SY-1000 Bass Mode is surprisingly great

Started by aure, February 11, 2020, 11:50:30 AM

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aure

I finally bought a GK-3B having resisted V-Bass for a while, but wow the SY-1000 is amazing for bass tones.

germanicus

Yeah, I now have a decent convincing 4001 Rickenbacker bass sound. I enjoyed that in the gr55 bass mode and missed having it.

My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

jozart

Is pitch to MIDI potentially better in bass mode? I'm wondering if something problematic like a violin (w/quintaphonic pickup) might work better in bass mode than guitar mode.

admin

#3
Quote from: jozart on February 11, 2020, 01:09:10 PM
Is pitch to MIDI potentially better in bass mode? I'm wondering if something problematic like a violin (w/quintaphonic pickup) might work better in bass mode than guitar mode.

Bass to MIDI will be the slowest triggering of all on Roland / Boss GK devices - and I expect same with SY-1000

Realize the SY-1000 Internal Modeling and Dynamic Synth are very fast , while triggering internal OSC Synth takes longer, then Bass to MIDI over USB still longer , followed by Bass to 5 pin MIDI Out as the longest and highest latency .

jozart

Quote from: admin on February 11, 2020, 01:11:54 PM
Bass to MIDI will be the slowest triggering of all on Roland / Boss GK devices - and I expect same with SY-1000

Realize the SY-1000 Internal Modeling and Dynamic Synth are very fast , while triggering internal OSC Synth takes longer, then Bass to MIDI over USB still longer , followed by Bass to 5 pin MIDI Out as the longest and highest latency .

Got it. I assume tracking speed is directly related to pitch. I'm wondering if the bass mode algorithm is any different from the guitar mode algorithm.

aure

Yeah, I definitely have NOT tested the bass with external midi. It's not something I'm really even all that interested, enjoying the very organic tones of my fretless bass, including normal pickup. I'll be posting a set of my bass patches soon.

admin

#6
Quote from: jozart on February 11, 2020, 04:26:14 PM
Got it. I assume tracking speed is directly related to pitch.




In regards to Guitar/ Bass to MIDI conversion   -"tracking speed is directly related to pitch."  always has / always will


the lower the pitch  = the longer the conversion time  = longer latency

30 years ago we would cheat,  - string up our Guitars with all high E strings to get the highest pitch = lowest latency, and then once its in MIDI domain, transpose down 3 octaves 

could still do same today

jozart

Quote from: admin on February 11, 2020, 05:28:17 PM

30 years ago we would cheat - string up our Guitars with all high E strings to get the highest pitch = lowest latency, and then once its in MIDI domain, transpose down 3 octaves

30 years ago I was trying to master PTM on Zeta violin, btw. At least you guitarists had picks and frets.

I'll assume then that the bass mode is using the same secret sauce as the guitar mode.

stub

I'm very happy with my normal bass sound & pickups. I've wondered about the bass mode on the SY-1000. Seems very intriguing.

On one hand, I'd be interested in the GK-3B, but it would mean a pretty bulky thing on my bass. You can't easily remove it, right? So I'd need new cases.

I've also toyed with the idea of getting a cheap-ish 5 string and installing some kind of divided pickup with GK system built in. But I'm having trouble justifying it, since A. my current bass sounds great, and B. I don't get too many gigs where I need to sound like some other bass.

Even as I type that, I'm talking myself out of it. But I will already have the SY-1000 which is the most expensive bit.

Brak(E)man

#9
Quote from: jozart on February 11, 2020, 06:52:51 PM
30 years ago I was trying to master PTM on Zeta violin, btw. At least you guitarists had picks and frets.
I for one use both a piranha guitar bow http://www.piranhaguitarbow.com
and fretless guitar , so no all of us.
I did try the Zeta mirror guitar midi system a short while though.
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

aure

A regular bass is great in the same way a regular guitar is great. For some bands or musical applications that's all you need.  But, this is a forum for SY-1000, so most of us here are looking for more from our instruments, for whatever reason, and what I can attest to is that the SY-1000 opens up bass sounds dramatically. Bass in some ways is even better for the more synthetic tones the SY-1000 provides. Again, it all depends on the musical environment you're in.  The GK-3B is not that obtrusive, but I can see myself inching closer and closer to doing the internal kit or building my own around piezo saddles.  I'll post pictures on a thread if I go that route.

stub

Does the SY-1000 in bass mode give you an upright bass simulation? Or is it more of a 'acoustic-bass-guitar' version?

One of the options I would consider would be to build a 5 string bass from a kit, and install this:

https://www.cycfi.com/projects/nu-series-v2/

They provide a 5-string bass soapbar version, as well as little boards to create a GK output. Just not sure how it would sound, since the SY-1000 is expecting some specific types of pickups.

gumtown

I have the GK-3B on some basses and the internal kit on others.
My main gigging bass, a Fender Jazz Deluxe 5 string, has the external GK-3B and it all fits into the Fender molded case.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

stub

With my Ibanez 5 string, there's no room for the control module unless I mount it over the bridge. That's why I'm concerned it wont fit in my soft case or hard case.

2pods

The last bass I used a GK3B on was an old Aria Pro II TSB350 which had to have the control unit mounted on the back. Couldn't get that in a case  ;D

I'm in the same boat as you with an Ibanez SR1305. So that will be going in a gigbag too.
Fender G5 Strat, PRS SE Santana/w TriplePlay

aure

Quote from: stub on February 27, 2020, 01:08:11 PM
Does the SY-1000 in bass mode give you an upright bass simulation? Or is it more of a 'acoustic-bass-guitar' version?

One of the options I would consider would be to build a 5 string bass from a kit, and install this:

https://www.cycfi.com/projects/nu-series-v2/

They provide a 5-string bass soapbar version, as well as little boards to create a GK output. Just not sure how it would sound, since the SY-1000 is expecting some specific types of pickups.

What an interesting link, this is the first I'm learning about it. I'd love to build a bass around it. It seems like it would just pass as a GK since the frequency response is so flat.

admin

#16
Quote from: aure on February 27, 2020, 05:19:31 PM
What an interesting link, this is the first I'm learning about (CycFi NU Hex Pickups) it. I'd love to build a bass around it. It seems like it would just pass as a GK since the frequency response is so flat.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=246.0









https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8666.75

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=25929.0


stub


Nobulusprime

I have a Fender VI and a GK 2 on it, interested to hear what that sounds like when the SY arrives

paganskins

Quote from: Nobulusprime on February 28, 2020, 10:00:32 PM
I have a Fender VI and a GK 2 on it, interested to hear what that sounds like when the SY arrives

I've a GK2 ready to go on bass vi too and hoping for good things in conjunction with the sy-1000.

Will non gk3b pickups work in bass mode?

Also have you tried your vi gk combo with any other Roland/boss gear and if so how did they perform?

aure

Oh man you guys are going to be so psyched for my next patch set, I'm calling SY-VI because they are all bass patches designed with Bass VI in mind. I have a GK-3B on my Bass VI with GK-3 pickup. Works great.

admin

#21
Quote from: Nobulusprime on February 28, 2020, 10:00:32 PM
I have a Fender VI and a GK 2 on it, interested to hear what that sounds like when the SY arrives


Old Threads  on Installing a GK-3m Cycfi, FishmanTripleplay on a Squier Bass VI

Fender / Squier Bass VI
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=11283.0

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/midi-and-bass-vi.1452700/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/official-squier-vintage-modified-bass-vi-club.1020321/page-34


Kingbrit

Quote from: stub on February 27, 2020, 01:08:11 PM
Does the SY-1000 in bass mode give you an upright bass simulation? Or is it more of a 'acoustic-bass-guitar' version?

One of the options I would consider would be to build a 5 string bass from a kit, and install this:

https://www.cycfi.com/projects/nu-series-v2/

They provide a 5-string bass soapbar version, as well as little boards to create a GK output. Just not sure how it would sound, since the SY-1000 is expecting some specific types of pickups.

Yup. It's a decent Upright Bass model. I wouldn't use it for solo work but in a mix it's convincing enough. :)

stub

Someone had posted a demo of the acoustic bass simulation using a fretless bass, and it was really impressive. Even though it might not be spot on, it sounds natural enough to be considered a full-fledged "hybrid". It got me gear-lusting for a fretless.

drjoness2001

I posted a 30 minute run down of all the patches of the Boss SY-1000 in Bass Mode: