Bass Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal

Musicians around the world are constantly looking to make new sounds with their instruments. Bass players are no different. A bass guitar multi-effects pedal allows a wide variety of sounds. This greatly expands the potential to create new and interesting bass lines.

What a Bass Guitar Multi-Effect Pedal Does

A bass guitar multi-effect pedal, also known as an effect box, can vary in size and style. There are several brands, each with unique sounds and features. Boss, POD, Behringer and Zoom are among the most popular. Each of these brands has released several models of effect pedals, giving bassists many options. Each effect pedal has several different sound options that change the original sound of the bass. The effect pedal changes the original sound by adding effects like reverb, wah, pitch change, modulation and gain. Some effects are preset to have a specific sound and some can be altered by the user manually. A few common features are a tuner option and a record-and-playback option. The Zoom 708II has both these features.

Examples of Effects

Some sounds are historical among bass players. Jaco Pastorius is one the most famous bass players in history. His sound is often sought by bassists. Many effect boxes have presets to imitate the Jaco sound. The Zoom 708II has a preset to this effect called JACOP. Another effect allows your fretted bass to sound like a fretless. Almost every bass guitar effect box has a wah preset; this makes the bass have a very funky "wow" sound.

Selecting and Controlling Effects

Each pedal will be different and the way you select the different effects will depend on the brand. Always read the manual. The Zoom 708II, for example, has several knobs, buttons and a pedal. Each of these features will have a different function. There are two big buttons meant to be pressed by the bassist's foot. This selects the different preset effects. This is common in effect pedals as it allows the bassist to change effects while playing. He can simply tap the button with his foot when he comes to a solo. The pedal on the effect box can either be used to control the volume of the bass or a certain part of the effect. For example, the pedal controls the wah effect on the Zoom 708II. Pressing down on the pedal increases the sound and pushing the pedal up with your heel decreases it. You can also set the pedal to control the reverb or modulation.

Setting Up and Using a Bass Guitar Multi Effect Pedal

All effect pedals come with an adapter. Some come with the additional option of using batteries. Some effect pedals turn on when you plug them in and others have an on/off switch. You will find at least two holes in the effect box. These holes are to plug in your bass and to send it to your amplifier. One will have the word "input" written near it and the other will have written "output." The input hole is where you plug in the bass. The output is for connecting to your amplifier. Some effect boxes will have a hole for head phones. The Zoom 708II has an additional feature called an "AUX IN" which allows you to plug in a CD or MP3 player and play along with your favorite music.

Deciding which Bass Guitar Multi Effect Pedal to Buy

Think about the effects you want and the space you have for transporting it. If you have a band with a crew, having a bulky effect pedal setup is no problem. If you are a soloist and travel to gigs by yourself, consider a compact effect pedal. They are just as good and have all the programming of the bigger ones.

References

• Zoom 708II
• Bass Floor POD
• http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/GT-6B/index.html