Make my bass sound like a moog/synth

kgoism · #1 02-20-2009, 08:20 PM

So I would like to give my bass an analog synth sound, much like a minimoog. I'm supposed to play synth leads like a keyboardist, but I'd like to stick with a bass.

Are there any suggestions in doing this? I have a digitech whammy to use as a pitch shifter as a substitute for the pitch mod knob. After that, I'm lost.

I'm thinking maybe the BMS might be what I'm looking for, but I figured I'd consult my friends at TB first.

So bottom line:

What pedal or combinations of pedals can get me started towards achieving an analog/vintage/sexy/awesome synth lead sound?

Thanks,

keigo

P.S: I did search the forums for something like this, but nothing really came up for the first few pages, so please kindly redirect me if there is already a thread.

excane · #2 02-20-2009, 08:26 PM

You can try the Electro Harmonix clan of pedals to get you in the ballpark. I just recently picked up a Pollyanna from MI Audio and it's a very interesting beast. It will give you some wicked synth tones along with a fuzz circuit.

lbanks · #3 02-20-2009, 08:26 PM

Get these... although a Mini-moog may be cheaper.
http://www.moogmusic.com/moogerfooger/

Thunderscreech · #4 02-20-2009, 08:27 PM

Roland GK-3b Bass Pickup and V99 controller thing.

bigchiefbc · #5 02-20-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbanks

Get these... although a Mini-moog may be cheaper.
http://www.moogmusic.com/moogerfooger/

The moogers do rule. But to do what he wants would probably only require the Freqbox and the LPF. That would definitely do the job, and its the way I'd go. If money is a concern there, a BMS will do a convincing job and will run about half the price of the two moogs. Those are probably your best options.

SpamBot · #6 02-20-2009, 08:41 PM

A really really really square wave-y fuzz, an octaver and some over the top modulation. Pretty much just like the Moogerfooger, but slightly cheaper and 137% more badass.

kgoism · #7 02-20-2009, 08:44 PM

yeah i've heard a lot of good things about those moog pedals, but they definitely are up there in the price range...

SpamBot, what pedals do you specifically have in mind?

kevteop · #8 02-20-2009, 08:46 PM

The Bass Micro Synth is really good, and relatively cheap. Give it a try if you can.

kgoism · #9 02-20-2009, 09:22 PM

Will the BMS by itself cut it, or would I need some other pedals as well?

kevteop · #10 02-20-2009, 09:28 PM

It's hard to say without knowing what sound you've got in your head. Could you give us a link to a tune or something?

rnilson · #11 02-20-2009, 09:30 PM

If you have a tight budget yes the BMS will do what you want.
If you have some cash to throw around go modular.
Octaver (OC2 for low end, Whammy for highend), gated fuzz (Woolly Mammoth or Flying Tomato) ,Mooger Fooger 101 with expression pedal on cut off for sweeps, Envelope filter, and LFO of some type (Phaser, Vibe or Tremolo)

kgoism · #12 02-20-2009, 09:33 PM

Actually, I was thinking that one song, "Flashlight" by Parliament. But that's not in the range that I want it to be.

kevteop · #13 02-20-2009, 09:47 PM

The Flash Light bass sound is a bit beyond most pedals I think, I've never heard it copped accurately on bass guitar. I was going to try recreating it with a square or saw wave on my Octavius Squeezer plus the octave down from an OC-2 tonight but I got distracted, maybe I'll try tomorrow.

The BMS sounds best when you sweep the filter, with the filter static it's not that special-sounding really. And there's no filter sweep on Flash Light. I suppose that answers your question.

Projectile · #14 02-20-2009, 10:40 PM

There is a filter sweep on the Flashlight synth bass. It's just not a very big filter sweep, but it has a lot of resonance which gives it that wet sound, and brings out the attack. It sounds to me like its a square and a saw layered together an octave apart with the saw in the bass and the square on top, but if it is in fact a moog, then there is probably a third oscillator involved which is likely just another square in the bass. It's hard to tell.

This is going to be a hard sound to replicate on bass because of the stacked squares/saws and the 4 stage filter envelope used on this sound. Something like the Bass Micro Synth would definitely be your best bet for getting in the ballpark for these types of synthy sounds. However, it will never get you all the way there. Analog synths are complex beasts with a lot of sonic possibilities that go far beyond the simple controls on a bass synth pedal. Those little bass synth pedals are just a simple way to emulate the more common bass sounds produced by a standard osc and filter arrangement. If you want real synth sounds, you're going to have to use a real synthesizer.

Another solution would be this:

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/products/mopho/

...which is a full fledged 2osc analog monosynth built into a little box. It's primarily made to be triggered by midi, but it does have a built in audio input with an envelope follower, which basically turns it into the best bass guitar envelope filter ever. I haven't heard it used this way, but there are reports that it is "jaw dropping". This is a serious bit of kit, and if anybody here got one before me I would be extremely jealous. It's very high on my gas list.

fightthepower · #15 02-20-2009, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by excane

You can try the Electro Harmonix clan of pedals to get you in the ballpark. I just recently picked up a Pollyanna from MI Audio and it's a very interesting beast. It will give you some wicked synth tones along with a fuzz circuit.

It's a killer octaver isn't it? I don't even use a fuzz with. In my review of it I posted some clips of the pollyanna through a few filters, and I thought it sounded very key-synth-like. I posted those clips less than 24hours after receiving the pedal and I just noodled through the clips, I almost feel like posting better clips in it because I can get pretty damn moogy with it-

MI Audio Pollyanna Octave Soundclips and Review

newbold · #16 02-20-2009, 11:43 PM

Hilarious.

I came on here to start a 'new found love for BMS'.
I started using it without the filter sweep, and have been really digging the tones I can get out of it.

It sounds awesome with oscillation after it and some help voicing tone before the BMS.
I'm a huge fan of the BOSS OC-2 before the BMS...but I bet a Pollyanna would be awesome.

My Synth GAS includes an EHX Worm. The phaser sounds amazing, and it has 4 other oscillator settings the LFO can control.

I'm a fan.

Tekken · #17 02-21-2009, 02:57 AM

kgoism,

you can obtain a very close tone to "Flashlight" by Parliament using an Akai Deep Impact SB-1 (you can afford it used for 400$ average) + Boss OC-2.

newbold · #18 02-22-2009, 12:16 AM

OC-2 x3 in this thread.

Huge love for this unit. wow.

kgoism · #19 02-22-2009, 12:53 PM

How does the OC-2 compare to the OC-3?

Projectile · #20 02-22-2009, 05:54 PM

Just wondering why people find the oc-2 and oc-3 pedals so useful for bass? I've never used one of these pedals but, wouldn't you want an octave up rather than down since your instrument is already in the lower frequency range? Is the 2 octaves down effect even usable at all on bass? IT seems like it would just create mud?