Playing bass simultaneously with guitar (low strings only)

Thought this might help a lot of the one/two-man performing artists out there. I remember a thread where someone pointed out this boss octaves that only applied the FX to the lower strings. Much better for bass and guitar simultaneously.

In order to get a bass sound while I play guitar, I make use of the parallel path.

In the first stomp, I insert the transpose FX and set it to -12, which is one octave lower than the guitar tuning.

In the second stomp, I insert a graphical EQ. This is essential if you want to restrict the bass notes to your lower strings and not the higher ones.

In the graphic EQ, adjust the high cut to about 50-100 hz, depending on taste, this will reduce the transpose effect on your higher strings.

Adjust the various bands of the EQ to increase your bass response. I like to set my lower frequencies with a bit of a boost, while restricting the higher frequencies which are not essential to the "bass" sound.

Adjust the volume of the EQ to optimise the level vis-a-vis your guitar sound. You should use this in conjunction with with the parallel path blend, I set mine to -0.5, i.e. a bit more in favour of the bass sound so that it cuts through.

In conjunction with morphing, you can do some cool things, such as completely dial down the guitar, play a bass riff into the looper, then fade in the guitar again!

Hope this is of help to some of you out there!

I think this type of method would really shine if you could send the output of the parallel path to another output and then output it to, say, a bass amp!

I've created a feature request in this regard, please support it if you like this idea! Thanks.

Quote from Monkey_Man

Logical.

Thank you for sharing this, nightlight.

Thank you.

Does anyone have any experience with an Boss OC3 pedal? I've heard it does something similar, but does not sound good with chords. I think the Kemper transpose probably tracks better and with the EQ to filter out the higher notes, it seems to work quite well.

I am really moving forward on my "band" playing live, working on a short EP to send to some record companies, but I want to be ready to play for them in case they show any interest.

I have an idea to run the sound of my octaved lower strings into a bass amp instead of through the regular monitor that I'm using with the Kemper.

But the limitation with the existing parallel path of two FX slots is that I cannot run both of these FX as well as send the sound out of the Kemper through a stomp loop.

I have been looking for workarounds. Perhaps transpose into a stomp loop into an external EQ. into bass amp. But this wouldn't have a high cut.

Or alternatively graphical EQ into stomp loop into external octave effect into bass amp. Or perhaps just run out of the Kemper into something like the OC3, which allows you to set the range of bass notes to apply the octave FX to. But I'm still pretty sure the octaver on the Kemper transposes better, so that's the last option.

Anyone have any alternate idea how I can accomplish this? I keep hoping Kemper will surprise me and allow us to send parallel path to a different output, that would be ideal.

Quote from Kunfuz

I've done this in the past by using a Boss PS-5 pedal, transposed to -12.
Output A (FX) going to my bass-amp
Output B (direct) going to my guitar-amp/kemper

Doesn't work for chords though.
Give it a try if you can!

I've done the reverse too, playing guitar with my bass, just set transpose to +12

The transpose of the Kemper does work exceedingly well for chords though, and if you could just restrict it to a few strings, this would sound halfway decent on a bass amp, I am thinking.

Unfortunately, with the current restriction of two parallel slots, I cannot use both transpose and the graphical EQ. One without the other would just not do! I am toying with the idea of getting something like a Moog MF101 low pass filter and an EQ and attempting to test the transpose of a Kemper out through a loop, into these devices and then into an amp. But gear costs money, and I am gassing like a madman these days after all kinds of weird gear

Quote from nightlight

The transpose of the Kemper does work exceedingly well for chords though, and if you could just restrict it to a few strings, this would sound halfway decent on a bass amp, I am thinking.

Unfortunately, with the current restriction of two parallel slots, I cannot use both transpose and the graphical EQ. One without the other would just not do! I am toying with the idea of getting something like a Moog MF101 low pass filter and an EQ and attempting to test the transpose of a Kemper out through a loop, into these devices and then into an amp. But gear costs money, and I am gassing like a madman these days after all kinds of weird gear

Quote from StealthAMD

Something like the band Royal Blood basically but instead of using a bass as a main instrument you will be using your guitar?

https://www.quora.com/How-does…-the-sound-of-a-full-band

I haven't heard of Royal Blood, but it sounds like a very similar concept, though as you mentioned, it is the guitar that will be used instead of a bass.

Quote from malleus

That's exactly what I think the Kemper needs!
I've seen the German band Mantar a few days ago. One drummer, one guitar player and he's splitting his signal to a guitar amp and a bass amp with an Boss OC-3. Since then I'm looking for the Boss OC-3 as the Kemper can't do it that way when another FX-Loop is engaged.

I think a better route would be to use the transpose of the Kemper, works very well. A better option would be to set the transpose, then use a loop insert, send the direct output to a low pass filter like a Moog MF101, process that sound further with a graphical EQ and then route it to the bass amp.

It would require two pieces of external gear (or just one if you forego the EQ) for better results than the OC-3. However, in all fairness, I've never used an OC-3, so I don't know how well it would track. IIRC though, it does not handle chords that well. The Kemper does so extremely well, so keep that in mind.

Quote from malleus

Well, I was thinking about this option, too. But then I can't use my stereo loop in x-slot anymore and need an external low pass filter like you said. We really need more than two stomp slots for the parallel path.
BTW I've just ordered an OC-3. Let's see how it compares to the transpose-function.

Cool, that would be a brilliant test. Kindly post about your results versus the transpose and EQ in parallel slot (just change the parallel path signal to -5 to hear only the sound of the "bass").

Looking forward to this!

Quote from ashtweth

Love to see you do a vid showing the morph andother stuff or sound with this,as i bet yours would sound kick ass man
Thanks for the great idea, i started the thread about Royal blood (playing a bass to make sound like a guitar and bass) ..and this may be the answer bro.

Your a mad scientist man !

Ash

Thank you! i'm glad you find this of use! I'll try and put together a video one of these days, but a bit bogged down with a recording project at the moment!

If you want to try the morph out by yourself, you can do it in two ways:
1) Morph to change the sound of guitar and bass to just bass.
2) Morph to change the sound of guitar and bass to just guitar.

It would be theoretically possible to have a morph that shifts to both guitar and bass, but this would be a bit dodgy, as you would have to find a middle position on your expression pedal. These would be more workable.

All you have to do is set the morph to change the parallel path signal to +5 if you want just guitar and to -5 if you just want bass! Easy as pie! You can do this either with the expression pedal or with a button push. Very simple to programme, try it out!

Please help me convince Kemper Amplifiers to allow us to route the parallel path to a separate output, or at least include the controls for high and low pass within the transpose effect, so that we can use this method to punish an actual bass amp! I've created feature requests in this regard. Thanks!

Quote from Maurizio70

This is a great idea and I'm trying something similar too ... thanks for sharing, I will try soon your suggestion!!!!!

Thanks, Maurizio!

Quote from malleus

I've uploaded a comparison between the Boss OC3, Kemper Transpose function and my Jazz Bass to the soundcloud:

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There are two parts. First one is a single note riff, second one are some chords, so you get the idea how well the OC3 and the Kemper track. Both parts are played 3 times. Boss OC3 and Kemper Transpose were recorded simultaneously. I've also uploaded the bass-parts only. Those are on a separate track in the same playlist, which you can find here: https://soundcloud.com/stef-an…spose-vs-oc3-vs-jazz-bass
I will not post my opinion about it, yet. Just listen and compare for yourself

Thanks for the test, of all the tones, I liked the third set best, which was likely the actual bass lol

Out of the others, I preferred the second sound. Was that the Kemper transpose? Whatever it was, it sounded more like a real bass, maybe with the tone turned off. The first one sounded a bit synthetic imo. The second device also handled chords better in the second set of clips, more definition, which would be better if you were a single musician playing guitar and bass together.

Hands down the real bass won though. That's something also us solo guys will have to live with, lol.

A demo of the sound I was talking about. The first part of the clip is the tone you would expect from the bass end of things using parallel path. Please listen with headphones to get an idea of the low end, I think it's a pretty good approximation of a bass - for a guitar.

The second part is the tone blended with a guitar sound. In hindsight, I should have probably set the parallel path blend a bit more in favour of the "bass", at least for the demonstration, since it doesn't really translate well on a recording. Live though, the bass will be very prominent on the lower strings.