SumOne

^^^ Isn't going onto a Drum Machine thread and saying why you don't use drum machines and why other shouldn't the equivilant of going onto the Effects forum and saying why Effects pedals aren't needed (a hangable trolling offence on Talkbass!) . 😉 I get where you're coming from, but there continues to be quite a big market from hardware drum machines. There are pros and cons to either method. I guess all those people using hardware could be wrong, or perhaps they are in different situations and people like doing things in differernt ways. As far as backup, the MPC One comes with a DAW so I do have finished tunes saved on the Laptop. And all samples are on the Laptop. If the MPC dies I would lose quite a bit of work in progress though. But then again, I had a Macbook just die on me once, I had an external hard drive but couldn't ever get things to work properly on the next Macbook which cost me over £1k (I'm not in a situation where work will pay) and I had to buy a newer £200 version of Logic to go with it as the old one was pretty much obsolete and on CD. So that was about £1,200 of hardware failure.

It depends on how people like to work, lots of people just use software, lots of people like to just use hardware. Personally, I find something in-between is ideal, the MPC is much more fun and intuative for me to do finger-drumming and altering parameters via knobs and touchscreen and live dubbing and DJ effects sort of stuff. It feels more like DJing or playing an instrument than programming. But it ocasionally is best if combined with a computer to download/ organise samples and finish tunes. I've found Computers and software to become redundant just as fast - if not faster than hardware. My friend still has an MC 505 from the mid 90s that works fine, turn it on and it still does what it did 25 years ago. I doubt very much that is the case with many people with a Computer and DAW from then, they seem to last me about 3 years before trouble starts and the faff of just getting everything working takes the fun out of it., there always seems to be some new OS update or DAW update that messes with stuff and needs a faff to get things like midi controls re-mapped. And a decent enough Computer + DAW isn't exactly cheap, iMac or Macbook (approx £1300+) + Logic Pro (£200) + some sort of hardware interface (£200) is about 3x the cost of an MPC one. I tried to sell my 10 year old Macbook Pro with Logic a while ago and the shop didn't want to offer anything, it wasn't worth their while to even bother as it's worth so little now whereas a things like 20+ year old MPC 2000 still goes for at least £650 second hand.

I've been looking into it and downloaded the midi implementation manual from Boss https://www.boss.info/uk/support/by_product/gt-1000core/ , here is a screenshot of the first page, it carries on like this for 41 pages, a real page turner! So, immediately giving up on that I turned to Youtube. Morningstar have a video: I think I'll do the opposite though and will use the Core as the controller for a FI (or perhaps a C4, but that needs their Hub or Midi adapter). Basically I want so when I go onto a Core preset it automatically changes the FI preset as assigned e.g. Set Core preset 1 to include an FX loop being turned on with the FI in it and sending a PC midi message for the FI to change to a certain preset, as far as I can tell that is fairly straight forward. I imagine that the synth and filters of the FI/C4 could sound great with some additional stuff like drive, modulation and delays added by the Core.

I've been to two festivals where Barrington Levy didn't show up though!

Massive lineup for Reggae land festival: https://reggaeland.co.uk/

I'd second the motion for getting an MPC. I got an MPC One last year and think it's the best music thing I've got in a long time. I've spent about 25 years of production via PC & Laptops and keyboards and external drum machines/grooveboxes, the MPC is a lot more fun to use. You can record live finger drumming so that has all the 'humanised' bits of being un-quantized (or that can be quantized and then shift certain parts around). Or you can program via a grid view, or step sequencer and add randomized events (via an automatic 'humanizer' feature), or nudge everything or certain parts by however much you want. As well as being a good drum machine, it's a good sampler, sequencer, DAW, multi fx for bass, and has plugin synths etc. There's lots to it, it makes guitar/bass digital multi-fx pedals (from companies like Line 6 and Boss) look very under-powered, under featured and over-priced.

An audience might not hear the difference, but if I'm going to spend 100s of hours playing a bass then I'd want one one where I prefer the sound, erganomics, weight, look etc Especially as they pretty much hold their value so it's an investment. Whether the bass that does that for you costs a lot of not is a personal thing, I wouldn't look down on people playing cheap basses or think people are mugs for playing expensive ones (there's quite a lot of that reverse snobery).

A couple of mine have already been mentioned: Good times/rappers delight & groove is in the heart. Also, always partial to 'express yourself', 'peaches' and that hook in 'I shot the sheriff'.

The Ethiopians, Obeah Book

Yeah, I am probably jumping the gun to be criticizing the editing on my first day - it probably just takes a while to get used to things. Have you found a way of deleting blocks from a chain? I can move them around, turn them off, change their effect type - but cannot delete them (on the pedal or via Laptop). It would just make the chain look a lot neater and easier to find the blocks I want to use if there weren't a lot of blank ones sitting there to scroll through.

GT-1000 Core arrived early this morning (amazing how quickly you can get stuff nowadays). A few hours of using it and it seems great. (Edit: I've added more detail after a few days of use). I suppose the big competitor is the Stomp and I think Boss wins on most counts: Sounds better (I can't test alongside a Stomp so perhaps that's my memory playing tricks on me but I've owned the Line 6 Effects, Pog Go, Stomp, Stomp XL so have a good understanding of them and I don't remember any of them sounding as good, they always felt like a good idea but never quite do it for me). Smaller, and with mostly top mounted jacks, seeems a bit tougher, lower power current needed (670mA), so altogether more pedalboard friendly. 2 FX loops (better than the Stomp 1). 2 loops means you can do stuff like change the order of the loops in different presets, or leave pedals on and just activate them with their loop setting in a preset. Even if not using for actual individual pedal fx loops it is useful: can use as extra outputs (can just use it as a 'send' and assign where in the chain), or extra input (can just use it as Aux in). A lot more powerful processing than the Stomp. 26 effects blocks and 3 paths (each with divider and mixer settings) vs 8 blocks (sometimes less) and 2 paths for the Stomp. It might seem overkill to have 26 blocks and 3 paths but it means you don't have to be stingy with things: e.g. A phaser can easily have its own split dynamic signal path and EQ and and delay and still leave you with plenty of space to do similar for other effects and amp sims etc. And there's additional main and 2nd output blocks each with EQ settings and individual speaker sims and IR. There are limitations though, those 26 blocks are partly fixed: e.g. 4 of them can only be set as a basic delay (and 1 as a more complex 'master delay') i.e. you cannot assign any other type of effect to those 4, likewise 4 can only be EQ, 2 only distortion, 1 only chorus etc. But you can do things like add more chorus or distortion effects by using one of the 3x FX blocks. I don't think it's an issue as I can't see myself needing more blocks in a preset, but worth being aware incase for some reason you wanted a signal chain with 26 distortions in a row! It isnt a 26 block free for all. https://rolandus.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052665292-GT-1000-GT-1000CORE-How-many-effects-can-be-used-in-a-single-patch- The main downsides vs the Stomp are the interface: The screen interface isn't as user-friendly on the Core, at least not to start with. The Stomp is more intuative in almost every way and is like looking at nice Apple Mac icons, whereas the Core is reminds me of 1990's MS DOS prompt and menus. The Stomp has a better thought out way of using the hardware, particularaly the footswitches: They are similar in how you can use footswitches to scroll through presets or have a mode to turn on/off effects, the Stomp also has 'soft touch' footswitch extra control though, and also has 'snapshots' (but can do similar just with a copied and edited preset in the Core). Also, the Stomp has useful dimmed footswich lights when effects are disengaged to show you what type of effect you will be activating - the Core does not. It is a shame that the Core has the 5x knobs (vs 3x Stomp) but they can only be assigned at a global level e.g. assign a knob for BPM control means every other preset must then also use that knob as its BPM control. Also, their 'press' function doesn't do anything in that manual mode which seems like a missed opportunity. Balanced outputs with the Stomp vs unbalanced for the Core. That's not actually an issue for me though as my amp has a pre EQ XLR. If it is an issue for anyone doing long cable runs to a mixer and they pick up interferance then passive DI boxes can got cheaply. Overall, I think he Stomp has a better interface but the Core is better for just about everything else. It is possible to edit everything on the pedal but that isn't something I'd want to dig into too much by clicking through menus on the pedal in a hurry (neither would you on a Stomp though) so it is probably best used with a preset mindset, but it could also be good for spontanious stuff: Adding a dual footswitch means live control of 5x effects (and potentially multiple being assigned per footswitch) and an expression pedal will be good for controlling things like wah and delays. I think a FI or C4 would also go well with it as there is no synth and the filters aren't great (similar to the Stomp), and I assume they can be midi controlled by the Core. I'd recommend it if you have some patience with the interface and the mindset of planning out presets. This is the best video I've seen to demonstrate features in more detail:

Done! (Well, Core ordered...hopefully the reputable shop I got the GT-100 from will give me a refund!) I think you are right. I like the GT-100 and have no complaints, but for a similar price the Core is more powerful and can add footswitches & expression pedal when needed, or use it on its own as a smaller unit when those are not needed. It's good being more pedalboard friendly (size and powering) as I reckon I'll add a C4 or FI that can be midi-controlled because I'm yet to find a multi-fx that gets anywhere near what they can do as synths and filters.

GT-1000 Core is on sale at Kenny's and Scan for £514. Seems worth shopping around as most places are >£600. £629 at Thomann (who quite often seem expensive nowadays, due to exchange rates perhaps?). I'm within the return window for a GT-100 I bought (£488) so am considering if it is worth swopping: GT-1000 Core wins at: 3 parallel paths (vs 1) 24 effect blocks (vs 15) 2 fx loops (vs 1) 7 dials (vs 6) 2 inputs (vs 1) A few extra effects: Sansamp sim & DD200 being the ones I'd use most, others seem a bit of a novelty (like sitar, slicer). 96kHz sampling rate (vs 48kHz) (I'm not really fussed with that though as 48kHz is more than CD quality, I doubt many people could hear the difference) Mastering effects Metronome Smaller 9v 670mA (vs I think about double that for the GX-100), so it can be powered via a current doubler from my power brick whereas the GT-100 needs its own power supply. GT-100 wins at: 5 more footswitches Bigger screen, in colour, touchscreen Expression pedal (with 'toe press' switch and light) Extra output for headphones Can add bluetooth control A bit cheaper - even with the Core being on sale (GT-100 £488 vs Core £514). It's a tough one, the GT-100 is simpler to edit on the unit and use like a stompbox rather than pre-planning everything with presets, the Core is more powerful in a smaller size. Either way, it's a good dilema to have!

RIP Trugoy

I think at least on Basschat almost every mention of Zoom pedals is positive, at least for value for money. Perhaps I'm missing something but I haven't seen people sneering about the plastic. Then again, plastic isn't seen as premium as metal. I'd rather drop a MXR pedal than a Zoom pedal, the Zoom will probably be fine but the plastic feels more likely to crack. That's fine though, it helps keep the price down and one of the best things about them is their value for money.

Perhaps double check the usb cable type, that's caught me out on a couple of devices not connecting. Not all usb cables are data cables.

I found if needing low C then a 5 string with standard tuning was best as it is designed for that tuning (scale length, pickups etc), goes a bit lower to B (or lower), playing shapes stay the same, and you still have the G. My doom pedals in chain order were: For big sustain the Pigtronix Philosopher Bass compressor worked well. Octaver like the OC-5 with +1 and -1 is good to feed into fuzz. MXR Brown Acid has been my favourite doomy fuzz. EHX Green Russian muff is good too, a bit more synthy sounding. Rats always sound a bit more thrash than doom to me, the Blowerbox Landphil is great though. Adding modulation like flanger, Phaser, Chorus can make some interesting effects. What sounds good through headphones doesn't necessarily sound good through a Cab. Personally, I liked my 2x12 speaker with adjust tweeter - to do the lows and the higher frequency fizzy fuzz.

^^^ Nice one. I might get one of those cases. I've sold off all my pedals so am going to try and just use the GX on its own ....although a C4 in the fx loop would be a good addition for synths and extra filters and I expect it could be controlled by the GX-100 via the forthcoming Source Audio midi adaptor (although those types of things often end up being much more hassle than they should be!). I like that the power has a figure 8 cable - cheap and easy to get in different lengths. Ideally for me, the power block part would've been built into the unit but I guess some people wouldn't like that if they wanted to power it from a power brick - can't please everyone!

Another seamless transaction with Chris, thanks!

I've just got a Boss GX 100 and am impressed. It is comparable to the Stomp XL for sounds and features, seems a bit like Apple vs Microsoft in that the Line 6 things are a bit more 'Apple' and immediately intuitive with slicker software interface while the GX seems to allow deeper editing but isn't always as intuitive so can't wing it quite as much - so tips from other users would be helpful. The first tips I have are: - When first plugging in, don't be disheartened if the tuner doesn't recognise your B string: Go to 'in/out settings' and select Bass (guitar is default) and adjust to the correct input sensitivity. Then, when using the tuner, turn the 'select' dial to chose your preferred view and then set for tuning type (e.g. 5 string B regular). The tuner then works very well. - There are no blank presets. Create a template on the 'user' presets by deleting effects and saving (write), that can then be used to overwrite other presets (write/insert). 'Initialize' will delete your preset and revert to original. My questions (so far!) - Line 6 footswitch lights can be lit up dull when switched off to help indicate what it'll be when switched on (e.g. Blue for chorus). Is there a way of doing similar with the Boss footswitch lights? I expect not, there is 'control view' where the screen shows what the footswitches will activate but those thin coloured outlines of small text boxes when 6 foot away aren't obvious to my poor eyesight so any way of making it more obvious would be good.