Synth Pedal recommendations, please.

chuck1073

chuck1073

Supporting Member
Oct 3, 2003
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www.chuckdaviscreative.com
#1
I'm about to change gigs and will be using an amp again instead of my Helix. Since the new gig is mostly R&B, there's lots of synth bass called for. Can anyone recommend a synth bass pedal that both sounds good and tracks well.

I tried the Electro Harmonix a few years back and didn't like it at all.
 
#8
I got a C4 about a year ago as our band is doing more 80’s stuff and I like it a ton.

It does have a learning curve as well as needing to be okay with using the app on your computer/phone but I find it tracks great and there are a ton of presets that users have created and uploaded.
 
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#10
The newest release of the Panda MIDI Future Impact (v4) has really upped the ante in pitch-tracking synth for bass IMO. The C4 is also a great option, though for actual synth sounds and tracking I find myself preferring the Future Impact v4 (before the newest release I went back and forth between them a lot more, v4 really improved many of its weaknesses IMO). I find latency and mis-triggered notes much more noticeable from the C4 than the v4 Future Impact, though the C4 is still pretty dang good. The C4 does do a good analog octaver (think Boss OC-2) emulation that the Future Impact can't do and is also easier to edit deep parameters or create new presets on the fly since you can use a smartphone or tablet, though the v4 Future Impact has much more hardware control for most of the parameters you'll likely want to mess with (just requires connecting to a computer using MIDI interface for full editing and patch creation) and has deeper control than the C4 all around- plus the v4 Future Impact can output both CV voltage and MIDI notes to play external synths with. The C4 editing app gives you access to tons of user submitted presets you can load with ease while the Future Impact preset sharing system is a bit more complicated (again requiring use of a computer and MIDI interface, no direct USB).
 
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#12
I had the C4, the Future Impact (earlier version), most of the Boss units, the EHX analog, etc. Can't go wrong with C4 as far as presets go. The Future Impact had a bunch of effects available as well as synth sounds, so there is that. I ended up with the Boss SY-5. I found that I preferred knob twisting over setting the system up via computer, the late cy if great, and there is a good variety of sounds - and it's very easy to use.

If you don't mind setting up via phone of computer, the C4 is a great choice, espywhen paired with an external midi controller.
 
#13
The C4 is an incredibly powerful synth tool, that’s for sure. I just couldn’t handle the latency and tracking; the response was too inconsistent to be useable in a live context for me.

Clearly based on the amount of users, YMMV!

Is exploring the route of a modular synth setup out of the question? Lots of folks are happy starting with octave, and then adding dirt and/or filters as the songs call for. In case the all-in-one boxes aren’t quite what you are looking for.
 
#14
I have OC-2, Ibanez Synthesizer bass, Ibanez OT-10, Digtech guitar synth wah, meatbox, whammy 5, Seamoon Clone, a mutron clone, DOD FX 25, Dunlap Bass Wah, and Hotone Krush.. RNB is CRYBABY WAH. Boss OC2 AND A MUTRON.
 
#15
Source Audio C4 is an awesome in depth pedal & software system.

I wanted to learn & fully explore parameters that combine for producing synthy sounds. To gain understanding and have a high level of control.
The C4 offers this 'educational approach' and I've benefited from time spent - I can take this knowledge into other DAW software. I might invest in a hardware synth at some point.

Sharing presets within a community offers vast choices for 'out of the box'. Knowing what to tweak to adjust on those presets, for your own rig/situation comes from the in depth understanding, so it's worth investing.

Tech support is outstanding - responses to queries via numerous threads within this website from both company reps and other users.

Some presets don't seem to record as well - detail gets a bit lost? So again, being able to adjust so many parameters is really valuable. But live they sound fantastic with my rig.
 
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#16
I would suggest using the Helix first since you already own it into your amp. You could either use one of the synths or a fuzz into octave into envelope filter patch.

For plug and play pedals:
  • Boss SY-1 (polyphonic)
  • Bananana Matryoshka (good sounds and small)
  • Korg G5 (used and has 9 presets you can edit - one of my favorites but is huge and has an awful bypass)
More complex (all have presets and I am not including hex pickups, etc.):
  • Future Impact v4 (best tracking and synth options by far - tough to edit but best in class overall)
  • Source Audio C4 (good sounds with decent editing and excellent community support)
  • Boss SY-200 / 300 (ok sounds and polyphonic)
These are single units that should cover most of the R&B bass sounds (not an exhaustive list by any means).

Good luck.
 
#17
For that purpose, I ended up using a chain of analog pedals. An octaver into a mild overdrive into a phaser gives me the best result - especially when blended with the dry signal.

MXR BoD - Darkglass B7K - Aguilar Grape Phaser has been a combo I used for a long time. Foxrox Octron 4 - Grape Phaser works well too; the built-in overdriven octave-up of Octron opens up new horizons which MXR BoD can't.
 
#18
rsmith601 said:
There are 3370 searchable presets for the C4 and more and more each day.

Neuro Community by Source Audio

neuro.sourceaudio.net neuro.sourceaudio.net

There are 570 presets for the Spectrum Filter that work on the C4.

Neuro Community by Source Audio

neuro.sourceaudio.net neuro.sourceaudio.net
Click to expand...
3370 searchable presets. Many people upload presets just to test or muck around. Many a preset is a variation the same, so there could be a group of 4 or 5 that are essentially the same preset. The number looks good on paper I guess.
 
#19
Modulus 96 said:
3370 searchable presets. Many people upload presets just to test or muck around. Many a preset is a variation the same, so there could be a group of 4 or 5 that are essentially the same preset. The number looks good on paper I guess.
Click to expand...
Many are either not good or repetitive. You are right.
However, some are so good they could be a $300 stand-alone pedal. That's why we have likes, comments, sorting, filtering, and a very special new thing coming this month to assist in navigating. We have thousands of sound developers around the world, many could easily work at a high end pedal company.
 
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