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warmth and response for synths from tube amps?


Toonfuul

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not sure why no one replied yet, but using tube amps with keyboards is not at all uncommon. In fact, I don't think that a B3 is quite the same unless it's running through a tube amp-equipped Leslie speaker. 

I'm not above reamping a keyboard part in the studio to give it some acoustical ambience, and sometimes I'll use a full-range powered (solid state) speaker for that, and other times I'll use a tube amp - it just depends on whether I want to muck up (warm up / distort) the sound a bit or not. I know a lot of big-name producers and engineers who will do the same basic thing, so while tube amps are generally not the first choice for live use with keyboards (outside of Hammond / Leslie players), they do get used occasionally - at least in the studio - so don't be afraid to experiment yourself and see what you think!

 

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I suppose it would depend a lot on the synth voice you are using, and how hard you are pushing the tube amp [as well as how many watts, speaker efficiency, speaker size, cabinet style....]...but I see no reason why you couldn't, if the sound you want requires that kind of overdrive...but there are a number of pedals on the market that can accomplish [or approximate] that as well.

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  • 1 month later...
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look for Keeley overdrive pedals first, because they are typically top notch, reliable, 'clean' , etc. Then check Earthquaker, then check Mad Professor...and so on.

It may actually be 'fuzz', not really OD, that you want, and Keeley does that quite well as well.

It really comes down to the sound in your head and finding the little box that gets you there.

There are so many pedal builders now, from low end like Behringer and the Dan Armstrong/Dunlop pedals to primo boutique builders...do a search for overdrive pedals...and a search for distortion pedals...and a search for fuzz pedals...and you will see that I understated by saying 'many'...  from Analogman to ZVex...and beyond!

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  • 2 months later...

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