just got mine yesterday. love the thing for long sustain notes. altho I find it glitchy at tracking (a bit faster play)
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EHX Bass Mono Synth
- Thread starter ChubbyJerk
- Start date
Update to my previous post...
I moved the Mono Synth ahead of my compressor to where it's the first box in the signal chain following the tuner and amazing things happened. It now tracks like a champ. The tracking is phenomenal using fingers or pick. It even tracks through the double-stop (octaves) slide from the bass line in Runaway by Jamiroquai, picking up the lowest note in the double stop and switching to the higher octave at the end of the slide as that note takes dominance.
I didn't think having a compressor ahead of it would make such a difference, but in my case it did. So, if you're complaining about how it tracks then place it ahead of the train before tossing it out.
In a mix I'm finding that a lot of the patches get buried, other than the zingy ones running through overdrive. That's not really unexpected as a keyboard synth would have the same issue. It just doesn't "punch" due to the brief delay required to latch the note. I find that playing slightly ahead of the beat can help but it's different with each patch. One exception I've found, and one of my favorite patches in a mix for me now, is the Acid setting using an expression pedal backed off. That patch acts as a very thick octave pedal.
I'm digging it!
I moved the Mono Synth ahead of my compressor to where it's the first box in the signal chain following the tuner and amazing things happened. It now tracks like a champ. The tracking is phenomenal using fingers or pick. It even tracks through the double-stop (octaves) slide from the bass line in Runaway by Jamiroquai, picking up the lowest note in the double stop and switching to the higher octave at the end of the slide as that note takes dominance.
I didn't think having a compressor ahead of it would make such a difference, but in my case it did. So, if you're complaining about how it tracks then place it ahead of the train before tossing it out.
In a mix I'm finding that a lot of the patches get buried, other than the zingy ones running through overdrive. That's not really unexpected as a keyboard synth would have the same issue. It just doesn't "punch" due to the brief delay required to latch the note. I find that playing slightly ahead of the beat can help but it's different with each patch. One exception I've found, and one of my favorite patches in a mix for me now, is the Acid setting using an expression pedal backed off. That patch acts as a very thick octave pedal.
I'm digging it!
I just joined a band that is throwing a few pop songs into the list and I've been debating between this and the microsynth. Obviously, the price is leaning me towards the mono, but for versatility, would I be better off spending the money on the micro instead?
so after a compressor works the best for you?
---------------------------------------------------------------
in another note
I happen to have a b3n. using this before an step sequencer , octaver or pitch shifter works awesomely.
No, it tracks best when first in the chain.
After spending some time with the mono synth on my practice amp at home, I almost wrote this pedal off as more of a novelty effect that, while interesting, probably wouldn't be very useful in the band. I had a few issues with it a first, mostly with tracking notes in drop tuning, that made it seem unreliable and hard to use effectively, especially live. Turns out that was my own fault for not putting it first in the chain. So, PRO TIP, put it first in your signal chain!
Overall, I was a bit disappointed and let it sit unused for awhile before deciding to give it a final shot with the full band to see how it'd hold up. All I can say is whoa! I was super impressed with how, at high volumes, the notes tracked perfectly with almost no glitching out/stuttering sounds. Most of the preset synth sounds were more than usable, and when combined with other effects like chorus, delay, and reverb, it put out a very atmospheric vibe that is very diverse, depending on the preset being used. I do a lot of really washy, kind of ambient bass interludes between songs and had been hoping a synth bass pedal would deliver more options to play with in that regard. Really glad I went back and gave this a chance! So far, I'm digging the Wub setting with a slow rate and some chorus, delay, and reverb. Creates a killer drone effect!
TL;DR - Sweet pedal! Went from NOT to HOT!
Overall, I was a bit disappointed and let it sit unused for awhile before deciding to give it a final shot with the full band to see how it'd hold up. All I can say is whoa! I was super impressed with how, at high volumes, the notes tracked perfectly with almost no glitching out/stuttering sounds. Most of the preset synth sounds were more than usable, and when combined with other effects like chorus, delay, and reverb, it put out a very atmospheric vibe that is very diverse, depending on the preset being used. I do a lot of really washy, kind of ambient bass interludes between songs and had been hoping a synth bass pedal would deliver more options to play with in that regard. Really glad I went back and gave this a chance! So far, I'm digging the Wub setting with a slow rate and some chorus, delay, and reverb. Creates a killer drone effect!
TL;DR - Sweet pedal! Went from NOT to HOT!
I have both... they are really quite different animals.
The Micro Synth behaves more like an envelope filter that then uses fuzz-like clipped sound-waves to emulate the synth sounds along with the octaves. The Micro Synth does not really provide a huge variety of synth sounds. It does what it does very well and predictably.
The Mono Synth takes the input pitch and produces a separate, very specific synth waveform, including a few settings that contain some subdivided harmonics and a couple of tweakable parameters to fine tune the result. It actually has a much wider variety of available sounds than the Micro. It also does what it does very well, but less predictably since it relies on a consistent input signal and very clean, consistent technique, moreso than the Micro Synth.
Just because the Micro Synth costs more does not mean it is "better". Also, just because they both have "Synth" in the name does not mean that they are just different versions of the same thing or are mutually exclusive... again, they are quite different. I am not running them together on the same board but, who knows, maybe I will!
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Nice comparison, very useful. But I would like to add that I found the Micro Synth to be very versatile. By only changing the frequencies of the filter sweep, you could get tons of different synth sounds, from short with a lot of bite to long ambient ones. Add the four sources you feed in the filter, and the possibilities seem endless. I only got rid of it because it couldn't track properly below the A on the E string and the lack of saving presets (and the future impact came along...). Both these pedals have their merits and I fully agree that the most expensive pedal don't always suit your needs.
That's exactly what I've been waiting to hear. As much as I wish I could afford the future impact, sounds like the mono is what I'm looking for
The Micro Synth does indeed allow for many variations but they all share a quite similar basic quality. You can change the sweep, speed and direction of the filter and ad or subtract the octaves or fuzz... and adjust the attack but any of the really useful settings tend to fall in a similar spectrum. IMHO as of today of course. Perhaps I need to spend more time exploring.
I have to ask my usual famous question - Which, if either, will do this?:
I can approximate these with my SYB-3, but it's not completely doing it for me....maybe I just need a MIDI pickup and a Moog....
The Micro Synth won't get that clean slippery tone. The Mono Synth has a patch that might work in combo with an envelope filter but it won't track well enough to play some of those runs unless you play quite flawlessly.
Aside from using a real synth or a midi pickup like you suggest...I would probably go with just a straight up octave into an envelope filter and then let my technique try to fill in the gaps. (emphasis on "try" since my technique ain't great).
Yeah, that workaround is a common reply when this comes up; after all this time and with all the new pedals coming out we still don't have the pedal so many have been asking for.
While far from perfect, the SYB-3 (not sure about the -5, Deep Impact, or other high-end pedals) comes closer than my OC-2 with a Chorus and/or Envelope filter, there's just something missing for that kind of sound, you gave a good name for it - slippery.
While far from perfect, the SYB-3 (not sure about the -5, Deep Impact, or other high-end pedals) comes closer than my OC-2 with a Chorus and/or Envelope filter, there's just something missing for that kind of sound, you gave a good name for it - slippery.
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Yep, this was my experience as well. Cool pedal, especially for the price, but ended up not being that useful to me so I flipped it.
Mine finally arrived 
And of course here is demo , enjoy!
And of course here is demo , enjoy!
Well....
I've had a Deep Impact, Future Impact and a Bass Micro Synth.
And after 2 days with the Bass Mono Synth I'm really digging it.
I don't need a ton of sounds so this really hit the sweet spot for me.
22 sounds (11 factory/11 altered presets) is plenty for me.
And the price....amazing!
Playing clean has always been a pet peeve so I'm not having much issue with the occasional artifact.
Proper adjustment of the sensitivity knob really helps also.
Only niggle: I wish the reaction/tracking was a little bit faster.
But with clean technique it's fast enough for most things.
It certainly forces you to play clean (but is that a bad thing?....).
I'm guessing basses with buzzy action could be problematic also.
Since the altered preset also remembers the position of the expression (pedal),
I'm going to get one of those mini (2"x 2") expression control knobs to put right next to it.
It will give me one more parameter for storing altered presets.
Especially the one where the expression controls the pitch of the secondary tone by half steps.
This pedal is an unbelievable value.
.
I've had a Deep Impact, Future Impact and a Bass Micro Synth.
And after 2 days with the Bass Mono Synth I'm really digging it.
I don't need a ton of sounds so this really hit the sweet spot for me.
22 sounds (11 factory/11 altered presets) is plenty for me.
And the price....amazing!
Playing clean has always been a pet peeve so I'm not having much issue with the occasional artifact.
Proper adjustment of the sensitivity knob really helps also.
Only niggle: I wish the reaction/tracking was a little bit faster.
But with clean technique it's fast enough for most things.
It certainly forces you to play clean (but is that a bad thing?....).
I'm guessing basses with buzzy action could be problematic also.
Since the altered preset also remembers the position of the expression (pedal),
I'm going to get one of those mini (2"x 2") expression control knobs to put right next to it.
It will give me one more parameter for storing altered presets.
Especially the one where the expression controls the pitch of the secondary tone by half steps.
This pedal is an unbelievable value.
.
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