How to use a synth

OriginalCrash · #1 01-31-2009, 08:38 AM

So I was on Pigtronix's website again and saw they had removed the "Coming Soon" from the Mothership and that it was now an active link. Anyway, checking it out and remembering the many threads I've seen on here about different synth pedals got me wondering... How exactly do you (effectively) use one? For myself and others who haven't had much experience with them... Are there any tips, tricks, or guidelines? Any rules of thumb for getting certain sounds? I keep seeing those Geico commercials with the remix of Somebody's Watching Me on them... How would you get that fat, synthy tone (and I'm guessing that was probably played on a keyboard synth and not a bass, but how could you use a synth pedal to get in the ballpark?)? Anyway, just some thoughts I had that I figured could make for a good, education (and fun) read...

Brian

bongomania · #2 01-31-2009, 08:42 AM

Well, there are two main types of "synth": ones where your instrument signal triggers the actuation of an electronic tone generator for a completely synthesized sound, and ones where your instrument signal is processed to sound more electronic. Each requires a bit different approach to playing.

Each different model of synth will require different instructions for getting specific sounds.

OriginalCrash · #3 01-31-2009, 08:48 AM

I guess I'm thinking more an effect on your tone, instead of a separately triggered "instrument." Your bass, your amp, your tone, just run through a synth pedal.

Brian

OriginalCrash · #4 01-31-2009, 03:44 PM

People getting off work bump...

Brian

JanusZarate · #5 01-31-2009, 03:55 PM

Bongo's right - each synth pedal out there is so vastly different, it'd be difficult to give a "general" guide.

However, for individual pedals, it'd be pretty easy, as long as it's within the pedal's limits.

Also... I need to listen to that song again. I forget how the synth line goes. My mom has that song in her CD collection. She was a disco/soul queen.

kevteop · #6 01-31-2009, 04:02 PM

The only reasonable response is "Which synth?"

There's no standard feature set for a so-called "synth" pedal. Most seem to have a filter, or some sort of LFO modulation, sometimes both. Some have an octaver, some offer waveform generators, some have distortion circuits. Some people prefer to plug together a string of pedals (octaves, fuzzes and filters are the basics) to produce similarly-synthy effects.

Sorry but it's impossible to answer you question, really.

JanusZarate · #7 01-31-2009, 06:53 PM

Here, let's try this, instead:

What synth pedal(s) and what setting(s) on said pedal(s) will get the synth tone in Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me?"

Now we're getting somewhere.

But I still need to hear it before I know what to suggest... too busy at the moment. Someone else take over! I can't always be a guru.

OriginalCrash · #8 01-31-2009, 07:00 PM

Sounds good to me. Of course, it's not like I'm trying to get that sound and so need that specific answer... But as you guys said, there are just too many options out there to make a general Q&A on synths feasible. Thanks!

Brian

bigblondeafro87 · #9 01-31-2009, 07:54 PM

Sounds like an analog synth, with all of their warm fuzzy glory

Very hard to get that sound without using an actual analog synth like a Juno or Moog though.

jim primate · #10 01-31-2009, 09:23 PM

for square wave distortion.

bongomania · #11 01-31-2009, 09:26 PM

What is "the last half of a sentence about synthesizers", Alex?

Bish42 · #12 02-02-2009, 06:58 AM

I use an EHX Micro Synth (very sparingly).

For my own personal taste, I found that setting both start and end frequency sliders (i.e. the sliders that control the frequency at the start and end of the note you play) at the same level, produced more pleasing results than having them set a different levels to give a sweeping effect.

I also like to set the sub octave and octave on max, with guitar set to min and the square wave set about half way.

It's best just to play around though.

MakiSupaStar · #13 02-02-2009, 09:57 AM

Some pedals require a touch when triggering. Some pedals require a more sustained approach to playing. Some pedals require both.

bassteban · #14 02-02-2009, 10:16 AM

Cheap: DOD FX25 w/distortion, octave, tremolo &/or chorus AFTER, set so the *closed* envelope masks the other effects until it *opens*.
Expensive: Vintage Yamaha CS-5 analog monosynth w/bass plugged into *external in*: OODLES of sick synthy goodness. You can even unplug the bass and go full keys, too.

rratajski · #15 02-02-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bish42

I use an EHX Micro Synth (very sparingly).

For my own personal taste, I found that setting both start and end frequency sliders (i.e. the sliders that control the frequency at the start and end of the note you play) at the same level, produced more pleasing results than having them set a different levels to give a sweeping effect.

I also like to set the sub octave and octave on max, with guitar set to min and the square wave set about half way.

It's best just to play around though.

I don't know that I would be able to replicate the Rockwell or Rockwell Geico remix bassline sound with the BMS...
I'd look more in the Moog direction...

OriginalCrash · #16 02-24-2009, 10:10 PM

To resurrect this thread (though this question doesn't have as much to do with the thread's original purpose, it does have to do with "how to use a synth")... Regarding the various octaves and sub-octaves on a lot of synth pedals... What's really useful? And I know this is LARGELY dependent on what you want (read: giant disclaimer!), but I'm just looking for some general info... On a bass, is two octaves down still useful, or does it become mud? The EHX HOG goes all the way to four octaves up... Has anyone used one and found it useful at that extreme? Or are the more common octave up and octave down (and maybe two octaves down layered with that) really the meat and potatoes of it? I just see so many synths out there with so many features, I'm trying to learn what I can without being able to just go to a store and try them all. Thanks!

Brian

kevteop · #17 02-24-2009, 10:58 PM

For me, two octaves down from the usual register of a bass guitar is pretty useless. But if you go up the dusty end, you can hear the second octave.

Another potential other use for a -2 octave is if you've got another pedal producing an octave (or 2 octave) up. The other day I was feeding the octave up waveforms from my Squeezer into an OC-2, so I had both the OC-2 sound and the Squeezer sound and three stacked octaves going on, with the -1 oct actually being at the pitch that I was playing, and the -2 oct being an octave down. Probably too big a sound for me to actually use with a band though.

fokof · #18 02-24-2009, 11:04 PM

99% of bass amps are not able to reproduce the fundamental of your low B , so an octave lower is totaly usless. Just audio garbage.

Just always put a 25Hz low cut of everything.

Synth wise , I just got a VB99 and am in bass synth heaven

You know that Moog bass sound in "Higher Ground" or " Boogie on Reaggea Woman" ?
No problemo!