using guitar and pitch shifter to get a decent bass tone

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slkeen

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Has anyone gotten a decent recorder bass tone by using a electric or acoustic guitar thru a pitch shifter? I've been trying to get something decent, but it sounds pretty muddy. I really don't want to buy a bass. What effects can I use with the pitch shifter to tighten up the sound?
 
slkeen said:
Has anyone gotten a decent recorder bass tone by using a electric or acoustic guitar thru a pitch shifter? I've been trying to get something decent, but it sounds pretty muddy. I really don't want to buy a bass. What effects can I use with the pitch shifter to tighten up the sound?

slkeen,

First, buy a bass, or synth, no way it's happenin otherwise. I have a Boss Ps5 pitchshifter pedal and it can get a sound "resembling" bass, but it's mainly for effecty type sounds and Whammy shifts etc. It has some great sounds though, that I abuse often.

later
 
OK thanks - I will get a bass, probably a short scale one like Squire Bronco.
 
The band "Ween" applies pitch shifters to everything......Whether or not you believe they get a "decent tone" is arguable.


- nave
 
cheap basses that are worth it......Yamaha, Ibanez, Fender, Peavey......
 
Local H seemed to get a decent tone live and recorded using a pitch shifter (though not all their studio stuff was recorded with the pitch shifter, they did use a real bass sometimes)
 
Don't count out the guitar out yet..

Get rid of the pitch shifter Idea...

If you have a decent means of eq you can probably get a bassy enough sounding guitar track that will take the place for a real bass.

The question is... How good does it have to sound... Is it just demo stuff your playing around with, or will actual people be hearing this at some point..

Summary...
Usable but I wouldn't ever want anyone to hear it..
 
On a couple of demo songs I made I used just a normal guitar with a very bassy sound (forget pitch shifter, it sucks bigtime). I put it in the POD, used the Black panel made the sound with quite alot of bass, and played it with my fingers.

On the songs, it works out fine as a temporary solution, but buy yourself a cheap bass if you really want some results.

cu

Brett
 
Thanks all - I got a sound that is passable for now, but I ordered a Bronco bass. I used to have a Fender short scale bass and I really liked it, too bad I sold it a long time ago. The Bronco looks just like it, I hope it sounds about the same.
 
You bought a bronco?

Just don't run from the law in it like OJ did :D
 
pitch this

My behringer amp came with pitch shifter...certain settings and wow ya emulatin the bass
 
Here's a couple of methods that I have used, though again, it doesn't replace using a real bass....

Try tuning your guitar to a low 'A' and run it through a ptich shifter. I used the pitch shifter on a SE-50 and wasn't too displeased with the results. Another problem arises with this method however. It is often hard to get clear, well defined notes when a guitar is tuned this low.

My second method; I set my tracker record speed to it's fastest setting, then recorded my bass (guitar) track. Once I was satisfied with with the track, I slowed the record speed down to it's original (or slower) position. This gives a real smooth, and kinda interesting bass sound. Unfortunately this method is not without flaws. It is hard to calculate timing and pitch when recording at different speeds. The easiest solution is to record your bass track first, then tune your instruments to the lowered track.

Dan S. Leonard.
 
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