Leslie effects on bass

Ryan Mohr · #1 11-26-2008, 10:32 AM

Does anyone use any Leslie/Rotating Speaker effects on bass? Not vibe or Uni-Vibe effects, but effects that are based on Rotating Speaker cabinets? I am using my chorus for this sometimes (depth 9 o'clock, speed maxed) and I like the shimmer it gives to my sound.

stflbn · #2 11-26-2008, 10:34 AM

I've been looking for a Line6 Rotomachine to try for a while now.

http://line6.com/tonecore/rotomachine.html

bebop1 · #3 11-26-2008, 10:35 AM

I have a real working Leslie 145 for my keyboard setup and don't think that I could find a use for it with bass. Great for some guitar sounds of course. Maybe one of the emulator pedals might do a better (different) job than the real thing.

Atomik Rooster · #4 11-26-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

I've been looking for a Line6 Rotomachine to try for a while now.

http://line6.com/tonecore/rotomachine.html

I picked up one of those several months ago. I usually run two cabinets and stereo effects (stereo chorus and ping pong delay) anyway, so I thought it would be a cool thing to have. As it turns out, I found little practical use for it. I love the way it sounds when I'm just messing around. It moves the sound around just like you'd expect, and gives it a real retro feel. In a band/song mix, however, it tends to be a distraction and can muddy things up unless you're playing some out there prog or a cool show off your effects solo.
I recently bought a Liqua-Flange module, and found that to be much more diverse and usable, especially when the effect is subtle.

justdave42 · #5 11-26-2008, 11:30 AM

The Digitech EX-7's Leslie sounds pretty good on bass.

René_Julien · #6 11-26-2008, 11:47 AM

I'm a big fan of rotary speaker.

I had the Line 6 Roto Machine for a few days, traded it back in when I got the POD X3 (which has rotary speaker in it off course.)

IMO this is a very cool alternative for chorus.
Depends on your settings. Set it slow and not too much depth.
Very cool for the mellower passages.

I'm also using it now (presets on the X3) in fast mode and a little deeper. For a wilder "organ"-like effect.

bigchiefbc · #7 11-26-2008, 11:51 AM

I have a Boss RT-20, and I think it sounds great on bass. Plus, it has a clean blend, so you can keep your low-end pretty well. I'll do a real review with clips at some point in the next few weeks.

Ryan Mohr · #8 11-29-2008, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

I have a Boss RT-20, and I think it sounds great on bass. Plus, it has a clean blend, so you can keep your low-end pretty well. I'll do a real review with clips at some point in the next few weeks.

Cool, looking forward to it!

Jontom · #9 11-29-2008, 12:11 PM

I used a Bass Bass Chorus pretty much dimed to imitate the warbley b-3'ish sound on RHCP "Suck My Kiss" when my band used to cover it...

tomvelsor · #10 11-29-2008, 12:11 PM

the DLS rotosim always looked ill

the korg AX3000B has a rotary setting. it sounds freakin sweet. i believe theres a clip of it, in the thread i posted reviewing the AX3000B.

edit - http://media.putfile.com/lesliesim

pasta4lnch · #11 11-29-2008, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C'thulhu

IMO this is a very cool alternative for chorus.

I agree . . . although I don't like using chorus on bass.

but I use a rotary on guitar VERY frequently.

the line 6's are really good imo - I have searched high and low for a better/different one. option 5 makes one that had good audio samples and voce makes one that is wicked expensive. the boss one didn't blow my skirt up. . .

fwiw I had the pleasure of using a real leslie once in a studio . . . yeah - nothing like it!! but I imagine a uni-vibe might be cooler on bass. I find the coolness of a rotary is it's stereo effect. but for mono uses I sometimes like a uni-vibe over a rotary. . .

fuNKmaster83 · #12 11-30-2008, 05:55 AM

if i need a real Leslie i just hook up to mine trough A/B pedal... but if that is no option... danelectro rocky road sound s amazingly like the vibrato on my Leslie... and it has that ramp thing and drive that can really simulate it to the bone... but cuz of the drive knob even if set to 0 it is louder than my bypass by 6db at least so i have it in a loop and lover the vol... for tremolo simulation of a Leslie i use a custom tremolo that is based on EA tremolo and it sound s very a like

OriginalCrash · #13 11-30-2008, 06:10 AM

Isn't the point of a Uni-Vibe already to simulate a rotary speaker? But you don't want that type of effect??? Or do you just mean you don't want that effect? Or am I missing something else here?

Brian

Jazz Ad · #14 11-30-2008, 06:45 AM

I used to own a Korg G4. Awesome unit, sounded fantastic. It just took too much room for a single effect.

Ryan Mohr · #15 11-30-2008, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OriginalCrash

Isn't the point of a Uni-Vibe already to simulate a rotary speaker? But you don't want that type of effect??? Or do you just mean you don't want that effect? Or am I missing something else here?

Brian

The Uni-Vibe was supposed to simulate the sound of a rotating speaker, but failed. With that aside, it was a cool effect that became very popular. The sound is very thick, phasery, and throbby.

pasta4lnch · #16 12-01-2008, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OriginalCrash

Isn't the point of a Uni-Vibe already to simulate a rotary speaker? But you don't want that type of effect??? Or do you just mean you don't want that effect? Or am I missing something else here?

Brian

I know a uni-vibe is supposed to emulate a rotary, but I think they are two totally sounding things (both cool, imo) . . .

sixgunner · #17 12-01-2008, 01:15 PM

You might want to look into these:
http://www.motion-sound.com/products

Aside from that, the Option-5 Destination Rotation (single) is the best Leslie sim I've ever heard...and I've tried a lot of them in my quest.

link:
http://www.option5-online.com/option5.html

Yeah, the Uni-vibe was supposed to be a rotating speaker simulator but it didn't work very well in that role.....but it does have it's own thing goin' on, and a beautiful thing it is.

Having owned an original uni-vibe and more recently looking for a replacement for that particular sound, I found the Voodoo Labs MicroVibe to sound as close to the original as any others I've tried regardless of price range....so I went with that.

In the role of a leslie simulator, none of the "vibe" pedals do it as well as most good chorus pedals, IMO. (at least ones that have adequate speed/depth/mod ranges)

lunarpollen · #18 12-01-2008, 01:25 PM

I have used that effect on bass before, but I don't presently use it in my current band

Check out "Saturday's Father" by the Four Seasons to hear a nice recorded Leslie bass guitar

Jazz Ad · #19 12-01-2008, 05:27 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19rcMhNB4ag

Carb_Rock_Doc · #20 04-29-2012, 06:05 PM

OK, been a few years for this thread and would like to see where folks are with this today. Curious about a Leslie simulator as an alternative to a chorus pedal. The new-ish Tech 21 Roto Choir looks interesting and has tone controls to fill/cut highs and lows as needed. Anyone monkee with this thing for bass??