markbass super synth

[cyoungnashville]

You've just made Craig very happy.

this is such a textbook example of how powerful, and tricky, words can really be. though our irish friend meant well, with a single statement, he made me all warm and fuzzy, and made stevie wonder instruct his bodyguards to escort him into oncoming traffic.

 

[fly]

that sounds damn cool........hmmmmm,might just need me a pedal.

 

[Basswave]

Best synth pedal ever. Why? Because it actually sounds like a synth, instead of a bass with distortion on it.

Thats the reason why I dig it as well.
The EHX and many others I find a bit esoteric for my tastes...I'm not really into the distortion square wave stuff for bass, a lit a saturation on occasion is fine but most of the time I prefer it clean. (Just speaking for myself here).

 

[J Romano]

This pedal is unbelievable. It is deceiving just looking at it. It's true beauty is going into the software that you can download and seeing and changing the dynamics. You can add or subtract octave levels +1, -1, -2. Parameters are endless in both synth and octaver. I am so pleased, the possibilities are limitless. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[syciprider]

I used the Octave Down in Church for "There Is A Longing" during the Ash Wednesday svc. I played simple v-root patterns on the higher registers and the resultant doubling down low made everything sound so full.

 

[cyoungnashville]

Oh man, this thread just went epic. I told Peter from markbass that we were showing the supersynth some major love over here. Long story short, my little insane demo is now linked to the Markbass supersynth page as an audio sample, Hahah. This cracks me up. I guess I totally underestimated this jam... It's like the "little tune thAt could". crazy!

 

[MattOfSweden]

Cool stuff - an epic little tune indeed!

 

[DTG]

Is there a way to contact pete, I know he used to be on the forum here but don't know if he still is around.

 

[J Romano]

Congrats Craig, well deserved. Markbass pedals profiled in Bass Player I got yesterday in the mail. Really good article.

 

[p5string]

This month's BassPlayer Magazine has a review of that pedal plus the distortion and compressor pedals if anyone is interested.

 

[zuma]

sorry im a little late on this, but here is that tune i was telling you about where i just went absolutely out of control rockin that markbass supersynth. it kind of started as a joke to A.) see if i could just totally freak the writers out, which is always good fun.. and or B.) basically get myself fired, so i could work on my stuff that day instead. after i worked on the synth tones for a few i actually started to like the parts i was coming up with, so i just gave it full monty, hahah. as fate would have it, i never did a real version of this thing, but here is the ruff mix of "my idea for their country song" its got a bunch of bad notes but ive heard it this way so many times now, i like the bad notes too! i cant figure out why i never ever heard back from them..


http://www.thecraigblog.com/media/markbasssynth.mp3

Nice Craig! I love the drum sound too.

 

[J Romano]

Craig, went to MB website. You are MB Artist displayed with track there. Congrats, great job!!!!!

 

[J Romano]

Question for other owners of the super synth. With my vintage (mid 90's) SR 4 fretless, the pedal is not as responsive as my Sterling. I really have to dig in to get a response and it is typically on the lower strings with some of the synth modes. And when it does kick in it is a bit over powering. I am curious if the older active systems are not powerful enough to drive the pedal? I did put a fresher battery in the bass, with no change. Switching over to the Sterling, all functions perfectly at the same pedal settings. By the way, this is only on the synth mode, octaver works fine with the fretless.

 

[cyoungnashville]

when i use any kind of synth or octave divider, i always put a compression pedal right in front of the synth / oct pedal. a compressed output will feed a nice steady continuos volume level needed to drive the synth pedal and will also greatly improve tracking regardless which model you have. if you dont have a compressor, just keep turning the pedal input up till it tracks as good as possible. your sr4 feels less responsive, more than likely, because its not as loud as your sterling.

 

[J Romano]

Thanks Craig, I knew you would have the answer. I don't have a compressor. Markbass does make one. Guess that's my next purchase! Thanks again.

 

[cyoungnashville]

im now printing this and showing it to my wife. thanks for that. i will save you a lot of compressor frustration as well, just get the markbass compressore. it is by far the best on the market, and brings much shame to my vintage $2k+ studio comps. and for any that might confuse me for a m.b. salesman, you can find multiple past posts showing much love to the mb comp long before i became a member of their team. i would never recommend something that i dont actually use and totally love, which is why you have never heard me even speak of jack's boutique line of EXTREMELY SHORT bass straps, which he calls "The Bongo Necklace, $14.99". ymmv.

 

[J Romano]

Thanks Craig, on my monday purchase list. Saw one at local GC. Is that also controlled by the software I down loaded for the super synth? John

 

[cyoungnashville]

nope. no software needed. all the controls are available right on the face of the pedal.

 

[J Romano]

Looking back at my app on the computer for the synth, the chorus/flanger tab looks really interesting. Ever tried that one out?

 

[cyoungnashville]

yeah, i have the chorus and used it a good bit on the upcoming lady a, and a ton on my project so far. its a cool effect and unlike any of the other choruses ive tried on bass, doesnt get muddy. in fact it has some really cool filters on it so you can specifically zero in on the frequencies that you wish to be effected. gives you anything from a nice mellow fretless kinda vibe, to totally uncharted sonic territory (which is where i kinda like to hang out, haha).