Dark Castle guitar/bass split signal. How?

Lumpy · July 13, 2011, 12:50:34 PM

I saw Dark Castle last night with YOB (great show). Anybody know how she splits her signal to the bass amp? Sounds like any notes below a certain point are sent to the bass amp, and notes above that are muted. So when she plays the low E string, it doubles on bass, but when she breaks out a guitar solo, it's muted so it doesn't muddy things up.

I have a guess, but maybe you Floridanians have the inside scoop.

I'll throw up some pics in a little bit (my pics look like throw-up).

justinhedrick · July 13, 2011, 12:59:29 PM

some sort of a low pass filter maybe? i don't know.

VOLVO))) · July 13, 2011, 01:11:27 PM

She never used to do that, she always ran the Model T to the 6x10, The 200s to a 4x12, the V2 to the 2x15, Rob's keyboard thingy went to a Marshall Valvestate. They used to slave all the amps off the Model T, but eventually bought a voodoo switcher to take some of the strain off of it. She definitely uses an octave pedal for some parts, though. As you can tell, I've lugged ALL of this equipment more than once... by more than once, I mean every time I've seen them, which is in the low teens.

I'll report in when I see them on the 24th, I always poach their shit, they're my buddies, so I'll get the low-down.

justinhedrick · July 13, 2011, 01:41:11 PM

that's awesome. they seem like really nice people. never had a chance to see them though.

Lumpy · July 13, 2011, 01:55:48 PM

Seems like there's something working as a low pass filter or some type of splitter because the bass notes sound individual, rather than just doubling everything on the treble side. It could be top secret, she may not want you blabbing her tricks of the trade. It sounded like the low E string had it's own output, but that's probably way too complicated.

Also, there's one song where she plays some processed guitar - I was guessing it was an Electric Mistress (flange/phase combination I think, set medium fast and deep) but when I looked at her board, the only thing I noticed re: this was a Boss chorus, and a Holy Grail. Was that the H.G. 'flerb' in action? It was the only song that sounded like that (sorry I don't have the song name - laast night was the first time I've heard their music).

Whatever she does, she has it dialed in pretty sweet.

VOLVO))) · July 13, 2011, 02:10:49 PM

Was she playing the V, or that pointy Monson?

Nothing special going on in either of those, unless she hooked up with Gentry from Eagle Twin for some pickups. He splits low EAD to a bass amp, and the rest to two Model T's.

Lumpy · July 13, 2011, 02:25:31 PM

Quote from: SunnO))) on July 13, 2011, 02:10:49 PM
Was she playing the V, or that pointy Monson?

Pointy metal guitar.

Quote from: SunnO))) on July 13, 2011, 02:10:49 PM
Nothing special going on in either of those, unless she hooked up with Gentry from Eagle Twin for some pickups. He splits low EAD to a bass amp, and the rest to two Model T's.

That's kinda what it sounds like, except maybe only the E string. She obviously plays some chords, but there's never a big sloppy chord coming out of the bass cab. Sounds like one note (could be an illusion?)

As you can see, the show was underwater:

I have some other pics, mostly they are poop. I'll post them in Gen Disc.

chille01 · July 13, 2011, 11:49:46 PM

A PA crossover in line would pass only frequencies below a certain number to the bass amp, and the rest to the guitar amp. It wouldn't split notes out of a chord though... not sure HOW that would be done, other than trick pickups.

beerrhino · July 14, 2011, 07:20:16 AM

The EBD Octabass octave divider claims it can recognize the lowest note of a chord and only allow it to pass. Don't know if that's true as I've never tried it but that's what I've read.

Hemisaurus · July 14, 2011, 07:54:45 AM

It might be really simple. It's just what the amp can do.

I split a signal into two amps, on lower notes, it sounds like it's coming out of just the bass amp, but it's present in the other amp at a very low volume. On higher notes it sounds like it's coming out of both amps. No fancy tricks, no magic boxes, just a splitter.

Lumpy · July 14, 2011, 06:34:24 PM

Quote from: Hemisaurus on July 14, 2011, 07:54:45 AM
It might be really simple. It's just what the amp can do.

I split a signal into two amps, on lower notes, it sounds like it's coming out of just the bass amp, but it's present in the other amp at a very low volume. On higher notes it sounds like it's coming out of both amps. No fancy tricks, no magic boxes, just a splitter.

I would buy that. The amps are on opposite sides, and its fucking loud. The bass notes are big and low. She has a Boss Octave pedal. It could be that other notes are being dwarfed.

The Boss Chorus does have the ability to roll off frequencies, but it didn't look like that's what she was doing (I would have had to jump onstage to look though).

Hemisaurus · July 14, 2011, 07:12:23 PM

Could be. I have a Boss Metallizer, doubling, in the signal path to the high amp, it definitely cuts the lows out, possibly a similar thing.

eyeprod · July 14, 2011, 08:21:48 PM

good call Hemi. That's probably it right there.

I would guess pickups at first, but from the way your describe it, Lumpy, it sounds very possibly like two amps set up differently to me. Cool way to do it.

spookstrickland · July 14, 2011, 11:00:59 PM

I used to do this all the time. I used a Peavey Bass head into a bass cab then head a marshall running into a 4x12. I turned the treble shelving all the way down on the Peavey head and it pretty much did not reproduce anything except the low E string and a little bit of the A.

Shelving might be how it's done?

jibberish · July 17, 2011, 06:32:17 AM

didnt local H put a bass pickup and an extra jack for the low string(s?) to really split the sound out?

spookstrickland · July 17, 2011, 06:36:54 AM

Quote from: jibberish on July 17, 2011, 06:32:17 AM
didnt local H put a bass pickup and an extra jack for the low string(s?) to really split the sound out?

Ya he had a bass pick up on the low E and A strings running to a separate bass amp.

Mike_Sims · July 18, 2011, 06:40:29 AM

same shit Gentry from Eagle Twin does probably. He has a pickup in the middle of his guitars that pick up the lower strings and have their own output (2 output guitar), one goes to his bass amps and one goes to his ModeL T's. After running through his crazy ass phase wizard 5 output box.

VOLVO))) · July 25, 2011, 02:44:21 AM

no splitting or special shit going on. I looked, and played it. Sounds fucking killer. That Monson is a killer player. Fast as fuck. 70-14 strings. 25.5 scale. Great band. Great everything. YOB gave me the performance of 2011. Best. Shit. Ever. Also, they're all gear nerds. Talked all night about it.

Lumpy · July 25, 2011, 03:43:26 AM

Quoteno splitting or special shit going on.

The signal is getting split somehow. How does it get routed to the 2nd amp... teleportation? If it's a trade secret, I can dig it.

What did she use for that watery effect (she uses it pretty heavily on just one song): Holy Grail (flerb maybe), or is that the chorus?

VOLVO))) · July 25, 2011, 04:27:08 AM

voodoo lab amp switcher, basically an ABY pedal... The octave is on almost constantly, I noticed. It's a chorus pedal giving that watery effect.

Sounds great, dude. Those guitars play so fucking great, it was astonishing.

Hemisaurus · July 25, 2011, 08:00:42 PM

I was correct, I claim my prize

Back to vacation.

Clydesdale · July 25, 2011, 08:36:50 PM

Because of this thread I'll be setting my two amp set up quite differently next jam. Time to experiment more and not just go for the all out bassy guitar assault. Time for more top end.

Im going to give Dark Caslte a better listen too.

NoSleepTilSleep · August 05, 2011, 02:25:56 PM

Hey Sunn, did you ask Mike Scheidt about that Modelt-T? I saw it sitting on his emperors up in here in Canada when they played.. Strictly back-up?

At_Giza · August 16, 2011, 02:59:09 AM

That's Steve's amp.

VOLVO))) · August 16, 2011, 11:24:32 AM

Yep, that's Stevies 2nd Gen Model T.

Welcome, At_Giza, make yourself at home amongst these shitbags and miscreants.