Worship Bass Pedalboards

[ExaltBass]

Who here uses a bass synth pedal? Which ones would you recommend?
I tried a borrowed Boss SYB-3 recently and wasn't that impressed. Hoping to find something more versatile.

I'm waiting on a Bananana Matryoshka has right now. I have a EHX SYB-5, which has some useful sounds, and also have used octave>envelope filters>B3K>chorus for a really nice sound at times. If I can get a good FAT bass synth sound out of the Bananana, I'll be a happy camper.

 

[SteveC]

I think if you want a good synth pedal with lots of options, you have to pay. If you want that one “square wave dirty synth” sound then use an octave and a fuzz. Then you have 2 pedals that you can use for other stuff.

I bought a Kong micro synth keyboard for my synth needs. I need a little more than the octave/fuzz but not a full on expensive keyboard. This was like $300 so I went that route.

I use it for about 6 -7 songs right now. 2-3 on any given night.

 

[sigterm]

Have you ever tried the Future Impact? I've never tried a Deep Impact but I do think everything in the Deep Impact is basically in the Future Impact - the comparison videos I've heard are dead on.

I just recently hard about that reissue, I've seen it here but nowhere in person. Synth pedals make me nervous cause they're all so different you've really got to play them all, or go deep in the wallet hunting the one.

 

[sigterm]

I think if you want a good synth pedal with lots of options, you have to pay. If you want that one “square wave dirty synth” sound then use an octave and a fuzz. Then you have 2 pedals that you can use for other stuff.

I bought a Kong micro synth keyboard for my synth needs. I need a little more than the octave/fuzz but not a full on expensive keyboard. This was like $300 so I went that route.

I use it for about 6 -7 songs right now. 2-3 on any given night.

This combination plus my ebs cho/fla/pha can do some great synthy/rotaty/organy stuff. Stereo is really fun too. Gets hard to stay mild.

 

[jacoby75]

On a side note, Moog released a Mini Moog Model D app and promo'd it out for $5.00. I bought it last week to play with and get used to making some synth tones. I have barely just begun to explore what it can do, but it's pretty cool. If it's something you won't do very often and want to get into synth tones, you could run the app on an iPad and connect it to an a/v direct box. Just a thought, and a cheap way to get a great synth that's an actual synth and not a bass trying to be a synth. But it's all about what you want and what you're willing to spend.

 

[jacoby75]

Well, technically not an actual synth. It's an app. But it's an app by Moog. And there are videos of them playing it compared to an actual Model D, and it's pretty close, all things considered.

 

[the baint]

Man @jacoby75 I have memories of that disc in my Discman doing lawn maintenance in the hot summers. Ska was something I was into and its weird to hear that track and have all that music-memory flooding back. Also, the ”Hey You I Love Your Soul” album was in my cd alarm clock for what seemed like an entire year in high school. Quality music. I liked Buck - lesser known, but you guys had some good stuff going. Don't retro-actively sell yourself and ska short.

 

[jacoby75]

Thanks. That means a lot to me. I'm always amazed when someone tells me they had our album back in the day. I'm like, "So YOU'RE the one!" LOL. Don't get me wrong. It was a lot of fun. I had a great time doing it, and ska was a blast while it lasted. But I could never skank. Closest I could come was doing the Carlton. But most importantly I couldn't tell you how many kids came to the Lord through Buck's ministry over the years and that of other bands. It was a privilege to be a part of what God was doing. I could tell you stories, but let's save that for another thread.

 

[Flabzilla]

I love my Future Impact which I would argue is more or less the state of the art, but it is expensive and YMMV.

Also lanes.

 

[jacoby75]

Were I in the market for a bass synth and not broke, this would be the one. Although I'd want a clean blend:

 

[Adamixoye]

Were I in the market for a bass synth and not broke, this would be the one. Although I'd want a clean blend:

While there is not a dedicated "blend" knob you can blend in dry signal as one of the parameters both on the face of the pedal and in the editor.

 

[jacoby75]

While there is not a dedicated "blend" knob you can blend in dry signal as one of the parameters both on the face of the pedal and in the editor.

Well, that answers that question. Now about the money . . . .

 

[Rickter]

After researching the suggestions made so far my two faves have been the future impact and some of the Moog pieces. After seeing the prices, there's a good reason why they sound so good and are so versatile... If I saw correctly the future impact is around $500 USD. Sounds amazing though.

 

[kevk]

I think if you want a good synth pedal with lots of options, you have to pay. If you want that one “square wave dirty synth” sound then use an octave and a fuzz. Then you have 2 pedals that you can use for other stuff.

I bought a Kong micro synth keyboard for my synth needs. I need a little more than the octave/fuzz but not a full on expensive keyboard. This was like $300 so I went that route.....

I think @SteveC is spot on here...it comes down to money and how precise you want to be, chasing an “accurate” (and flexible) synth tone.

I have both a 3Leaf Octabvre Mini, and the Synth Voice—they’re quite different, yet both serve as nice foundations for using with other pedals, to achieve a pretty good synthy tone (+ they can be used for other purposes...) That’s good enough for ME...done.

Imo, it’s a personal decision (trade offs) about how close you need to get...and how much you’re willing to invest.

 

[Rayjay]

I think if you want a good synth pedal with lots of options, you have to pay. If you want that one “square wave dirty synth” sound then use an octave and a fuzz. Then you have 2 pedals that you can use for other stuff.

I bought a Kong micro synth keyboard for my synth needs. I need a little more than the octave/fuzz but not a full on expensive keyboard. This was like $300 so I went that route.

I use it for about 6 -7 songs right now. 2-3 on any given night.

I'm actually looking to buy the Korg Micro Synth right now. I borrowed a MiniBrute for a while, but while it's amazing I found not having presets too confusing and intimidating to use live. I asked the most knowledgeable guy I know and he suggested the Korg.

 

[SteveC]

I'm actually looking to buy the Korg Micro Synth right now. I borrowed a MiniBrute for a while, but while it's amazing I found not having presets too confusing and intimidating to use live. I asked the most knowledgeable guy I know and he suggested the Korg.

For the money it’s a good synth. I've found 2-3 settings I like. I change them with the mod wheel. I could/should try to get some more precise tones but for now it’s god enough...and I suppose I look cool switching mid song/set between synth and bass.

 

[Rickter]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions regarding synth pedals. After looking around and comparing, I may hold off on adding that to the arsenal. It seems to be a situation where one could spend a lot of money to chase down something to only use every once in a while. At this point I don't know that the need justifies the expenditure, just to have an option. I may have to find another way. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

 

[SteveC]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions regarding synth pedals. After looking around and comparing, I may hold off on adding that to the arsenal. It seems to be a situation where one could spend a lot of money to chase down something to only use every once in a while. At this point I don't know that the need justifies the expenditure, just to have an option. I may have to find another way. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

For what you seem to need, if you try anything I'd go octave/fuzz so you have a couple pedals that are good for other things, but will get you a "synth" sound when you want it. When you start getting into those "good" synth pedals, you are almost better off getting a real synth. That's what I did. Plus, I went basically pedal free so...

 

[jacoby75]

For what you seem to need, if you try anything I'd go octave/fuzz so you have a couple pedals that are good for other things, but will get you a "synth" sound when you want it. When you start getting into those "good" synth pedals, you are almost better off getting a real synth. That's what I did. Plus, I went basically pedal free so...

Yes, this ^. I was about to say the same thing, but he beat me to it. I have yet to need a synth sound in worship, but might someday. In the meantime, I have a TC Sub 'n Up and a distortion pedal that I can combine to get some very synthy sounds, even add a chorus and wah to it if I want. Many "synth" pedals are just varying combinations of a sub octave, fuzz or distortion, and modulation anyway. And if I never actually use the combination in a live setting, I have used the pedals individually on different occasions. It's nice to have the option, though. Turning them all on or off at the same time is the problem, though. I have a Loop-Master looper on the way to help address that - and other - concerns.

 

[Rickter]

Yes, this ^. I was about to say the same thing, but he beat me to it. I have yet to need a synth sound in worship, but might someday. In the meantime, I have a TC Sub 'n Up and a distortion pedal that I can combine to get some very synthy sounds, even add a chorus and wah to it if I want. Many "synth" pedals are just varying combinations of a sub octave, fuzz or distortion, and modulation anyway. And if I never actually use the combination in a live setting, I have used the pedals individually on different occasions. It's nice to have the option, though. Turning them all on or off at the same time is the problem, though. I have a Loop-Master looper on the way to help address that - and other - concerns.

This may be the route I end up going. While I do perform in a Worship scenario, this would be for my primary endeavor which is a Christian metal band. I recently acquired a Darkglass Alpha Omega Ultra and had already planned to acquire a Boss Bass Chorus and a TC Sub-N-Up. So if the combination of those pedals can give me a synth-ish feel, then I will likely experiment with that before investing into a dedicated synth pedal. It would help me determine if the need is even really there for a synth sound. Thanks for the suggestion @SteveC and @jacoby75 !