That synth noise in Tom Sawyer

shannons · #1 10-03-2007, 11:19 PM

I know it's a long shot, but there are strange FX pedals out there nowadays. At the beginning of Rush's "Tom Sawyer", there's that great synth note that constantly resurfaces throughout the song. You know what I'm talking about. That "Beeeeeeeeeyoowwwwwwwwwwaaa!" laser gun sound. :lol:

Is there a pedal out there that would approximate that effect on a bass rig? My band will covering the tune & it'd be great to include that. I do have the Digitech Bass Synth Wah. Maybe it'll do it. I just haven't figured it out yet.

Hey, it's worth a shot.

Niff · #2 10-03-2007, 11:33 PM

i think the original noise was done by one of geddy's moog synths, if that helps at all. some kind of synth module could probably replicate it.

gweimer · #3 10-03-2007, 11:39 PM

If I'm not mistaken, he used some Moog Taurus pedals back then.

Dave Muscato · #4 10-03-2007, 11:40 PM

It was an Oberheim synth...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNZru4JG_Uo

I can get a pretty close approximation on my rig with my Line6 Bass POD xt Live. There is a preset on there that does it, but I'm not sure exactly what pedals it does, but I will check for you.

shannons · #5 10-04-2007, 01:11 AM

C'mon guys, give me some credit. I know it was his synth.

I'm just wondering if there's a pedal on the market that could duplicate this sound. It's 27 years later & we have all kinds of remarkable things at our disposal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Muscato

I can get a pretty close approximation on my rig with my Line6 Bass POD xt Live. There is a preset on there that does it, but I'm not sure exactly what pedals it does, but I will check for you.

Yeah, I'd be interested to know what the POD is modeling.

Dave Muscato · #6 10-04-2007, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shannons

C'mon guys, give me some credit. I know it was his synth.

I'm just wondering if there's a pedal on the market that could duplicate this sound. It's 27 years later & we have all kinds of remarkable things at our disposal.

Yeah, I'd be interested to know what the POD is modeling.

I'm not @ home now but when I get back, I'll check it out for you.

Oh, I know that you knew it was a synth. I was just saying, it was an Oberheim synth, not a Moog Taurus as someone else posted, for that particular sound (on Tom Sawyer)... although Geddy Lee did also use Moog Taurus pedals during their Moving Pictures album/tour.

I'm sure there is a pedal or combination of pedals that can simulate it... if anything, the Line6 does, but it does that by modeling other pedals, and I will let you know when I find out what those are.

keb · #7 10-04-2007, 06:53 AM

Yeah it was an Oberheim, and I've replicated the sound on my Alesis Ion synth (the Ion does come with a "Tom Sawyer" preset, but it sounds only remotely like it, IMO.) Basically a filter sweep on some stacked voices with a decent amount of resonance, and an LFO modulating the filter frequency as it goes down to help give it that growly/zippery sound. Maybe one of the synth bass pedals from Boss or Digitech, etc, can get something close to it, perhaps coupled with a delay pedal to help give it some "depth" since I'm not sure how complex a sound those pedals can create on their own compared to a full-fledged synth.

Happynoj · #8 10-04-2007, 10:03 AM

The closest you can get with a BSW:

Sens: wherever you prefer it
Control: Max
Range: Max
Type: 4

GrooveWarrior · #9 10-04-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happynoj

The closest you can get with a BSW:

Sens: wherever you prefer it
Control: Max
Range: Max
Type: 4

What is a BSW?

shannons · #10 10-04-2007, 10:48 AM

BSW = BASS SYNTH WAH

Thanks Happynoj,
I'll give that setting a shot.

RickenBoogie · #11 10-04-2007, 11:35 AM

After trying many "synth" pedals, including Moogs bass MuRF, I finally just bit the bullet and bought a Moog Little Phatty. It's the price of a nice bass, but it's the real deal analog synth, and these sounds are so easy to find now. Really adds alot to my sound as a whole, and it's cool to be the bassplayer who has a synth too, kinda like Geddy, except minus the talent. It's not the cheap route by any means, but maybe next time you're thinking of buying a new bass, get a Little Phatty instead. It's worth the $$ and the extra hassel in set up time.

mward69 · #12 10-04-2007, 11:40 AM

I have the Behringer vamp pro and my band "fakes" it pretty good, It has a synth. sim built in. I am sure the line-6 does too since they {Behringer} ripped them off....anyway with the synth I set it to about 12 'o clock, use chorus pedal, and wah pedal....can get close, but......close doesn't cut it

Unrepresented · #13 10-04-2007, 12:53 PM

http://media.putfile.com/Bass-Microsynth-Sample

That's a sample of my EHX Bass Microsynth faking its way through a famous synth intro.

That's got a chorus thrown on top to make it a bit more convincing. The rate of the filter can be adjusted to be more in line with the slow one Rush uses.

It's obviously not exact, but it can give you an idea of the potential.

dbjacobson · #14 04-27-2011, 09:40 AM

Hi,
I am starting a RUSH tribute band as Geddy. So far I have a Little Phatty that I am picking up this afternoon, and a set of Roland PK-5 pedals. Can you help me get that Tom Sawyer pre guitar solo sound and the infamous Growl sound with these? I am totally new at keys! Thanks a zillion!
Doug
dbjacobson@aol.com

jgroh · #15 04-27-2011, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happynoj

The closest you can get with a BSW:

Sens: wherever you prefer it
Control: Max
Range: Max
Type: 4

Yes the digitech bass synth wah can do it

cybersnyder · #16 04-27-2011, 09:54 AM

I did a patch somewhere in the M9/M13 tips and tricks thread on how to get the sound with those devices.

dbjacobson · #17 04-27-2011, 10:23 AM

Can you provide a link to that?

I did a patch somewhere in the M9/M13 tips and tricks thread on how to get the sound with those devices.
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cybersnyder · #18 04-27-2011, 11:21 AM

M9/M13 Tricks

MuzikMan · #19 04-27-2011, 11:51 AM

I got that sound with the Digitech BSW, I don't remember but probably with the same settings posted above.

plankspanker13 · #20 04-27-2011, 12:23 PM

I've successfully covered Tom Sawyer with a Boss SYB-3 at my feet. Yes, you can dial in that "attack" sound, as I like to call it. It's a sound close enough in approximating the original that the audience respects it. Surely, there should be the ability to get something akin to if from a host of the latest bass synth pedals.