That is totally cool! (It's just good to hear some feedback once and a while .... I get a bit tired of hearing just my own voice in here sometimes). But I realize that many people that have sub'd to this thread are just happy to sit back and watch. There really isn't much anyone can add to it, to be honest. This is more or less a one man show here, I knew that it would be this way when I started off with it.
The thing is, I'm using this stuff to boil it down to just what I will end up needing. If I end up with just four controls, then so be it. That's kinda of the point of the ~experiments~ here. If it ends up that I use some stomp box for gain, and some rack thing for bass, a synth module for treble, and a PA power amp for master volume, then that is where I'll land this plane. My goal is to assemble ~whatever it takes~ to arrive at my desired ends.
Over the years I bought a lot of different amps and gear. Well, I'm tired of being handed some bass amp and told "here, this is what you want". Only to discover that I don't care for the midrange voicing of the mids control, or that the treble circuit was voiced too high, or that the gain structure doesn't suit my playing style and/or tonal needs. So ... I figured "what the heck" and just began to construct something that affords me every freedom in choosing each stage of the rig.
When I get some of this figured out more, it will begin to get smaller and smaller until it is whittled down to the essentials. The cool part of it being fully modular in every respect is that if my tastes or needs change over time, it won't be difficult to redesign it with some other ~module~ that will realign it with my new needs or new situation.
I've seen entire bass amp systems made completely out of stompboxes. From coming out of the bass itself, all the way out to the power amp. That is just another variation of this same theme I've adopted.
I'm doing pretty much the same thing. I started by stripping the electronics out of the bass itself, and providing direct output jacks from each pickup. All of the bass guitar's tonal electronics and pickup balance controls are all 100% external. So the modular thinking begins right at the source. It ends at the speaker cabs, I am using two cabs of different types (one 2x10 ported and one 4x10 sealed) to provide different parts of the sound. The power amp is just that, an amp. It simply makes whatever comes into it louder. I use Mackie PA amps for this purpose, since they're heavy and somewhat ~dated~, they're available in cost effective ways. I've used Mackie amps before for this very purpose and they are stellar performers.
One of the really REALLY cool aspects of this totally modular approach is that I have all of these insert points. If I want to try putting an overdrive pedal between the bass filter and the midrange filter, I can do it. If I want to place a DI between the pickup mixed output and the first tone control bank, I can. If I want to split my entire setup into four separate parallel feeds and use a mixer to mix them into two outputs, I can do that as well. Of course these ideas are just whimsical notions for the sake of this explanation, but the point is that I have complete access to every connection between each and every stage of the system. It's like having SEND and RETURN jacks between each single knob of your bass amp.
So from the outputs of the pickups themselves, all the way out to the cabs, I'm designing and assembling whatever it will take to make me happy. And when I'm done, I should have nothing to complain about, nothing lacking, no compromises. If it all works out, this system will be everything I'll need. And if those needs change, the system is so flexible and easily modified that adapting it will be easily done.
I think some folks misunderstand my goals, so perhaps this explanation will clarify things a little. I think some people think I'm wanting this enormous monster setup that will rival Dr. Frankenstein's reanimation lab. Well, it may be like that now, but it won't when I get it nearly done (it will never ever be "totally" done, it will most likely always be in some state of flux). But that is a GOOD thing. I'll never be stuck in some state of compromise, like I was in the past when I'd buy this or that bass amp. I was always trying to fix some shortcoming, and many times leaving band practice or live gigs feeling like I was unsatisfied with my sound, and even worse, feeling like there was nothing I could do about it other than try to cover it up with some stompbox or some rack thing .. which was always a compromise of sorts.
Thanks for the cool compliments, two fingers. I hope you reach your goals, whatever they may be. You and I are on the same road .... we're just using different methods to arrive at the same goals.
Any part, I would love to hear how you are using some of these tones in a mix, this thing is awesome!
I'm working on doing a few tracks that are more comprehensive that will include drum tracks and a few other backing tracks.
To be honest it will most likely sound no different than any other synth or heavily effected bass does in any song you may have heard. Keeping in mind that the tracks I've posted here in this thread (eight so far) have NO POST PRODUCTION done at all. So adding eq, compression, reverb, flange/phase/chorus, etc. will bring things out quite well. I purposely left the tracks I posted as raw as possible. The playing is even a bit hastily done. I felt that ~real world~ recordings were more telling and more valuable than doctored-up demos would be.
So stick around, I'll be posting more complex demos soon. Like I keep saying, it's a time thing. Doing a few raw demos is easy compared to creating fully produced, multi-instrument, recorded arrangements.
And hey ... thanks a LOT for the compliments. I truly dig this kindof stuff. Even doing this sortof ~journal~ has been fun as well!
Hey all ... I'm taking about a week off. I have a ton of work to get done this week, so I'll be doing updates next week. Maybe by then I'll have my other computer up and going and I can do some tracks with drums and maybe a few other backing tracks. I need to get those patch diagrams done as well from the last audio tracks I posted.
I haven't forgotten you all ... I still have MUCH to go through here. I'm just totally covered up with work. This is a GOOD thing people. That means that I'll have Ze Munayz to invest further into this project. I have a shopping list that needs attention to further the development of this project. I have worked out a new way to route the two pickup signals and be able to get a mix out of them. In fact, I have tested a method that provides me with two ~presets~ of pickup mixes, available at the press of a momentary footswitch. It's very cool. Here's a pic of that patch ....
This setup provides me with the two pickup-mix presets. I can footswitch between that first mixer's channels 1 + 2 (light blue wires), and 3 + 4 (brown wires) as two separate groups. So I set up pickup mixes with channels 1 and 2, and another mix with channels 3 and 4. Then simply A/B between those two mixes. Then the the output of that mixer (red wire, a mono signal) is sent to a four channel distributor that essentially creates four separate "sends" that can be routed to four separate processors (like EQs, preamps, distortion/ODs, and direct). I'm planning on sending it out thusly ...
Send 1 ("Output 1") = ART Pro Channel II.
Send 2 ("Output 2") = Tech 21 Bass Driver DI Deluxe.
Send 3 ("Output 3") = ART XL231 stereo 31 band graphic EQ.
Send 4 ("Output 4") = Direct.
Each separate send chain will also have a DI tapping from the outputs of each processor so I can run a separate recording track from each of the four parallel processors post FX.
Then the four parallel processor signals are gathered back up in that last four channel mixer at the end of this patch chain in the picture ("Inputs 1 though 4"). So I can create a mix of all four of those parallel signals ... just exactly like players such as Geddy Lee do. In case you're wondering about why the mixers and the distributor modules are 4 channel but only have 3 control knobs, on both the mixers and the distributor channel 4 is a direct feed with no control knob. I plan on using channel 4 as the direct ~dry~ feed of the bass sound since it has no way to change the level. If that idea doesn't work out, I will figure out which signal feed will work out best for that channel.
And just so you know, these modules I've finally selected are super quiet ... nearly totally noiseless. Unlike the Dot Com VCA, and the two filters I was trying to use before which all have an added ~hiss~. These 4 channel mixers and the 4 channel distributor or deathly quiet. The "Switch" module is silent as well, with no "pop" when you switch from signal A to signal B.
The output of the last 4 channel mixer (dark blue wire on the right, a mono signal) is sent to the POD. The Direct Out of the POD is sent to one more EQ. The POD's effected output is sent to the sealed 4x10 amp channel, and the separate EQ'd output is sent to the ported 2x10 cab amp channel. The 4x10 gets whatever FX are applied in the POD's FX Loop, and the 2x10 gets a pretty much ~dry~ (but EQ-shaped) signal to shore up the bottom end.
As you've deduced by now, I've added a Line 6 POD Pro to the works. It's one of the old very first rack POD units primarily designed for guitars. But does it ever work GREAT for bass! I've been able to get Tech 21 VT Bass tones (with ease) as well as the Tech 21 BDDI tones, and many many other very useable sounds out of that thing. It's worthy of it's own thread (which might happen!).
So hang in there, I'll be back at it again as soon as I get caught up with work. We landed a number of orders lately and as soon as I get them filled, I'll be pouring time into this thread again. The money generated from work will be a great help to furthering things here as well. I mean, my bass strings are SO DEAD ... I need new ones, which takes that money stuff. I've already cleaned them and boiled them so many times that they should be ready for pasta sauce soon!
Ok, I am getting some Special FX tracks done up. I was setting up an "Envelope Follower" patch today, it worked out really well. Does plenty of Teh Funkz. That Bootsy type stuff.
It's a very simple patch. Use the Q118 Instrument Interface to send a gate signal to one of the three Envelope Generators in my modular synth. Then the CV signal from the Env Gen is sent to a filter which is modulated by the EG to close the filter when I play a note on the bass. It works great!
One thing that I learned is that if I set up the Threshold on the Instrument Interface just right, as the note played on the bass begins to fade out, the gate signal from the Instrument Interface begins to break up when the Interface can't decide if it's going to stop sending the gate signal out or not as the note fades. It creates this incredible sounding burbling filter sound. Almost as if the filter is being modulated by a Sample/Hold module. You'll hear this very clearly after I post the tracks.
Here's the patch, you'll notice that I put the knob values right inside the center of the knobs that were in play. No value in the center means it was not part of the patch.
This is a very basic and well-used sound that most funk players have relied on for decades. Tweaking the EG's ADSR controls (Attack - Decay - Sustain - Release) really changes the sound a lot. In fact just about any of the controls that I placed numeric values in the center of the knobs has great influence on the behavior of the modules, hence the sound.
So this patch emulates your basic MoogerFooger LPF module sounds and effects.
Also coming in this batch of tracks is modulated filter sounds using one of the five oscillators as an LFO. Patch pic will come along with the tracks as well.
I'll be posting these tracks in the next two or three days.
Woww what the hell have I stumbled upon here... Good stuff
Thank you!
You have stumbled upon a maniac that loves to go far from the beaten path of normalcy. A maniac that continues to add to this thread with very little response from it's readers, simply because he loves what this project offers. A maniac that is using this thread as a journal to record what has been tried, and failed, and worked, and failed, and worked .. and so on. The main point behind all of this is to create a totally flexible "bass amp" where each single stage is modular. Actually this ethos addresses the entire ~instrument~ ... that being everything from the bass guitar itself all the way out to the speakers. Using as little prepackaged devices as possible.
Y'know, like when using a standard bass amp ... you have a gain stage at the input phase, two to five EQ stacks, then an output stage .. all prepackaged into one bass amp. You're limited by the choices that the bass amp's manufacturer has made regarding all of those separate stages within the bass amp itself. If the "bass" control knob is voiced in the wrong bandwidth for your needs, you're stuck with it. And so on. With this rig I'm building up, if I want a different "bass" filter it's easy to replace just that EQ filter with something else that might work out better for me. For instance, if I decide that I really love the SansAmp Bass Driver DI for it's low end response, then THAT will be used just for the "bass knob" of this modular bass rig. And if I decide I like a parked wah of some sort for the midrange controller, then so be it. And if I decide I like the Boss GEB-7 to control the highs, then I use it. So the EQ stage of my modular bass amp would consist of a BDDI as the "bass knob", a parked wah as the "midrange knob", and a GEB-7 as the "treble knob". Creating a completely custom EQ stage made from separate components that I can change out should I decide too.
I can even run the EQ units in parallel, so if I want to add distortion to just the midrange controller, I can do so. And so on.
So it's like I'm "building a bass amp" using one part at a time, ~whatever~ those parts may be. Various portions can be series, and others parallel. And also note that there are literally dozens of insert points where even more FX or processing may be used. So essentially I'm building a bass rig that is like a modular synthesizer that is nearly infinitely configurable.
Thomas Edison failed roughly two thousand times in his efforts to design the proper filament of the incandescent light bulb. However he didn't see them as failures, he saw them as steps towards success. He said of the issue "I now know of two thousand ways how not to make a light bulb".
I take that same attitude with this project. My failures have taught me a lot about other things. Some of the "failures" have even been used as new methods of creating different sounds and new ways of approaching tone production.
Essentially so far I've learned how to:
** Use a momentary footswitch to select two separate pickup mixes from a pair of preset levels. Something VERY important to me.
** Create a four channel parallel signal chain routing system so I can produce four separate signal chains that can be mixed to create that ~just right~ bass sound. This is exactly what many of the Big Boys do (such as Geddy Lee and John Entwistle) but on a smaller scale.
** Use "aural exciters" instead of traditional EQs as filters.
** Use the original Line 6 POD Pro (the first rack unit they made which are available in abundance out in the used gear market). It makes a wonderful signal splitter and a basic distortion device with a TON of different sounds in it. I've been able to create tones that emulate the favorite sons of manufacturers like Tech 21 (the VT Bass and the Bass Driver DI), the Marshall "Guv'Nor" distortion unit, as well as many many others. It also serves as an excellent home-base and exit point for this rig for recording direct to computer. I have the two gas pedal foot-control unit (known as the "FLOORBOARD") on it's way after locating an excellent specimen on the web.
** Using a parked wah as a midrange filter which offers an excellent ~honk~ for my modified Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass 70's bass. (Which has been modified so that both pickups have their own direct output jacks so that I may mix them using much better equipment than what Squier installed in the bass itself. I can even use a momentary footswitch to select from two different pickup mixes).
** Using a state variable 12db per octave modular synth filter to provide midrange tones.
** Since I have a four channel parallel signal chain, I am fully capable of using guitar-type overdrives and distortion units while retaining full-blown bass and low end. Simply by keeping one of the four channels "clean" and another one processed specifically as bass guitar tones. Mixing in the bass specific sounds with the guitar processors with the four-channel mixer (another modular synth module to the rescue here) allows me to use stuff like that without killing off the low end.
** Dual-amp and Dual-cab setup is amazingly flexible. I use a Mackie FR i1440 in "stereo" to power a Carvin 2x10 front ported cab, and a Carvin 4x10 sealed cab. They both sound different from one another. The 2x10 has an excellent low-low end response, and oddly enough puts out quite a bit more SPL than the 4x10 does. But the 4x10 has this really excellent midrange voice. So tuning-the-room is quite easy .... if I can get away with more low end, the 2x10 gets more power. If the room is boomy the 4x10 gets more power and the 2x10 is reduced. An APHEX Aural Exciter with "Big Bottom" is used to tune the two amp/cabs as well. (Note: EVERY bass player needs one of these things. The APHEX is one of those "can't live without" items, and works excellent for tuning the output of your bass rig. It allows you to add loads of bottom end without over taxing your speakers. It also allows you to actually retune your bass cab's resonant frequency .. well ... not so much the actual frequency of the wooden cabinet, but the actual resonant frequency of what comes out of the cabinet. Wonderful device, that aural exciter with big bottom is!).
** My most recent epiphany has been detuning my Jazz bass down to C# - F# - B - E (the whole bass down a minor 3rd). After I got the intonation set up as best I could it sounds killa!!! I love the looser tension of the strings, it's easier on my hands.
So I have three processing stages.
Stage 1 - INPUT: The first stage is the input and pickup mixing stage. It has two mic preamps that the pickups' outputs are fed into to provide really perfect input impedance. As well as the footswitch-selectable A/B pickup mix preset rig. On it's way out the final mono mix is run though a special custom compressor/gain stage/gain stage with od device before it's sent to the four channel distributor (aka "splitter") in the next stage.
Stage 2 - SPLIT/PROCESSING/REMIX: The 2nd stage is the four channel parallel I/O stage. It has four independant OUTS that are piped to ~whatever~. And an eight channel mixer to receive whatever is sent back from those outboard processors.
The routing devices in stages 1 and 2 are all modular synth modules. The exceptions being the two mic preamps and the custom compressor/gain stage device.
Stage 3 - OUTPUT: And the final stage is the amplification stage where that eight channel mix is sent to the two amp/cab channels. This is where the POD Pro comes into play. The mono-out of the eight channel mixer module in stage 2 is sent to the POD. The APHEX aural exciter is placed in the POD's FX Loop. Then the stereo outputs of the POD are sent to the Mackie where the final output levels sent to each cab are set.
I have MUCH to learn as of yet. I plan on posting all of it here in this thread. There are other signal routing ideas to try, as well as MANY MANY processors to insert in just about any connection point along the entire path of this whole rig.
And then there are The Filters. I love filters. I have a Phonic i7600 stereo 30 band totally programmable EQ on it's way. Another one on the list is the WMD parametric EQ stompbox. I also use parked wahs as filters, and synth filters. I also have two more APHEX aural exciters coming that will be used with modular switching gear so I can use those stereo exciters more like 2 channel preset processors. Set up each channel for different sounds, and then use the switching modules to A/B between the two exciter channels like a two channel preset.
Add to this my Line 6 M13 multi FX unit. Which in and of itself is like an FX synthesizer with the amount of choices, routings, and controls it offers. As well as a 24 second phrase looper.
And to pile it on top of all of this .... a fully functional modular synthesizer. With FIVE VCO/LFOs, and THREE VCFs, THREE Envelope Generators, a RING MODULATOR, and loads of other routing/switching/processing modules.
In the end I suspect it will be like a keyboard player's synth setup, where one is immersed within it. The only difference here is that the "user interface" between musician and technology is a bass guitar instead of a keyboard. A combination of rack and floor-based gear that provides me with the power to create. An entire system that is played with a bass guitar, a set of midi-bass pedals, and a controller keyboard. And no more complex than many players' pedalboard/amp rigs are.
Whew .... my head spins just thinking about it all. Which lends to the purpose of this thread. A method of keeping records about what worked and what didn't work. As well as providing access to recorded demos of various experiments.
So .. you've stumbled on to a completely NUTS member that is trying out some really cool stuff. With his reputation and sanity at stake. My take? I just post it ... it either gets read, or it doesn't.
You have stumbled upon a certain brand of madness.
Yay! Five more demo tracks to giggle at, all of them are more synthy stuff. Here's the basic patch I used. The settings varied from what's shown on this patch but the connections were the same for all five tracks. The settings shown here are for the track called "Burble Track" (see the numbers in the center of the knobs? Those are the actual knob settings used for "Burble Track-1".)
Here's Burble Track-1. It will start to ~burble~ as the threshold level is crossed as the signal level from the bass fades out. The circuitry in the Instrument Interface can't decide if it's going to transmit a gate or not, so it sits in this sortof in-between land which makes the envelope generator retrigger and retrigger firing the filter over and over. It makes for a really cool sound. On all of these tracks I purposely made the filter sound quite a bit louder than the bass guitar's dry sound, but that is easily changed should one wish it.
This is Retrigger Wow Track Clean-1. What I did here was set up an envelope follower patch like the one pictured however it has a bit different threshold setting on the Instrument Interface module and different ATTACK and DECAY settings on the envelope generator. I was trying to retrigger the EG with each note which is why I started ~trying~ to play so stacatto. The Instrument Interface needs near silence for the threshold to reset (retrigger) so I had some good luck and some bad luck with it. Had I just readjusted the Threshold control a bit, and maybe added some compression to the bass BEFORE it hit the works it may have sounded better, and been more playable.
Here is Bleeble Track-1. Named as such because the filter sweep sortof makes a ~bleeble~ sound. Again, same patch as above, just slightly different EG and filter settings...
Here is Distorted Lumbering Beast-1. It brings to mind a huge beast lumbering it's way along. This track I distorted the bass before it went in to the filter. I tried to time the up-glides and changes with the way the filter was responding. With envelope follower patches everything depends on how consistant your playing of notes is. And to add to that, anytime you're using filters you're well off to make the sound going IN bright and loaded with harmonics. That way the filter has more to work with. Notice in this track how you hear little burbles and blips. At spots like around 21 seconds, 29-to-30 seconds, and between 38 and 42 seconds. Those are from ever-so-slight sonic changes made fom the distortion box I used (a DIY custom thing). Imagine adding a delay to some sortof patch of this type. Those little blips would repeat and cascade.
Lastly, here's Distorted Chasing Threshold-1. As the sound level fades out, the threshold and gate circuitry in the Instrument Interface gets confused (just like in the Burbles track). But as the sound faded out, I manually adjusted the Threshold control to keep it confused and creating that sound until there was so little signal level left there was nothing left to work with. I was chasing the threshold's cutoff point with the Threshold control knob as the sound faded out, thereby keeping it in that confused state of operation for a while. That situation starts at roughly 14 seconds in.
So there's five tracks all using the same patch .. the one pictured at the top of this post. The settings differed, but the connections remained constant.
Signal chain:
1.) Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass 70s modified with each pickup having it's own output. I didn't exploit that ability here, both pickups were at 100% for all of these tracks. SUPER DEAD DEAD DEAD strings (the stock Squier strings that it came with when I bought the bass several months ago .. and who knows how long they were on it while the bass sat in the local music store!) ... covered with sweat, gook, Cheetos muck, and picked-plucked-slapped-popped to a lifeless state. Man oh man do I need to restring that thing! Tuning fat to thin = C#-F#-B-E ... downtuned a minor 3rd all the way across.
2.) ART Tube Pre Studio input preamp. Both the input and output levels set at 75%. All buttons "UP".
2a.) DIY custom distortion unit used on only two of the tracks. I had the distortion levels ganked up pretty high.
3.) The above pictured patch (see picture for routing).
4.) POD Pro .. one of the old original ones with the single digit LED display. I used the "Tube Preamp" model and a very clean setting with the eq controls set roughly flat. No reverb, FX, compression, or delays used.
5.) Aphex 204 aural exciter with Big Bottom set to a moderate setting ... inputs were patched to the POD's stereo outs.
6.) M-Audio Audiophile USB audio interface with the inputs patched directly to the APHEX stereo outs.
7.) Laptop running SONAR Producer's Edition 6.3. Hey, it still works fine!
No post production was done whatsoever.
So that's it kids. Next set of tracks will be of modulated filter sounds, using LFOs to do nutso stuff to the filter. Coming in a couple-few days/weeks.
So .. you've stumbled on to a completely NUTS member that is trying out some really cool stuff. With his reputation and sanity at stake. My take? I just post it ... it either gets read, or it doesn't.
This thread has over 9300 hits, someone is reading it.
Personally, I'm most interested in seeing and hearing your rig evolve once you start gigging it.
What? 9300 hits you say? Holy Cats! I had no clue! I thought this was my own personal echo chamber.
- Well, before it's ready to gig with I still have to get it whittled down some more. I finally scared up enough to pay for the remainder of the parallel splitting gear (the distrubutor module, another 4ch mixer module, and the ~switch~ module). Expecting arrival of it inside of the next ten days. So I'm getting closer.
- These synthy sounds I've been posting aren't something I'll be making much use of, my end-goals center around creating a nice rack mounted preamp that includes the parallel splitter/mixer to get the fat bass tones I crave.
- The 2-ch pickup mixer/footswitch is a 100% go, it already works great. I keep practicing with it to get my toes to cooperate with my fingers, timing the pickup switch is critical. I'm getting better all the time with it. I'll post demos of what it does very soon.
- the power amp stage is done as well, that Mackie is great. They're sortof obsolete, which makes them EXCELLENT buys in the used market. Obsolete as far as comparing their "features" and weight to current stuff, but still very relevant and quite useful.
- And the two Carvin bass cabs are providing TONS of SPL and the use of the 2x10 ported and 4x10 sealed cab idea is stellar.
- The bass itself is ~done enough~. It could use lighter tuning machines, probably ~better~ pickups too. But it's plenty functional as is. The 2-channel mods are an outstanding set of ideas that are practical and useful.
- The POD is working out EXCELLENTLY as a distortion creator. And since it's paralleled with other bass signals the low end is still very much a part of the game.
- All that's lacking is some research of which filters to use in which parts of the chain. So I'm just working out the parallel EQ chains now. It's carved down to just one 12u rack at this point, with a few things on the floor. Those crazy synthy sounds are all confined to the actual modular synthesizer, which has been proven for nearly eleven years to work excellently in live situations. The synth cab I designed and built is totally gig worthy. But for the most part in a live gig that will mostly be used as .. well .. a keyboard-played synth along with midi'd bass pedals playing it.
Yup, so all that is left ("all" he says) is working out which EQ/filters go in series, and which ones in parallel. I'm presently using ...
** a highly modified cocked wah.
** a Presonus EQ3B fully parametric 3 band EQ.
** a State Variable modular synth filter in Low Pass mode.
** an APHEX 204 Aural Exciter. And as I keep preaching ... the APHEX aural exciter with "big bottom" should be standard equipment in every bass amp made. A fella can almost get away with using just that as a complete preamp. But for adding low end without increasing speaker excursion (LOADS of sweet, totally tuneable, and even distortable low end all the way down to 30hz) without even bumping the output meters, there is nothing like the APHEX line of exciters with big bottom.
** and a programmable graphic EQ.
** there's two compressors in there as well, but they're DIY beasties and work great. My DIY comps are working out VERY well, providing most excellent attack transients to keep the front end of each note alive when things get distorted.
Once I work out the signal chain, and which of those filters stays or goes ... it's pretty much chiseled down to minimums. I'll be posting tracks of what all of this stuff sounds like for just plain old rock bass tones soon. 3 to 4 weeks perhaps.
But before it's ready for live work, I'll need to do some recordings of stuff that include guitars, synths, organ, drums, and bass to see how my filter and OD choices sit in the mix. I have a fairly good ear for knowing what type of solo/studio/"bedroom" tones will work when subjected to full-band use, so hopefully my instincts will give me a decent head start.
Windy, jsyk, I checked out the Rane stuff ... wow .. nice, no doubt. But the PEQ they make (RA-17 I think it's called?) has been around $400+ for a USED one on fleabay. Maybe sometime ahead .. but for now that will have to wait.
Thanks for the encouragment. 9300 hits ..... wow. Whoda thunk it? Ok see, now I'm getting self conscious! That little paranoid guy sitting on my shoulder is screaming in my ear "they're laughing at us! They're laughing at our Precious!" (ugh ...) HAAHAA!!
Ok, things are finally evolving in the direction I wanted to go. Recently the following gear was rec'd:
** APHEX Xciter stompbox.
** Presonus EQ3B three band fully parametric EQ.
** 4ch Distributor module.
** two pole foot operated switch Module
** 8ch mixer Module.
** power supply for the Modular rack rig.
** 24 two foot long 1/4 by 1/4 patchcords
** Line 6 "Floorboard" controller for the original POD Pro (the original model rack mounted POD).
** ART 31 band graphic EQ.
This is all stuff I needed to really get this rig on a decent heading. I can finally begin with the parallel processing system I've designed. So with this new wave of gear either already here in my hands or on it's way in, I can finally get this 2-channel bass/four channel parallel processor/3 channel amp-cab system on it's feet and creating demo tracks.
There are two new additions to add to the experiments too:
1) I've setup a computer I had kicking around here doing nothing with a host program called Chainer. I'll be using it to run a VST called Filter by Antares. What Filter is, is the most wicked, wild-ass 4 band filter setup you've ever seen. I plan on using this computer running nothing but Filter as just another EQ module, along with the Aphex, the Presonus, one of the Modular Synth filters, a highly modded wah converted to fixed-operation only (used as a band-pass-fiter) and an ART 31 band graphic EQ.
2) I recently discovered that my DIY Marshall JTM45 all tube guitar head combined with my custom 2x12 open back cab with Celestion V30s in it makes a KILLA "tenor voice" amp/cab setup for this bass rig. So that combination amp/cab is being introduced into the experimental eliminations. The JTM provides some of the most outstanding rock-bass tones. It does "Tech 21 BDDI" type sounds far better than the BDDI does! And the open back cab is just ideal for this situation. The JTM only puts out 36 watts, but it's 100% tube so it is a VERY LOUD 36 watts. The idea is to add this 36 watt guitar tube amp and 4ohm 2x12 guitar cab with the 4ohm 2x10 ported bass cab and the 4 ohm 4x10 sealed bass cab. The two bass cabs are powered by their own independent channels of a Mackie FR1400i. So it may end up being a "Tri-Amp" rig of sorts if the additional amp/cab works out and plays well with the others.
PICS and REVIEWS: I'll be posting pics and user reviews of all this processing gear I've got going on here. I'll do one posted review for each individual piece of gear here in this thread, and I'll copy the reviews and post them as individual threads in the appropriate forum here in Talk Bass. So you'll not only see how I'm using this stuff to build The Fully Modular Bass Rig, but you'll get some idea of what each piece is all about .. such as:
**** Like the rarely spoken of APHEX 204 rack unit and the APHEX Xciter stompbox.
**** The now discontinued Presonus EQ3B parametric EQ.
**** As well as the POD Pro, available used, TONS of uses as a distortion/OD/DI/Signal Router too.
**** The Marshall JTM45 amp with three different cabs.
**** The ART Tube Pre mic preamps.
**** And the Antares "Filter" VST.
I'll also break down the modular synth signal routing rig that I have mounted in a 12u rack. I'll discuss it as sections explaining (with pics and audio tracks) how each of the three stages work. I'll present them one stage at a time to make it easier to grasp and shorter to sit through. They consist of:
**STAGE 1-INPUT: two-inputs, switchable with mixing and all analog two-preset selector for the double pickup signals.
**STAGE 2-PARALLEL LOOPS: parallel processing stage with 4 sends/8 returns for running EQ's - distortions - ODs in parallel to create the ideal bass sound.
**STAGE 3-OUTPUT: 4 channel amp-send stage to send the signal out to (up to) 4 separate amps/cabs, each one with it's own level control to blend and mold the amps/cabs to suit the venue or the music or both.
The whole thing is super simple, while having crazy complex potential. Insert jacks all over the place, tons of routing possibilities.
So, very soon here I'll be able to really get this set of experiments under way. So far up to this point I've been just fiddling around with filtering-this, envelope follower-that, and ring modulating-this, and so on. None of which was really addressing the actual point of this setup ... which is to build myself THE bass amp rig .. the last one I'll ever need .. for reals. A truly modular bass rig that is configurable and reconfigurable on a truly piece by piece, stage by stage by stage basis.
Not long from now the eliminations will commence, demo tracks will abound, and choices will be classified as A, B, or C. "A" choices are "for sure users", "B" choices are viable alternatives that I might have to come back too later. And "C" choices are "forget it .. total crap". Then Ill get this whole pile cut down to just the essential pieces needed to make it work as a modular bass amp system.
Geez...just when I think I've read it all I stumble onto this thread... Talk about a mind melter!
I just started reading your thread now, but plan on going through every post to learn what you're building. The last time I read something cool here I had a friend wire my SX Jazz bass in stereo and it's provided some fun times playing through bass and guitar amps together.
I also play midi keyboard and midi bass pedal synthesizers and also love the stuff that was out in the 1970's, so I know where you're coming from. I play a lot of Rush and some Yes tunes, and I never get tired of all that great music.
But as much as I want to believe all I want is a Jazz bass plugged into an Ampeg SVT, I'm always on the look out for new ideas and people pushing the envelope. Looks like we're in good company here.
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...James Jamerson's index finger even earned its own nickname: "The Hook"....
Thanks Hook. As you read on you'll see the 2-channel mods (aka "stereo") that I did to my own Jazz bass. There is a comprehensive set of posts about what I did to it and why I did it. It all plays in with the targeted end I have planned for a portion of this rig.
You'll also find thirteen soundcloud demo tracks within this thread (13 so far, more to come!).
Thanks again! I think you'll be entertained if nothing else.
Wow! Sweet! What's really ironic is that I was in the USAF .. in nuclear security! Six years. Spent a good deal of time in TITAN II missile silos sitting around 20+ megaton ICBMs. Pretty much diggin' on the milspec look there.
My bass that I'm designing this setup around is actually very simple (there's a section in this thread about how I modified it for 2-channel operation). It only has 2 volume controls, that's it. I plan on keeping all of the system controls mostly at my feet so my hands can keep to the task of playing the strings (I've been playing for years but that doesn't mean I'm any damned good!). But something like these basses of yours could easily be integrated into what I'm doing very easily. Look at John Entwistle's basses (The Who), just loaded with gizmos that interfaced with his Alembic routers and Gelf preamps.
Super cool stuff going on there Steve! Thanks for the cool stuff you said about my efforts here as well! This thread is going to go on and on ... at LEAST up to the 50 page limit that Talk Bass has on threads .... it may even go to a part two.
So stay tuned. In fact I'm about to start really getting into the reason that I started this project in the first place .... the modules I need for the parallel multi-chain routing system will be in my hands on Monday! WaaHOOO!!!! I've just finished preparing the Marshall JTM45 and the 2x12 speaker cab that it will power this evening. I finally restrung my bass tonight too. So everything is primed and ready. Well, almost. (That will be my answer anytime anyone asks me if I'm done with this rig yet .... "Well, almost". I'm as certain as I can be that it will always be in some state of ..... Flux. )
Wow! Sweet! What's really ironic is that I was in the USAF .. in nuclear security! Six years. Spent a good deal of time in TITAN II missile silos sitting around 20+ megaton ICBMs. Pretty much diggin' on the milspec look there.
My bass that I'm designing this setup around is actually very simple (there's a section in this thread about how I modified it for 2-channel operation). It only has 2 volume controls, that's it. I plan on keeping all of the system controls mostly at my feet so my hands can keep to the task of playing the strings (I've been playing for years but that doesn't mean I'm any damned good!). But something like these basses of yours could easily be integrated into what I'm doing very easily. Look at John Entwistle's basses (The Who), just loaded with gizmos that interfaced with his Alembic routers and Gelf preamps.
Super cool stuff going on there Steve! Thanks for the cool stuff you said about my efforts here as well! This thread is going to go on and on ... at LEAST up to the 50 page limit that Talk Bass has on threads .... it may even go to a part two.
So stay tuned. In fact I'm about to start really getting into the reason that I started this project in the first place .... the modules I need for the parallel multi-chain routing system will be in my hands on Monday! WaaHOOO!!!! I've just finished preparing the Marshall JTM45 and the 2x12 speaker cab that it will power this evening. I finally restrung my bass tonight too. So everything is primed and ready. Well, almost. (That will be my answer anytime anyone asks me if I'm done with this rig yet .... "Well, almost". I'm as certain as I can be that it will always be in some state of ..... Flux. )
L8r T8r!
Thanks Flux! If anybody asks me where to find the perfect rig to go with one of these crazy guitars I think I know who to call. :-)
Glad I found your thread - I will be following it.
Check out our FB page and website if you want to see more of the pics.
My dad was a pilot many moons ago, but he's non-plused by my military guitars - I guess you have to be a musician to get it. :-)
Talk about a mind melter!
