HX Stomp for Bass: The Perfect Mini Pedalboard w/Ian Martin Allison

Summary

In this engaging script, a musician discusses the evolution of their compact pedal setup, transitioning from a larger board to a travel-friendly Stomp for portability. They explore the versatility of the Stomp, emphasizing the importance of certain pedals like the compressor and the preamp, and share their creative process of blending synth sounds with effects like fuzz, octave, and chorus. The conversation delves into the nuances of achieving unique bass tones, from the classic pop synth to the gritty, distorted sounds, highlighting the artist's journey in finding the perfect balance between simplicity and sonic complexity.

Takeaways

• 🎛 The musician discusses the evolution of their pedal setup from a larger board to a more streamlined one for travel purposes, focusing on essential pedals.
• 🔊 They mention the importance of having a compressor in their setup for adjusting the output of the bass and for the visual feedback provided by LED metering.
• 🔧 The 'Stomp' pedal is highlighted as the central piece of equipment for creating various sounds, having evolved to replace a more extensive pedal board.
• 🎶 The musician appreciates the Noble preamp for its clean sound, noting that it doesn't distort in a musical way and is not meant to be dirty.
• 🔩 A practical tip is shared about using a blanking plate for an XLR to prevent sound engineers from accidentally unplugging the musician's setup mid-gig.
• 🎵 The script describes the creation of a specific sound using the Stomp, involving an octave, fuzz, and chorus, and how it differs from traditional synth sounds.
• 🚫 The musician expresses dissatisfaction with the Boss OCT pedal for lacking a 'bottom' to the sound and prefers the base OCT for its improved sound quality.
• 🎤 They discuss the versatility of their current setup, which allows them to play a wide range of gigs with minimal equipment, including the use of flats and rounds on their bass.
• 🔊 The use of a Fender VI King's spring reverb and tremolo is reminisced upon, which influenced the musician's sound and is recreated in the Stomp.
• 🎶 The script mentions building patches in the HX Stomp, such as 'Montana,' which utilizes the tessellator effect for chord context in recordings.
• 🔁 The musician's use of parallel loops and effects blocks within the Stomp to run external pedals in a loop is touched upon, emphasizing the flexibility of their setup.

Q & A

What type of sound setup has evolved for travel purposes in the script?

The sound setup has evolved from a larger pedal board with more pedals to a more compact 'stomp' setup for travel purposes.

What is the role of the compressor in the described setup?

The compressor is used externally to adjust the output of the bass and provides visual feedback through LEDs, which is important for the user's 'placebo-prone brain'.

What does the user refer to as the 'heavy lifting' in their sound setup?

The 'heavy lifting' refers to the primary sound processing done by the 'stomp' device, which generates the wild sounds.

Why does the user prefer not to use the drive feature on the COO?

The user finds that they rarely use the drive feature on the COO because they achieve their saturation sounds from the 'stomp' and prefer a cleaner sound.

What is the Noble preamp mentioned in the script and how is it used?

The Noble preamp is a device that the user has on their main board and uses for its clean sound, which never distorts in a musical way as it's not meant to be dirty.

What is the purpose of the blanking plate for an XLR mentioned in the script?

The blanking plate for an XLR is used to prevent sound engineers from unplugging the user's setup during a gig, which could result in losing the sound setup.

How does the user feel about the Boss OCT in the script?

The user is initially excited about the Boss OCT but finds it lacking in the bottom sound, which is a drawback for them.

What is the user's approach to creating a synth sound with the stomp?

The user creates a synth sound by using an octave, fuzz, and chorus within the stomp, and then slightly distorting it with parallel drive and chorus for a more pleasing effect.

How does the user feel about traveling with their compact pedal board?

The user loves traveling with their compact pedal board as it fits in the inside pocket of a jacket and is suitable for carry-on travel.

Outlines

00:00

🎸 Evolution of Bass Pedal Setup

The speaker discusses the evolution of their bass pedal setup from a larger board to a more travel-friendly, compact version. They emphasize the importance of a compressor for adjusting the output of the bass and the use of a stomp device for generating various sounds, including fuzz and octave effects. The speaker also mentions the Noble preamp for its clean sound and the versatility of their setup for different gigs, including the use of an external compressor and a blanking plate for XLR to prevent sound loss during live performances.

05:02

🎵 Crafting Distinctive Bass Sounds

The paragraph delves into the process of creating unique bass sounds by layering effects such as octave, fuzz, and chorus within a stomp device. The speaker compares the synthesized bass sound to electronic music, noting its pleasing quality despite the absence of a traditional sine wave. They also discuss the use of drive and chorus to enhance the sound for live performances, and the preference for using an amp for tracking rather than live performances, with a focus on achieving a specific 'Ultimate amp' sound through various settings.

10:06

🎶 Influence of Classic Music on Bass Playing

The speaker reflects on the influence of classic artists like Glenn Campbell on their bass playing style, highlighting the use of a Fender VI King with a spring reverb and tremolo. They discuss the unique sound produced by playing bass through this setup and how it has shaped their approach to creating bass lines. The paragraph also touches on the speaker's experience learning from iconic bass lines, such as those by Adam Clayton from U2, and the impact of these influences on their own sound.

15:10

🔊 Integrating Effects and Loops in Bass Performance

This paragraph focuses on the technical aspects of using effects and loops in bass performance. The speaker talks about the use of a tessellator for creating chord contexts and the importance of the location of the stomp device in their pedal setup. They also mention the use of parallel loops for running external pedals and the challenges of integrating a stomp device with a board full of single pedals. The speaker discusses their approach to using compressors, octaves, and fuzz effects, and the strategic placement of the stomp device to ensure optimal sound quality.

Keywords

💡Synth Sound

A 'synth sound' refers to a sound produced by a synthesizer, which is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals that can mimic traditional instruments or create unique sounds. In the context of the video, the speaker is discussing the evolution of their setup to include a synth sound, which is achieved through a combination of effects like filters, fuzz, and octaves. The script mentions 'synth sound' when discussing the capabilities of the Stomp, indicating its versatility in sound production.

💡Stomp

In the video script, 'Stomp' likely refers to a multi-effects pedal, specifically the Line 6 HX Stomp, which is a compact device that contains a variety of effects for electric guitar and bass. The speaker discusses how they have adapted their setup to primarily use the Stomp for its convenience during travel, and how it has evolved to include a wide range of sounds, from classic pop synth to heavy distortion effects.

💡Pedal Board

A 'pedal board' is a platform used by musicians to organize and mount multiple effects pedals for electric guitars, basses, or other instruments. In the script, the speaker talks about transitioning from a larger pedal board setup to a more streamlined one, with the Stomp at its core. The discussion about the pedal board illustrates the speaker's journey towards a more portable and efficient setup.

💡Compressor

A 'compressor' in audio terms is a device that affects the dynamic range of an audio signal, making loud sounds quieter and quiet sounds louder, thus providing more control over the dynamics. The speaker mentions using an external compressor for its flexibility and the ability to change settings depending on the output of the bass, highlighting its importance in shaping the sound.

💡Saturation

'saturation' in audio refers to the process of deliberately overdriving a signal to achieve a warm, distorted, or colored sound. In the script, the speaker discusses achieving saturation sounds from the Stomp, indicating that despite its compact size, it can produce a rich and full sound that is typical of overdriven amplifiers.

💡Noble Preamp

The 'Noble Preamp' is a specific type of preamplifier pedal, known for its high-quality sound and versatility. The speaker mentions having one on their board and discusses its clean sound, which does not distort in a musical way unless fed a double line level signal. This indicates the high fidelity and clarity that the Noble Preamp provides to the sound.

💡Direct Out (DI)

A 'Direct Out' or 'DI' in audio production is a signal path that takes a direct feed from an instrument or microphone to a mixer or recording device, bypassing the amplifier. The speaker mentions using a DI for a clean sound, and having a patch called 'ultimate DI' in the Stomp for those who want a saturated clean sound without effects.

💡Octave Pedal

An 'octave pedal' is an effects pedal that can shift the pitch of an input signal up or down by one or more octaves. The script discusses the evolution of the speaker's setup, mentioning that they initially used an external octave pedal but have since found satisfaction with the octave capabilities within the Stomp, highlighting improvements in its sound quality.

💡Amp Sim

'Amp Sim' stands for amplifier simulator, a device or software that emulates the sound of a guitar or bass amplifier. The speaker mentions using an amp simulator primarily for tracking in the studio rather than live performances, indicating a preference for the authentic sound of an amplifier during live gigs.

💡Spring Reverb

Spring reverb is a type of reverb effect created by sending an audio signal through a spring that is set into vibration. The speaker discusses using a Fender VI King, which has a spring reverb, to achieve a specific sound reminiscent of artists like Glen Campbell, illustrating the unique character that spring reverb can add to a sound.

💡Tessellator

A 'tessellator' in the context of this video likely refers to a type of effects pedal that creates a repeating pattern or texture from a single note or chord. The speaker mentions using a tessellator to create a chord context from a single note, which is particularly useful in a recording environment for creating rich, layered sounds.

Highlights

The evolution of a synth sound using a filter, fuzz, and octave sign in a stomp for travel purposes.

Transition from a larger pedal board setup to a more streamlined and portable setup.

The importance of having a compressor externally for flexibility and the role of metering for the musician's satisfaction.

Utilization of the Stomp for generating a wide range of sounds with its heavy lifting capabilities.

The minimal use of the COO's drive feature, opting for cleaner sounds and saturation from other sources.

Innovative use of a blanking plate for XLR to prevent sound loss during live performances.

The preference for using a pick for more than 50% of the performance, impacting gear setup.

The便携性 of a compact pedal board that fits into a jacket pocket for travel.

The absence of an external octave pedal and reliance on the Stomp for octave sounds.

Comparison between the Stomp's octave sound and a traditional three-leaf octave, highlighting improvements.

Creative use of drive and chorus to enhance and customize the octave sound.

The musician's approach to building synth sounds on top of the octave foundation.

Minimal use of amps live, with a preference for tracking in the studio.

Description of the 'Ultimate amp' setting in the Stomp, simulating a classic bass rig.

The versatility of the Ampeg IMA4 bass with different types of strings for various sounds.

The emotional connection to a Fender VI King and its role in shaping the musician's sound.

Use of the tessellator effect to create chord context in a recording environment.

The impact of Adam Clayton's bass line from U2's 'Joshua Tree' on the musician's playing style.

Discussion on the creative potential of using parallel loops and effects blocks within the Stomp.

Strategic placement of the Stomp on the pedal board for easy access and integration with other pedals.

The use of a Studio preamp, EQ, and tape emulator for a unique DI sound.

Transcripts

that's so it's more of a synth sound like a filter  and a fuzz and a octave sign okay like classic pop  

synth is that all within the stomp it didn't  start that way but then for travel purposes it  

has evolved into that like it it start you know  bigger pedal board more pedals three leaf stuff  

but then I've gotten like you know like you say  it's so sometimes fun when you don't have all the  

[ __ ] right and you have to kind of try to find  something in the stomp that will what are your  

like okay I'm I'm taking the stomp I'm taking a  really stripped down thing but what's the like  

the two or three other things you have to have  on the board that you can't rep ladies ladies  

and gentlemen we are so prepared here I made  this ladies and gentlemen I made this little  

board let's see if I can get it in both we'll get  it in this shop it fits in the inside pocket of a  

jacket yeah and and the and the wide shot this is  um what is the yeah this is the uh so basically I  

run into a compressor I like to have a compressor  externally okay uh because I like to be able to  

change it depending on that output of the base I  like to even see some metering yeah it helps my  

it helps my Placebo uh prone brain you know what  I mean absolutely so the LEDs give you that right  

they change color yeah okay cool yes and um then  I'm hitting the Stomp all the sounds are coming  

like all the you know wild sounds right are coming  from here the heavy lifting is being done by the  

absolutely and then into the COO which has drive  but I find that I almost never use that um I find  

that I'm using it pretty clean because I'm getting  my saturation sounds from this got I I love the  

noble preamp I know you've had one of those for  a long time that's new addition that block in  

here right are you using that block in here the oh  you know no when when I use it with you mean the  

actual yeah the actual Noble yes because I I have  that on my this board back here that I'm plugged  

into at the moment and um it's just clean clean  clean it will never distort yes you know it's  

never made to even still people are like oh how do  you get the noble to grind like God you'd have to  

feed it like a double line level signal I mean it  won't and it and it won't do it in a musical way  

either like it's not meant to be dirty this can  be dirty in a really cool way so I sort of think  

of this as like a almost like a boutique sand  amp in a the J yeah the Jad Freer or Yad Freer  

I don't know how yeah but um it also gives you if  you want to just take a direct out and not have  

any of the preamp you can do that I mean come on  like this dude what this in here first time I've  

ever seen that just a blanking plate for an XLR  show the people that closeup look at this see I  

did this because often times I would you know have  some juicy thing dialed up here right and then the  

engineer would just plug into this and I'd look  down halfway through the gig and I'd be like  

God damn it everything's missing yeah yeah so you  can get these on um Amazon and they're just like  

little blanks and I think it's it's sort of like  pedal board jewelry I have it uh plugged into a  

dc7 perfect me too pick on the bottom just in case  I play a lot with a pick probably geez more than  

more than 50% of the stuff I do is with a pick  okay um and on this little mono board it fits in  

the mono tick and I absolutely love traveling with  this it feels so yeah I'm carryon only always um  

or I to be sometimes if I so if you got a weekend  fly date clothes pedals bace carry on carry on  

100% always and uh so this will you know go on  the tick and maybe go on the back of the mono  

gig bag and it's amazing um so interesting to me  that you don't have an external octave pedal so  

you've come to the point where you feel like  you can get enough out of the stomp for that  

cuz that was always one of the earlier weaknesses  for me with the stomp yes with the octave thing so  

check it out it's getting better it it is getting  better check it out when they did the boss OCT in  

it the bver right I was so excited and then I  went and played it and it doesn't have bottom  

right there's no [ __ ] bottom on that sound it's  a drag and it's a drag and then I was like well I  

guess I'm back to the goddamn base OCT but the  crazy thing is once I spent some time with that  

sound and I distort it slightly with with like a  parallel Drive parallel Path Drive put a touch of  

chorus on it very happy like it does um here let  me just let me just turn it on which is for people  

who can't see this which is no one cuz it's off  shot but you're about to play this sound in the  

stomp sitting next to an original three leaf octav  and I love I love the three leaf but this sound

man solid it's like it's sounds like hyper Ballad  by bork which is what this [Music] is yeah right  

it's that and it's very it's not synthy right  it does not have that square wavy thing let's  

compare it yeah um it's not this sound yeah  electronic music immediately yes sine wave  

but it's almost kind of in a way it's really  pleasing just in a different way and so what  

I do to it to kind of like J it up right is um  just a touch of Drive nope [Laughter] a touch  

of drive and [Music] chorus oh and then it kind  of moves just slightly yeah and it's absolutely  

massive like on a stage yeah sounds good in a big  room yes and it doesn't have that sort of hollowed  

out like the oc2 thing which I love has like like  a hollowed out thing but this seems to almost work  

this works on like a pop record sure in a way that  I've Maybe sort of struggled sometimes with quote  

like the cool octs do you know what I'm saying OC  2s three leaf Etc pearls those kind of things ex  

do you build your synth sound on top of that is  that the basis of it yes okay cool yes so like  

if I have um here I'll show you like I'll pull up  a synth sound here so everything is based on that

octave right and so then it's like chorus so sorry  no it's octave Y into a fuzz into envelope into  

chorus [Music] right and that this is all in  the stomp now right yes okay it's all in the  

stomp so how much are you traveling and using  an amp versus amp Sim csim I'm only ever using  

an amp if I'm I never use it like I don't use it  very often I'm using it when I'm tracking mostly  

I almost never use it live wow yes so if there's a  Target right if there's like a Target that someone  

wants me to hit so there's a setting that I use in  here that I call Ultimate amp and it's basically  

an SVT into a dual cab okay and what's amazing  about the Dual cab is you can select like a 810  

and and mic it up with what you would mic it with  like a classic SVT thingz you can also send that  

signal into like a 112 guitar ramp oh because  the one because the 810 so it's like a Mike C  

Royal Blood set like you can split it up like that  split it up and it's not so much to necessarily  

get a bunch of distortion from the 12 but it's to  get like a top that's interesting so and and this  

isn't distorted this isn't crazy also this is a  base with Flats on it right but but it's [Music]

um yeah sounds big and Punchy  but it also has some top to

it

okay this is your base right this is the yeah  this is the a mik l ima4 it has Flats on it  

um I'm just like my first question about it is  like you feel like you can get through a ton of  

different gigs with this like already what you've  played as little as you've played sounds like big  

range there's a huge range I mean I with Flats  yeah and I I have another one that has rounds  

but um and I most actually probably play that  one more but for some reason today man like you  

were coming over and I I just started to play this  instrument and I was like oh I really I was vibing  

with it today you know this instrument [Music]  sounds like a jazz bass sure but it has less

top than a jazz and then if you solo out  the neck pickup it's got a p bases kind of  

thing oh there you go right [Music]  yeah and then the bridge pickup on  

it two let's go some twang wow yeah it  has some twang but it also it also has

bottom so for me it's like a really excellent  um trigger yeah for a bunch of the sounds that  

I use absolutely and and the one too that that  I just I want to show you that is a big deal so  

I you know using it with amps and playing with  a pick or you know using it with the syn thing  

playing with fingers and doing that on on with  the artist I play for but another big one um  

my grandparents and my my parents loved like  Glenn Campbell and and so um you're sitting  

right in front of my dad's old this is a vibro  king Fender VI king that's a spring reverb into  

trim and so I he bought this new in '92 okay  so when I started to play bass he had this and  

he he plays a little guitar um and I just would  play my bass through this too and the interesting  

thing about how Fender amps were made is that the  spring comes before the tremolo in the circuit so  

what happens is ah but you've now recreated in  the stor of course and so for the longest time I  

just thought it was dumb that like you know bass  shouldn't do that but what happens is the spring  

yeah gets hit by the trim and then if you play  two notes yeah yeah yeah straight into Johnny  

Cash yeah yeah and so I decided like there was  this moment for me where you know I I heard Glen

Campbell you know witch lineman right yeah

yeah and I went oh my God that sound is  so me yeah from from my childhood and so  

it was this really interesting thing  of like wo i I got way into this so  

I I yeah I built this patch it's called  Montana in the HX stomp um it has this  

thing I use called tessellator you ever  use tesor man like tessellator so if you  

play right it grabs a snap and now you  know now you have chord [Music] context

[Music] you know absolutely and I have  to say man like that sound in a in like  

a recording environment yeah beautiful  like if people are like hey what's the  

vibe what should the vibe be yeah and you  play and you go people are like holy [ __ ]  

if it's the right the right thing before  you came over too I was thinking about  

thinking about Adam Clayton oh yeah and my the  first Baseline I ever learned uh as a kid was

this right yeah and to me it's like the most  perfect Baseline ever and like he plays it harder  

now live but like on that Joshua Tree record it's  so it's so soft and pulsy and lovely and simple  

and he gets you know he gets hate for you know but  it's funny cuz man he has this thing of he said  

I've heard him say before I'm not the best bass  player in You2 but I am the bass player in You2  

oh that's really good I know because Edge you know  Edge plays Bas too right but I think like that the  

the two right Glen Campbell cash Highwayman um and  then Adam Clayton first Baseline I ever learned  

and then that translates to like so if you then  put on a sound for that right like if you put  

on like if you put on the drive and the chorus  and the octave and you play that same kind of

thing maybe you're just hanging  yeah like I did a session the the  

other day where there was a thing you  know that they they'd worked on worked  

on worked on there were all these  different things yeah yeah [Music]

man

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than I don't know but that's [ __ ] one note  like what you can do with one note and one  

Melody I love it yeah oh my that was so that was  so lovely what a beautiful Melody and do you use  

the parallel Loops the the effects blocks for  for Loops within the stomp to run an external  

pedal in a loop right so if I have anything  that's why the stomp on this board actually  

on both my boards is at that location I was going  to ask you about that cuz my OCD was kicking out  

I was like you said it goes compressor and then  it goes to the right yeah it's because I don't  

have any switching right but I want access to  this got right so you know I have these little  

plugs in here um but I you know pop them out and  when I'm when I have another pedal that I need to  

use right I just of course do that and um and I  have some filter sounds in here that I think are  

really are really cool I'm always pretty Amazed by  the Legacy sounds I know from the old big like dl4  

and got a purple guy up here hey me too I got  one home still in the box y amazing really oh  

yeah and a dl4 that looks like it was in War yes  that was the coolest it is the coolest pedal ever  

the Looper in that pedal it's the greatest yes and  only 14 seconds of record time or something crazy  

that's the other thing though is like if you're  using the stomp in a board full of multi full of  

um single pedals where do you put it you have to  commit to a location a location and by committing  

to a location you kind of commit to what it's  going to do you do unless it's the only thing  

that's doing it yes exactly you know what I mean  I I've struggled with that I think like um if I  

have a uh external octave that's cool that can  come before if I have an external fuzz cool that  

can come before as well I'm fine with that but  anything else yeah like drives I don't want drives  

to be before everything in the stomp I don't want  reverbs or uh so I find that if I'm using it with  

external there's three things that can come before  comp uh octave fuzz that's it comp octave fuzz M  

and the preamp for you is always on the end the  preamp for me is on the end because because I'm  

never using a preamp um unless it's a DI okay so  the DI is going to be at the end with with all  

you know sending everything out to wherever it  needs to go I have a thing called like ultimate  

di right in here and it's just it's one patches  it's one of the patches and it's it's uh it's  

for people that don't use any effects but they  want to have like a nice big sort of saturated  

clean sound and so part of that is like choosing  the compressor part of it's choosing the preamp  

and EQ so I'm using instead of um using the noble  thing I I use the Studio pre and then EQ and then  

tape reel do you ever use tape oh no I don't is  it a a stud emulator like a tape machine emulator  

ahic oh no um there's my week next week so so  right like um let me just show you without yeah  

so my external compressor is off right so just  just you [Music] know okay yep here's with the

tape oh hello just give some saturation  yeah sure it just brings saturation up and  

it brings like almost mid-range into into  focus in really a cool way and it's nice

right

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