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Cheapest/easiest way to get Taurus sounds?

MPU

MPU

Sep 21, 2004
3,703
10,692
56
Valkeala Finland
#1
You know the sound, Taurus bass pedals like on Genesis/Marillion/rush etc. early songs. Real Taurus pedals are way out of my wallet. Is there a cheaper/easier way to get those sounds? I guess I need some kind of pedals and sound module or something. Right?
Marko
 
#5
I have the Yamaha G50 midi system w/synth modules etc. Great for the studio but a pain in the arse to haul around live.

Save yourself a lot of trouble and do the following with pedals. It won't sound exactly like the Taurus pedals ( I had some in the early eighties) but it's close. More importantly it feels like an analog synth in the band
played live. Don't get picky and sit alone in your room at home and say,
"It doesn't sound exactly like em". Take your pedals out to the gig and
play them with real people. You'll have a blast, and I promise no one in
the audience will know the difference.

1. Get a good digital octaver that's low latency.
Boss OC3, EHX Micro Pog etc.
2. Follow that with a Fuzz or distortion. Big Muff, Fulldrive, etc.
3. Then a simple chorus.

Blend your octaver around 50/50 and set your other pedals to taste.
Gain stage them so your signal is not much hotter than your bass alone.
( Watch your speaker cones, the octaver can really make em work with those low frequencies)

If you go with Boss pedals which can be had used everywhere, you can
get the job done for under $200 cables and all.

Good luck and have fun with your portable monster "synth bass tone".

Rick
 
#7
I guess in my case bass synths or pedals don't work the way I want. I want to play the root with the bass pedals and play melodies on top of it with my bass. I think Roland peldals and some sound module is my way to go.
Marko
 
#8
Actually, I use my Roland GR-20 for pretty much that. I use slower triggering sounds and the hold function, sometimes with the internal octave down on the patch. It works well enough for me and it might be easier than trying to play keyboard with your feet :D
 
#10
I use a Roland PK5 pedal keyboard with a Roland SH-32 synth module.

The SH-32 is small enough that i can fit it on my pedal board (see picture below), is built in a comparatively sturdy plate box, sounds pretty good and analoguish for a budget synth, is easy as a breeze to edit with most parameters accessible via knobs and sliders, and best of all you can pick up a used one VERY cheap.

Edit: The SH-32 is out of production and these days there are a lot of good and cheap virtual analog synths on the used marked that should do the job. I am not a synth guru in any way, so you might want to check out a synth forum for more experienced advice on what budget synth best fits the Taurus bill, or wait for word here from more knowledgeable TB:ers.

Personally, when it's time to replace the SH-32 I will go for one of the later Virus boxes. They're about the same size as the SH-32 and sounds incredible - might be a bit on the expensive side though.
 

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#12
Ely said:
A Moog Little Phatty and Roland PK5 are near the top of my GAS list.
Click to expand...

Oh, I forgot that jewel, the Little Phatty is sweet! Might be a bit on the expensive side though if you are on a budget and only gonna use it to emulate Taurus pedals.

In a year or two when the Phattys start to pop up used at reasonable prices I will definitely try to get me one.

At the moment though I think it's nice not having to lug around more stuff than I have to - I use an EBS TD650 with 4x10+1x15 cabs as my main rig, Sandberg California JM5 Supreme as main fretted with a BB5000 as backup, a Cirrus 6 fretless, cased pedalboard and the PK5 - and I honestly can't fit a fullsize keyboard case in my car toghether with all the other stuff 8-/

That's why the table style synth boxes, a la SH-32 or Virus, that fits on a pedal board, is a better choice for me at the moment.

On the other hand you can never have too much gear, I guess I just have to get myself a bigger car then ;-)
 
#13
Ely said:
A Moog Little Phatty and Roland PK5 are near the top of my GAS list.
Click to expand...

I've had a Little Phatty for a few months now -- it's ridiculously PHAT and would be perfect with the Roland PK5s.

Not cheap though, and since there's no rack version it would take up some stage space.

I've been looking for a lower budget way of midi controlling the LP with my feet other than the PK5 but there's not many other alternatives. I'm currently looking for a ramshackle setup that takes up less floorspace and will allow me to change 4 or 5 pre-programmed notes for a particular song.

out
 
#15
As far as sound sources go, another possibility is an Alesis Micron or Ion synth (they use the same synth engine, the Micron is kind of like a little brother to the Ion) along with a PK5. I have both an Ion and the real deal Taurus pedals (which will never be for sale by the way ;)), and I can get reasonably close to the Taurus sound with the Ion (ironically, the Ion comes with Taurus pedal preset patches that don't really sound like a Taurus; I programmed my own patches.) The Taurus still has that extra fatness and something special going on, but lay-listeners in an audience probably won't notice any difference.

Another inexpensive virtual-analog keyboard like a microKorg or Roland SH-201 may work as well, but I haven't used those two boards.
 
#18
HenfieldJ said:
Check out http://www.basyn.com/ There is a low cost small MIDI controller and an Analog(?) foot pedal synth that is not too much money and has a couple of good sounds, judging by the samples on the site.

Has anyone bought one of these or seen them before?
Click to expand...

Thanks Henfield!

This is exactly what I've been looking for, a low cost midi board that allows me to change 4 or 5 notes a song!

The colors are fugly but maybe it's available in others.....

I'll let you all know if I hear back.

CM
 
#19
Yo, I just ordered the BASYN MIDI Kit (formerly MIDIPeds, by Howard Cano) from the site.

I thought the enclosure from BASYN was just fugly and I'm sure that for another $150 I can design something more to my liking.

These kits can be wired to older Hammond pedals if you're into the traditional thing or just wired to momentary stompbox switches in the enclosure of your choosing.

Good solution for those of us not sold on the old-style organ bass pedals or who don't want to take up that much floorspace.

out
 
#20
Colonel Monk said:
Yo, I just ordered the BASYN MIDI Kit (formerly MIDIPeds, by Howard Cano) from the site.

I thought the enclosure from BASYN was just fugly and I'm sure that for another $150 I can design something more to my liking.

These kits can be wired to older Hammond pedals if you're into the traditional thing or just wired to momentary stompbox switches in the enclosure of your choosing.

Good solution for those of us not sold on the old-style organ bass pedals or who don't want to take up that much floorspace.

out
Click to expand...

Are you going to go with a metal console style floorboard like the BASYN? If so, let me know if you find one in stock. I was looking at the 20" Hammond enclosure, but not only is it $60, I couldn't find anyone that has it in stock and lets me order only one. Digikey lets you buy one, but will get it to you mid-June.
 

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