Dubstep / Wobble Bass effect

[jdawgesq]

The Wobble bass sound is omnipresent in Dubstep. Here's a good example of the kind of effect I'd like to be able to recreate on the Axe-FX (the bass kicks in at 0:54)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk-AQ4O5KiI

On a software synth like Reason, the quick way to program a wobble bass effect is to

1) pick any bass tone capable of sustain.
2) Apply an LFO. Saw waves often work best
3) Sync the LFO oscillation rate to the tempo
4) Apply a filter
5) Sync the LFO the filter frequency
6) Modify the LFO oscillation rate with an external controller (ie. switch from 1/16 to 1/8 and back)

A more in-depth tutorial can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jnZ1EwvW88

I'm pretty good a programming wobble bass effects on the computer. I failed to do so on the Ultra because I couldn't find a way to sync the LFO to the filter frequency. Maybe it can already be done and I just don't know how to do it, or maybe it's a feature that could be added.

In any case, I'd like to be able to apply a wobble effect to my electric bass through the Axe-FX, or to unprocessed sampled or synth tones via SPDIF

A bonus would be to be able to modify the LFO rate with an external controller pedal (though I'm pretty sure that can already be done)

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

Good call.

 

[javajunkie]

All those capabilities are already in the Axe-fx?

 

[VegaBaby]

Do you have an Ultra ? Can't remember if the Standard has synths, but with the Ultra setting up a sound like that takes maybe 5 seconds...

 

[javajunkie]

Do you have an Ultra ? Can't remember if the Standard has synths, but with the Ultra setting up a sound like that takes maybe 5 seconds...

no synth on the standard.

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

Do you have an Ultra ? Can't remember if the Standard has synths, but with the Ultra setting up a sound like that takes maybe 5 seconds...

I was actually about to say...the synth in the Ultra is already capable of wobble sounds. I had forgotten before.

See here.

 

[DirtyBanana]

anybody has a preset to share?

cheers

 

[Matman]

There is a big difference between the sound in the video and that which could be done with the current Axe-Fx. The synth shown does not simply correlate LFO Rate and Filter Frequency directly -- rather, with "key sync" and "tempo sync" turned ON, it steps between LFO Rate Rhythmic quantization values, from slowest to fastest. TEMPO is not an assignable parameter on the Axe-Fx, and it would need to be for this to work. Wherever that mod wheel (or foot pedal) lands, the LFO is always grooving.

Then, with Key sync on, the LFO phase in the example begins at (and remains locked to?) song position (bar lines). Notice how perfectly it "lands" in the pocket when he stops at 8th note triplets? We've talked about wanting phase start and reset in other threads.

But then, at a certain point, as fun as this might be, you'd probably be only able to use it on one song before it got tired. Twisting the Axe-Fx towards this is also maybe like putting a phillips head driver on the other end of a hammer, no?

That said, having LFO TEMPO be a modifiable parameter offers other musically applicable benefits as well, so I'll vote YES on that ground.

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

Depends how often you'd use the effect. Maybe you deal with Phillipshead screws on a regular basis.

 

[godprobe]

I got a decent way towards it (still quite a ways to go) by following pretty much just the instructions in the video link posted (not the Axe demo, but the Reason/Record or whatever it was). What I got in the end was similar to about that video's halfway point -- didn't get the sound actually tuned to sounding at all dubstep as I'd like.

A few important things are learning what the Run parameter is, learning to use the LFOs under the Control menu, and I also hooked up the sequencer to the LFO rate, so that it *does* essentially fluctuate tempos (though it may not be on beat exactly, since it's doing percentages of a tempo). Also important is learning to shape the Modifier curves. I used the Run parameter with an Envelope modifier so that even while it's not exactly on beat, you can kind of fake like it is (assuming you're playing the guitar through this, and not wanting it to just do its thing all on its own.)

Right now my attempt is kind of like man's first attempts at flight so no, no further info or any patch from me.

 

[godprobe]

okay, I lied. I kept messing with it.
It's closer, but it's still like a chicken flying and not even duck flying.
Listen if you must (the pops are my audio card... I have too many things open right now -- the high frequency content, I think needs EQing or something -- and the bad playing is just me (sorry ))...
The whole patch's LFO rate is always going, very slow (and you can hear that) -- when it does the actual dub wobble thing, that's me pressing down on my expression pedal to Run the sequencer (so the pattern, unfortunately, repeats and is not random).

 

[VegaBaby]

Then, with Key sync on, the LFO phase in the example begins at (and remains locked to?) song position (bar lines). Notice how perfectly it "lands" in the pocket when he stops at 8th note triplets? We've talked about wanting phase start and reset in other threads.

But then, at a certain point, as fun as this might be, you'd probably be only able to use it on one song before it got tired. Twisting the Axe-Fx towards this is also maybe like putting a phillips head driver on the other end of a hammer, no?

That said, having LFO TEMPO be a modifiable parameter offers other musically applicable benefits as well, so I'll vote YES on that ground.

It's not like anyone's asking to add a whole synth block. Now that would be over the top . But... since we've already got that, your request may be a small programming step for Cliff and a giant step for us users...

 

[BillionsUponUs]

:x :| :idea: :x :idea: :?: :| :| :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :evil: :evil: :evil: :ugeek: :ugeek: :?: :idea: :idea: :?: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[reverweb]

Check this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wScnrC0T9I