Bass Effects - Phaser/Phase Shifter
The phasing effect is popular for bass. It adds a gentle psychedelic sweep to whatever you’re playing. It is often confused with another popular effect called flanging.
Phase Effect
Phasing is what happens when you take two identical signals and delay one of them slightly. It is a frequency-based effect that makes a swirling, swooshing filtered guitar tone.
Phase effects work best on repetitive phrases, when the rate and depth roughly match the tempo of the song.
Aguilar Grape Phaser V2 Bass
Aguilar Grape Bass Phaser
Waves in the ocean go up and down. Similarly, sound waves fluctuate up and down.
Phase is where the wave is in its cycle.
Think of the phases of the moon. The moon constantly moves between the full moon phase and the new moon phase, and all of the phases in-between.
Phasers use the principle of “phase” cancellation. This is when a filter passes over your tone, and flips the waveform at specific frequencies. This signal is then combined with your original tone, to produce the iconic phaser effect sound. This effect was used in many songs by Van Halen, Pink Floyd and Smashing Pumpkins.
ISET Phaser Bass
In-Phase and Out-of-Phase
When two identical sound waves are at the same points in their cycle, they are said to be in-phase. If two identical sound waves are at opposite points in their cycle, they are said to be out-of-phase.
Empress Effects Bass
Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
When identical sounds are out-of-phase, something interesting occurs. The waves cancel eachother out.
The phasing effect uses this in- and out-of-phase phenomenon where different parts of the sound get canceled out.
If you place two speakers next to each other playing the same audio and they are out-of-phase, you wouldn’t hear anything. If you’ve ever accidentally reversed the speaker wires on one speaker of a pair, you probably wondered why there was little or no sound. By reversing the polarity of one speaker, one wave hit its top while the other hit its bottom. The opposing audio waves canceled each other out.
JOYO Cabinet Modeling Bass
Valeton Coral Mod II Digital Phaser Bass
Phasing happens when a signal is mixed with the same signal that’s a little out of phase.
This causes certain frequencies, or very narrow bands, to be muted. That’s why a phase shifter is also called an all-pass filter.
The phase effect copies the audio signal, and the original signal is left alone. The copied signal goes through a process called phase-shifting. This is when the sound wave is moved forward or backward, from where it is in its cycle.
Pigtronix EMTP Moon Pool Phaser
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dweller Phase
When the phase-shifted sound is combined with the original sound, different parts of the sound will cancel out.
To give this effect motion, an LFO is used to control the amount and rate of back-and-forth phase-shifting. This gives the phasing effect its sweeping, swooshing sound.
The phasing sound has a hollowness to it. Since it is canceling frequencies, it will sound empty at some points.
Aguilar Grape Phaser Bass
Phaser on Bass
Phasing doesn’t alter the rhythm or pitch of the bassline. A phaser, therefore, won’t get in the way of the bass guitar’s traditional role supporting the rhythmic and harmonic foundations.
It will create a sound, that has a spacey, electronically-distorted quality.
Boss LMB-3 Bass Limiter/Enhancer
Belcat PHS-505 Bass Phaser
Phasing can help, if you are trying to create some deep, funky basslines. that drive grooves forward, By applying effects like phaser pedals to your bass tone, you can drive the grooves forward, to make a deeper tone. They are similar to chorus effects, but way funkier. Phasers give the bass added depth, with an expressive tone.
Phaser settings are pretty simple. Most phasers have only one knob or setting. This is the speed, or rate control, which is really all you need.
This controls the rate of the LFO, low frequency oscillator.
EX-Unparallel Phase Shifter
Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver
Adjusting the phaser’s rate or speed will control how fast or slow the phase frequencies are shifted.
Increase the speed and the modulation happens fast, decrease the speed and you may not even notice the phaser effect until a note is held.
There are a lot of great options for bass players, who want to do more than adjust a speed knob on their phaser pedal. There are hundreds of different expansive pedals with combined effects. Some phase units come with chorus, flanger, tremolo, or vibrato modes.
Some models come with phase presets and phase shift modes.
Coolmusic C-DE01 Bass
You’ll have to experiment with this effect, and listen to the sounds you create. It all depends on how deep or dramatic you want your bass tone to be.
Songs Using Bass Phase Effects
Boss BB-1X Bass Driver
Bridge of Sighs by Robin Trower
For The Love Of Money by The Ojays
Have A Cigar by Pink Floyd
Dancing in the Moonlight by Thin Lizzy
Recommended Bass Phaser Pedals
ISET Phaser
2 Working Modes: Vintage and Modern. It reduce noise swells common with Vintage Phase circuit, you get the quietest, pure effect possible with this Phase pedal.
Fender Lost Highway Phaser
The Lost Highway Phaser is inspired by the design of vintage analog pedals, but features modern controls that give you full command over your sound.
Walrus Audio Lillian Multi-Stage Analog Phaser
The Lillian is a true bypass, all analog, multi-stage Phaser drawing inspiration from her cousin Julia. With controls like rate, width, feedback, and d-p-v blend, The Lillian is packed with a wide array of Analog Phaser goodness waiting to be dialed in.
MXR ILD101 ILOVEDUST Phase 90
For more than four decades, the MXR Phase 90 has been a mainstay on the pedalboards of millions of players around the globe. This limited edition features art from the award-winning UK-based design crüe ilovedust.
Keeley Bubble Tron Dynamic Flanger Phaser
This time Keeley has made the Flanger and Phaser in dynamic with your pick attack and strength. Then add the Random Stepped Filter with the new “M-Style Synth” bandpass shaping feature, and you have a lead guitarist’s dream tool.
Aguilar Filter Twin Bass Filter
The Filter Twin uses two identical filters sweeping in opposite directions – one up in frequency, one down in frequency – to give classic 70’s-inspired funk sounds or completely new and original filter tones.
Behringer VINTAGE PHASER VP1
Authentic and classic three dimensional phase shifting – from rapid rotary speaker to impressive jet plane effects! This BEHRINGER product has been designed to compete head to head with leading products on the market. There are dedicated Rate control and separate Tone switch for fine-tuning of effects speed and tone. A status LED for effect is included, plus there is a true hard-wire bypass for ultimate signal integrity.
