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Synthy analog bass pedals that are designed to work together

#141
moon-bass said:
The thing with me (and I've heard this from a couple of folks in my business that also play music) is that I've been working in information technology since my early 20's. I spend hours and hours a day staring into a screen, clicking thru menus, digging thru software, building processes, etc. I can totally appreciate the power of digital pedals, but when I'm not working I prefer to not be in front of a screen.

For me at least, it's not analog snobbery or anything like that, it's just that I can't stand digging thru menus lol.

I think the digital pedals like the C4 are amazing. But yeah, to each their own. Everyone should play what's makes you happy!

I even find that I don't use my Spark practice amp or Fender Rumble Studio 40 as much as I thought I would ... Cuz I have to wait for them to boot lol.
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Rick Penrose said:
In IT since 1980 ... developer for 25 years and what you said
‘For me at least, it's not analog snobbery or anything like that, it's just that I can't stand digging thru menus lol.’ Really resonated with me. I feel the same way about pedals, TVs, Computers, and even Thermostats, Ugh ..everything has a friggin app! It gets tiring very fast. I am with you on this one.
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Exactly my feelings on digital pedals, too! It's not snobbery, they sound incredible nowadays, I just don't want to menu dive and/or sit at a computer. I'm even hesitant to buy a UA LA2A pedal for fear I'll have to update the firmware at some point. (that's probably extreme/irrational, but I'm still on the fence.)
 
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#142
eeyorebass said:
Exactly my feelings on digital pedals, too! It's not snobbery, they sound incredible nowadays, I just don't want to menu dive and/or sit at a computer. I'm even hesitant to buy a UA LA2A pedal for fear I'll have to update the firmware at some point. (that's probably extreme/irrational, but I'm still on the fence.)
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I hear you but the thing that keeps me plugging away at learning the SA pedals is my analog pedal search was never ending (and expensive). I bought pedal after pedal and never was able nail my sound. I decided to focus on working with pedals that have tons (maybe too much ;))of configuration possibilities to try and dial in my sound. For example my dirt pedal search was endless and I finally settled on the aftershock. Funny thing is most of the other tech in my house is ancient (probably to make space in my brain). Anyway apologies for hijacking the thread.
 
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#143
Rick Penrose said:
I hear you but the thing that keeps me plugging away at learning the SA pedals is my analog pedal search was never ending (and expensive). I bought pedal after pedal and never was able nail my sound. I decided to focus on working with pedals that have tons (maybe too much ;))of configuration possibilities to try and dial in my sound. For example my dirt pedal search was endless and I finally settled on the aftershock. Funny thing is most of the other tech in my house is ancient (probably to make space in my brain). Anyway apologies for hijacking the thread.
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If anything *I* hijacked the thread ..

It's my thread and I'll hijack it if i want to!!!

But seriously, I think what's working for me is that I don't have a particular sound in mind - I just want to see what's out there. I think if I was looking for a particular sound, I would be more interested in the C4, et al. The online library is nothing short of incredible. Looking for an 80's synth sound? There are dozens! Dripping wet envelope filters - gotcha! Etc.
 
#146
I picked up an All Pedal Macrodose envelope filter, and dudes and dudettes .. talk about a synthy EF! Damn this thing is cool. It's gonna take me awhile to figure some things out, but it's a nice little pedal, and it's got some cool artwork to boot.

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#147
Rick Penrose said:
That would be nice…Well there is always knob twiddling which can be pretty random at times
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It's been on VSTs and even some post-production photo software for well over a decade. I have it on plugins for everything from drum sequencers to a 'preset hybridize' function on a synth (where you can randomly mix two separate patches). Results can be saved and are editable. The simplest ones are just clickable dice, more sophisticated options let you freeze some parameters and randomize others. It's a fun, fast and simple way to get unstuck when looking for new sounds. (And a great time waster too.)
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#148
FretRiff said:
It's been on VSTs and even some post-production photo software for well over a decade. I have it on plugins for everything from drum sequencers to a 'preset hybridize' function on a synth (where you can randomly mix two separate patches). Results can be saved and are editable. The simplest ones are just clickable dice, more sophisticated options let you freeze some parameters and randomize others. It's a fun, fast and simple way to get unstuck when looking for new sounds. (And a great time waster too.)
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see, something like that and you'd lose me for hours lol!
 
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#149
eeyorebass said:
I'm even hesitant to buy a UA LA2A pedal for fear I'll have to update the firmware at some point. (that's probably extreme/irrational, but I'm still on the fence.)
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No, I'm with you! Even thought my laptop is literally feet away from where I keep my pedals, I just dread having to check to see if there is an update, find the right cable (side note: does anyone know what the music industry is still using USB-mini for the most part instead of USB-C????), download it, install it and hope it doesn't brick it, then figure out what the update did ....

And the other things is that I'll get slightly OCD if I find out there is an update to something that I own and I haven't updated it yet ...

And I also have to say that I have seen way more than my share of buggy software out there, so what if an update makes it worse, kills a valuable feature - or even worse, if I have to learn new things!
 
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#150
FretRiff said:
It's been on VSTs and even some post-production photo software for well over a decade. I have it on plugins for everything from drum sequencers to a 'preset hybridize' function on a synth (where you can randomly mix two separate patches). Results can be saved and are editable. The simplest ones are just clickable dice, more sophisticated options let you freeze some parameters and randomize others. It's a fun, fast and simple way to get unstuck when looking for new sounds. (And a great time waster too.)
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In my case ,creativity - an idea is often sparked by randomness, an accident, a new sound, pedal, different bass,or anything that shakes up the norm. I see this as a good thing.
 
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#153
Continuing the digital v. analog hijack of this thread, I thought I'd (briefly) chime in. Like some others here, I am highly reluctant to go "full digital", and until the last couple years was even scared to go digital in any capacity with my gear. Just in case of software failure/companies not supporting older products anymore. But, I have also bumped up against life as a touring musician in modern times, so the need for extreme convenience, as well as the fact that I come from a big city with (relatively) decent music infrastructure; it's foolish to assume everywhere else in the world is the same!

While all my pedals are still analog-ish (technically my Xerograph and FMeron are digital, but they are not "computers" on the inside), my DI/FOH solution is a Two Notes box with speaker sim/IR technology, and the whole digital editing suite that comes along with it. When I'm in a different city (and/or country) from gig-to-gig, and have no time to liaise with the FOH tech about dialling in a reggae bass sound (unless they have mixed several reggae show before, IME most FOH techs have NO IDEA how to make it work right), the fact I have an oven-ready bass sound to send them gives me peace of mind, and tends to guarantee that I sound something like "myself" in my floor monitor. I had to spend one or two evenings working with the editing suite to get to a happy place, and I haven't had to touch it since (that was two years ago now). Feels like I've found a happy middle ground :)
 
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#156
moon-bass said:
I do love the IE Subterrean, I'm thinking moreso than the 3 Leaf Octabrve, so I ended up picking one up, and am going to put the Subterrograph up for sale. No sense in keeping it if I only like half the pedal :)
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I really like the SubT, foolishly sold it but I’ll get another one day.
 
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#157
moon-bass said:
It's weird. I don't get along with the Xerograph Deluxe at all. It's nice but it doesn't wow me - and I don't think that has anything to do with it being digital, as I'm really digging the FMeron ....
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That is indeed surprising! Just goes to show there's no accounting for good taste.... (I kid! I kid!! Nothing but love and support here)

I kind of went the opposite way; tried a bunch of filters, and nothing really did it for me as equally capable of funky and synthy (not to mention dub reggae central, with that static low-pass option!). Plus I find its controls really useable and intuitive; with filters, I have almost always needed independent volume knobs for clean and filtered signals in order to get the balance/mix right, as opposed to a wet/dry blend knob. Or none whatsoever! I used the MXR BEF for a long, long time, despite not really loving its character/tone; it always sat perfectly in a live mix for me, and I'm pretty sure that was down to the separate clean and wet volume knobs. Most pedals I tried were either too peaky with their volume (despite some limiting-compression after to help tame things), or else the bottom dropped out because they didn't emphasize enough fundamental. Or else they simply didn't excel at both funky and synthy sounds.

Still have yet to try a Moog MF-101, or the Past-FX clone (much more likely for me than the genuine big boi); I suspect that is the only filter that could give the XD a run for its money for me.

For pure funky filter vibes, if you haven't tried the Seamoon Funk Machine, it's worth a go! It suffers from poorly executed wet/dry blend knob, but my god, the tone. Nothing out there quite like it. Crazy percussive, and super funky. Plus it can also do the super deep dub trick a la DOD FX25. It won't synth, but if you just want funk, well.... :bassist:
 
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#158
sloppy_phil said:
That is indeed surprising! Just goes to show there's no accounting for good taste.... (I kid! I kid!! Nothing but love and support here)
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Ha! My taste in poretty much everything has always been ... questionable ;-)
sloppy_phil said:
For pure funky filter vibes, if you haven't tried the Seamoon Funk Machine,
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As luck would have it, I have a Funk Machine on the way!
 
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#160
I have owned the Xerograph twice and quite like it, though I prefer the Moog/PastFX because of the Gain circuit and the way it behaves when hit hard. I do miss the option of a a down sweep on the Moog though (I end up using my Agent 00 Funk clone for the down sweep a lot) and the Moog doesn't have a Master Volume (though the PastFX version does!).
 
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