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Synth sound description

Wes Whitmore

Wes Whitmore

Mar 10, 2003
1,946
30
49
Columbus, OH
#1
I have never heard a sound clip of one, but does a synth sound like an organ/piano? I am looking for a way to reproduce the organ sound in the beginning of "swing swing" by the All American Rejects. It is just a clean organ sound. Can you play cords through them as well?
Thanks,
Wes
 
#2
You'll find sound samples of the most common/popular ones at this page : Invalid Link Removed

If you want a taste of what an Electro Harmonix or Korg G5 can do (I find them to be both different from the other ones, and similar to each other in capacity), look here : Invalid Link Removed
 
#3
generally chords dont work well with synth devices and you also probably wont be able to get a clean organ sound. I may be wrong, but my definition of synth effect on a bass is just something that makes it sound synthetic... completely different from your sound and not at all natural. Generally synths are very dirty sounding, and are very squelchy. Usually they are done with an octaver, fuzz, and envelope filter.
 
#4
Actually, bass synths are (in most cases, if they're not synth emulators) actual synths.
You can look here to get a description of how a synth works : Link Removed.
In the case of a bass synth pedal, you have to think you're replacing the oscillator with your bass output, to which the unit adds an envelope for the waveform.
(This could be somewhat inaccurate, as I only started learning about this recently... Seems to be working for me so far though.)

It is true that you won't get a clean keyboard sound out of them. That, as far as I understand, is based on the types of waveforms those pedals employ.
 
#6
What you want is a pipe organ sound (just checked the song "Swing Swing")...
Don't think I've ever heard an effect that sounded anything like that.

The only thing I can see coming somewhat close (and that's a rather distant close) is a heavy amount of chorus, with maybe some octaver in the mix...
That's how I'd first try to go at it if I had to do an adaptation of that intro on the bass.

But if you really want to get that sound, I'm afraid you're talking midi bass.
 
#7
don't have a chorus pedal yet, but I guess I can pick one up. I don't think it will be that close, but I could still use the pedal. I have been trying to decide if I want to keep buying separate pedals, or find a multi that is halfway decent.
Thanks guys,
Wes
 
#8
Originally posted by Raman

But if you really want to get that sound, I'm afraid you're talking midi bass.
Click to expand...

Yup. I play a midi bass and have great organ tones, and my band even plays Swing Swing! Unfortuntely, they decided that we'll go straight into it out of All the Small Things, so they cut off the intro and we go right into the riff. No organ for me :( I know the organ returns in the break, but not very much.
 
#9
If you want a B-3 simulation, this is what Roscoe Beck recommends from Link Removed

The TC Electronics 1210 chorus/flanger has been an effects staple in my system for many years; it's pretty much like having two chorus pedals in one rackmount unit. I set one side to a medium speed, the other to a fairly quick one: any time I do the two-handed tapping routine, one or both of these settings is on. Often I switch between them to simulate the "slow Leslie/fast Leslie" effect. The Lexicon PCM-80 has a lot more versatility than I make use of, I must admit: I pretty much use it only for reverb settings, but reverb is my favorite effect, and this has several good settings.
 
#11
A midi bass is a bass w/ a special pickup that converts what you play into midi data that can run a synthesizer tone module. You can basically make any sound a keyboardist can if you buy enough modules. I think the new Lightwave pickups do this. I have older midi basses -- my Roland early '80s GR is my favorite, but I also have an early '90s Peavey Midibase.
 
#14
Oh well, I guess I will scrap the idea. I don't really want to add any pickups to my bass. Thanks for the guidence though. At least I learned something today. If you want to elaborate a little more on how the whole midi thing works, I would be happy to read it.
Thanks,
Wes
 

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