I have an embarrassing question to ask about muffs....

[Tendollarcat]

I'm a bass player and I've owned every hyped up muff released and every time I buy one I fucking love the sound in isolation or the bedroom. I really dig the Green Russian types and have owned a real one, a Wren and Cuff and now have an Arc - which is awesome. But I can't get them to sit in the mix like I want.....

Now at this point I can feel you all rolling your eyes and preparing to cut and paste a response to this that has been covered 500 times before. But wait - before you do, I have a more relevant question -

Juan Alderete says the only way he uses his muff pedals is with the volume on full. And I've also heard that's how you get the Wren and Cuff to work best. Excuse me for being a bit simple but - how do you do that??? I hit a pedal with volume on full and it literally wipes out all existence of my band members and is just a complete momentum killer. Is that the muff effect that is so sought after? Just a really fucking loud version of what sounds good on the bedroom?

So my question - Muffs, with volume on full...How do you do it?

[skullservant]

I've never used my muff in a band setting with the volume on full, but I do crank it a decent amount above unity to make up for the mids- ALSO I always stack stuff into it to beef it up. Been thinking about picking up a Boss Bass EQ to throw after it

[AndyTran]

Maybe they're running dirty amps, so no more headroom.

[Tendollarcat]

I've never used my muff in a band setting with the volume on full, but I do crank it a decent amount above unity to make up for the mids- ALSO I always stack stuff into it to beef it up. Been thinking about picking up a Boss Bass EQ to throw after it

Thanks man. It helps to know that I'm not just missing something! The thing is, I love the voicing of them. I think it's close to my favourite dirt sound. I recently stumbled across the new Ben Folds Five live release and Robert Sledge is just over the top on muff usage. I'd say his bass tone is as good as anyone's but I wonder if he gets the space to do it in the mix. My band is loud and noisy. Maybe I'll try stacking the Arc with some other good stuff too.

[Tendollarcat]

Maybe they're running dirty amps, so no more headroom.

Good point and the Ampeg fridges those guys all use must be a factor in how pedals respond sound wise too I guess.

[jrmy]

Also, I'd suggest looking into Muff variants that allow you to keep and or control your mids, since they're what will keep you in the mix. Both the Blackout Effectors Musket and the Arc Effects Big Green Pi would be good options there - the Musket has all controls on the front, and the Big Green Pi has a mids switch inside. You might lose a little of the "girth" when you accentuate the mids, but you will definitely not get lost in the mix.

[terminator]

i couldn't imagine not turning the volume and gain up all the way. also, the supercollider has a mids knob.

[skullservant]

Supercollider RULES

[chillerthanmost]

Green Russians are hard for a live band mix since they lack a good amount of mids. That's why I had to get rid of my TFR. You can compensate by being louder but you still really just get the low end mostly, which can lack definition depending on what style of music you play. I like using an overdrive or boost either in front or behind a muff to help out with that. Or look for a muff variant with more mid boost or control over the mids. You can also bypass the tone stack for added mids and volume. I'm using two muff variants on my bass board right now and they both sound really good in the mix. A TAFM with a Rat Tail in front of it to one amp, and a Bluebeard with the tone bypassed to the other amp. Mids moderately accented through the amps EQ's.

[D.o.S.]

Supercollider does indeed rule, but the voicing is pretty set towards a wall of doom with another heavily-gain'd stringy-thingy.

[hiorgos]

..

[Joe Gress]

That was not the embarrassing question I was thinking that had to do with muff's...


I love the sound of my Pickle Pie B, but almost every time I use it I turn my Geminidrive on as well. A little bit of a clean boost in the mid frequencies and some sparkle on the top end helps it cut like no other.

[Casavettes]

i know many will disagree with me but
personally i think muffs are more suited for studio use than they are live

they have their time and place within a live setting, but when i've listened back on recordings i always find myself sitting way better in the mix with a different kind of fuzz.
but yeh, the maxing of the muff could just be no headroom. i've never done that with any of the muffs i've owned because it would just be auditory rape at that point.

[Casavettes]

and TWSS because muff.

[Chankgeez]

... I like using an overdrive or boost either in front or behind a muff to help out with that...

I think, for me, this's pretty much the key.