bassline synth recommendations?

[PrinsJan]

Originally Posted by matg85

Hi, i need a new bassline synth, i currently use a voyager and although its phat and beautiful sounding, the harmonics aren't quite as warm and round as i want. Think i'm going to use it mainly for leads now and the more complex patches its capable of. I want to get something a little more stripped down and a tad cheaper as my primary bass synth, i'm thinking moog prodigy or little phatty or studio electronics SE-1? which one do you recon? or any other suggestions?

Try the KORG bundle (MS20/Monopoly etc) and run it through analog gear thumbsup

[chrisso]

Mini Moog is about as fat and round as you can get.
I assumed the Voyager would be similar.
There are some great synths for bass; Roland 100M, SH09 and MKS80. Sci Pro One. But not many as fat as the average Moog.

[jimdon]

massive always serves me well for bass lines thumbsup

[zebastian21]

I have to say sometimes I get better bass from the SE-1 than the Voyager, I would say the SE-1 sounds a bit more raw and aggressive. I love them both anyways.
I got my SE-1 for us$450! so hunt for one on ebay.thumbsup

[Tibbon]

If you can't get a good bass sound out of the Voyager, then you're not going to get it out of the Phatty either. Then again, if you can't get a good bassline out of either of those (I'm not saying they are always the 'perfect' ones, but..) then you probably won't be happy with any bassline.

I've got a Voyager and a x0xb0x, and between the two of them I'm just fine 99% of the time. When I'm not fine, I just grab a Jazz Bass!

The only other sound that I'd ever want really would be something excessively digital sounding, like a DX-7 bass, or a Sid chip bass.

[slipstytch]

It's been said many times here but.....sh-101, you gotta dial it in right but there's lot's to be had there and it's cheaper than a moog.
It'll keep you continent too, put it through a 15" sub and let it work it's magic right on your gut...works better than 5 hour old gas station coffee.

[gsilbers]

have you tried layering bass synths to get a fatter richer sound?

[Tibbon]

Originally Posted by gsilbers

have you tried layering bass synths to get a fatter richer sound?

I personally find that the simpler the basslines the better. Too much information down there and you lose the punch. Same reason that a 303 is so huge (one oscillator), and the reason that an 8+ oscillator synth probably isn't the best for bass.

[crufty]

Fr revolution ain't bad and you can buy them new off the shelf. Depends what you are looking for however--a voyager not warm and round enough ???

I'd say the Virus. Warm and round aren't exactly its forte, however, it slices in well with the voyager...it is very easy for the voyager to overwhelm other gear. For some reason, the virus is able to work very well with it.

Romplers and lesser analogs...not so much. My opinion anyway.

[ten]

SE1X Nova Edition with Fuzz enabled, oh, killer base. The Omega or CODE (omega with Fuzz) are also very good base machines.

ten

[analogbass]

Having a Voyager and asking for something else for bass is bizarre; put more time in to programming and you'll have more than enough.

Not quite warm and round enough?

The only reason to get something else is for variations; nothing else is essential though. A pulse or a Pro One would be good alternatives, just different.

[littledoodler]

What are you recording into because that could be a factor in this.

SE1X Nova Edition with Fuzz enabled, oh, killer base. The Omega or CODE (omega with Fuzz) are also very good base machines.

ten

Does the fuzz sound that good? I thought about getting the mod for my Omega and they are charging $500 for it. Now I thought that I can probably get a great fuzz pedal that is more versatile for that amount of money.

[6dyslexicelephnt]

warm and round, try a juno 6 or 60. I've got this one patch on my juno 106 that sounds like a blaring trombone. really farty and powerful

I used to have a MKS 80 and that had good bass but I wasn't crazy about that synth even though it was cool. for the price i paid, i expected more.

it's funny you're not happy with a Moog. I always assumed the bass on a moog would be the best I've heard.

try running it through speakers of some kind like an old tube bass amp

[analogbass]

Originally Posted by 6dyslexicelephnt

warm and round, try a juno 6 or 60. I've got this one patch on my juno 106 that sounds like a blaring trombone. really farty and powerful

I used to have a MKS 80 and that had good bass but I wasn't crazy about that synth even though it was cool. for the price i paid, i expected more.

Rolands aren't warm at all actually; pretty much neutral and smooth except for the early ones which had a rougher sound but still not warm at all.

[goldphinga]

if you cant get the bass sounds you are looking for out of the voyager i suspect you wont out of any other synth. its a bass monster. the se1 is good too and a little rougher but i think the voyager is the best bass machine out there. thats comparing it to the mini and source which i love too. Its tighter, more produced sounding but nasty and raw as well, particularly if you do the output>external mixer input trick. if you cant get the sounds you are looking for on the voyager then i really dont know what to suggest...

[matg85]

Ok you lot lets set this straight! of course you can get some awesome basslines out of the voyager! However as i said i want to use it primarily for leads and the more complex patches its capable of, and get another perhaps slightly more stipped down synth as my primary bass synth.

Although the voyager is very good on bass, its harmonics don't sound quite as organically warm and round as the original mini moog. Yes I am still very happy with it's performance in this this area, but since i want a new synth for this job, i'd like if possible something that is a bit 'older sounding' with slightly warmer more rounded harmonics. preferably something for £1000 or under.

[analogbass]

Originally Posted by matg85

Ok you lot lets set this straight! of course you

Although the voyager is very good on bass, its harmonics don't sound quite as organically warm and round as the original mini moog. Yes I am still very happy with it's performance in this this area, but since i want a new synth for this job, i'd like if possible something that is a bit 'older sounding' with slightly warmer more rounded harmonics. preferably something for £1000 or under.

I don't know what you mean by harmonics..sounds like you want a rougher sound, something less creamy than a Voyager. A Phatty might be a little rougher due to the overdrive; in terms of harmonics as you say, it'll be no better than a Voyager.

If you want something older sounding try a McBeth or SE amongst newer stuff, or a pro one, prodigy, rogue, source, SEM, etc.

[goldphinga]

If you want more harmonics on the voyager just open the filter more or add some mid boost boost on eq. easy!

[Amaysn']

JD990 with the Vintage card - Subwoofer shakin' Basses

[Tibbon]

Originally Posted by analogbass

I don't know what you mean by harmonics..sounds like you want a rougher sound, something less creamy than a Voyager. A Phatty might be a little rougher due to the overdrive; in terms of harmonics as you say, it'll be no better than a Voyager.

If you want something older sounding try a McBeth or SE amongst newer stuff, or a pro one, prodigy, rogue, source, SEM, etc.

You can overdrive the Voyager too of course.

[alexp]

Some great choices here. Hands down the Minimoog, and 101 not only for their really warm woolly sound, but they have lightning fast envelopes. I use the MS10/20 combination a fair bit for bass as well as my Prophet 5. If you just want a big fat dirty bass, take a minimoog (or a sample) sample it with compression into a really old sampler (Mirage comes to mind), or whatever your using with a low bitrate. Compress it out of the sampler again, and add a bit of delay. You can get some really wild effects by messing with the Mirage's alias filtering function as well.

[Tibbon]

An old (well maybe the new ones too, but I just have an old one) Big Muff sure gets things hopping on the Voyager. Just downright nasty sometimes.

[analogbass]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

You can overdrive the Voyager too of course.

Supposedly the Phatty allows more of this, or so it's been said online. Don't know if it's true but it's been mentioned by several people.

[Phaidon]

Originally Posted by analogbass

Rolands aren't warm at all actually; pretty much neutral and smooth except for the early ones which had a rougher sound but still not warm at all.

I thign you mentioned it on another threat but I still disagree wiv you!!

I think the Juno 106 is one of the warmest synths ever.It sounds so nice and deep on bass,specially for housy stuff...

My first choice would be an SE1X(pref.Nova Edition)

My 2p.
Phaidon

[Lasermonkey]

Depending on exactly what kind of bass sound you're after, I've always found the SH-09, SH-101 and Prodigy to be dependable.
Although it isn't my first choice when it comes to basslines, occasionally the Jupiter 6 is just right.

[Amaysn']

Roland Alpha Juno 1 and 2.

They can get REAL NASTY!!!
tutt

[analogbass]

Originally Posted by Phaidon

I thign you mentioned it on another threat but I still disagree wiv you!!

I think the Juno 106 is one of the warmest synths ever.It sounds so nice and deep on bass,specially for housy stuff...

It can make some good solid analog sounds without doubt, just as many other less hyped vintage keys can. Warm, nah. None of the Rolands do that.

[matg85]

so out of the moog prodigy, little phatty or SE-1 which would you get? based on bass performance. . .

[analogbass]

Originally Posted by matg85

so out of the moog prodigy, little phatty or SE-1 which would you get? based on bass performance. . .

Much of the assessments available online aren't accurate IMO, plus they're prone to personal bias. Confusing one attribute with another's typical, ie Rolands having a warm character as seen many times, that is never true.

At some point you either have to listen to each yourself first, or start buying them, then flip the less desirable one(s) on the used market. Not expensive to do if reasonable used/new prices are paid. Or just take someone's guidance or a general concensus and get something, if you're ok with being less thorough. If it doesn't hit the spot just keep experimenting with others till something works. Trial & error's the best way IMO, of really knowing.