The bass player in my band has shown alot of interest in my new found hobby: Stompbox building. He has asked me if I could build him a good bass compressor. I told him I'd look into it and that I probably could. What would you suggest for a good bass comp? He mostly wants to use it for slapbass playing; to get a nice punchy sound.
Also he asked me if I could make a ring modulator for bass. I told him I thought it would be hard, but I'd look into that too. What are you guys' thoughts on that? Is it too hard for a newbie like me? I haven't seen any schematics or layouts for ring modulators anywhere. Where can I find some?
Regards
Christian
UPDATE:
My bassplayer has specified for me what kind off effect he actually wants for his bass. I've come to the conclusion that it is NOT a ring modulator. It's more like a synth type thing. He told me to listen to Stevie Wonders 'Boogie on reggae woman'. That's the bass sound he wants. Is it doable? What should I be looking for?
The simplest Ring mod that I know of is the green ringer from generalguitargadgets.com. No pots--just on or off. I haven't built it yet, so I can'tsay what it's like exactly. Obscure, from what I hear-has a lot of "non-musical" sounds. But simple.
Just remember that it might need to be modded to react better to lower frequencies. I can'thelp with HOW to do that, but just beware.
QuoteI haven't seen any schematics or layouts for ring modulators anywhere. Where can I find some?
I`ve seen a couple in the S-F (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?action=search)
A ring modulator for bass is the same as a ring modulator for anything else.
It isn't like a wah or envelope follower tht needs frequency related tweaks.
Any ring modulator box that works on normal guitar, works on bass.
Some of my Blue Ringer customers play bass.
here: http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/fuzz/snippets.html
you can find the 'thing modulator',
..ain't a true ring mod, but is capable of tons of wicked sounds -atari like stuff-, if freq set to low oscillation, you get some disturbing tremoloed subsonic bass sound, can't describe it but very fun... i'm a bass player, and the thing does wonders with it
Quote from: nordine on October 07, 2005, 08:25:44 PM
here: http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/fuzz/snippets.html
link dont work for me
*edit* hmm tried again and it did... never mind :icon_mrgreen:
bump..
check " bernardduur "-s posts...
he`s the main bass-man around here.
btw: it was hard to detect the "NO RINGMODULATOR!" - edit
otherwise: bass-microsynth/Mutron
Wow, I'm known ;)
Good bass comp is a Craig Anderton compressor (can't live without mine) or a stock Orange Squeezer; don't make an Orange Squeezer +++ (as on Moose's site) because it has a too slow attack for bass.
The OS will color your sound, the CA don't. Combine them into one pedal (as I did) and you can get the best out of both worlds.
Never made a ring mod for bass though
Quote from: Kræn on October 07, 2005, 02:26:30 PM
My bassplayer has specified for me what kind off effect he actually wants for his bass. I've come to the conclusion that it is NOT a ring modulator. It's more like a synth type thing. He told me to listen to Stevie Wonders 'Boogie on reggae woman'. That's the bass sound he wants. Is it doable? What should I be looking for?
I hate to say this, but I think you should be looking for a minimoog. AFAIK, the original was done using a minimoog synth. No reason why you couldn't recreate this though, because the mini is only monophonic. Maybe a Boss SYB-3 envelope follower would be worth a shot? I doubt a normal envelope follower would cut it. Still, plenty of professionals have covered this song with normal bass, so it must be possible.
Quote from: Paul Perry (Frostwave) on October 09, 2005, 08:22:52 AM
Quote from: Kræn on October 07, 2005, 02:26:30 PM
My bassplayer has specified for me what kind off effect he actually wants for his bass. I've come to the conclusion that it is NOT a ring modulator. It's more like a synth type thing. He told me to listen to Stevie Wonders 'Boogie on reggae woman'. That's the bass sound he wants. Is it doable? What should I be looking for?
I hate to say this, but I think you should be looking for a minimoog. AFAIK, the original was done using a minimoog synth. No reason why you couldn't recreate this though, because the mini is only monophonic. Maybe a Boss SYB-3 envelope follower would be worth a shot? I doubt a normal envelope follower would cut it. Still, plenty of professionals have covered this song with normal bass, so it must be possible.
Yes, I once did this track with my Nurse Quacky and some low distortion; OK, it was not 100% like the original but it was nice. Else, just build a micro synth ;)
Yeah right.... JUST build a microsynth..... Have you seen the schematic for that thing?? ???
I am breadboarding one right now.......
Am I will be doing this for a long long time ;).... I have no hurry for it; it will be a switchable guitar and bass synth.
I saw a pic of a stripboarded microsynth somewhere on this forum. I got a little dizzy..... And with the amount of experience I have at this point, I think I'll do something else. Afterall, the only thing I have built yet is a microamp. ;D
Then try to build an envelope follower....... bassplayers seem to like them and they are not that hard to build
You could only get an approximation of the "Boogie on..." sound, because it's a keyboard of some type and not a string bass.
I have both a microsynth and a deep impact and I wouldn't really say that either of them faithfully reproduce that sound, sorry!