importance of a bass synth

arjunreddiar · #1 11-28-2008, 02:38 AM

Hey everyone i was wonderin if it was a good idea to uset a bass synth pedal in my rig...since i belong to a three-piece band...Curently i have EBS Octabass, envelope, multicomp along with a bass overdrive and flanger....how would the bass synth pedal help..? comment people......also a description of your own rigs would be awesome...

varunkapahi · #2 11-28-2008, 03:44 AM

hey Arjun! i am getting a digitech bass synth wah pedal which along with envelop filer and octave sounds does a lot of varied synth sounds some distorted and with octave downs too. this is a pretty good video demo you can check out http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=HExZ9_cvx-M

other that i do not really know a lot about synth pedals. some more expensive pedals would give you a lot more options like square waves and what not but others here can tell you better. anyway use the search function and the TB effects databass to check out clips. what kind of music do you play?

ps: one thing i'd like to ask you is are you an NRI or an Indian?

fuNKmaster83 · #3 11-28-2008, 03:53 AM

you can pretty much get synth bass with the pedals you got...

Ramsy · #4 11-28-2008, 04:00 AM

Depends on your idea of synth bass. An army of pedals isn't going to sound like an old school monophonic Moog (or anything else from that era) nor will a bass behave like one either.

That said, an octave, a fuzz and a bit of modulation should do most of the job anyway.

kevteop · #5 11-28-2008, 04:04 AM

It would be good if you mentioned what sort of "synth" noises you're hoping to approximate, maybe tell us some recordings that feature the sounds you're after. Then we could give you better advice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

other that i do not really know a lot about synth pedals. some more expensive pedals would give you a lot more options like square waves and what not but others here can tell you better.

Just for the record, the slider labeled as "square wave" on the EHX Bass Micro Synth doesn't add a square wave, it's just distortion. It is a great-sounding pedal though, with tonnes of possibilities.

ga_edwards · #6 11-28-2008, 04:27 AM

I have the digitech. The synth sounds are quite good, varied and versatile. However...

There's a quite a volume jump on some of them from bypass to synth.

If you're only using the synth sound on a couple of tracks, the lack of 'real bass' sounds odd with the rest of the set, and lacks any bone shaking low end. The only way around this is to blend the synth signal with your clean bass signal. Trouble is there's only one mode that lets you do this and the synth parameters on this one aren't tweakable. I highly suggest a blender if you plan to use it a lot.

Other than that, go for it. Try one out and see of you like.

fuNKmaster83 · #7 11-28-2008, 04:36 AM

synth is a vast term... he mentioned synth bass and you can do that with octavers, filters and some sort of dirt...

but if you want something other than synth bass then you better get your self a real synth!!!

Fourstring4ever · #8 11-28-2008, 04:49 AM

There is no discussion on this topic. I have your answer. I Run a Korg G5 Bass Synth Processor. It is the best synth bass unit. It sounds like a Moog. You can find one if you are patient and get one off of ebay. I have written other articles about this unit. It is absolutely great and is analog sounding synth all the way. Go get one for sure you will not be disappointed. I run an alembic f1x and crown macrotech 2400 with ampeg 8x10 with a custom-built 2x15. I also run a vox cambridge guitar amp for highs. Ok Kirk Out.

fightthepower · #9 11-28-2008, 05:11 AM

I recently got a G5, and I have to disagree. It tracks great, but sounds very digital.. It doesn't really do anything that my current setup of analog pedals can't. It's a cool unit, and it's cheaper and takes up a lot less space than a big pedal board, but if you're going for 'Moog' type sounds, the G5 isn't the way to go IMO/E.

rratajski · #10 11-28-2008, 05:26 AM

You should buy GingerConor's Korg G5

. haha

Get a bass micro synth...when you combine it w/ other pedals, magic happens...

BluesMan845 · #11 11-28-2008, 05:27 AM

I agree that you can get some good synth style sounds with the pedals you already own. But if you are looking to completely morph your sound into something that you can't get under normal conditions perhaps looking for a Roland V-bass or the newer synth pedals they make ( these are not actually bass specific but they contain bass patches ) is the way to go. These things work by adding a new pickup to you bass down at the bridge and you then run a 1/4" cord out to the unit. This opens up a whole new world of playing sounds you can't get any other way.

kevteop · #12 11-28-2008, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourstring4ever

There is no discussion on this topic. I have your answer. I Run a Korg G5 Bass Synth Processor.

I've got a G5 and a BMS side by side on my board and if I could only have one of them I'd pick the BMS.

The G5 sounds are softer. There's no sharp attack on the notes and the release is really weird and feathery. It can be useful for some stuff but it's not the be-all and end-all by any means.

sikamikanico · #13 11-28-2008, 06:03 AM

real synth work gets done by real synths (keyboards!)

pedals sound close enough for many live situations. One way is having a synth pedal, the other is having multiple pedals. Teh foundation is imo an octaver pedal. It can be followed by dirt, filter, modulation, or any combination of those (and of course more) and you get a synthy sound.

synth pedals can be cheaper, if you're lucky. The realistic price is about 200 EUR (250 USD). for anything more, you can find a real synth...
on the other hand, more pedals = more fun (more flexibility and control).

bigchiefbc · #14 11-28-2008, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourstring4ever

There is no discussion on this topic. I have your answer. I Run a Korg G5 Bass Synth Processor. It is the best synth bass unit. It sounds like a Moog. You can find one if you are patient and get one off of ebay. I have written other articles about this unit. It is absolutely great and is analog sounding synth all the way. Go get one for sure you will not be disappointed. I run an alembic f1x and crown macrotech 2400 with ampeg 8x10 with a custom-built 2x15. I also run a vox cambridge guitar amp for highs. Ok Kirk Out.

I gotta disagree here. Don't get me wrong. The G5 sounds awesome. But I don't think it sounds like an analog synth at all. I think it sounds like a classic 80's digital synth. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, that is a cool sound.

If you want to sound like an old Moog, though, I'd steer you elsewhere.

The closest you're gonna get (and this is expensive) would be the moogerfooger line, especially the freqbox (which is the basic moog oscillator) and the lpf, which is the exact same filter from the old moog synths.

If that's too expensive, I would next steer you to the EHX Bass Micro Synth. Best analog sound you're gonna get outside of Moog.

Tekken · #15 11-28-2008, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fightthepower

It tracks great, but sounds very digital...

I partially agree: in fact I've put a BBE Sonic Stomp just after the Korg G5 (in the True Bypass Loop) to make the G5's sound warmer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fightthepower

if you're going for 'Moog' type sounds, the G5 isn't the way to go IMO/E.

Here I don't Agree: operating in the right way and on the right waveform (expecially 1, 2, 3 and 5) you can obtain types of sounds very close to Moog's ones.

IMHO

tomvelsor · #16 11-28-2008, 12:02 PM

the korg G5 will amaze you...

thats the only way i can really put it.

fuNKmaster83 · #17 11-28-2008, 01:50 PM

Korg has a much better guitar/bass synth out there that is indeed similar to mooge!!! i don't know the model number but i have seen it on ebay and it expensive like ****!!! ARP made a guitar synth that was the bomb but only a hand full where made...

i say no pedal comes close to a synth in any aspect only a large number of pedals but that can be compared to only a modular witch might not be good for bass... unless you count bass pedal as Taurus or other organ like bass pedals...
i have more than 50 efx on my ground and i say i come close... but i also have 20 real synths

so when i need a synth bass i turn to real synths...
if i need to experiment i will use my efx... that is the way i go...

for the person asking and starting this topic... you don't need any special pedal or synth sound no matter what form of music you play...the stuff you got can get you any where and beyond!!! what is important not only in music but in life is having a good idea and giving it all you got and that will be enough... no fancy gadgets will get you there if you don't have the idea first!!!

a good example is my country... hehehe
a lot of bass payers have now bought expensive sadowsky basses but they still don't play better then they did on the basses that they had before... and the sound is not better or different its the same **** as before or worst... not that i have any thing against sadowsky... i had a few in my shop... they are good instruments... but in hands of idiots... we all know the rest of this story...

...or do we???

kevteop · #18 11-28-2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tekken

Here I don't Agree: operating in the right way and on the right waveform (expecially 1, 2, 3 and 5) you can obtain types of sounds very close to Moog's ones.

IMHO

I think the BMS sounds better for that sort of thing though (squelchy filter noises). I was thinking tonight if I got rid of my G5 it would make room for another two BMSs, making the lack of memory settings a bit easier to deal with.

fightthepower · #19 11-28-2008, 05:22 PM

For the price of the G5(about $300), I think a BMS+Qtron or some modulation would be the way to go.

Right now I'm holding onto the G5 and experimenting still- with the hopes that I'll find a pedal combo that brings it to life. Dollar for dollar a *new* BSW blows a *used* G5 away IMO- They both have plenty of cheeseball useless sounds, the the BSW octaver is pretty legit.

AverageWhiteBassist · #20 11-28-2008, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fightthepower

For the price of the G5(about $300), I think a BMS+Qtron or some modulation would be the way to go.

Right now I'm holding onto the G5 and experimenting still- with the hopes that I'll find a pedal combo that brings it to life. Dollar for dollar a *new* BSW blows a *used* G5 away IMO- They both have plenty of cheeseball useless sounds, the the BSW octaver is pretty legit.

I like useless cheeseball sounds. I'd love to try an Octavius Squeezer, they are supposed to be the coolest bass synth out there. It's supposed to take the crown from the Akai Deep Impact which I tried several years ago when they were new for $229... but, I've had many bass synth pedals, I like the BMS, I have an early 80s original and I bet the newer ones are better, but I like mine. I also have a Boss ME-8B, which has some killer bass synth tones as well as some really good envelope filter tones. You can get those used for about $100, so bang for the buck, I'd start there, plus you can use presets and get all kinds of screwed up ring modulators and drives. The BMS is cool, kinda expensive for what it is, I have one, paid too much for it IMO despite the fact I like it, $250 was too much but I needed one. The ME-8B has a built in tuner, you can use a expression pedal with it, and it has different synth tones like "Tainted Love" type stuff to Funkadelic stuff. It also has the defretter, which really does a pretty cool thing taking the attack off, and making it sound upright-ish. It isn't the end all be all, but again, bang for the buck, it's up there. I also have a SWR Mo' Bass which I use for conveince when it comes to synth and sub octave use, if you like pristine clean tones and a synth, those can be had for about $600-800 with controller normally.