Yet another filter advice thraed

[bassteban]

I will likely be doing an old-school R&B gig soon, and may need to cover some synth parts(Let it whip, Take your time/do it right, others)- I have an FX25B that I LOVE but must admit it is hard to dial in live due to volume changes. I like Line 6 stuff & wondered if the FM4 might do the trick. Thoughts?

 

[warwick.hoy]

I don't know about the FM4 directly as I have no experience (I do have a modded DL4 that is boobies). There is likely a lot on there that you may not use. It's also a spacehog and likely expensive if it's not going to see a whole lot of intended use. Also unmodded early Line6 4 button stomps have some QC issues,...so bear in mind and try before you buy.

Look into perhaps the Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter. It's versatile,...I don't detect any volume drop on it and it sounds really good.

Honorable Mention to the 3Leaf stuff.

It also may help to have a filter with a blend on it or using a clean boost either before or after the Filter (honestly though,...if a filter sounds good and is well produced then it won't need a blend). I like having an OD pedal with a slight drive after my SA BEF to emphasize the character of the filter.

(Please note that I've beta tested the SA BEF and Source Audio has been good to me,...so there may be a bit of bias there).

 

[Jared Lash]

There are a billion options but I'd take a look at the Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter. If I were looking for a filter for cover tunes it would be at the top of my list simply because of the versatility.

Whatever filter you choose you'll also likely want to grab an analog octaver (if you don't already have one) to cop that synthy vibe a bit better.

EDIT: warwick.hoy posted while I was typing (too slow again!) but reading his post I realize I didn't comment on the Line 6. I like a lot of Line 6 stuff but didn't get along with the filter modeler at all. For me it was frustrating trying to get the sounds I wanted out of it.

 

[bassteban]

What I thought I might like about the FM4 is that(I think)it has the presets- I'd use this preset for that coupla tunes, that for that, etc. I don't mind the space deal as i won't have a ton of other stuff(comp, OD, maybe a chorus or delay). Knowing me, I'd likely get a goodly amount of wankage out of the thing if it's not a total POS.
I'd also consider a blendable loop for the FX25 if that curse my level issues.

Edit: *Octave* duly noted- is the OC-2(or-3)analog?

 

[Jared Lash]

I LOVE the sound of the FX25 and owned a blender and limiter just to maximize that little green box. Great filter. But IMO not great for synthy sounds.

The OC-2 is analog and a great octaver. The OC-3 is digital but no slouch itself.

If it's presets you're after you could always look at a dedicated synth pedal like the Markbass Supersynth. I haven't tried it myself, but it should let you dial in the sounds you want and store them as presets.

 

[bassteban]

To make the FX25 *work* I'm guessing I'd need to put an OD/distortion before it to get the grind I want to hear- again, an octave seems a good addition too(& of course I'd need to address the volume level). Will look into all suggestions, though- thanks for all the input.

 

[TOOL460002]

To make the FX25 *work* I'm guessing I'd need to put an OD/distortion before it to get the grind I want to hear- again, an octave seems a good addition too(& of course I'd need to address the volume level). Will look into all suggestions, though- thanks for all the input.

+1 to getting a blender/parallel looper.

if you like the sound, but want to reduce the volume, thats the best solution for that pedal, as its kind of small, and probably impossible to mod with a volume cut.

also, yes to dirt before the filter. that, mixed with your dry signal, and with volume controls over both channels should get you close.

note: i have never owned the dod filter, but i do have experience with loving the sound, but hating volume spikes. also, loopers/blenders are good for so many other things. several of my pedals would be useless without a blender.

 

[Jumbotron]

On the FM4 issue: I used one of those for quite a while, but I never got the straightforward filters (Q-tron models) to work out very well. Maybe it was just me, but I've had other filters that sounded a lot better. If you aren't into synth sounds, I don't think the FM4 is worth it. If you are into synth sounds, it can do some very cool things, though the tracking can be a little chaotic and it's hard to regulate the output levels (which is ultimately why I got rid of mine).

 

[WaldoNova]

I had an FM4 for a little while. Presets are what drew me to it. Setting up sounds with similar volumes was fairly difficult and ultimately cost it it's spot on my board. There are many other filters that would do what you need with less space, power requirements and overall frustrations associated with the FM4.

 

[warwick.hoy]

I could never get a real Q-Tron to work for me.

 

[Swimming Bird]

I've only gone as far as trying an FM4 and hated it. The sounds aside, not being able to set input sensitivity made is near useless to me.

I think you're better off making the FX25B work (with ODs, octaves, blender/booster) than trying to get good sounds out of the FM4.

 

[bassteban]

Lovin the replies. Thinkin *no* on the FM4, although I'll certainly try one if I ever wake up from a binge in GC. Also leaning toward a nice blendable loop & stirring it up in some kinda concoction of what I already have lying about(phase, delay, chorus, OD..).

 

[cultrvultr]

your current OD>Phase>Delay>Chorus pedals dialed in correctly are gonna sound pretty synthy.

It's also hard to go wrong with the standard Octave>Fuzz>Filter approach. Throw your current pedals into the mix and you'll be able to get pretty cool synth tones.

 

[sillyfabe]

here is what makes some fun synth sounds (enough for me to get rid of the BMS)

1) Boss OC-2: 50% direct for overtones, 100% oct-1, 0%oct-2.
2) Wooly Mammoth clone: sounds just like it, set to pinch max, wool max, eq 75% treble, vol to unity.
3) 3-Leaf Audio Groove Regulator 1: depends on what im aiming for but heres a few settings:

sens: 5 o clock
attack 7 o clock
decay 1 o clock
intensity: 3 o clock
range: low
feedback up
sweep: up

this gets really aggressive synthy madness!

sens: 2 o clock
attack: 7 o clock
decay: 1:30
intensity: noon
range: low
feedback: down
sweep: up

this gets a nice bubbly sound

 

[bassteban]

Reconfigged my board as follows: Bass(passive P)into Bad Monkey- *amp* out into channel 1 of a DOD passive mixer- DOD phaser, FX-25B, Proto Echbox, channel 2 of the mini-mixer, amp. It's not real *synthy* but it does get a decent *Fly away* tone w/o losing the bottom end. I also found that w/a HUGE boost from the BM(inadvertantly), I like the overall tone of the MB-2 500 much better than un-boosted. Threw all this together pretty quickly, gonna use it live this evening for a house party gig.
I may want to add an OC-2 for more synth-leaning sound later, if needs be.

 

[wiseguyst]

Here's what I do though it sounds like you're on track...

marcus miller switched to active (to give the filter more response without digging in) ->Mastotron (square wave) ->boss ceb-3 -> boss oc-2 -> MXR bef (works great for this because of the dry blend, sensitivity dimed) ->TC electronics nova repeater, reverse delay (optional)

It's a lot, but sounds really good. I also have been digging switching out the MXR bef for my Aguilar filter twin for the variable sweeps.

 

[Bassmike62]

I also have an FX25B that I loop through a Boss LS-2. Great pedal, but not synthy, IMO.

Would a 40 $ (used) Digitech Bass Synth Wah (or other similar pedal) be able to do the job ? There's a few Digitechs on Ebay around that price. That's where I got mine and it's quite an interesting pedal. Modes 1 and 2 can do decent filter and auto-wah effects and mode 7 is an adequate octaver.

Anyway...

 

[Matt Dean]

There is one filter that rules them all: the Xerograph. I don't know how old school is sounds, but it slays all in it's path.