| Bass is inherently poor at tracking properly or quickly enough with hex/13 pin pitch to midi equipment, (aka latency), unless you're content playing up above the 12th fret to trigger your sounds, as bass range/frequencies simply won't track fast enough. Many bassists get by using Roland or piezo saddles with an extended range bass, i.e. 6 strings or more), giving them upper register strings that track better/faster, but personally I've never found any pitch to midi setup that could work fast enough below A/5th fret, where I'm playing 90% of the time.
For an experiment on the cheap, you could simply try the Sonuus B2M bass-to-midi converter, which is a (relatively) simple plug and go device that doesn't require any routing or extra pickup. I can tell you, however, that in my experience it sucks, though others have claimed reasonable success. Note that it's mono only.
The best solution I've come up with so far is a Roland GK3B PUP mounted to my Carvin LB50 4 string, which is strung with piccolo strings. The piccolo strings make all the difference in the world - much improved tracking and latency, and I can play anywhere on the fretboard, though it obviously introduces a new dilemma: how do I get to play in bass register again? My solution has been to run my 1/4" cable out from the Roland GK3B (or one of the stereo out jacks already on the LB50) through a Digitech Whammy pedal tuned an octave lower before going to my amp. I tried dozens of octave pedals as well as the Morpheus Drop Tune, and none produced a convincing enough bass simulation. The Whammy comes very close, IMO, and in a band setting you can't tell the difference.
As for your USB request, you'd have to get a simple midi in/out USB device to hook midi cables up to talk to your laptop. Other than the 13 pin Roland/Axon industry standard, only the Sonuus B2M would enable you to bypass the Roland proprietary design, unless you were to buy yourself an Industrial Radio Midi Bass. But that's another story. I use a simple Midiman Uno with my Macbook to control soft synths in Reason via my Roland GK-equipped Carvin. Works like a charm.
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Last edited by pjmuck : 10-09-2010 at 04:06 PM.
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