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Bass Synth

Hey guys. I'm looking to get an interesting electronic sound (like that of a synthesizer) out of my bass: think Adrian Belew, especially his work for Talking Heads. I won't need it for gigs, so feel free to suggest anything and everything from pedals to computer programs; how might I achieve this sound?
 
1) Get a multi-effects unit and turn on all the effects
2) Get a bass synth pedal that uses the input to trigger a synth
3) Get a MIDI pickup on your bass and use it to trigger a regular MIDI synth
4) Send your bass signal to a computer and use some audio-to-midi software to trigger a synth
 
As for the second and third idea in the first reply: where can those sorts of things be found?

The "pedals that play a synth triggered by your bass" are the things that the other posters have suggested, this kind of thing:

Link Removed

The "MIDI pickup" is something like this:

gk-2a.jpg


Just search the web for DigiTech Bass Synth Wah, Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synth, Boss SYB-5, "MIDI pickup", and so on. I have a nasty plastic Zoom 506 that has a synth on it that I use on one of my band's songs.
 
I used to love that thing - sure, it was noisy, and some of the fx were garbage, but if you cranked everything up with the synth on it got some amazing burbling feedback that I've never been able to recreate since...

I have mine off for the whole set, then during the last song there's a big build-up where I just turn on the synth and let out this monstrous BLLLEEEOOOUUURROOWWLLL that goes on for ages.
 
I have mine off for the whole set, then during the last song there's a big build-up where I just turn on the synth and let out this monstrous BLLLEEEOOOUUURROOWWLLL that goes on for ages.

I'm getting imagery of you loudly sounding it out in front of your computer before typing it phonetically! :D
 
...octaver (EHX POG, DBA Octave Clang)) / fuzz (Studio Electronics Wolftone Chaos, Chunk Systems Brown Dog, M.I.Audio G.I., Subdecay Flying Tomato, Zvex Probe, Zvex Wooly Mammoth) / filter (Maxon AF-9, Moog Bass Murf, Bassballs, Guyatone Ultron)...

...also have an EHX Bass Micro Synth...