Playing Bass on Keyboard

[Derek]

Keyboards can be used to do a pretty convincing bass line. But it seems I'm having a problem getting my repeated single notes to sound the same as they would on a real bass.

Notes that change are no problem, they sound very real. But the repeated same note plucks sound artificial. I think it's because a real bass has the sound continuing through the plucks instead of stopping like they do when I play them on keyboards.
I?m thinking I might need to invest in a sustain pedal.

What do you guys think?

[jasedee]

A sustain pedal is probably a good idea.....It's on my list in the near future!

But....If you really want some nice real bass sounds......I have the perfect solution. Buy a bass

Or make friends with a bass player

[Derek]

Originally Posted by jasedee

A sustain pedal is probably a good idea.....It's on my list in the near future!

But....If you really want some nice real bass sounds......I have the perfect solution. Buy a bass

Or make friends with a bass player

I have a bass but I'm no bass player. I use my bass to take me in directions I wouldn't think of when playing keyboard. It's more of a creative tool I use for inspiration.
As for working with a bass player, I often find relying on others is a good way to get little done. I know everyone isn't like that but many people just don't care enough about music to actually invest time into it. I'm sure you all know what I mean.

Anyway I'm open to ideas on making my keyboard bass sound more real as I described above.

[Onkel Dunkel]

Try creating a keyboard split-zone with the same patch in the upper half of the keyboard as in the lower part of the keyboard (in the same octave range). This way you can play the same note two places on the keyboard and make it sound less artificial. I don?t know if it?ll work but it?s worth a try...

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Onkel Dunkel

Try creating a keyboard split-zone with the same patch in the upper half of the keyboard as in the lower part of the keyboard (in the same octave range). This way you can play the same note two places on the keyboard and make it sound less artificial. I don?t know if it?ll work but it?s worth a try...

Hmmm, that's an idea, Thanks, I'll give it a try.

[Hollowcell]

I thought of a way to do it, but it would be a real hassle....

Multi-sample sustaining bass notes, now place all the notes that would be on each string into 4 seperate presets (on Emu's they are called presets, not sure about other samplers). Layer the Presets and make sure they don't overlap.

Set the sampler to play the entire sample until another sample is triggered in the same preset (or until you trigger a note from the same virtual string if you will).

By setting up like this, you will get the note sustaining until you trigger another note from the same Preset (or until you trigger another note from the same virtual string). But if you trigger a note that would be on a different string (different preset), it won't effect the sustain of the previous note struck.

What a head fuck that would be! But you wouldn't be able to get the same control on a synth, so the sampler is the best bet.

[Onkel Dunkel]

Boy that sounded confusing

[Hollowcell]

Originally Posted by Onkel Dunkel

Boy that sounded confusing

Hehehe, well....

Imagine you have 4 strings....

Pluck the top string and a note sounds.....
Pluck the same string and the note before is cut short due
to the current pluck...
But.....
Pluck the top string, but then pluck the bottom string - the top string will still sustain while you pluck the bottom string.

I think to create this effect, a Sampler would be easiest, but depending on how well splits and layers could be created and controlled on a synth you could do it on a synth too I guess.

Originally Posted by Derek

Notes that change are no problem, they sound very real. But the repeated same note plucks sound artificial. I think it's because a real bass has the sound continuing through the plucks instead of stopping like they do when I play them on keyboards.
I?m thinking I might need to invest in a sustain pedal.

The method I was talking about by using the Sampler would help with this problem.

Still though....

Can't beat a real bass player.