Synth pedal question?

[cowboyfan1969]

I am looking for a synth pedal (or another effect) to use on a couple songs. I play the keyboard solos on the Cars "Just What I Needed" on guitar, and would like to get a good sound for it. I've watched quite a few YT videos on the Boss SY-1 and a few others, but haven't watched one and said "that's the one"....

Don't want to spend crazy money, as it's for 1-2 songs..... Any suggestions?

 

[TwangerWannabe]

Any of the Electro-Harmonix C3, C9, B9, Synth9, etc. will do what you want.

 

[Festofish]

Stay away from the Mooer. EHX has lots of answers to your quandary.

 

[Skyhook]

I am looking for a synth pedal (or another effect) to use on a couple songs. I play the keyboard solos on the Cars "Just What I Needed" on guitar, and would like to get a good sound for it. I've watched quite a few YT videos on the Boss SY-1 and a few others, but haven't watched one and said "that's the one"....

Don't want to spend crazy money, as it's for 1-2 songs..... Any suggestions?

I'd say go with the SY-1!
It's not "crazy money" and it does the job.
Could it be better? Of course, but it's nowhere near "bad"!
Personally I've been GAS:ing for the SY-200, but that's crazy money already.
So far the SY-1 has been great at what it does.
Combined with a looper(RC-3 in this instance) it's been a game changer!

 

[uriah1]

I had a note converter box that sent midi line out to real synth.
Cool but not too practical for live.

 

[cyclopean]

Why not just use a guitar tone for that?

That being said, you can fake a synth with fuzz, octave, and modulation.

The blue box is pretty synthy all by itself and might sound really great doing that part. If you use the neck pickup and roll the tone knob way back it’s easier to control. Picking dynamics count for a lot. Running a blue box into other dirt helps fill it out, and running it into another octave pedal can sound great.

A very square wave fuzz and a very square wave synth can sound awfully similar.

 

[cowboyfan1969]

Thanks for the reply’s. Next time I’m at the nearest music store, I’ll try an SY-1. It’s not urgent, as i do play it as a guitar part, with some delay…

 

[teletimetx]

I’ve got the EHX B9 which is primarily an organ sound pedal. From what I’m hearing in the Cars tune, the B9 would not be my first choice for what you want.

I think the EHX Mono Synth might be worth looking into:

Electro-Harmonix Mono Synth Synthesizer Pedal

Guitar Synthesizer Effects Pedal with 11 Monophonic Synth Sounds, Sensitivity and Control Knobs, Dry and Synth Mix Knobs, Expression Pedal Input, and 11 User Presets

www.sweetwater.com

 

[wildschwein]

If you don't need a load of functionality and only want it for a few songs check out the Digitech Synth Wah. It does Moog-ey single lines quite well and a few other cool tricks. You can set the envelope for the sound to come in slow or quick. I have had one on my board for about 10 years just for that odd sort of sound. Here's some demos:



I used it here at the beginning of this composition (comes in at about 0.57):


I also think the EHX Micro Synth would be a good choice as that produces a similar sound but with more options onboard to control it.

 

[SpaceAceman]

Used EHX Synth9

I use one in the band for "A couple of songs"

Journey - Separate Ways
Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine
Dio - Rainbow in the Dark

You could do others.

Absolutely believe you could do Subdivisions by Rush. Have never been able to get Jump to sound right.

 

[bendercaster]

I use an EHX C9 for that Cars song plus a few other covers that have organ parts. It's not perfect for the Cars tune, but not bad either. Before I had the C9, I was using Fuzz and Chorus.

I tried my son's EHX Bass Monosynth once, and as cool as that pedal is, I like the C9 better.

 

[vjf1968]

I am looking for a synth pedal (or another effect) to use on a couple songs. I play the keyboard solos on the Cars "Just What I Needed" on guitar, and would like to get a good sound for it. I've watched quite a few YT videos on the Boss SY-1 and a few others, but haven't watched one and said "that's the one"....

Don't want to spend crazy money, as it's for 1-2 songs..... Any suggestions?

I agree that you should look into the Electro Harmonix Synth 9. The Boss SY-1 I found to be a little too much of a learning curve. The EH pedals are pretty straight forward.

 

[Sleepyscholar]

By chance I also play 'Just What I Needed' in a band. I use an SY-1, but to be honest the only reasons for that are that I do some other songs with an organ sound, which I can use the SY-1 for, and my board is small.

I also have a Synth-9 and I was able to get a much better Mini Korg 700 soundalike with that. But it is bigger, and doesn't have the routing options of the SY-1 (which allow you to switch from your overdriven sound to a synth sound without the overdrive with a single pedal press). With a large board, of course, the latter can easily be achieved some other way.

 

[Killing Floor]

I have been using the Source Audio C4 for a couple years. Easy to use and thousands of great patches available. Practically infinite sounds.

 

[erratick]

I have a boss sy-1. It tracks better than my EHX pedal. What the EHX synth does, it does well, but like a fuzz, you have to practice with it to track well. What's the saying? You play a fuzz pedal? Well you play an EHX synth pedal. You don't just play your guitar through it.

The boss sy-1 sounds a little cheesier, but has more variety and tracks well (switch for bass vs. guitar as well). A couple of the sounds, sound really good. And even the cheesy ones my fit an 80s tune.

They were both inexpensive.

Source Audio C4 is somewhat better at a higher price point. The tracking is about like Sy-1, but the sounds are potentially better (patches sound better than the on machine ones).

 

[regularslinky]

If you don't need a load of functionality and only want it for a few songs check out the Digitech Synth Wah. It does Moog-ey single lines quite well and a few other cool tricks. You can set the envelope for the sound to come in slow or quick. I have had one on my board for about 10 years just for that odd sort of sound. Here's some demos:



I used it here at the beginning of this composition (comes in at about 0.57):


I also think the EHX Micro Synth would be a good choice as that produces a similar sound but with more options onboard to control it.

I use a Synth Wah too - nice to know I'm not alone in the world! I use mine for the synth lines in the Cars "Let's Go" and the solo in J Geils "Love Stinks."

To me portamento is key to the "Just What I Needed" synth sound. The Synth Wah won't do that, but it will make other cool sounds.