Opinions sought for noise/synth effect chains

[shoegazebass]

I've done some searches for the above but am not sure what the current prevailing opinions of you TB'ers is, and I've exhausted the pedals I can try in my vicinity.

Anyway, as my forum name implies I'm in a shoegaze band that relies heavily on effects to get our point across. We'd like to add some synthy/glitchy textures to the music, but the guitarist who we asked to do so isn't going to be able to handle dual duty on guitar/laptop so I wanted to see what I could do to take on some of those duties. While I'm at it, I'd like to refine my "freak-out" effects for our MBV moments.

So, my question:

What do the collective TB peeps recommend for producing a variety of synth tones? I say variety because I'm not looking for a particular tone but hopefully a few variations depending on setup. I've listened to what I would find of the BMS and am unsure how flexible it is in terms of tone...it mostly seems to only be capable of funk-synth stuff and that's not really what I'm into.

Ultimately I'd like to be able to produce rhythmic glitch sounds, 80's synth washes and synth fuzz lines but I don't know if there's anything other than a dedicated synth box, computer or actual synth that could do so in a controlled manner.

Listening to Tayste's recent clips, I think that some of that capability might suit my needs and have also been waiting for the new Chunk Systems synth to come out to see if that might be the thing, but if I could approximate that with a series of pedals that'd be awesome (and perhaps more flexible for my noise uses).

My current effect chain, if that helps:

demeter compulator -> lehle loop -> a) boss TU-2 b) submarine -> fulltone bassdrive -> chunk systems brown dog -> malekko b:assmaster -> analogman bi-chorus -> malekko ekko 600 (dark) -> boss bass eq -> amp

I've recently picked up a barge blender, pickle pie and noise box in anticipation of creating this synth chain.

[RickenBoogie]

Add an octaver and 1 or 2 nice filters, and wahlah.

[rratajski]

I tend to put all of my pitch-shifting and synth effects before my overdrive and fuzz while keeping my delay at the end of my chain...
Everyone has different tastes and uses different pedals in different orders for different reasons...It's all about what you want effecting the pedals before it.
Try out some new ordering while you wait for the rest of the forum to help out!
Best of luck!

[baalroo]

try multiple octavers in series with only the wet signal one up an octave and one down. I say this without ever trying it myself, but I hear it creates some pretty interesting synth tones

[shoegazebass]

heh - forgot the MicroPOG...that's right before the BassDrive. Part of my posting here was that, while jamming with the band past practice, I had occasion to have both the MPog and Assmaster going simultaneously - sounded f'in great and more than a bit synthy. That's what made me think that perhaps I can actually have more options out of a range of pedals than waiting for an all-inclusive multi like the Chunk synth unit.

After reading through a lot of synth threads, I'm thinking that perhaps a fuzz/octave/trem/filter config might get me most of the synth sounds I might be interested in - though without the arpeggiation I think I want, or the IDM/glitch sounds I'm hoping someone will have an idea about how I can achieve with pedals.

[Swimming Bird]

If you weren't more than covered on the dist/fuzz front, I'd suggest an MXR Blue Box.

Think of this another way: how does an analog synth work. You've got a basic tone, ADSR envelope, filters, modulations, delays. I say get a Whammy IV, wah wah and a slow gear clone and you'll be all set.

[RickenBoogie]

Some filters have a bit of glitchiness in them, free of charge. For an example, the Menatone Mail Bomb. Now, it's not like an arpeggiator or anything, but when I use mine after both an octaver and distortion pedal, I get little trailing freakiness, that can sort of be controlled by wiggling the string on a sustained note. Not sure if that's what you seek, but maybe. Anyway, there are so many filters nowadays, it's hard to know which one has the sound you're after, and mixing and matching multiple boxes in the chain only further complicates things. Best of luck in your search. (I'm sort of in the same boat, just looking for the perfect dist to finish my synth sound. I use another overdrive for one thing, and another filter for another thing, the MailBomb is a very different and unique effect.)

[Doolz]

http://www.midfielectronics.com/

[Mudfuzz]

Originally Posted by baalroo

try multiple octavers in series with only the wet signal one up an octave and one down. I say this without ever trying it myself, but I hear it creates some pretty interesting synth tones

It does, but you really have to pick your octaves, otherwise you get throbbing mush. Generally I find that boss type and the the DOD 35 work best going into something like a E~H multiplexer or a MXR M-88, a Octron or a EBS would also work well as a second in chain octave.

Also Fuzz into octaves! Now there is glitchy. If you really want just that "make them get seasick" type of thing, Fuzz/heavy distortion [cranked] into a boss OC-3, it is just evil: the distortion distorts the AD converters and then it get sifted down a octave or two............

A DOD FX 25 is a must, you can do so much with the thing: from standard funky stuff to sick twisted screeching noise [in conjunction with a dirt pedal before, after or both of it, to a great low pas filter that will let you make wall of Fuzz that would normally sound thin and un-bass like [think pedals like Devi Ever’s Disaster Fuzz, OK ect] into real huge sounds, plus you can set the sensitivity to where when you play a little harder the filter will open and create some really fun sounds.

Get a delay that will self oscillate!

[Ely]

My personal favorite glitch tone comes from my EHX POG with only the 2 octaves up, going into an MXR BlueBox. It sounds like video games, and if you sustain the note very long at all it starts to glitch out.

[rratajski]

Originally Posted by Swimming Bird

If you weren't more than covered on the dist/fuzz front, I'd suggest an MXR Blue Box.

Think of this another way: how does an analog synth work. You've got a basic tone, ADSR envelope, filters, modulations, delays. I say get a Whammy IV, wah wah and a slow gear clone and you'll be all set.

Sorry, not a fan of the blue box. Sounds like Mega Man fighting (insert Mega Man 1-3 enemy here). Just MHO.

[dannybuoy]

I'm going to be starting a post-rock / shoegaze project and have the EHX Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai which is great for building up loops. You can have flange/delay/reverb effects recorded into loops then change their pitch/speed/direction and filter them.

I'm also modding my 442 envelope filter to work with an expression pedal so I can do long slow sweeps with it (gonna start fiddling with my multimeter and planning it as soon as my Moog EP-2 arrives).

I've also got serious GAS for the Line6 Verbzilla for it's 'Octo' mode - http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...oid=2034910505, check the video about halfway to hear the GLORIOUS CHORDS.

Good luck on figuring out the chain though, it'll be a journey alright!

[one]

IMO it's all up too you and what you want. You can make these things as complex as you want, but can also keep them as simple as you want. You may be happy with something simular to Tayste's or you could be happy with Whammy > Drive > Delay.FB loop

However, i'd check out units like the Xotic Robotalk, Subdecay Noise Box, Sinister Analog Soul Provider. Also, it may be worth adding in a feedback loop into this chain. Barge, Paralooper, Mobius etc?

Personally, i'd check out Analogger! Especially Toys n' Noise and Freq Box Vs Access Virus Don't forget too check out all of his stuff. Thats the direction I will be taking a noise/Synth/Ambient project.

[Grimoire]

Originally Posted by one

IMO it's all up too you and what you want. You can make these things as complex as you want, but can also keep them as simple as you want. You may be happy with something simular to Tayste's or you could be happy with Whammy > Drive > Delay.FB loop

However, i'd check out units like the Xotic Robotalk, Subdecay Noise Box, Sinister Analog Soul Provider. Also, it may be worth adding in a feedback loop into this chain. Barge, Paralooper, Mobius etc?

Personally, i'd check out Analogger! Especially Toys n' Noise and Freq Box Vs Access Virus Don't forget too check out all of his stuff. Thats the direction I will be taking a noise/Synth/Ambient project.

Been wanting a Sleepdrone ever since I saw Analogger's series...he does some nice stuff.

[shoegazebass]

Wow - some really interesting suggestions! I listened through the collection of env. filter clips on the wiki and I think the robotalk might be the one I need. right now, I'm thinking of putting the Brown Dog, Noise Box, MPOG into the Barge loop and maybe adding one of the two catalinbread trem pedals and a robotalk if I can lay hands on one.

I will def. listen to the analogger youtube clips and see what else I might be missing.