A Cool Use for the Boss SYB-5 (Short Youtube Video)

warwick.hoy · #1 11-19-2009, 04:40 PM

A Boss Area user (who is also a bassist) made this vid and I thought it was cool. I didn't know you could do this with the pedal. I did a quick search and didn't see the vid posted so I thought I'd share.

Even though these things catch some flack,...I may pick one up anyways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFe5VukqWGw

RCCollins · #2 11-19-2009, 04:45 PM

pretty cool! I wouldn't buy one for that dedicated purpose though

XXL · #3 11-19-2009, 04:49 PM

Interesting noises for sure. First thing I thought of when I heard it was: gotta get those sounds into my SMMH.

Jazz Ad · #4 11-19-2009, 04:59 PM

Way cool. I make my Deep Impact self oscillate with a fuzz but I didn't think of this simple way.
My synths are going to get a feedback session I think.

warwick.hoy · #5 11-19-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

pretty cool! I wouldn't buy one for that dedicated purpose though

I've had issues getting one to sound good with bass (just trying them out in the store), but I'm starting to get interested in drum machines and synths and could probably find a use for one of these in that context. I guess first I should buy a drum machine.

RickenBoogie · #6 11-19-2009, 05:14 PM

I might just get one of those, after all.

Nyarlathotep · #7 11-19-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

pretty cool! I wouldn't buy one for that dedicated purpose though

+1

Darkstrike · #8 11-19-2009, 06:21 PM

I really love the sound of that pedal, but every time I decide to buy it, I change my mind, in fear of the supposedly poor tracking.

MakiSupaStar · #9 11-19-2009, 09:15 PM

While this is really a cool video (thanks for posting it btw), but you do realize you can get those sounds when you play your bass with it too, right?

warwick.hoy · #10 11-19-2009, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

While this is really a cool video (thanks for posting it btw), but you do realize you can get those sounds when you play your bass with it too, right?

I always got an abrasive thin sounding bass tone with a saw/square/etc wave over top of it. Not that the vid is all that musical,...I never really thought that using with a bass was all that musical either. Again I've only demo'd them in store.

Honestly I'm with Darkstrike on this one. I've been tempted to buy one in the past but have always talked myself out of it but saying that a better sounding synth is $100 around the corner (EHX BMS).

bigchiefbc · #11 11-20-2009, 05:34 AM

I have the Behringer clone of the SYB-5 (I have played the Boss and heard basically no difference) and I also have the BMS. They sound absolutely nothing alike. As a matter of fact, I don't think either one is even capable of sounding like the other, so I wouldn't even bother trying to compare them.

The BMS is what it is, a fantastic octave + fuzz + filter, that does a pretty good imitation of an old Moog synth. The Boss/Behringer is what it is, the best digital synth under $300, and it does techno/pop sounds really well.

I have not experienced the tracking problem that everyone seems to have with this pedal. Just don't let strings ring, and clean up your technique a bit to cut down on fret/string/pick noise. That's it, seriously. The tracking is good enough that it's on my pedalboard now, and I'm gigging with it next month.

And as for getting thicker, bassier sounds from it, just turn the cutoff/freq and resonance knobs down to the 9:00 to noon range, and you can get very thick synth sounds. When you crank the resonance and freq knobs, you're going to get a very sharp high-mid/treble peak, which can sound really thin. Unfortunately, those are the settings in 99% of the demos.

**Eric Perry** · #12 11-20-2009, 05:49 AM

I had the SYB-3 and while it was a cool pedal and made numerous 'noises', to me it got old quick. Despite all the noises it made, it was still kind of a 1-trick-pony. Noise. I mainly kept it for years because it nailed the auto wah in Phish's Down With Disease intro, which my old band always did.

The SYB-3 did track pretty well. I remember reading that the 5 had improved on the tracking also.

**Eric Perry** · #13 11-20-2009, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

I have not experienced the tracking problem that everyone seems to have with this pedal. Just don't let strings ring, and clean up your technique a bit to cut down on fret/string/pick noise. That's it, seriously...

Agreed.

Darkstrike · #14 11-20-2009, 06:06 AM

I've not actually tried one myself, I only worry about tracking, as it seems to be said very often here that its bad, and I can't try one, without ordering it myself.

I *could* find a use for a lot of the tones it does, espcially that classic squelchy synth bass sound that you find on pop songs.

fightthepower · #15 11-20-2009, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

And as for getting thicker, bassier sounds from it, just turn the cutoff/freq and resonance knobs down to the 9:00 to noon range, and you can get very thick synth sounds. When you crank the resonance and freq knobs, you're going to get a very sharp high-mid/treble peak, which can sound really thin. Unfortunately, those are the settings in 99% of the demos.

The SYB-3 was the fattest digital synth I've used, out of the SYB, BSW, and G5, and HOG's octaves. At least when using it 100% wet, it was pretty damn fat.

nun lover · #16 11-20-2009, 08:08 AM

i couldn't find a practical use for mine so i sold it, i've been thinking lately that i'd like to have it back though.

pdubya · #17 11-21-2009, 01:08 AM

if u guys have probs with the syb,try the ibanez version ;p

gnasher1993 · #18 11-21-2009, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdubya

if u guys have probs with the syb,try the ibanez version ;p

Care to elaborate?

I like the SYB-3...can't get it to trigger itself though

, I have tried

As many others have said, there's some really cool sounds but I don't think I'll manage to find a practical use for it.

theunknowndude · #19 11-21-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnasher1993

Care to elaborate?

I like the SYB-3...can't get it to trigger itself though

, I have tried

As many others have said, there's some really cool sounds but I don't think I'll manage to find a practical use for it.

I think he is referring to the SB7 which is autowah/distortion+filter/octave+fuzz+filter depending on the switch you use

I played with the SB5 in a store once and actually sat down with it for a good 30 mins, I got perhaps 3 modes I liked and most of it was a bit too noisy or gimmicky... tried a mates behringer clone and didn't like that at all, seemed to always have a lasergun sound followed by whatever else and the 'non clicky' knobs annoyed the heck out of me

I use the SB7 for good funky stuff or long notes letting the filter ring out but I find noisebox is better for noisy stuff if thats what im going to make!

MakiSupaStar · #20 11-21-2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

I always got an abrasive thin sounding bass tone with a saw/square/etc wave over top of it. Not that the vid is all that musical,...I never really thought that using with a bass was all that musical either. Again I've only demo'd them in store.

Honestly I'm with Darkstrike on this one. I've been tempted to buy one in the past but have always talked myself out of it but saying that a better sounding synth is $100 around the corner (EHX BMS).

I've played this pedal through an fxloop on my old amp and must say that this tracking thing everyone talks about is really overexaggerated. The thin sound your talking about can be tweeked with an adjustment on the 'effect' knob. However, I don't have any worry about thinness or tracking now because I run it through the fx loop of my dirty channel on my ampeg bsp and consequently always have my clean channel blended in the mix.