask.

Is it me?

Don't worry, it's not you!

I think...

Eggman · January 2019

Grocer_Jack said:

Use sparingly. Our bass player uses fuzz very sparingly and he's aiming for that McCartney type Rubber Soul fuzz so it's pretty tasteful.

That's exactly the sort of thing I mean. We sound so much better when thought goes into it, rather than "I'm gonna turn on all eight effects!!!"

Grocer_Jack · January 2019

Eggman said:

Grocer_Jack said:

Use sparingly. Our bass player uses fuzz very sparingly and he's aiming for that McCartney type Rubber Soul fuzz so it's pretty tasteful.

That's exactly the sort of thing I mean. Pedals are fine if some thought goes into it, rather than "I'm gonna turn on all twelve effects!!!"

Same for guitarists though. Keep it simple!

Eggman · January 2019

Grocer_Jack said:

Eggman said:

Grocer_Jack said:

Use sparingly. Our bass player uses fuzz very sparingly and he's aiming for that McCartney type Rubber Soul fuzz so it's pretty tasteful.

That's exactly the sort of thing I mean. Pedals are fine if some thought goes into it, rather than "I'm gonna turn on all twelve effects!!!"

Same for guitarists though. Keep it simple!

I agree. Less is more with the effects, better to focus on the actual playing.

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