My Power Trio Bass Technique and Pedal Board Demo

This is a demo of a technique I've used when playing bass in a power trio. I use an Electro-Harmonix MicroPOG and an Electro-Harmonix PitchFork to generate an octave and an octave-and-a-fifth above the note I'm playing on bass, then send those upper signals to a separate amp to simulate a guitar playing in unison with the bass.
I don't do this constantly, just on occasion to fill the sound field when the guitar player is soaring on a lead and there otherwise isn't much else between the guitar on top and the bass on the bottom.

[@Gee-no]

Really nice. We used to do something similar when I was a kid in our first bands. I asked the bass player to use a splitter, one dry bass, the other thru octave and distorted like yours. As a trio you really do need to fatten the sound during guitar solos or the chorus. Man I miss those days 😢

[@JeremyLeech]

Just used this to play a show! I played bass and spit the signal to a bass amp and guitar amp. Sounded good to me!

[@OldPeepaw]

Since I can't convince my dude to get an extra guitar player....you have solved a lot of problems for me!

[@morgander4930]

I've watched hundreds of vids speaking of bass effects...yours is one of the best and usefull ! Congrats Mike !

[@BoomChockolaca]

Using Pitch fork to add the 5th is a brilliant idea! 💪🏻

[@geraldhartley]

This is awesome! I've imagined a rig like yours for many years, but never actually seen somebody do it! Thank you for sharing your tips on splitting the bass signal, with distortion, octave and a 5th. I have a 3 piece band, and this is exactly what I need my bass player to do. Thank you!!

[@alejandrabarron3977]

If you like rigs like these checkout royal blood it’s just a bass and drums duo and I think they sound better live so you should check them out live Mike Kerr the bassist has 3 amps(edit: and even mike Kerr says that his rig is more expensive than it needs to be

[@kane6529]

The pitchfork plus has dual outputs that you can send to different amps

[@johnroberts9311]

I agree with what some have said below. I am experimenting with doing the same thing and have watched a lot of videos looking at different techniques. Yours definitely sounds better than most. Good, brief explanation on the signal chain as well. Also, recording straight into a DAC (like you did) is a good idea for these videos. Unless someone does a really good job with an amp, a mic, and room acoustics, the viewer is not going to hear all of the nuance of the processed tone; the nuance is what separates an acceptable bass sound from a great one. There are a billion videos where the audio is so bad that there is no way to tell what the result really sounds like.

[@derekdean7580]

Great sounding bass (really nice technique), and I like what you did with the pedals. Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@lucybarney1]

I’m in the same situation and as a singer I try to keep my bass pedals to a minimum ,,but this looks easy to use ,thanks ,, great set up

[@rodneyscott8576]

Try using an octave below with your dry signal. It would really fill things out.

[@conectiv03]

Great video... I run a rig close to this.... POG to a Pitchfork then to a GT-100 board....2 separate runs to the FOH and 2 runs to a 2 channel Wedge Monitor, and I'm set.... Started this rig out of necessity after loosing one of the bands guitarist.... THEN people tell me Royal Blood does this.... ROCK ON!!!!!!!!

[@davemau5e]

Pure awesomeness here! Love how the combination with Pitch Fork, POG, and distortion combine! Makes it sound like you're playing a guitar in the background of the bass!

[@RitchieRosson]

Brilliant! Now I can fire my guitar player 😉 Great video Mike!

[@roberthart4160]

This is great! fantastic video.. short, sweet, to the point. Very informative without rambling on and on. Two thumbs up, thanks for sharing

[@unclescabby]

This really is a great video. Great rundown, thanks!

[@johnnybolt9672]

Brilliant. Sounds like you've got an actual guitar playing along, especially the last clip.

[@thepiperofsimms9974]

Great ear Mike ! Nice touches you've added. Bravo ! Go Godzilla !

[@TheChristianherud]

Cool setup, very well explained Sometimes less really is More!

[@n.rogers2273]

This video is awesome, so many crazy ideas to be had from here!

[@Ste1971]

Hi Mike very nice and useful video! this is the first time that I see that explained

[@mojoemurphy]

This is surprisingly effective!

[@ironicpunishmentdivision4226]

Great job. Sounds much better than what I heard from the Fishman Fission Bass

[@jorgeandresduran5575]

This is just awesome. Thanks for sharing this! Its very useful

[@bearpitrock]

Clever! What a great idea. Thanks!

[@ericjohnson8322]

Started looking for an octave pedal and was looking at a lot of reviews and talk bass posts. It seemed that the POG and the pitchfork were mentioned as probably two of the best (OC-2 notwithstanding). One thing that was not really mentioned elsewhere is your "why not both" choice. Gives me something to think about.

[@HectorBadillaOfficial]

B.O.C.!!!

[@rodrigovazquez1292]

Amazing! Thanks for the idea!

[@Micomike]

Great video brother thanks!

[@DaRkAlVaRu]

Great video, nice to hear Blue Oyster Cult, Deep purple, Kansas, Pink Floyd, and more 😬

[@jackisnotbad9688]

neat setup!

[@chrissabbath4551]

wow this is killer!

[@MarkLeonTanner]

Very innovative... I just don't like the octave up sound from the pog... It sounds like a keyboard to me...

[@madhatter8508]

You can make it sound more like a guitar with an EQ pedal.

[@PushSueAside]

Well done. Cheers

[@ASMRBass]

Started to sound a bit like an Akai Deep Impact pedal, which is a pretty awesome pedal. Well done.

[@galluni]

+ASMR Bass Thanks! Deep Impact -- isn't that the one used by Muse on Hysteria?

[@ASMRBass]

I can see them using it. I know Jamiroquai's bass player uses 2 of them. Its like $700 for the pedal haha

[@matthewhonnor]

I believe the Deep Impact was used on Time is Running Out. Not sure about Hysteria but then again no one is haha

[@rustammazhidov2050]

This is the great video, thank you!

[@davidstratton9918]

This is awesome man, thanks!

[@arturdefreitas4112]

amazing! i like it!

[@kermitkev]

Sounds great.

[@Charlyfromthenuclearcity]

Damn, that's a great idea !

[@matiaudia]

Great tutorial and great sound. I've thinking about adding a micropog to my drive channel, but wasn't sure. This cleared all the doubts. Picht fork going streight to my wish list too, probably. Have you tried using a reverb on the clean channel?

[@galluni]

Interesting idea. I've never used reverb on my bass before -- afraid it would make the sound more cloudy and less distinct -- but I can see where it could be really cool especially during a solo.

[@RHINOSAUR]

Nice setup, but sounds too artificial for my taste. I’m a bassist in a rock duo, and I only use the pitchfork while actually playing the 5th in simple chords. It totally sounds less artificial this way. Incidentally, I think it’s the Pog that makes it sound so artificial.

[@ironicpunishmentdivision4226]

Is the POG absolutely necessary? I thought the Pitch Fork could do an octave up + root fifth by itself - or am I mistaken?

[@galluni]

The Pitch Fork can generate several interval combinations in Dual Mode, including a fifth up and an octave down, but I wasn't able to find a way to get it to generate both an octave up and an octave and fifth up at the same time. I could have accomplished same thing with two Pitch Forks and no POG, but I already had the POG so I used it.

[@musicbypetegonzales4814]

Great idea!

[@jmbakermusic]

Hi Mike. Great little setup! I'm actually in the process of trying to help someone do something similar, and was hoping you might not mind answering a question for me. I have no hands on experience with the Pitch Fork, but my understanding is that the Pitch Fork can raise the signal up a full octave, while simultaneously generating a 5th. Am I correct on that? And if so, may I ask, what makes you use the Pog for raising your octave, and the Pitch Fork for the 5th, instead of just doing both with the Pitch Fork? I appreciate your time! :)

[@galluni]

The Pitch Fork can generate several interval combinations in Dual Mode, including a fifth up and an octave down, but I wasn't able to find a way to get it to generate both an octave up and a fifth up at the same time. To do that would have required two Pitch Forks, which I could have done, but I already had a POG so I used that POG for my octave up and the Pitch Fork for the fifth above that. There's a chart of the combination intervals that the Pitch Fork can generate in Dual Mode on this page: www.ehx.com/products/pitch-fork/instructions Hope this helps!

[@jmbakermusic]

Wonderful! Thanks for the info, I sure do appreciate it :)

[@andrewmcwhirk4967]

How does the pitchfork track in a five string? Great video too. Love the tones.

[@galluni]

The Pitch Fork tracks pretty well, but more importantly, the POG tracks extremely well. The Pitch Fork is getting the signal that's already brought up an octave by the POG, so it never has to deal with anything lower than a regular B. The tracking of the POG is impressive, and it follows down to the low B very nicely.

[@Tomerba25]

That helped a lot! could you please exdplain how you gave distortion only to the higher octave? thanks!

[@tuo.dobginski]

Tomer Basan actually he explained that in the video.The POG pedal have 2 outputs,1 mono and 1 stereo,if you use both,the pedal will send the octave to 1 output and the original bass sound to the other.He sends the original bass sound direct to the amp and the octave goes to the pitch fork,phaser and then the distortion

[@walterwebb1622]

Are you playing with fingers (not a pick) and still getting the kinda harmonic/muted distortion on the "guitar" channel 5:05ish? My band does the Royal Blood thing (3 piece, Bass Drums and violin), the only problem is I don't enjoy playing with a pick (takes away from the body of the note), and so I've struggled getting a guitar tone out of a similar rig.

[@galluni]

I went back and forth between pick and fingers during the demo. On the "Hair of Dog" section that you mentioned I am using a pick, while the previous "Smoke on the Water" I am not. In general, the pick brings out more higher end harmonics on the bass string, which gives the simulated guitar a little more presence. You can try turning up the treble on your bass to see if you can get a similar effect.

[@johnniecameron8829]

VERY COOL

[@mommommonja]

Were the riffs recorded in layers or could you keep a clean bass root while distorting only the octaves?

[@galluni]

Yes, everything was recorded in "one take". That's pretty much the idea, as I use this setup for live performance when there is only one source, which gets split to multiple destinations.

[@mommommonja]

@@galluni beautiful! I play in a power trio too so this is pretty much the exact setup I’ve been lookin for. Appreciate you making this video!

[@galluni]

@@mommommonja I'm glad it was helpful. Rock on!

[@dotnineteen.1962]

Its like royal blood

[@bernardopellon]

Hi! I have some doubts! Do you mind if I ask somethings? First, the effect out of the pog, when you turn down the pedal, still send the sound of the bass? Or it changes when you connect in the second (dry) out? Second, the pitch fork could make fixed Perfect 5th + Perfect 8th above? Thank you!

[@galluni]

Hi Bernardo. I'll try to add some clarity. The "dry" output of the POG is simply the same as the input signal, straight through with no effect or processing applied at all. This is what I send to my bass amp, and it's just like connecting to the bass amp with nothing but a straight cord. The "effect" output of the POG can produce a mix of three signals, the original note, a note one octave down below the original, and a note one octave up above the original. I'm only using the octave up, and have the other two turned all the way down (off). The Pitch Fork can generate a wide variety of intervals and harmonies, but I'm using it only to generate a 5th above the octave up note produced by the POG. It's the octave up from the POG combined with the 5th from the pitch fork that are sent to the guitar amp. I hope that helps!

[@bernardopellon]

Great Mike! Thanks for the answer! One doubt persists. I understand you turn off the levels dry and octave down. But when you turn off the pedal, does the effect make any sound? Or does it mute the effect? In other words, the fake guitar effect mute with you turn off the pedal? Or it will send the dry effect on the effect out? Thank ou very so much!

[@galluni]

If the POG is turned off (with the foot switch) it goes to "bypass mode" meaning the original unaltered signal goes through the unit and out the "effect" output. I never want this to happen, so I leave the POG on all the time, and use the volume pedal on the far left to control whether or not (and how much) of the processed signal goes to the guitar amp.

[@bernardopellon]

Great Mike! Thanks for all the informations! Some pedal when you plug the 2 outputs only send the effect signal to the effect out when the foot switch is on, and mute when it is off. It`s a pity don`t have it`s opition... So we have to have another pedal to mute the fake guitar... Great solution the volume pedal! Thanks!

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

Genius method. Mind if I steal it?

[@galluni]

Be my guest! I'm sure there are many other ways to accomplish the same result, this is just what worked for me.

[@fixxxerkanji4233]

Is the same as royal blood lol.was already stolen?

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

@@fixxxerkanji4233 ouch

[@fixxxerkanji4233]

@@levijessegonzalez3629 XD

[@davidassatrian9770]

Compared to an actual guitarist playing with you, would you say the pedals produce a more "artificial" sound? (I guess it wouldn't matter as much when you use distortion)

[@galluni]

Yes, the simulated guitar sound will never be quite as good as another human playing the real thing, but it fills the sound field well enough, and you never have to split your gig check with a simulated guitarist! :-)

[@galluni]

Also, when you run the simulated guitar sound into a guitar amp it sounds a little warmer and less sterile than it does when recorded direct like I did for the video demo.

[@xsannyx]

So with the octave up pedal do you also eliminate the danger of blowing the guitar speaker when playing live at high volumes?

[@galluni]

I expect so. The way I have it set up, none of the low fundamental frequency of the bass goes the guitar amp, so it never has to amplify any tone lower than a regular guitar can produce.

[@thedreamstation]

how would you achieve this with one amp? Awesome video BTW.

[@UlrimatestrategyHD]

A boss ls-2 could work

[@morioh6505]

Royal blood

[@emerald_archer]

People were doing this before Royal Blood was an itch in their mommas panties.

[@LFAJINAC]

"then send those upper signals to a separate amp" are you using two amps??

[@galluni]

For the video demo, I didn't use amps at all, I sent the signals to my mixing board. But when I do this on stage, yes -- I use two separate amps, one for the dry bass sound and one for the shifted effects sound. I believe this way the sound is much clearer and more "realistic" if that's the right word. My bass rig is a GK MB-500 into two Aguilar 1x12 cabs or two Genzler BA-12s. For the "guitar" amp I use a Behringer or Roland full-range keyboard amp.

[@LFAJINAC]

Thanx for answering ;)

[@bjtripp]

What setting is your Pitch Fork set to for this setup? Up, Down, or Dual?

[@galluni]

Hi Brandon. The Pitch Fork is in the "up" mode.

[@MunchiesMusicMadness]

A guitar player may be fired to day because of this video😂 naw I'm playing but this is a rad idea

[@vibecheck4581]

Pretty much a Royal blood pedalboard

[@galluni]

Yeah, when I first uploaded this video about 6 years ago I had never heard of Royal Blood. I thought I was being original! :-) I'm much more familiar with them now.

[@jamesmitchdoyle4146]

Instead of a pitchfork could a boss ps6 be used?

[@galluni]

Sure. It might have a different "flavor" as I believe the PS-6 and the PF process the audio signal a different way, but either will get the job done.

[@jamesmitchdoyle4146]

Thanks

[@kae2018]

what's the name of that song at 3:37? I forget ;I

[@galluni]

+Katherine F. Carry on Wayward Son, by Kansas

[@LuanaSilva-tc2ft]

Katherine F. z

[@gloriab9361]

Pog and pitch fork give it a Vegas lounge act sound. But that’s all we have as of now. 10 years from now they will be god awful. Cheers

[@lessingesnus]

What's your bass please ?

[@galluni]

For this demo I used an Ibanez SR 1405E Premium. It's completely stock except the strings, which are D'Addario XL Half Wounds.

[@lessingesnus]

Thx !

[@tomterryguitarbass]

Cool video Mike I'm doing something similar but a little different check it out if you have a chance

[@simaopereira5396]

RB rip off.

[@Yaksonator]

Simão Pereira why can't anyone else use that setup..?

[@conky7819]

Simão Pereira The concept of playing octave bass has been around a hell of a lot longer than Royal Blood. 8 string/12 string basses and octave pedals have been around since the 60's/70's. Besides, Royal Blood are mediocre.

[@MrMusicfan007]

Not really

[@simaopereira5396]

Actually no, DFA dont use this setup not even in 2004.

[@simaopereira5396]

you can use it; I use it.