source audio c4

[Annette]

So, NAMM 2023.....will there be a new SA pedal?

 

[rsmith601]

Can anyone recommend a preset that will get me close to this synth tone? Thanks in advance

@fivestringgecko ? @Quatschmacher ?

 

[Quatschmacher]

@fivestringgecko ? @Quatschmacher ?

I had a quick listen this morning. Sounds quite close to the Moog bass patch Matt Johnson programs in a tutorial video on YouTube: two square waves tuned to the same octave, 2nd one with a narrower pulse width (not possible on C4’s square bit kind of doable using 2 FM voices (like I did in my Ain’t Nobody patch)), instant attack, fairly short decay, 1/3 filter tracking, medium low resonance, cutoff about 1/3 open, high envelope depth. The problem will be the lack of envelope sustain control.

I might have had a go at that sound on C4, I can’t remember (I definitely did it on the FI at the time a couple of years ago). If not, I can try over the weekend when I’m less busy.

 

[rsmith601]

Can anyone recommend a preset that will get me close to this synth tone? Thanks in advance

Here is the list of all the "Aint Nobody" presets:
Neuro Community by Source Audio

 

[Quatschmacher]

Here is the list of all the "Aint Nobody" presets:
Neuro Community by Source Audio

I was a bit ambiguous in my wording. I meant that getting a narrow pulse wasn’t possible on the standard square wave but that I achieved a similar thing by using FM. (I didn’t mean that the OP’s video sounded like the Ain’t Nobody patch.)

So, combining the way I made the narrow pulse on that patch (took two voices, one as an inaudible modulator) and coupling it with a standard square wave on a spare voice should give the basic oscillator configuration needed for the OP’s required sound. From there, it’s a question of playing with the filter and envelope settings.

 

[StormJH1]

What is the prevailing wisdom as to how to improve the sustain of the C4 Synth without compromising note tracking? Compressors would be the obvious choice to stop the notes from decaying prematurely, and I've seen examples online where people have used compressors before C4, after C4, and even both. They also employ extreme settings on their compressors that I would never use on guitar - things like setting the ratio to "infinite" or completely diming the gain/level on the input compressor, and then level things off with a more traditionally set compressor afterwards.

Here's one YouTube example where he uses the compressor in front:



But I know the Source Audio guys will also tell you that C4 Synth responds best to a dry signal, especially on patches that have like a filter/envelope effect. Compression in front may sustain the input longer, but it also removes all the dynamics that might make the C4 patch sound good in the first place.

I know a lot of people on this forum are familiar with HX Stomp. Currently, I have dedicated C4 Synth presets on Stomp that trigger C4 presets. I usually have a Rochester Comp or LA Studio at the start of the signal chain. I've seen some people running C4 into the Stomp's FX loop, but that makes no sense to me because I do not use an amp or cab block - I'm just running C4 straight through and apply effects.

Any tricks for improved note sustain using HX Stomp or separate compressor pedals? Thanks!

 

[Gsnorgathon]

Well, there's sustain and there's sustain. In any case, I'd go with compressor first, since that would help tracking. (Of course, if you like glitch, maybe afterward is the way to go.) Do you want the organ drone that opens Also Sprach Zarathustra? Crank that ratio! If you want envelope following, tone it way down. Unless you're always doing the same thing, you'll need to experiment. Ideally you'd have presets for different use cases.

 

[rsmith601]

What is the prevailing wisdom as to how to improve the sustain of the C4 Synth without compromising note tracking? Compressors would be the obvious choice to stop the notes from decaying prematurely, and I've seen examples online where people have used compressors before C4, after C4, and even both. They also employ extreme settings on their compressors that I would never use on guitar - things like setting the ratio to "infinite" or completely diming the gain/level on the input compressor, and then level things off with a more traditionally set compressor afterwards.

Here's one YouTube example where he uses the compressor in front:



But I know the Source Audio guys will also tell you that C4 Synth responds best to a dry signal, especially on patches that have like a filter/envelope effect. Compression in front may sustain the input longer, but it also removes all the dynamics that might make the C4 patch sound good in the first place.

I know a lot of people on this forum are familiar with HX Stomp. Currently, I have dedicated C4 Synth presets on Stomp that trigger C4 presets. I usually have a Rochester Comp or LA Studio at the start of the signal chain. I've seen some people running C4 into the Stomp's FX loop, but that makes no sense to me because I do not use an amp or cab block - I'm just running C4 straight through and apply effects.

Any tricks for improved note sustain using HX Stomp or separate compressor pedals? Thanks!

Feed the dry signal to the envelope detector. Feed the compressed signal to the possessing path.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Can anyone recommend a preset that will get me close to this synth tone? Thanks in advance

I had a quick listen this morning. Sounds quite close to the Moog bass patch Matt Johnson programs in a tutorial video on YouTube.

@Quatschmacher - One of the patches in my latest batch is based from one of Matt's Moog videos... Wonder if we're talking about the same video?

@bassplaynbaiken - I've got a patch posted to the Neuro Cloud for The Way You Make Me Feel that sounds pretty darn close. A few adjustments to on your end for your specific gear (like input and output levels in particular) and it might get you where you want to be, or at least close.

What is the prevailing wisdom as to how to improve the sustain of the C4 Synth without compromising note tracking? Compressors would be the obvious choice to stop the notes from decaying prematurely, and I've seen examples online where people have used compressors before C4, after C4, and even both.

I'll have to check out that video and see if it jives with my experiences.

I did some pretty extensive testing with both the C4 and Future Impact in regards to using a compressor, and ended up with a compressor on both sides with light 4:1 ratios. The goal with the Empress at the beginning is more to help clean up tracking/triggering and balance out levels between basses rather than increase sustain, but I think it does help with that a bit simply by doing what a compressor is supposed to do. The goal of the comp after (Deluxe Comp at the beginning of my Stomp's main patches) is more to tame any potential volume spikes from the synths, but again might also help a bit with sustain as a side effect of additional compression. Seems to work pretty well for me... I've been using this dual comp setup with my 80's pop cover band for a while now.

What I'll also mention is that the sustain of a patch also has a lot to do with actual patch settings. While the C4 doesn't have full ADSR control (Attack Delay Sustain Release) like the Impact, SA has included a few ADSR envelope presets that are still quite good and let you adjust attack and decay. This doesn't always get me where I want to go though, but I've found that a creative way to add sustain within a C4 patch is to utilize the separate Envelope controls... Sometimes I'll program the "main" sound of the patch using Envelope 1, and then add a voice with Envelope 2 that uses a different envelope type, slower speed and higher sensitivity to extend the sound of the held note. I think I even have a patch or two that inverts that second filter for the initial attack of a down filter sound (mixed in with the main sound) that then evens out to a longer sustain. It's kind of "faking" having a Sustain control.

EDIT: I'll also have to try out @rsmith601's routing suggestion above!

5sg.

Current signal Chain:
Empress Comp > Harmonic Booster > C4 > FI > Stomp > Valve Drive

 

[Quatschmacher]

Feed the dry signal to the envelope detector. Feed the compressed signal to the possessing path.

Great idea.

 

[Quatschmacher]

@Quatschmacher - One of the patches in my latest batch is based from one of Matt's Moog videos... Wonder if we're talking about the same video?

That’s the one.

Sometimes I'll program the "main" sound of the patch using Envelope 1, and then add a voice with Envelope 2 that uses a different envelope type, slower speed and higher sensitivity to extend the sound of the held note. I think I even have a patch or two that inverts that second filter for the initial attack of a down filter sound (mixed in with the main sound) that then evens out to a longer sustain. It's kind of "faking" having a Sustain control.

That’s a cool idea. I tend to use one of the envelopes for the amp though so wouldn’t be able to utilise that on those.

 

[StormJH1]

@rsmith601 & @fivestringgecko - Those are some great suggestions! Thanks for the detailed responses and I will be experimenting with those on different patches. In many cases, the quick decay of notes is actually quite useful (staccato bass patterns, for example). But I was playing around with some analog lead patches, and was wondering what I could do to make the notes ring out longer. Reverb and delay can also go a long way towards the perception of that, as well.

 

[StormJH1]

DXB 11 by @TheHook is a fantastic preset. It's like a quick decay FM Bass but with some of those digital overtones in the finish. I couldn't believe I was hearing a guitar through a pedal instead of something like a DX7. It was recommended to me a few pages ago, I think, along with FMB1, but the latter doesn't seem to track as well.

Actually, one of the oddities/quirks is how certain patches seem to track better across the fretboard than others, even if the input and instruments settings are the same. My input level is set between 95-105 for basically all my patches - that seemed to be the sweet spot for most, based on the clipping LED on the pedal and my use of mostly single coils and P-90's on guitar. Of course, I change the note tracking to a 22-fret guitar for high or low.

Some patches can do that and handle the low E string bass notes all the way up to 12th to 15th fret high E string solos (using careful C4 technique, of course). But some patches will seem to lose tracking and fail to register the higher strings, and I can never sort out why.

 

[foldyman]

Hello, I've just changed my signal path, and no longer have any gain before the C4 - just stright in with my bass. Of course I'm having to adjust the input level on the C4, but I'm finding that I need to have it maxed out to get anywhere near the right setting per the calibration. This is passive single coils on a J (two different ones), but still. How do others find the input level, is this normal?

 

[geobassix]

Same here, with passive bass maxed out hardly ever trigger the red led calibration, however doesn’t seem to affect the playability of my C4.

 

[deepestend]

I'll ask here: I'm able to load some spectrum settings via the desktop app. However, I can't do it via the IOS app using a USB cable. Has anyone else had that issue? Everything is up to date... upgraded the desktop app and used it to update the pedal and deleted and reloaded the iphone app. Still, can't get spectrum settings on the C4 from my phone. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Gibs210]

I'll ask here: I'm able to load some spectrum settings via the desktop app. However, I can't do it via the IOS app using a USB cable. Has anyone else had that issue? Everything is up to date... upgraded the desktop app and used it to update the pedal and deleted and reloaded the iphone app. Still, can't get spectrum settings on the C4 from my phone. Anyone else have this issue?

Are you attempting to use the spectrum instead of the c4 from the mobile app selection menu? If so, it won’t work with the c4 you need to use the c4 from the pedal caracal and then search for spectrum presets from it.

 

[deepestend]

Are you attempting to use the spectrum instead of the c4 from the mobile app selection menu? If so, it won’t work with the c4 you need to use the c4 from the pedal caracal and then search for spectrum presets from it.

No, I'm going through the C4 section on the iphone app (press the image of the C4 upon opening the app). I then go to the "factory" section of presets where Spectrum presets show up. If I press a C4 preset, I'm able to demo that sound. If I press a Spectrum preset, the last C4 preset I was demoing remains active. I'm not able to demo the Spectrum presets (or community created ones) and I'm not able to load them onto my C4. With the desktop app using the same cable, this isn't an issue at all.

 

[Quatschmacher]

Are you attempting to use the spectrum instead of the c4 from the mobile app selection menu? If so, it won’t work with the c4 you need to use the c4 from the pedal caracal and then search for spectrum presets from it.

And while on the subject, what happened to the 6th C4 factory preset “Funk Dragon”? It’s no longer in the list. Was this to do with Nathan leaving SA? Or is it a bug?

 

[deepestend]

No, I'm going through the C4 section on the iphone app (press the image of the C4 upon opening the app). I then go to the "factory" section of presets where Spectrum presets show up. If I press a C4 preset, I'm able to demo that sound. If I press a Spectrum preset, the last C4 preset I was demoing remains active. I'm not able to demo the Spectrum presets (or community created ones) and I'm not able to load them onto my C4. With the desktop app using the same cable, this isn't an issue at all.

I can certainly get by with desktop. I just like being able to do it from my phone because every now and then during a rehearsal, I find that I've gone too far with my adjustments and can't get back. The easiest thing for me then is just to reload the preset and start over.