I've just always found every sound from a zoom to be very generic sounding. True you can't beat the real deal Moog. But after searching and wasting a lot of money on other pedal makes, I've found the only two synth pedals that deliver are the SBY 3 and 5. Just me though. The old Korg is great it has both sounds of the 3 and 5. But it's big and probably harder to find one.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Best Bass Synth Pedal
- Thread starter Carlo Tanori
- Start date
I gave up trying to decide and have my pedal board loaded. Super Synth, Zoom B3, Korg G5, Source Audio BEF/MWBD combo, and a couple other synthy fuzz options... Synths are just too much fun for just one. Of all of them the Zoom synths get used least mainly because they are more difficult to dial in a good sound.
I'm really liking some of the synth samples from the B3. Thanks for reminding me that you did this Gastric. Obviously, I want one now....
I sold my Behringer BSY600, but it had some great sounds in it for very little money. I use an old Boss ME-8B for some synth sounds, as well as and OCT2 into a gated fuzz into envelope filters, low-pass filters, etc. I'll be playing a mini EDM festival this weekend using my current setup....should be fun
If it is going to be a big part of your sound definitely just bite the bullet and play keys. You'll get so much more for your money and it will sound much better than any pedal.
I think that Markbass Super Synth is fantastic, a lot of possibilities !
My eBook "Double Thumb technique for Electric Bass" Invalid Link Removed
My eBook "Easy Slap" Invalid Link Removed
My eBook "Double Thumb technique for Electric Bass" Invalid Link Removed
My eBook "Easy Slap" Invalid Link Removed
My 2 cents...
I used to hate the guys that replied with this kind of comment. I was like...no crap doosh nozzle, but if I wanted to play keys I wouldn't be on TB! I want to play synth BASS, duh!
So I ignored these pretentious comments.
I bought so many synth pedals, so many pedal synth components, pitch to midi, hexaphonic pickups...and you know what? None of it was synthy enough for me. Too glitchy to be predictable (korg G5 is non glitchy), terrible tracking, notes just cutting out, horrible programming interfaces...on and on. Thousands of dollars later and I was about to start back at the beginning because maybe I wasn't using that particular pedal right last time.
Except...I turned on my dusty midi keyboard a few months ago and loaded up Massive with a bass synth. That's the sound I have been searching for forever!! Those keyboard comments were right. The crow has been eaten. On top of all that, the keyboard layout has opened me up to new note choices. Being kinda stuck in bass mode for so long, I have gotten a hair stale and predictable with note choices. But the unfamiliar KB layout has made a huge difference in creating fresh new lines. Sure I can play in a key signature, but it's the new layout. Like detuning all your strings randomly and giving it a go.
I don't wanna be that guy that says go real synth, but man it's friggin awesome. Sure some will disagree and claim pedals can do the same. Good. Have fun with them. Try holding that low E for more than 1/2 a measure. Low B? Hahahaha. Beat synced LFO's? Pitch, amp, or filter envelopes? You can be up and running like a pro for less than $200 and slay any pedal Chris Wolfen-whoever puts on his pedalboard. I have a Moog Minitaur arriving shortly. This is gonna be good.
Just saying. Rant/soapbox/high horse over.
I vote Korg G5. The MB SS is cool but a PITA to change settings. The Boss SYB-5 is ok. Never tried the Zoom stuff...just not into Zoom. There are other options of varying degrees of suck, expense, unique, but the G5 will get you going with the least frustration down the road.
I do agree with you that you can never get the exact sound, tracking and the ability to hold notes like a real synth keyboard, but for me it's a heck of a lot of fun squeezing those synthy fuzzy, squelchy, robotic, blippy space-ship sounds out of a bass!!
I just looked up that Moog Minitaur though and heard a few samples. That Moog really looks incredible 
Would love to hear your opinions once you get the chance to play around with it.
I do agree with you that you can never get the exact sound, tracking and the ability to hold notes like a real synth keyboard, but for me it's a heck of a lot of fun squeezing those synthy fuzzy, squelchy, robotic, blippy space-ship sounds out of a bass!!
I'm not really anti-synth pedal. I'm still eyeing up a couple that I want to retry. I'm just surprised at how keyboard synth I am now. I've been practicing playing bass and hitting keys all I'm the same jam.
Are you running separate amps or bass>amp and synth>DI? Or do you happen to use the same amp for both?
I've owned and/or tried:
- Akai SB-1 Deep Impact
- Korg G5
- Markbass Super Synth
- Digitech Bass Synth/Wah
- EHX Bass Micro Synh
- Ibanez SB7 Bass Synth
- Boss SyB 5
- MarkBass Super Synth
- Lovetone Meatball w/ Fuzz
- EHX Q-Tron + w/ Fuzz
- Chunk Systems Agent 00 Funk Mark II w/ Chunk Systems Brown Dog
The best one is absolutely the Akai SB-1 Deep Impact
- Akai SB-1 Deep Impact
- Korg G5
- Markbass Super Synth
- Digitech Bass Synth/Wah
- EHX Bass Micro Synh
- Ibanez SB7 Bass Synth
- Boss SyB 5
- MarkBass Super Synth
- Lovetone Meatball w/ Fuzz
- EHX Q-Tron + w/ Fuzz
- Chunk Systems Agent 00 Funk Mark II w/ Chunk Systems Brown Dog
The best one is absolutely the Akai SB-1 Deep Impact
I'm running everything into a laptop via a Motu Ultralite MK III and then into Ableton Live. The bass gets routed out of the Motu to my bass amp and everything else (beats, synths, etc) gets routed out of the Motu to a PA. I have enough outputs to send each instrument to its own PA mixer input if I want or I can just send everything but bass as one lump audio signal. I prefer my bass going through the Genz Benz to pick up its flavor though.
At home I just run it all to either headphones or my monitors.
Ableton Live is my effects board so to speak.
Last edited:
I just looked up that Moog Minitaur though and heard a few samples. That Moog really looks incredible
Just got it in the mail today. Holy crap that's fat! Very organic and liquidy compared to Massive and a few other VST's I use. It's very simple to get a good sound right away just using the front panel. The front panel doesn't have a lot of controls, but there's hidden features with an editor. I've only played it for like an hour so far but this is very amazing.
The only thing I'm not sure I like yet is the release rate/time of the ADSR's is not a separate control. You press a button and the decay knob becomes the release knob. I haven't fooled with it enough to know how it works thoroughly yet. Seems like a pain. The way I see it is that I set the decay, then press the release button and set the release time, but if I want to change the decay time I press the button again to change the decay, but then the release turns off. Maybe I'm missing something, but to be honest I haven't read the manual yet. That's how easy this is...up and running with no manual reading at all...and I'm a analog synth noob really.
There r some of us out there who, myself included, love synth bass but like the challenge of putting flesh 2 strings n trying 2 cop the lines with a real bass + fx pedals: that's me. I'll never play an actual keyboard on stage, not bcoz I hate key bass but bcoz I luv bass guitar n know I'm a bee's dick away from copping it on a bass, albeit not the exact same sound but with the touch, feel, articulation n tone close enough so that most listeners can't tell the diff, live or studio. So I'll stick 2 my Korg G5, Zoom B1on n MS60B to get the sounds n feel as close as I can n revel in my challenges, near misses n successes. If everyone stuck within the confines of the status quo, never daring 2 take the bull by the horns, where would we be, in any pursuit. YMMV but my bass 2c.
Switching back and forth on release and decay shouldn't "turn them off".
It is amazing how different a Moog or other nice synths sound from VST synths. VST synths still have their place but man can Moog move some air…
I too went from trying many different combos of pedals, etc to buying real synths to starting a modular synth… Awesome and fun journey.
I do miss some of my pedal combos though, several MoogerFoogers, INFANEM second voice deluxe, Moog MP-201, PitchFactor, OC2, MarkBass Super Synth. THAT was some fun there and you could have beat synced LFOs, etc...
Another path is to combine octave, grit, and filter pedals in a loop—either alone or with a synth pedal.
If you just need one killer sound, combining singles in a loop lets you build the synth bass flavor you like. If you're a compulsive knob tweaker or want to switch b/w multiple bass synth sounds, including one or more multis in the loop (especially a blendable loop) is the ticket.
Even multis you don't love as stand-alones can combine well for this purpose. For example, the SA Pro Multiwave Bass Distortion is great in a synth loop, as is the Line 6 M9—neither of which I love as bass distortions.
If you just need one killer sound, combining singles in a loop lets you build the synth bass flavor you like. If you're a compulsive knob tweaker or want to switch b/w multiple bass synth sounds, including one or more multis in the loop (especially a blendable loop) is the ticket.
Even multis you don't love as stand-alones can combine well for this purpose. For example, the SA Pro Multiwave Bass Distortion is great in a synth loop, as is the Line 6 M9—neither of which I love as bass distortions.
I listened to a few The Gap Band videos and the synth bass doesn't sound that crazy, for something that works in the mix I think you can get pretty close with just an octaver and a fuzz or overdrive. Possibly add a filter or phaser pedal for some movement.
I'm probably doing something wrong with regards to the release button. It's manual time tonight.
I miss the MP-201. That may be a good addition to the Minitaur.
