Synth Pedal - Easy to use

Gearhead17 · #1 12-29-2010, 09:10 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXFwSpi3wJ4
Taio Cruz - Dynamite

I play in a cover band and I am trying to recreate most of that tone on my 5 string Spector. I have had trouble with synth pedals in the past mainly because they sound so strange. I usually end up scratching my head and fighting the pedal. The pedal usually wins!

I am looking for a pedal that captures similar sounds, sounds great finger style (thick and very musical), and sounds nothing like the Boss SYB-3. I am not looking to recreate sounds of robots and outer "outer space" nonsense. I want something that is straight-forward and sounds good without tweaking it to death.

My band will be doing more popular songs like this with two guitars, bass, vocals, and drums - no keyboards. So I will likely use a very similar tone on each song that features synthy style keyboard/bass lines.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Explorer · #2 12-29-2010, 12:44 PM

So, you want a pedal that sounds like that guy on the right side of the screen playing that bassline on the keyboard? I haven't really heard one... which is probably why that guy is playing the keyboard.

Don't get me wrong. If you look at my posting history, you can't help but see I love synth pedals, but I have my doubts about you getting that kind of tone, at that speed, on a fretted bass.

kevteop · #3 12-29-2010, 12:59 PM

Get the autotuned vocals going on and the vacuous airheads who like that song won't notice anything out of the ordinary, perhaps you could entertain yourself by playing the bass part on a sousaphone.

Will006 · #4 12-29-2010, 02:05 PM

maybe you could buy 3 or 4 moogerfoogers?
but seriously though you wont get those sounds easily
i suggest maybe an actual synth....

cultrvultr · #5 12-29-2010, 02:53 PM

Use the search feature in the effect forum to see all the various ways people have tried to create those sounds with a bass. Then use the search feature to get recommendations on which synth to buy for keyboard bass tones - That's what I did, worked for me.

bassbrad · #6 12-29-2010, 04:05 PM

Try a Digitech Bass Synth Wah setting 2 or 7, playing the line an octave up with the sub might get pretty close.

RickenBoogie · #7 12-29-2010, 05:13 PM

+1 your best bet will be a keyboard synth. Look at the Dave Smith MoPho- for $800, it packs alot of features in, and sounds great, too. Half the price of a Moog Little Phatty, which is another great option.

Badmuthaplucka · #8 12-29-2010, 05:30 PM

A fuzz pedal w/ some chorus and maybe a pitch shifter....

Gearhead17 · #9 12-29-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

Get the autotuned vocals going on and the vacuous airheads who like that song won't notice anything out of the ordinary, perhaps you could entertain yourself by playing the bass part on a sousaphone.

Good point! People notice I play bass, but they could care less about my tone.

anonymous122511 · #10 12-29-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

Get the autotuned vocals going on and the vacuous airheads who like that song won't notice anything out of the ordinary, perhaps you could entertain yourself by playing the bass part on a sousaphone.

LOL!
You've hit on one of the fundamental truths about playing a whole night of pop covers.

Swampman Cory · #11 12-29-2010, 08:33 PM

And if you need a quick fix, just use a chorus pedal. That's what I've done when I've had to play this song.

Gearhead17 · #12 12-29-2010, 09:07 PM

Thanks for all of the replies. I was going to do more of a search on here, but with my new job, it's been nuts and my available time is flying out of the window. In this economy, that's a good thing!

I will try the chorus pedal idea - I do have a Digitech Bass Chorus and it might just be the ticket. I think I will run far away from synth pedals in general. I listened to a bunch of youtube demos with bass synth pedals and although several of them sound cool - the rest of the tones annoy the heck out of me. For only a few songs my band does, it probably is not worth the $200 or more for a good pedal.

Thanks guys.

Gearhead17 · #13 12-29-2010, 10:14 PM

Update - Just tried out my Digitech Chorus pedal and I feel it does just enough of what I am trying do. For one of our "pop" songs, it modulates and allows the low bass notes to "hang" around more when I am hitting single notes. When I start playing straight 1/8th or 1/4 notes, the fatness is still present. It's not a lot, but it makes a difference. Definitely does not do the synth thing exactly, but as it was pointed out before, no one will complain my bass tone does not sound like a synthy keyboard. If they do, well, that person is definitely a bass player off of talkbass!

Probably going to add something to my Digitech chorus pedal, my Tech21 XXL Bass Distortion combined with the Digitech does not do exactly what I want. Any recommendations? I just thought of the Digitech XBW..... combining the Auto Wah with the Octave added (Setting #2) then going into my Digitech....good idea?

bassbrad · #14 12-29-2010, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead17

Any recommendations? I just thought of the Digitech XBW..... combining the Auto Wah with the Octave added (Setting #2) then going into my Digitech....good idea?

The Digi BSW is a new pedal for me but I am really digging the variety of sounds i can get out of it. The envelope is workable but i really like the combo sounds envelope/octave down and octave down/synth, and it's very affordable.