Synth block tracking

[Jop vS]

Hi,

Has anyone gotten the synth block to track pitch on the lower notes of a bass? I cant really get it to work below A.

Pitch block tracks just fine down there, by the way.

Cheers

 

[Admin M@]

On principle it's going to be very difficult to determine pitch down there. You might transpose the part to be played an octave higher, add an octave divider (1 octave down) and transpose the synth an octave lower.

 

[Jop vS]

Hi Matt, this is a trick I use, and it works, but it's somewhat limiting in creating parts. Since the pitch block tracks just fine in the lower regions I figured it wouldn't be impossible? I have some synth pedals that track fine even in drop d which I use, but would love to ditch those. The synth block is a great tool for bass so it would be awesome if you guys could get it working down lowwww.

Cheers!

 

[Jop vS]

Thanks for the reply by the way

 

[406Ryan]

I have done the whole playing an octave higher and then using the AX8 to shift down an octave. It works as long as the part doesn't have too much of a spread. If the part has to go up high too, then you're screwed. I really wish the synth block would be able to accurately track the bass below G1.

 

[flying_walrus]

Digitally tracking pitch at low frequencies is slow, as it takes a couple of vibrations of the string to determine what the fundamental is.

since low frequencies == slower vibrations, this takes longer.

 

[Jop vS]

Yes that's a fact, but the synth block doesn't track the low notes slowly, it just doesn't track them.

 

[ChristThePhone]

Probably a result of the sample window size. Make it small to get fast response but it wouldn't catch low notes. Make it big to catch low notes but live with a bigger latency. Sounds like FAS chose a compromise that would fit most situations but not yours.

 

[406Ryan]

It looks like the Future Impact is able to at least go down to F1 per this video:
...and the Source Audio C4 down to E1:


Neither is the exact sound I'm looking for, but it illustrates that a couple different companies have figured out how to track below G1.

 

[Bodde]

Yes that's a fact, but the synth block doesn't track the low notes slowly, it just doesn't track them.

I think you are better of with above pedals or the new Boss SY-1. When it comes to synth stuff and tracking the Axe fx is running behind on its competition or dedicated synth pedals imho.

 

[406Ryan]

I think you are better of with above pedals or the new Boss SY-1. When it comes to synth stuff and tracking the Axe fx is running behind on its competition or dedicated synth pedals imho.

It's a sad day when someone can say Boss does something better than Fractal. Here's The Boss SY-1 tracking an E1:

 

[yek]

Get real. It’s absurd to expect a device to be the best at EVERYTHING on the market, including dedicated gear, and still cost less than 2500.

 

[ChristThePhone]

Get real. It’s absurd to expect a device to be the best at EVERYTHING on the market, including dedicated gear, and still cost less than 2500.

I'd say it's absurd no matter what price you pay. A 100.000$ dumble amp cannot do what the Boss pedal can do either.

 

[Bodde]

It's a sad day when someone can say Boss does something better than Fractal. [/MEDIA]

haha...Boss has made some nice pedals. I prefer the Boss OC-2 over the Octaver in the Axe fx for example....

I agree with what is said. The Axe can't do everything the best. However I wish there was more love for the synth block and bass stuff in general. But that has been discussed many times already.

 

[Jop vS]

Get real. It’s absurd to expect a device to be the best at EVERYTHING on the market, including dedicated gear, and still cost less than 2500.

Hi, I didn't post this as criticism or to complain or anything. I love the Axe fx for bass and of course don't expect it to replace every piece of gear imaginable. That would be silly. I have some pedals in the fx loops that do a very specific thing very well (including the future impact and oc-2 that are mentioned here by the way)

I was just wondering about this and thought I'd ask here. The synth block is a great feature and I use it all the time. It would be even greater if it would track the low notes and as the pitch block does this very well I was surprised this wasn't the same for the synth block. That's all.

 

[bobbi]

im curious, what is synth blocking?

 

[bradlake]

im curious, what is synth blocking?

Block is a noun , not a verb, here, used to describe an effect. Synth block, amp block, etc.

 

[Fjord]

I set up the following and it seems to work...
Set octave up using pitch block.
Set shift down an octave in synth block.

Seems to track, and you can play the part normally. You can also split the signal before the pitch/synth and run a more normal signal in parallel.

 

[Jop vS]

I set up the following and it seems to work...
Set octave up using pitch block.
Set shift down an octave in synth block.

Seems to track, and you can play the part normally. You can also split the signal before the pitch/synth and run a more normal signal in parallel.

I'll give that a try, thanks!

 

[Luca9583]

I set up the following and it seems to work...
Set octave up using pitch block.
Set shift down an octave in synth block.

Seems to track, and you can play the part normally. You can also split the signal before the pitch/synth and run a more normal signal in parallel.

Hi @Fjord. Which unit did you manage to get this to work on? Axe III or II? I tried this on the Axe II and the Synth block seems to only accept the pitch of the signal at the Input and not the pitch of a Pitch block placed before the Synth block. Same with the Ring Mod.