More Effects History in the Making
by John Montalbano
Electro-Harmonix has jumped headfirst into the miniaturization process with the NANO and XO series effects pedals, without compromising quality, sound and those extra secret ingredients that make musicians crave EHX.
Electro-Harmonix (EHX) has been building the "real thing" since the time of Jimi Hendrix and has never lost their edge, designing and creating some of the most unique and musical effects pedals in music history. As a functioning bass player, it is always important to maintain that low end that is vital to the foundation of a piece of music. As bass players, effects are typically used more as a novelty than a necessity, but with the soundscapes you can create with a truly musical effect, how can you resist?
I have had the chance to test drive three of the XO series pedals. The first was the Clone Theory, which is a chorus/vibrato effect. Chorus is one of the most common effects used on the bass. Used subtly, it can really fatten up a bass track. The Clone Theory lets you go from functional to abstract by either dialing in the subtle sweetness you would expect from a chorus, or with a little more tweaking, you can be emanating a dripping wall of musical psychedelia. You can use the Clone Theory in mono or stereo mode. In stereo mode you can utilize the two outputs to either go to separate amplifiers or record to a stereo track to get the full effect.
The Stereo Pulsar is the same as their classic Pulsar variable shape tremolo, only in a smaller package. In the extreme case, the Pulsar run in mono can give the effect of toggling the bass sound
on and off. The stereo mode will give the effect of alternating the bass sound between two amplifiers or two tracks. I found an application where with conservative adjustment on the Pulsar on a lone sustained bass note, the slight warbling effect made that note just a bit more interesting. By adjusting the rate and depth of the
tremolo, you can discover a palette of settings reminiscent of a vintage Leslie, or combined with an angry distortion, the spine of an aggressive techno track.
The Stereo Polyphase phase shifter is another source of intense tone that with exploration can be an interesting tool. Most phase shifter effects prove to be a "one-trick pony" that can usually be found in very typical applications. The Stereo Polyphase gives you plenty of flexibility by allowing you to control the phase using an envelope follower, a low-frequency oscillator or an external voltage/expression pedal. Being able to adjust the range of the phase shifter is invaluable in helping the bass to sit in the mix. You can dial in just enough to give the bass some extra funk.
The trick to applying effects into your music, regardless of the instrument, is to recognize them as both sound enhancers and composition tools. Electro-Harmonix creates effects that can inspire your imagination if you let them. Continue exploring at www.ehx.com.
Product Spotlight DR Extra-Life Coated Bass Strings
For me, there is nothing like a new set of strings on my favorite bass. But from the first minute you put those strings on your bass, they begin to lose their brilliance. This loss of brilliance typically comes from the gradual buildup of oils and dead skin in the string windings, which leads to oxidation of the metals that make up the string. The result is eventually "dead strings."
DR Strings has released their Extra-Life coated bass strings. The wire that makes up the string windings is coated with a layer before winding to protect the string from deterioration. This protective coating prolongs string life, giving even longer life to the already premium strings offered by DR. But they haven't stopped there. This coating is available in different colors: peacock blues, red devils, black beauties, evergreen and pink.
Besides your main basses, it would also be cost-effective to use DR Extra-Life strings on some of your other basses that may only be used for an occasional session. This may give you the extra assurance that when you take them out of their cases after a month or so, the strings will still sound fresh. Visit www.drstrings.com.
