hating microsynth - any alternatives?

[project_c]

just bought the EH microsynth and im hating the way it sounds, cheap and nasty, so it's going back to the store first thing in the morning. i was looking for something along these lines, but i guess with a better sound, cleaner filters and something not so reliant on either cheesey effects or distortion. anyone know of any decent synth / filter effects out there that actually moves and filters the bass in a good direction as opposed to just turn it into a cheap 80s synth?

 

[RCCollins]

The BMS actually sounds more like an expensive 70s synth than a cheap 80s (digital?) synth. Maybe you should try lowering the resonance. Otherwise, I recommend getting a nice fuzz, an octave up/down, and a smoother envelope filter (maxon maybe).

Seriously though, the BMS is hard to beat for one compact package. I don't know what settings you're using but you could try lowering the resonance and square wave, raise the dry ("guitar") signal, and blending in judicious amounts of actave up/down.

Depending on your bass, you should also play with the sensitivity ("trigger").

I'd experiment a bit more before you take it back, because otherwise you may find yourself eventually coming back to the BMS after going through a bunch of trashy digital bass synths, if not turning yourself off to the concept entirely.

Some folks swear by the boss and digitech bass synth/wahs though. They probably do sound "smoother" in some settings, and require less tinkering.

 

[Oh! Henry]

It actually took me 4 in store tries before actually buying one. Each time I was disapointed in the complicated controls, and never got it to sound good. Until I found a salesman that actually knew what each slider did and showed me how to squeeze nice synthy sounds from it.

It could be that this pedal is not for you, because it has a certain voicing that you cannot get rid of, but if that`s the sound you want to hear, then it`s well worth the time to fiddle with it some more.

I also use it in a loop so I can control how much effect I send to my amp. It's slowly becoming my go to pedal.

 

[rratajski]

I don't know, project c. There aren't many haters of this pedal, especially on here...
You can do anything from square fuzz to drum and bass lows to funky synth all while mixing in your bass signal (with other effects too).

It is the most versatile pedal on my board, my friend. It DOES take a lot of time to master the sliders/settings and it does have to be adjusted for each different bass you use w/ it.

Give it some more time before you get rid of it...

BTW, I just saw Zozobra and both Caleb and Brodsky were using the Digi Bass Synth Wah...It was PAST AMAZING in the songs as they only played w/ two g****rs (no bass), but it's not as versatile as the BMS is...

 

[project_c]

i'm finding the lack of subtlety the real problem, i get the 'analog' aspect, but it's analog in a cheap saw-wave kind of way as opposed to a smooth analog warmth. it's hard to get sounds out of it without things turning 'metal' very fast. i'm going to spend a couple of days with it and see how it goes. i guess it needs to be tried in a band situation too, perhaps it just sounds a bit too harsh in a solo setting.

 

[kevteop]

Are you even allowed into the effects forum if you don't like the BMS?

 

[markjazzbassist]

Are you even allowed into the effects forum if you don't like the BMS?

it's a great pedal for sure.

if you're more into filters i'd say the best shot would be the new Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer. It seems to have a TON of filter capabilities.

 

[Altitude]

i'm finding the lack of subtlety the real problem, i get the 'analog' aspect, but it's analog in a cheap saw-wave kind of way

I get that. It's sort of a "Land of the Lost" kind of thing. The BMS makes a very bold musical statement. It's no Prophet 5, let's put it that way...a pretty blunt instrument. And I fully agree that it does not and will not sound like an '80s synth bass. I have found no bass effect that does.

But, sadly, it's head and shoulders above any other synth I have tried, although people claim the discontinued Akai deep impact is as good or better. In my experience, the digital synth pedals (the Bass Synth Wah, the SYB-5, and similar), had nothing I could use at all.

As has been said, you could lower the square wave volume and the resonance sliders, that would be the primary way to tame the tone a little. And, FWIW, I don't recommend "diming" all of the volume sliders - play around with them and see if you can arrive upon something that works better. It is truly obnoxious sounding if you just slide all of those up to the top.

Directly addressing your point, some of the synth patches I have heard out of the Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer have sounded a little more refined than the BMS...plus, that pedal is also an octaver, a fuzz, and an envelope filter. But it is brutally expensive, and some say, brutally complex.

 

[kevteop]

If the BMS sounds too harsh with the dirt slider up, try using just equal amounts of the oct down and the oct up, and turn off the other two voice sliders.

A filter setting I use a lot is somewhere between 75-100% on the start freq., about 50% on the stop freq. and a very short rate, down at 25%-ish. I crank the resonance up all the time.

If that's too harsh, try lowering both the start and stop freq. sliders a little bit and see if it gets any more palatable.

 

[RCCollins]

go through the whole 2 pages of sample settings, and be sure to use a bass with bridge and neck pickups for maximum flexibility.

If you're using a p-bass or some such, it might be harder to coax smother sounds out of the pedal, because you can't really play softly and get the most out of it, but a lot of settings will sound harsh with the neck pickup blended in.

 

[Dave328]

I had been curious about this pedal for a long time, and finally buckled down and bought it. When I first played it, I was disappointed. I think I've had it a little over a week now and I have a hard time playing without turning it on. You just have to play with it, so many possible settings on this thing.

Here's me playing with it on the first day...



Just adjusting settings as I'm recording the vid (can't see a damn thing in the vid, forgot the whole light part of it)

 

[icarussmicarus]

It might be helpful it you posted some youtube examples of the type of sound your actually trying to achieve. It may be the case that you need a real synth.

 

[The Lurker]

Dunno who did this one, but it gives a bunch of examples.....

 

[project_c]

that's exactly the kind of stuff im talking about - it sounds cool in its' own way, but it's harsh and nasty, it doesn't have much in common with a decent analog synth sound really, but that's just my take on it, and it's different things for different ears.. on the other hand, i LOVE the sound of the Chunk Systems squeezer thing, i think that's a lot closer to what i'm after. coming from a production background i dont find the complexity too daunting, i guess I'll just have to wait until this thing makes its' way to the UK.. is it out in the USA yet?

 

[RCCollins]

that's exactly the kind of stuff im talking about - it sounds cool in its' own way, but it's harsh and nasty, it doesn't have much in common with a decent analog synth sound really, but that's just my take on it, and it's different things for different ears.. on the other hand, i LOVE the sound of the Chunk Systems squeezer thing, i think that's a lot closer to what i'm after. coming from a production background i dont find the complexity too daunting, i guess I'll just have to wait until this thing makes its' way to the UK.. is it out in the USA yet?

Yep. But if you can't dial in tones you like on the BMS, you will HATE the Octavius Squeezer.

But you should buy one anyway so somebody else can get a deal when you flip it after three days

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Yep. But if you can't dial in tones you like on the BMS, you will HATE the Octavius Squeezer.

But you should buy one anyway so somebody else can get a deal when you flip it after three days

Depends how much you pay for it- I bought mine new and made $75 profit from selling it

 

[RCCollins]

Depends how much you pay for it- I bought mine new and made $75 profit from selling it

...and I got one used from somebody who wasn't so hard up he had to speculate on an effect pedal rolleyes, so I got it for the Australian price plus shipping.

"El puerco madrugado come la caca bien caliente"

just teasing btw, Bryan. you knew that but some folks need to lower the sensitivity on their B:Assmasters lately

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I haven't taken Spanish since 11th grade, but I believe you typed something pretty gross there. Off to Babelfish I go

 

[markjazzbassist]

go through the whole 2 pages of sample settings, and be sure to use a bass with bridge and neck pickups for maximum flexibility.

+1

i did that a couple times to learn what each slider does and how it affects the sound. great idea.

 

[newbold]

It's square wave, buddy.

If you could get sawtooth from that pedal I bet a lot of people wouldn't be looking for anything else.

Make sure to put a Mod pedal/LFO after it. It's just voicing and envelope right now.
Also, you might want to get a used Boss OC2...cause the octave on the BMS is weak.