• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fuzz and filter combo for synth?

I got my Qballs modded to have the distortion pot on the outside. I use the onboard distortion (which actually sounds very fuzz-like, IMO) along with the Blend knob, which brings BP and even HP into play. I get a huge variety of synth-like tones this way. Of course, it all depends on what kind of synthy tones you're looking for, so as RickenBoogie suggested, experiment!
 
I got my Qballs modded to have the distortion pot on the outside. I use the onboard distortion (which actually sounds very fuzz-like, IMO) along with the Blend knob, which brings BP and even HP into play. I get a huge variety of synth-like tones this way. Of course, it all depends on what kind of synthy tones you're looking for, so as RickenBoogie suggested, experiment!

That mod sounds cool. Who did it?
 
can you post some of your settings on the enigma to get synthy sounds please?
I'm actually a keyboardist, and I do bass lines on keyboard, so YMMV, but here's my favorite of many Qballs synth-like tones:

Blend - 12:00
Mode - BP
Attack - Min. to 9:00
Decay - Min.
Start - 9:00
Stop - 12:00 to 3:00
Q - 12:00
Sens - Max
Distortion - On
Distortion pot - 12:00

Play with the Attack knob and get some looooong, nasty sweeps!

P.S. I use the Riddle, not the Enigma, because I use it on my keyboard's highs, mids and lows. The Enigma is specifically tuned for bass frequencies, but after listening to several demos for both, it sounds like you'll get virtually the same tones with the same settings. The Riddle is plenty fat, but I'm guessing you'll get even more low end with the Enigma.
 
If you want synthy combos I'd definitely look at Source Audio.

+1. I use the MWBDP for some fuzz by using the "normal" distortion and clean/EQ boost morphed slightly short of halfway via expression pedal and some very synthy envelope filter settings on the BEF Pro, and get very vowely filter sounds. Also, you can use some of the other distortion settings for synth-like tones, then add in the BEF either in phaser or envelope filter settings, and can use the LFO on the BEF for sequencing type sounds. It takes some work to find your perfect settings and sounds, but there are options o' plenty!
 
Are there any kind of combinations of settings I can use on an EHX Bass Big Muff and EHX Enigma to give me a kind of synthy sound?

I'm assuming the big muff would need to come first?

Yes put the Big Muff 1st. I used to own an enigma but never a Big Muff. But I am certain that if you were to put an octave pedal in front of that Big Muff and then go into the Enigma that you could get some synthy sounding bass.
 
I use to own a EHX Enigma and it was very synthy. I use the following in some way for synthy sounds:

Fuzz:

1) Wooly Mammoth: THE gated fuzz
2) Behringher BSY-600: NES in a box, 3 waveforms, awesome range
3) Russian BM with gate and voltage starve knob: amazing....
4) Tech 21 Red Ripper: dirty Moogish tones

Filter:

1) 3-Leaf Groove Regulator: best envelope filter PERIOD! (at least for me and I've tried A LOT of them)
2) Digitech Bass Synth Wah: Taurus-like sounds, synthy vocals, good octaver

I know its not mentioned but a Boss OC-2 with the OCT-1 soloed makes just about ANYTHING synthy!