For all those searching for Synth Bass

[markjazzbassist]

I just stumbled upon this and am flabbergasted. 4 note Polyphonic Analog Bass Synthesizer :0

Roland GR33B Info



You need a Roland guitar (old one) to hook up to it, but DANG that's synth bass at it's finest. I'm kinda jonesing for one

 

[scotch]

That is pretty cool.

I've pretty much given up on "bass guitar triggered synth's" though. Honestly I've found that just buying a cheap keyboard synth, or key controller & soft-synth program, just work so much better! Tracking is always perfect, far more flexibility and it's more & more common to see the 'bassist' on stage with a small keyboard these days.

Of course, this is TalkBass! But, I sometimes think we're just making things far harder for ourselves with all of these gizmo's to convert string vibrations into synth sounds.

 

[bobulibobium]

Holy cow!

GASGAGSAGSGAGSAGSGAGS!11!!1!!2!!!

 

[Swimming Bird]

Very neat. Not really GASsing for it, but it is a cool part of synth bass history.

If it could take a straight 13-pin cable I might be singing a different tune though.

 

[Robertron]

Awesome toy.
Ugly bass.

 

[bassbrad]

The GR33B had some awesome sounds but the tracking was very finicky and you pretty much had to use a Roland Bass controller and they left a lot to be desired.

 

[Feral Feline]

Awesome toy.
Ugly bass.

Ugly Toy
Awesome bass

Back in the day I just wanted the cool-looking bass 'cause it wasn't yet another boring (traditional) shaped bass, and it wasn't metal (the only basses at the time that broke free of conventional shape constraints).

I still think they look cool, in a retro-nouveau way. Would be a great prop for an 80's cover band -- covers the look and the soundzzzz. If only they had today's tech back then, to solve the tracking issues.

My how tastes/times have changed. I'd rather have a "boring-looking" '66 P or J now.
With the Roland bass in the closet...

 

[Pandafist]

Uh... yeah... I'd rock the HELL out of that thing!!!

 

[giacomini]

That is pretty cool.

I've pretty much given up on "bass guitar triggered synth's" though. Honestly I've found that just buying a cheap keyboard synth, or key controller & soft-synth program, just work so much better! Tracking is always perfect, far more flexibility and it's more & more common to see the 'bassist' on stage with a small keyboard these days.

Of course, this is TalkBass! But, I sometimes think we're just making things far harder for ourselves with all of these gizmo's to convert string vibrations into synth sounds.

+1. I'm GASing a lot for another Alesis Micron... Should never have sold that one...

 

[markjazzbassist]

The GR33B had some awesome sounds but the tracking was very finicky and you pretty much had to use a Roland Bass controller and they left a lot to be desired.

i think you have it confused with other roland synths. the gr33b and gr300 are the flagships of that line. they are heralded for having the best tracking. pat metheny still uses his to this day.

yes you have to use a roland controller, but what i'm talking about are the sounds. if you want your bass to sound like a moog which many on here have posted, this is how you do it.

 

[MattBza]

Any of you fellow Gr33b enthusiasts have any ideas on repair of unit? My low E string is producing an out of tune note when run thru the synth, I don't know who even to bring it too, though the look on their face might be worth it, Thanks

 

[kevteop]

I've pretty much given up on "bass guitar triggered synth's" though. Honestly I've found that just buying a cheap keyboard synth, or key controller & soft-synth program, just work so much better! Tracking is always perfect, far more flexibility and it's more & more common to see the 'bassist' on stage with a small keyboard these days.

I agree, but the other day I was going through some old rehearsal recordings (I've been lazy and ended up with about 15 hours that I haven't reviewed yet) and in many cases I couldn't actually tell whether I was playing bass guitar or synth...