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ways to make synth bass sounds

#21
I use an OC-2 into either a Copilot Orbit or a Gnomeratron VTF, a filter, and a chorus. The OC-2 into the Gnome set to octave up is awesome. The Orbit all by itself in various settings is very synthy especially running into detune or chorus. For ambient sounds I've been using a Zoom Ultra fuzz with the reso knob cranked up quite a bit and the gate turned down so it gets squealy and feebacky into chorus and delay. I use the pitch shifting delay on the Zoom B3 a lot for ambient stuff too.
 
#23
winterburn69 said:
How close can my Tech 21 Red Ripper get to an actual synth pedal? I know it's a fuzz pedal, but the rip knob produces a very synthy tone. With the rip knob cranked, I'm not 100% sure how synthy it is, it sure sounds synthy to my ears, and I don't have a synth pedal to compare with.

Has anyone compared the two?
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I had one a few years ago. On its own I wouldn't say it's very synthy. Also tried it with an octave and wasn't very impressed. I think with an envelope filter it would give a pretty good go but I didn't have one at the time so sold it to buy a Bass Micro Synth. Have since sold that and now use a octave/fuzz/filter combo.
 
#24
Ohhh now this is gonna be a fun thread! I love to make synthy sounds with a various combo of pedals.

In regards to the Red Ripper it CAN get synth like on its own but REALLY shines with an filter or pitch-shifter after it.

Heres one of my many favs:

Boss OC-2 (-1 full, dir at 09:00) > Tech 21 Red Ripper (vol unity, treb and low at 2:00,mids at 3:00, drive at 2:30 and RIP at noon) > Dunlop Bass Wah (lets use % I use it in the 60-80% range): this makes for a responsive and FAT synth tone. I mean responsive because the Red Ripper reacts to how much you dig in. With a soft touch you get a low growl and when you dig in it literally sounds like a R-I-P growl.

WMD Geiger Counter (waveform C3, tone disabled, gain at 12:00, vol unity, sample reduce at 3:00, bits full) > EHX H.O.G. (use -1,+1 and +1/5th, freq and res at 5/10, freeze-gliss set to gliss but not freeze) > Roland RE-20 Space Echo (mode 4, bass/treb at 1:00, echo full, intensity at 1:30, rate 9:00) This one can't really be explained.. (I'll have to post a soundclip of it soon)


I have a ton more and if need be I'll post more (possibly with some videos/sound clips to stop my poor attempts of explaining a sound)
 
#25
sillyfabe said:
Boss OC-2 (-1 full, dir at 09:00) > Tech 21 Red Ripper (vol unity, treb and low at 2:00,mids at 3:00, drive at 2:30 and RIP at noon) > Dunlop Bass Wah (lets use % I use it in the 60-80% range): this makes for a responsive and FAT synth tone. I mean responsive because the Red Ripper reacts to how much you dig in. With a soft touch you get a low growl and when you dig in it literally sounds like a R-I-P growl.
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Thanks! I'll have to try that out, I have the Red Ripper and my OC-2 in my chain and a Dunlop Bass Wah sitting in a box!
 
#26
sillyfabe said:
Ohhh now this is gonna be a fun thread! I love to make synthy sounds with a various combo of pedals.

I have a ton more and if need be I'll post more (possibly with some videos/sound clips to stop my poor attempts of explaining a sound)
Click to expand...

Interested to hear your pedal combos and suggestions. I'm just getting into trying to get some nice synth-y sounds but like I said, In general I want to find some tones that do now have a big quack/sweep/envelop sound to them.

I have an OC-2, a B3k and El Oso for OD, and a Flanger. Wondering if I need to add a Bass Synth pedal or an Envelope/Wah ?

I really haven't tried yet. I'm going to mess with it some this weekend. I think I have an old Envelope Filter I can throw into the chain just to see how it sounds.
 
#27
I'm currently using the tried-and-tested Octave/Fuzz/Filter combo specifically all the MXR gear (BOD, El Grande & BEF) I have recently invested in another two filters from 3Leaf - the GR2 which is just fantastic and the Wonderlove which I'm not so keen on.
I've now started running the octave & fuzz pedals in the GR2/Wonderlove's effect loop. It's pretty cool actually!

Am gassing after an Iron Ether Oxide and a Red Ripper to replace the El Grande and have never considered but will certainly try out the Octave/Fuzz/Wah combo too!
 
#29
JohnDeereJack said:
I'm currently using the tried-and-tested Octave/Fuzz/Filter combo specifically all the MXR gear (BOD, El Grande & BEF) I have recently invested in another two filters from 3Leaf - the GR2 which is just fantastic and the Wonderlove which I'm not so keen on.
I've now started running the octave & fuzz pedals in the GR2/Wonderlove's effect loop. It's pretty cool actually!

Am gassing after an Iron Ether Oxide and a Red Ripper to replace the El Grande and have never considered but will certainly try out the Octave/Fuzz/Wah combo too!
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I think you'll love a Red Ripper. I think they're great. I tried the OC-2/Red Ripper/Wah combo this morning and didn't like it. I might have to try it again with a different pedal order. I was stupid and put the wah before the OC-2 & Red Ripper and it sounded like synthy farts. I'm lazy and I also hate using wahs, I'd much prefer an envelope filter.

OC-2 & Red Ripper is a great combo though.
 
#30
I got a good saturated tone without any octaver trying to cop to Stevie Wonder sounds. SparkleDrive > Proton > Polytope. Running the Polytope only as a detuner, no modulation, but synths often use a little detune between oscillators so this is giving a nice approximation.
 
#33
FilterFunk said:
Very curious about this, because I thought the Wonderlove would outshine the GR2 - exactly why do you prefer the GR2 to the Wonderlove?
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avvie said:
Yes...please enlighten me also.
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Initially the Wonderlove seemed a bit less responsive. Like you FilterFunk I thought WL would completely outperform GR2 but was kinda disappointed when I first fired it up.

I A/B'd them with my passive jazz bass using the same settings - Sens: 3oclock, Attack: 11oclock, Decay: 1oclock, Tone: 10oclock, Blend: 1oclock, Low Range, Sweep up, Low Pass - and the GR2 instantly bubbled into life where as the WL didn't seem to respond at all and took a bit more fine-tuning.
Don't get me wrong; having worked with it on-and-off for the last week or so, I can safely say the WL is an excellent filter but requires a bit more time and effort (not something you want to be doing on a dark stage, between numbers in the middle of a gig!) whereas the GR2 is basically plug yourself in for instant funk!

Again, the WL is a great filter and I have no desire to get rid of it and will spend more time getting to know it, all I have to do is drag myself away from the GR2 first!
:)
 
#35
jeffgnr90 said:
So I'm currently waiting for my red ripper to come in the mail, should i put my OC-3 before or after? I know some of you guys are putting either before or after, but which would work better? Or is that a trial and error/use your ears sort of thing?
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I've always put my octaves before everything but my tuner. I believe most people usually put their octaves first or very close to the beginning and before fuzz.
 
#36
Zoom B3 has some ripping synth patches... I've used various Octave, filter, EQ and compression chains with boo-teak as well as some standard pedals... I've sold filter pedals that cost more than the B3 as well... Sorry mang, I've been assimilated into the Zoom collective. Got a G3 and expression pedal in bound for my guitar rig too!
 

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