I got the baby D50 when Roland did a run in the Boutique line. I used to carry it with a little controller as the road practice rig.
I’m a version behind on V collection already. Any one of those machines is more time than I have to really learn it. I did just go back to it again mainly because S2O wanted to cut people those Moog deals. Nope. For my purposes I still haven’t exhausted the V version and I think I’d have to get a real one here if it were even possible for me to try to name differences.
The synths sound really, really close to me. I found an archive of all the original ESQ-1 and SQ-80 sysex presets saved from the synths; the V Collection synth loaded these perfectly and they sounded exactly the same as I remembered. I was really impressed.
Depends on the plugin really. Most of them I listen to a bunch of presets and then tweak them. Some of them I build up from scratch.
As an example of that, I find Kilohearts’ plugins really easy to use to assemble things from scratch. I’ve made my own multiband effects many times with their components, and it’s fun. But yes, with a learning curve.
The other extreme would be something like Analog Lab, which is literally just a bundle of synth presets you can tweak. Which was a bit part of why I wanted V Collection, so I could program the synths a lot more.
It’s pretty much exactly like with pedals, yes
The thing with plugins is you very quickly accumulate a lot of them, due to bundles and purchase gifts. I have quite a few I have not used yet.
Another interesting thing is that you probably have more than you realize now as well. All DAWs come with some, sometimes very good ones. Reaper comes with dozens, and most people don’t even realize it.
I don’t own Logic but I am sure it comes with a bunch, and probably good ones. Even GarageBand has amp and cab sims automatically added to tracks for you and effects you can chain. Just the list they have here looks like a solid start:
Thanks! Yes, but I guess the Apple Audio Units aren’t even the top of the line… they have been around for ages (in one form or another).
I have just started to play around with Logic - it’s insanely powerful and chockful of features I had no idea existed (even though I “used” GB for a while, I guess my knowledge hasn’t advanced significantly since the 80s when we used Cubase on an Atari).
I use Logic Pro as my primary DAW (do have others as well). A lot of the included plugins do a great job. Platinum Compressor is very functional, the delays can get you some very interesting timbres (especially tape delay, which you can set up like comb filter), even the amps are very useful.
I consider amp and cab sims to be mandatory, always-on on every bass and guitar track, so it is good it came with some good ones. I can recommend some excellent ones as well (and do in the OP). There’s a lot of good ones.
It’s funny - these are almost the least important features for me right now. They are great to have as options, but I plan to record my bass as audio track directly (DI) from the real-life amp to the DAI.
They are interesting though when working with recording later in the DAW.
Aargh, I just realized that auto correct had somehow turned “recorded tracks” (or my intention to write that) into “recording” in my previous mail; which, of course, makes little to no sense
I have bass track, in my Ableton default template, which is hooked to my bass cable and Amplitube, Guitar Rig, TH-U plugins on that track and easy script on my tablet in Lemur so I can select which plugin is on and change presets in a given plugin. I have launch to DAW after startup (which is running also 20 sub programs … ) which loads this template.
When I come home from work, I just switch on PC wait 5, 6 minutes to load in to the DAW and, other than other milion cool things :D, I can plug any bass to my cable laying under my table and play through, literaly, thousands of configurations and sounds. And control it throug touch screen. So Blade Runner style!
If one can overcome the, it’s not real (which is atm, irrelevant for pracical purposes … I think … in the sense that virtual cabs are able now to deliver pro-record quality sound. It’s gamechanger, for a price of one decent amp you can now have hundreds of good and handfull of great sounds for your bass or guitar. I love it! And ofc. it’s always going throug sweet shape/eq/comp SSL emulation of Softube mixing console. << Magnifique >>
howard, I am bit smashed now, painkillers … and I have no clue if the English I am using now is even understandable … probably yes, but if not, I am sorry, I will try to … rephrase it someday different time
The only reason I don’t play through amp sims even live practicing with my bass is pure laziness in that I haven’t played with my buffer sizes enough to be totally happy with the latency vs direct monitoring.
I am completely sold on using amp and cab sims instead of real amps, even live. They sound better in my opinion, are cheaper, and infinitely better for recording.
If I were setting up a live rig now it would absolutely not include a bass amp. It would be all of my instruments into a mixer and out a set of powered PA’s. Before the mixer, there would be an amp and cab sim on the bass and guitar. Maybe via PC (which will be going in to the mixer for the synths anyway), maybe via something like a Helix or Quad Cortex if I was worried about CPU.
Part of this is because I would need the PA anyway for other things, but you just can’t beat amp sims for sound and versatility.
This looks interesting. They let you EQ the transient separate from the sustain. I like the idea of texturing the tone without brightening up the attack.
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