i’ve recently joined a rock/blues band and i’m playing synth bass exclusively. I’m taking that gig as a “challenge” since i’m a long time bass player and these few years i’ve started to learn to play the synth (phatty). i’ve done some shows on synth before but they mostly were experimental (noise/drone…fun stuff). It’s the first time i have to get my playing in shape to follow a band.
So i’m sure there will be some limited room for some FM madness at some point but it will be exceptions. So i have to play some cool sounding bass lines. We are only 3 in the band (guitar, synth bass, drums) and we want to keep it simple. I’m really excited about this btw.
So yesterday i got a freqbox and i’m quite happy by it. my first moogerfooger (about time). It sounds amazing and i used it for some 3rd oscilator “overdrive” with minimal blending. i’m sure i will find some more usage for it soon. (Already found some cool thumping drone sounds with some CV connections, but that’s another story). I’m wondering what could compliment it well for my purpose. I’m checking out the CP251 but i can’t help wonder if it will be that useful for bass lines. I want to craft great bass patches first, i think i have the tools to do it but can’t help wonder if another moogerfooger could bring my sound to a complete other level.
Anybody got some experiences and some suggestions to throw my way?
with a midi-cv converter you can use the 107 as a third osc by running it into the audio in of the LP. This might help bring your bass to the next step without having to get a Voyager.
The 104z can help fatten up basslines pretty considerably too, although it can also just mud them up depending on how you use it and what the program material is like.
Hi fidooda, that project seems really interesting… i personally recommend you a Lowpass filter, i know you already have a filter in your LP but it really adds to the sound and you could modulate it to get some wind effects, some great resonance, etc. another use is that you could vary slightly your sound without changing the patch on your LP… and a long etc.
In second place i’ll recommend the Bass Murf (or Midi Murf now that it’s available), but the uses depende on the things you’ll like to achieve, i’m thinking in expand the pallete for the synth and take it beyond the basslines (if there’s segments without bass for example). The Murf can make really nice kind of sequenced sounds…
At last i think you’ll be getting the CP-251 anyway, but you shouldn’t forget the multipedal too…
the manual doesn’t recommend plugin the OSC out to an audio path:
"- Oscillator Direct CV Out: This is the direct output of the VCO’s
waveshaping circuit before it goes to the VCA, so this signal is
always present, and is nominally +/-2.5V. That’s a lot stronger than an
instrument level signal, so we don’t recommend plugging this output into
an instrument amplifier. "
based on your first comment, i imagined that after the MIDI-CV path, i would use audio from the freqbox to the phatty.
I’m not sure, but you will want some control over the volume anyways, as the Little Phatty doesn’t give you control over the Audio In. I’d run it through an attenuator.
It won’t hurt anything, it’s just a line level signal is all.
Now as far as the LP’s input: The signal is hot coming in, it will in most cases be louder than the other two oscillators, but not unreasonably so.
I suggest getting a small mixer if you don’t already have one to attenuate to taste. If you get a CP-251 you can actually use the attenuators on that to bring down the signal to a comfortable level, too.
I have limited experience at this point, however i have found that my MF-101 low pass filter slightly enhances the bottom end of the sound without making it muddy or strident. It is quite noticeable, but YMMV since I’m using it with a Voyager and not a Phatty.
