Whats the best synth effects pedal for bass?

[sillyfabe]

Love me some synth bass! I tried the MIDI pickup thing (Roland GR-55) for a quick minute but wasn't a fan of the add-one or latency. Then I tried the dedicated synth pedals (Deep Impact, Korg G5, EHX Bass Micro Synth) and it got me real close but felt limited. My current (and VERY expansive/customaziable) approach is modular. I run a Boss OC-2 (synth modded) at the beginning and it really makes anything FAT and allows me to control it fully. The rest is in my profile!

[Tonyisnt]

Originally Posted by gastric

Note I'm not a professional so these are just my opinions. Ideally anyone talking about this stuff with words should be able to support their theories with some actual sound clips to back them up so we know what sounds they can actually generate with the gear their suggesting. Me included. I do have a lot of synth examples on my various pages (check my signature below)

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Any idea for the synth in "Heartbeat" by Childish Gambino? I'm itching to find out how to recreate that

[-Asdfgh-]

Originally Posted by 11o8o

Finally I have found BOSS ME8B. This thing is much better than ME 6B.
It has really a lot of usefull options. Synth effect is advanced even for 2012 criteria.

Can't compare with MIDI equipped gear but if one do not want to install MIDI pickup, this may be really end of search.

The ME6B had great sounds but tracking on the PWM sounds was tricky, and the ME8B was much better. I wish I'd kept both of those. I didn't like the EQ section so much on the ME8B. I had a G5. Wish I'd kept it. But the ME8B is more flexible for patch changes as it has a range of effects in one and the ergonomics of bank and patch changes are good. The ME8B has a hold option (I think the Boss SYB pedals have the same) which could be useful, although you'd need to be concentrating well live if you wanted to have a series of sustained notes and be doing a bit of a soft-shoe shuffle.

I have a Zoom B2 and the PWM sounds are very hard to trigger reliably, but you can get some usable sounds between the octaver, qtron-type options, distortion, and pitch shifter (no pitch shifting and modulation, though).

The Behringer Bass V-amp has some usable synth sounds, but you can't combine them with anything else apart from distortion unless you chained something else midi-controlled on the end and chained audio and midi between them to add chorus or whatever, if required. But it might work on a less-is-more basis.

I've played with the Pod XT Bass and there are some usable sounds in there, and quite a few that it would be hard to find a use for, and you get modulation to add on top, and the preamp models are a bit smoother.

I've tried software when recording, and there you can create some interesting noises with various plug ins, adding pitch shifting, distortion, triggering sounds. But I'm not sure I'd want to gig with a laptop.

[Bassandgolf]

Akai Deep Impact (SB1). If you can find one...well worth it. POD XT Live is cool too but the AKAI is the balls.

[dmlabuda]

I like 4 different BASS effects of which three are synthesizers. I use them all. The Roland GR-55 is the best stand alone Synth on the market today. To go with the GR-55, I also use the BOSS GT-10B Bass Effects Processor. You may not realize it but, you can connect your bass to any Roland Keyboard Synthesizer. I have a Roland Juno-G which I use with my bass. Perhaps the most versatile of all synthesized sounds that I connect my 5-string bass to come from the NEW Roland Integra 7 SuperNATURAL Sound Module. This designed for keyboard sound module is the only synthesized sound module that I know of which you can connect to using a standard 1/4" unbalanced Bass Cable. However, I prefer to connect to it through my Roland GT-10B and/or GR-55 with a Midi connection through my Roland Juno-G. That enables me to use all the synth effects of the GR-55, the Juno-G, and the Integra 7 plus all the BASS Effects of the GT-10B. This combination of synth & bass effects gives me nearly EVERY SYNTHESIZED SOUND that Roland makes. All that sound is then funneled through a DBX 120A Subharmonic Synthesizer and split into high and low signals that are sent to a very clean QSC stereo Power Amplifier (high signal) driving twin JBL JRX Speaker cabinets and also to twin JBL ES250P Powered Subwoofers (low signal to 25 Hz). The resulting audio is totally awesome. I would highly recommend it to any bass players for both LIVE Sound and Home or Studio Recording sessions. Expensive? Yes. But, if you start with the GT-10B and then add the GR-55 and eventually the Integra 7, then it's an expense spread out over a few years or even months. You may already have the Power amp and speakers or an equivalent bass amplification system. The Roland keyboard synthesizer is optional.

[Laurent]

Wow, that's quite a rig in the digital genre.
Do you actually use this live?

[dmlabuda]

Yes, I do but, primarily I use it in my home recording studio. I'm mostly a songwriter. I also record local groups on occasion. My home studio was set up to be portable. I can front-end my system (which works equally well for guitar or keyboard) with my 16 channel Alesis mixer and run an entire band through the power amplification system.

[dmlabuda]

The best low to no latency system for BASS is to install a GraphTech ghost system (PK-0780-00 Complete ghost Kit for Bass) with ghost piezo pickups into your bass. The GraphTech system with the GR-55 is GREAT. Connecting your (unaltered) bass from the GT-10B through a Roland Integra 7 SuperNATURAL Sound Module is also a low to no latency combination you should investigate.

[11o8o]

Originally Posted by dmlabuda

Perhaps the most versatile of all synthesized sounds that I connect my 5-string bass to come from the NEW Roland Integra 7 SuperNATURAL Sound Module. This designed for keyboard sound module is the only synthesized sound module that I know of which you can connect to using a standard 1/4" unbalanced Bass Cable.

Did I understand, you can connect bass with Roland Integra 7 SuperNATURAL Sound Module via 1/4" unbalanced cable without using MIDI pickup ???

I spent years looking for good synth without use of MIDI pickup.. I do not want to glue/screw any pickup to my bass.

Can I use Integra 7 SuperNATURAL Sound Module without having installed MIDI pickup ???

[dmlabuda]

If you are talking BEST and a synthesizer that will work with a BASS Guitar, then, it's got to be the Roland Integra-7 which was designed for keyboard but works equally well for a guitar or bass and I even use mine with my Theremin. So, by far it is the most versatile synth on the market and it comes with almost every synth sound that Roland has created to date. Everything else takes a back seat to this amazing rack unit. http://www.roland.com/synth/integra/ - the crowning feature is the standard 1/4" jack input. You can't beat it!

[11o8o]

Wow..

[bigchiefbc]

Originally Posted by dmlabuda

If you are talking BEST and a synthesizer that will work with a BASS Guitar, then, it's got to be the Roland Integra-7 which was designed for keyboard but works equally well for a guitar or bass and I even use mine with my Theremin. So, by far it is the most versatile synth on the market and it comes with almost every synth sound that Roland has created to date. Everything else takes a back seat to this amazing rack unit. http://www.roland.com/synth/integra/ - the crowning feature is the standard 1/4" jack input. You can't beat it!

Do you have any clips of this thing tracking a bass guitar? Not that I don't believe you, but I'm going to assume that the keyboard in those videos was triggering it with MIDI, since they were playing chords and stuff. Thanks,

[xray]

Originally Posted by dmlabuda

If you are talking BEST and a synthesizer that will work with a BASS Guitar, then, it's got to be the Roland Integra-7 which was designed for keyboard but works equally well for a guitar or bass and I even use mine with my Theremin. So, by far it is the most versatile synth on the market and it comes with almost every synth sound that Roland has created to date. Everything else takes a back seat to this amazing rack unit. http://www.roland.com/synth/integra/ - the crowning feature is the standard 1/4" jack input. You can't beat it!

I think I'm selling some gear. This thing is insane in the membrain!! Definitely would keep me busy for a while. I assume you plug your bass through one on the front panel inputs? Does it trigger the drum synths as well?

[11o8o]

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

Do you have any clips of this thing tracking a bass guitar? Not that I don't believe you, but I'm going to assume that the keyboard in those videos was triggering it with MIDI, since they were playing chords and stuff. Thanks,

+1

[Phagor]

I had a look at the specs for the Integra, but don't see anything about pitch tracking or triggering. My guess is that it lets you connect your bass for processing by the various effects, but doesn't do any COSM or pitch to MIDI. Maybe dmlabuda can confirm how he uses it...

[gastric]

Once upon a time there was another synth-loving bass player on here by the nick of Jufro (I believe). He had a Novation Super Bass Station that had the same feature of taking a 1/4" input but it was NOT for synth triggering only for harnessing the filters and other features. A quick review of the Ingegra-7 user manual seems to indicate that's what's offered here as well, simply mixing the external audio through the units effects.

[RickenBoogie]

Yeah, without a MIDI pickup, that's all you can expect from plugging a stringed instrument into a synth. Cool, but in no way replaces either owning and using a keyboard synth, or using a synth pedal, or pedals to create sound.

[xray]

Originally Posted by dmlabuda

A true synthesizer will require a midi input stream. But, if you do not want to attach a GK box and pickup onto your bass and you don't want to install a midi pickup, midi controls and a midi output jack on your bass then, you could do what I do. I have a Roland Juno-G synthesizer that I use with my bass. I also have a BOSS GT-10 bass effects processor. Both of those units have 5-pin midi in/out connections on them. so, I can plug into the GT-10 and connect via midi to the Juno-G thru the GT-10 midi out to the Juno-G midi in. I could also connect directly to the Juno-G or other synthesizer that has a 5-pin midi in jack by using a Sonuus B2M Monophonic Bass-to-MIDI Converter sonuus B2M | Sweetwater.com - To use it you simply plug your 1/4" TS standard bass cable into the B2M and then connect a 5-pin midi cable from the B2M to the synthesizers midi in jack. No problem at all.

BINGO - exactly what I was looking for!! It only took two hours of searching so I wouldn't get the ill fated TB "...do a search MF...." (MF stands for musician's friend of course!)

You deserve to get a sticky for your vast knowledge on Synths and your very patient and formidable responses. I never read where you disparage anyone or retaliate negatively (which is a big game with a lot of these fellows).
Anyway, found my answer and of course a lot of other neat products out there from your wisdom. Thanks dmlabuda.

[BawanaRik]

Some times keyboard synths do appear cheap. After going trough a couple of string bass synths I feel that a keyboard is the was to go.


And spending time on a keyboard is good for every musician.

[xray]

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

Do you have any clips of this thing tracking a bass guitar? Not that I don't believe you, but I'm going to assume that the keyboard in those videos was triggering it with MIDI, since they were playing chords and stuff. Thanks,

Not quite the animal of the Integra-7, but check out the Roland VB-99 - great demo/feedback from Buddy Jones and Darryl Jones.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1000