If you’ve been following FX Pedal Planet Online Store, you’ll recognise Marcel Staats. He’s a regular collaborator whose bass demos have become a highlight for many of our customers. Marcel’s playing shows off not just the features of the pedals he uses, but the feel of them — the warmth, the response, and how they sit in music.

You may have already seen him demonstrating gear from Anasounds, one of our long standing partners, as well as other leading brands including OLLO Audio, Moises, and Lākland Basses. His attention to tone and clarity makes him one of the most respected bass demo artists around.

We sat down with Marcel to learn more about his background, his creative process, the artists who inspire him, and the gear that keeps him coming back for more.

Marcel, can you tell us a bit about your musical background — how did you first get started playing bass?

I started playing keyboards when I was six. A couple of years later I moved to guitar and joined my first band. That’s where I fell in love with the huge sound of the bass and bought one myself when I was around 17 years old.

You’ve worked with brands such as JAM Pedals, Anasounds, OLLO Audio, and Lākland. How did those collaborations come about?

My partnership with OLLO goes back to 2018. Their headphones had just come onto the market and they were looking for endorsers. The other collaborations only started this year, actually. I got more and more into pedals and higher end basses, so I decided to be bold and send the brands an email explaining what I envisioned and what I had to offer. I still can’t express how grateful I am for all the support and opportunities that brought me.

What drew you towards creating demo videos, and how do you approach capturing a pedal’s personality and sound?

I got back into music in February this year after years of not playing a single note. I started playing along with videos of people doing covers on YouTube and Instagram. Not long after that, I bought a camera and started making videos of myself playing covers. Around the same time, I reached out to Anasounds about a collaboration, so it was the perfect opportunity to combine my love of making videos with my passion for experimenting with pedals.

When you’re preparing a demo, what’s your usual creative process — do you build the music around the pedal, or fit the pedal into a song idea you already have?

To be honest, I don’t have a set process. Sometimes I play along with a song and think, “Hey! This pedal would sound great with it!” At other times, I just find myself fooling around with pedals and sometimes make crazy combinations — like stacking two fuzz pedals and running them through an octaver (which sounds incredibly nasty, by the way). Then I’ll go on YouTube to find a fitting backing track, or make one of my own.

Your videos have a very polished look and sound. What gear or techniques do you rely on to achieve that professional production quality?

I actually use very minimal gear, because I think that simplifies the process. That way, you don’t have too much to worry about. For audio, I always run my bass through the HX Stomp, in which I have some “ready to record” presets (just amp sims). That goes straight into my UAD Apollo Solo interface and then into my DAW. From there, it’s maybe a little EQ to help it sit better in the mix, and I put a limiter on the master to get the level right. For video, I use a simple Sony vlog camera with a softbox for lighting. I usually add a vignette to the video, and that’s about it.

Many players look to your demos for tone inspiration. How do you balance showing off the pedal’s full potential while keeping it musically engaging?

I don’t really think about balancing it. If I can show what a pedal can do within a certain track, the sound of the pedal usually makes it engaging. But I must say, I always try to add in my own personality as a musician, that usually comes through in my playing style and overall vibe. I can only hope that people find that interesting enough to keep watching and listening.

As a bassist, are there certain types of effects you feel are underrated or underused in the bass world?

The compressor and the octaver, for sure. A compressor can really fatten up your sound, add sustain, and make you play in a particular way. The same goes for the octaver, especially in today’s pop music. You can do so many interesting things with it, emulate a mono synth, or fatten up your licks, fills, and solos.

Who are some of your biggest musical influences, both as a bassist and as a creative artist?

Some bass players I really admire are James Jamerson, Pino Palladino, Sharay Reed, and Sullyvan Rhino, all bassists with great technique, feel, and musicality.

You’ve had the chance to try a lot of incredible gear. Which pedals or pieces of equipment have become personal favourites on your board?

The pedals I can’t live without are the Lazy Comp, Feed Me MK3, Full Story, and the Tape Preamp, all by the incredible Anasounds. I also really enjoy the HX Stomp for its amp sims and, occasionally, a bit of delay and reverb for when I’m feeling creative.

Finally, what advice would you give to other musicians who want to get into creating demos or collaborating with brands in the music industry?

In today’s social media world, it’s all about views. Please ignore that and do it because you love it and enjoy experimenting with pedals. Don’t get discouraged if your video only gets five likes, just send some emails to the brands you like. Even if they say no, you’ve still networked a little. Just start, have fun with it, and see where it takes you.

A huge thank you to Marcel for taking the time to chat with us and share his insight, passion, and experience. His positive and professional attitude shines through everything he does, and it’s always inspiring to see someone approach music with such genuine enthusiasm. We’d encourage all our readers to check out Marcel’s social media pages and give him a follow, his demos are not only great to watch but full of ideas for bass players of every level. And perhaps most importantly, let’s remember Marcel’s reminder: do what you do because you love doing it. That’s where the real joy in music lives.

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