Octaver

[johans]

hi guys

any tips on how to use an octaver pedal?

 

[Psychicpet]

just like any effect with bass,sparingly and in just the right places
I've got one and use it for a few tunes , I'd uggest litening to some Robert Randolph and the Family Band to get some ideas and also Juan Nelson with Ben Harper, The Will to Live album has some good stuff I do believe.

 

[LeftyLB]

hi guys

any tips on how to use an octaver pedal?

Normally you just put it down on the floor, plug a cable in both ends and then stamp on it to switch it on and then stamp on it to switch it off - easy!

Sorry, usual inane remark from me, couldn't help it!

I currently have an EBS Bass Octave which came recommended because it could supposedly holder lower notes better than the others. However, I still find that if I try to sustain a note lower than a B or A then the signal splits. I still think it is a better unit that the BOSS OC2 for me.

I don't tend to overuse it, mainly for covers such as Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel which has to have that Octaver Bass sound to carry the song. Otherwise I have been using it to obtain a low D without detuning or to get a more 80's dance/funky synth sound on some of the older stuff we cover.

I did also use it to beef up the high notes on the G string when I was having quiet G syndrome that so many threads have discussed, but since I got my new GK head and 2x10 it seems to have cured it.

I enjoy it but am careful not to overkill overwise I would get grief from the other band members - and I don't blame them.

Liam

 

[JB1]

Can you point me toward some quiet G threads. I suffer from this also & would like to see what's been said about it.

Thanks
J

 

[johans]

hi,

i just got an swr black beauty and i am learning to use its SubWave octave effect

so do you use it more during a solo? a lick? in the middle of a phrase or ... i really have no idea, anyone has a clip that you can post on here so that i can listen to a sample

thanks

 

[JB1]

I'd take your bass down to a store, ask if you can plug said bass into octaver & suitable rig, then have a ply.

My Ashdown has a built-in octaver (sub-harmonic) which is great. I use it for all the reasons stated above. Nice.

 

[dlloyd]

Can you point me toward some quiet G threads. I suffer from this also & would like to see what's been said about it.

Thanks
J

I had this too.

I'm guessing you've got a three band stingray and you set the mid control fairly low, with the bass high?

Since I've been setting the eq to a frown (5 (center detente) on treble and bass, mid to around seven), I've not had this problem.

 

[JB1]

Yes I do have a 3b eq

I use full Bass & Mid, and halfway on Treble.

My reason for asking the question is that I knew it was a fairly common issue and I wondered what others did to alleviate the problem.

Eq adjustment seems to be a popular choice. I lowered the saddle for the G and have been happier, but I may make some EQ adjustments and see what that gives me.

Thanks
J

 

[dlloyd]

Yes I do have a 3b eq

I use full Bass & Mid, and halfway on Treble.

My reason for asking the question is that I knew it was a fairly common issue and I wondered what others did to alleviate the problem.

Eq adjustment seems to be a popular choice. I lowered the saddle for the G and have been happier, but I may make some EQ adjustments and see what that gives me.

I'd adjust the pickup to adjust the distance the polepiece is from the strings before I'd adjust the action... and I'd tend to move the pickup away from the E rather than toward the G (relative to the measurements given in the EB setup guide).

Yep, I'd also definately flatten the eq on your bass and only use small deviations from the center detente...

 

[JB1]

Thanks D.

I'll shall try those adjustments this evening. Good thinking on the pickup height, I'd have gone the other way....

 

[Evil_Ernie_Ball]

Anyone knows a site were you can hear audio samples of the octaver ??
like on the Boss site ?? no octaver audio samples there

 

[phatduckk]

Anyone knows a site were you can hear audio samples of the octaver ??
like on the Boss site ?? no octaver audio samples there

musiciansfriend.com has sound clips for a bunch of stuff (amps etc). here's a link to a search that has a few octavers & 1/2 of them have an audio sample. i havent listened so i dont know if the clips are using a guitar or bass

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/d=tp?q=octaver+

 

[Aussie Mark]

so do you use it more during a solo? a lick? in the middle of a phrase or ... i really have no idea

Depends on the song. I use octaver in 2 or 3 songs. Our new lineup has one guitarist, and no keyboards, so I use the octaver to fatten up the rhythm when the guitarist is playing a sparse solo or adding fills rather than chords.