Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[Starthief]

So I bought a Microbrute to add to my wanting to go Dawless…
I was torn between this, a microfreak and a monologue for making some noise to add as intro / soundscapes live so I needed a “knob per function” synth… coming from the mininova which I loaned to my bands covers project, it was too much menu diving for hands on…
The Microbrute is perfect… and despite being a one oscillator with the overtones and the brute knob can pack a massive punch!

Microbrute was what got me back into hardware synths after just using software for so long. My MIDI controller keyboard died, and I said "why not get one that has a synth built in?"

...and then that led to modular, since you can use it as a controller or a MIDI-CV converter, and just add a couple of modules at first.

I moved on from Microbrute after a while but then I kind of circled back around and got a Minibrute 2S. Honestly I think the Brute Factor on the Micro is a little bit nicer, but the 2S suits me overall.

 

[steubig]

fwiw, trs cables are easier on space on pedals (red panda does it). some euro stuff gives you the option of using that output for headphone, no?

it means buying more cable, which *is* a drag, but i’m okay with the space savings.

 

[monsterthompson]

A&P doest it again

 

[Starthief]

Somebody pointed me at this yesterday and I had to buy it basically immediately. I am not super into shoegaze as such (though I do like Lovesliescrushing kind of a lot)... but the sort of sounds they're getting from it are definitely in my wheelhouse. I'm curious how it'll treat the Miezo too.

 

[Spectrum]

Somebody pointed me at this yesterday and I had to buy it basically immediately. I am not super into shoegaze as such (though I do like Lovesliescrushing kind of a lot)... but the sort of sounds they're getting from it are definitely in my wheelhouse. I'm curious how it'll treat the Miezo too.

That is awesome. Price is a bit steep for me at the moment considering recent truck repair bills and so on, but damn I want one.

 

[monsterthompson]

In case anyone is looking for this rarity.
Invalid Link Removed

 

[theunknowndude]

Silly question maybe bur does anyone play live switching between synth and bass at same time (ie alternate playing both in same song )… curious if it could work

 

[monsterthompson]

I think I’ve seen distinct threads on this topic and maybe even some light discussion in this thread but I can’t be more specific off the top of my head, and I haven’t done it.

 

[Spectrum]

Silly question maybe bur does anyone play live switching between synth and bass at same time (ie alternate playing both in same song )… curious if it could work

On my electronic gig I do it. Clumsily.

Makes me wish I had an extra bandmate to help me with it. I've been on the lookout for a decent foot keyboard controller to help with this, but I haven't looked lately.

Also, just having the bass hanging off my shoulder while I move around is clumsy, always bumping the headstock into stuff.

 

[hieronymous]

Silly question maybe bur does anyone play live switching between synth and bass at same time (ie alternate playing both in same song )… curious if it could work

I watched Steve Moore do it live with Zombi - playing both at the same time!!!



I would guess it would be possible to alternate - the thing I might be worried about would be the bass making noise while playing synth if it were accidentally bumped as @Spectrum related - might want to have a kill switch for those sections? What kind of setup are you imagining?

I've been reminded that using your feet adds another layer of complexity. I've been incorporating effects pedals more lately with a band, and realized I'm not used to it. The music is improvisational though, so it's a matter of having to make quick decisions, while if one were doing more composed music, I would think the choreography would be easier since it's repetitive.

This makes me realize that I haven't used my bass pedals to control a synth in at least a year. I remember the last time, doing something with my Moog Sirin (controlled by Roland PK-5a foot pedals) and bass w/delay - I started with just bass, in the next section went to hit a bass pedal note, and I had the volume off! Couldn't stop to adjust, so just played bass. Might have been better off, it wasn't easy playing both parts at the same time, so it was actually probably a "better" performance.

 

[sunbeast]

Silly question maybe bur does anyone play live switching between synth and bass at same time (ie alternate playing both in same song )… curious if it could work

I've done it with guitar and keys a number of times for looping stuff. I always use a switcher for this to mute whichever channel I'm not currently using (if you put the switcher at the input to FX you still get reverb/delay trails, etc which is nice), specifically have been using a Morley Twin Mix (I think its been discontinued for some reason) for several years which is useful as it can work in mono (two inputs into one output) or totally stereo (independent inputs to independent outputs). I'm sure there are probably a number of products that do that same thing these days but that was one of the only ones when I bought it and it has served me well for many years. I've yet to double with synth and bass, but wouldn't hesitate to use the Morley for that if I did.

 

[Starthief]

Silly question maybe bur does anyone play live switching between synth and bass at same time (ie alternate playing both in same song )… curious if it could work

Not as in, in front of people, but I tend to record live. Everything in a single take when I can, though with two hands only so much is possible so sometimes I will go back and record another layer to dub in, or capture a part in advance in a looper etc. (I rarely do anything like typical DAW multitracking).

That's one reason I like the Miezo -- it's nice and compact, I'm not bumping it into things when I lean over toward my modular rack or whatever.

Most of my synth stuff is via faders, joystick, touchplates, expression pedals, etc. with drones and Berlin School type sequences. A little bit of it is Linnstrument, or tuned touchplate stuff (0-Ctrl or Elmyra).

 

[theunknowndude]

Thanks for the replies!

I’m going to use my sonicake portal which is a switcher, has clean, loop an and loop b, so if all the channels are switched off it would be a mute. Or could just hit my tuner as a simple mute as long as remember to put it back off!
I have trouble singing over playing bass, even simple stuff… was thinking like using Microbrute to drone or play a sequence whilst I sang “verse” and then come in with bass parts for chorus / other parts… and make it a bit more interesting too.
Would then need a more complex rig with synth into an amp / DI and bass into pedalboard / DI but I guess would need that regardless if I incorporated both anyway (either alternate or just use synth for intros)
More food for thought!

 

[hieronymous]

Thanks for the replies!

I’m going to use my sonicake portal which is a switcher, has clean, loop an and loop b, so if all the channels are switched off it would be a mute. Or could just hit my tuner as a simple mute as long as remember to put it back off!
I have trouble singing over playing bass, even simple stuff… was thinking like using Microbrute to drone or play a sequence whilst I sang “verse” and then come in with bass parts for chorus / other parts… and make it a bit more interesting too.
Would then need a more complex rig with synth into an amp / DI and bass into pedalboard / DI but I guess would need that regardless if I incorporated both anyway (either alternate or just use synth for intros)
More food for thought!

Another question I thought of - is this with other people or solo? I'm thinking band - and you also mentioned live - in which case I would think that the technical side of signal chains and amplification would be important factors... But definitely worth it if you have the gear/time to figure it out and practice!

There have been many times when I fantasized about various setups - synth bass-pedals, triggering synths - many of these were fed by what Rush was doing in the mid/later-'80s. But actually starting to do it in the mid-2000s+, reality hit. Not as easy to actually do. But also possible. I haven't really figured out how to use MIDI to perform tasks beyond linking synths & controllers. As much as I like to be aware of technology, I'm also behind in a variety of aspects.

 

[theunknowndude]

Another question I thought of - is this with other people or solo? I'm thinking band - and you also mentioned live - in which case I would think that the technical side of signal chains and amplification would be important factors... But definitely worth it if you have the gear/time to figure it out and practice!

There have been many times when I fantasized about various setups - synth bass-pedals, triggering synths - many of these were fed by what Rush was doing in the mid/later-'80s. But actually starting to do it in the mid-2000s+, reality hit. Not as easy to actually do. But also possible. I haven't really figured out how to use MIDI to perform tasks beyond linking synths & controllers. As much as I like to be aware of technology, I'm also behind in a variety of aspects.

It’s actually just me solo

My band with 4 other members we have just sampled the synth into a foot looper pedal and guitarist does that for simple synth loop.

But I’m thinking of my solo band with me bass and drum machine (which is already enough foot pedals and I don’t want to buy a looper! Have enough gear gah!)
Was thinking play synth, drone it through reverb etc, play bass with the board which has bass plus upper octave for the “crushing / loud part” of chorus and play synth / mess with it in the verse…

Could omit the whole synth part and just play a loop but I want it to be hands on and not just me looking boring whilst I tap dance pedals… hmm (and I hate synth bass pedals where you need to play to the pedal hence the use a synth?)

 

[Starthief]

Modular synth, software, one track with the Miezo. Notes are here.

 

[monsterthompson]

 

[Passinwind]

Silly question maybe bur does anyone play live switching between synth and bass at same time (ie alternate playing both in same song )… curious if it could work

I used to switch back and forth between fretless bass and guitar synth in the same tune in live performances quite often, it worked fine for me. The best time ever was when my nephew sat in with his Warr guitar, but we had a five string solidbody violin in the band for a year or three and that worked well enough for carrying transitions too. I sometimes sang bass lines through an octaver when I was on guitar/guitar synth too.

 

[monsterthompson]

The (pr)E-Bow? Can we get one for bass?

 

[Spectrum]

The (pr)E-Bow? Can we get one for bass?

I posted that here a month ago. Check this one out.