Uncharted water......ring modulators.

[Rootdogg]

Hey guys, anyone here play with a ring mod? I was thinking about acquiring one to experiment with. I don't think the damn thing would have any practical live applications, but perhaps studio work or sampling would be fun. Here is what I have seen so far:

 

Lovetone Ring Stinger

Moogerfooger

EHX Frequency Analyzer

Copilot FX Android

Sinister Analog Ramrod

 

Now, I would love to get my hands on a Lovetone but the chances of that happening coupled with the rediculous price tag puts that one a little out of reach. I think the Moog would probably be the best choice of the group although I am definetly interested in the Copilot and the Sinister Analog. I am thinking of getting in touch with Brad from Tonefactor to see what he has to say about the last two choices.

 

Now, I know what a ring mod does (and it is quite dramatic and non musical), so me asking which one retains the tone of the bass is probably a rediculous question lol. I guess I just want to hear if anyone has experience with any of these, and which one they like!

 

Thanks!

[SteveyDevey]

I don't know what they do. Could you enlighten?

[SpaceGhost]

I have played the moog and liked it a whole lot. It adds interesting soundscapes if that's your thing. I cannot remember for the life of me what other ring mods I compared it to but I found it to be the most musical of the ones I tried.

[SpaceGhost]

 

I don't know what they do. Could you enlighten?

 

They turn whatever instrument you put into it sound like a robot being strangled.

[Rootdogg]

I don't know what they do. Could you enlighten?

 

Youtube it, or go to www.tonefactor.com for soundclips of the Android. Like spaceghost said, they pretty much make your instrument sound like a robot being strangled. Crazy blips and oscillations.

[LanEvo]

I think the Moog would probably be the best choice of the group although I am definetly interested in the Copilot and the Sinister Analog. I am thinking of getting in touch with Brad from Tonefactor to see what he has to say about the last two choices.

When I was shopping for effects with a guitarist buddy of mine a few years back, I remember being most impressed by the Moogerfooger. Very nice tone. Very rich. Like any ring mod, the utility is pretty limited. But the Moog seemed to have a more musical sound.

[Rootdogg]

Wow, the Moogs sound really nice.

 

I am torn between the FreqBox, and the Ring Modulator.

[ToeJamFootball]

I f?nd ring modulators are pretty much useless on the bass. Even with guitar, it's an effect that hardly sees much use. When I was shopping for effects with a guitarist buddy of mine a few years back, I remember being most impressed by the Moogerfooger. Very nice tone. Very rich. Like any ring mod, the utility is pretty limited. But the Moog seemed to have a more musical sound.

If you slow down the speed and sensitivity it sounds way better.

[sunburstbasser]

Don't discount the Z. Vex Ringtone!

 

http://www.zvex.com/ringtone.html

[FreestyleIntruder]

 

I don't know what they do. Could you enlighten?

 

 

It multiplies two waveforms together. It's what they used to get the Dalek voice in Dr Who.

[Rootdogg]

 

Don't discount the Z. Vex Ringtone! http://www.zvex.com/ringtone.html

 

 

That thing is hawt! Very cool demo. The price is insanely high though.

[Jazz Ad]

http://www.jazzad.org/Musiques/ringmod.mp3

[ToeJamFootball]

 

http://www.jazzad.org/Musiques/ringmod.mp3

 

404.

[Jazz Ad]

Fixed.

[ToeJamFootball]

Fixed.

 

They do sound funny don't they.

[Jazz Ad]

Yep.

It's a real creative challenge to get music out of them.

[ToeJamFootball]

Yep. It's a real creative challenge to get music out of them.

There is an awesome solo in a Nuno Bettencourt song on the album Shizophonic with a ring modulator.

[Jazz Ad]

Also the guitar solo on Black Sabbath's Paranoid.

[ToeJamFootball]

Also the guitar solo on Black Sabbath's Paranoid.

Are you serious??

 

EDIT: Just had a listen, I guess I never noticed cause there is a cleaner version of the solo aswell as the effected sound.

[groutt]

If you're into DIY, it's pretty easy to build a cheap one with an analog multiplier chip. Probably won't sound anywhere near as nice as a well tweaked design, but it will give you something to play with. Search for "AD633 ring".

 

I agree with "fun noises, but hard to get musical".

[max maroon]

I've used a ring modulator once with Bass on a song, it served it's purpose but I really can't imagine using it again and I like teh weird effects.

[lug]

They automatically make anything I play more musical.

[groutt]

There's a couple things I'd like to try.

 

Run the same signal into both inputs, except delay one a tiny bit.

 

Run the bridge pickup into one input and the neck pickup into the other. It's part of the reason I want to run seperate outputs if I ever get around to P/J-ifying my fretless P.

[Texas Noise Factory]

One thing I like to do is track something, and then run it through a ringmod, and then record me riding the pitch of the oscillator on the ring mod trying to keep it in harmony or key with what I already had recorded... Its definitely an experimental piece. The Digitech Space Station, the Moogerfooger Ring Mod, and the EH Frequency Analyzer are my faves.

[Noise...]

 

Hey guys, anyone here play with a ring mod? I was thinking about acquiring one to experiment with. I don't think the damn thing would have any practical live applications, but perhaps studio work or sampling would be fun. Here is what I have seen so far: Lovetone Ring Stinger Moogerfooger EHX Frequency Analyzer Copilot FX Android Sinister Analog Ramrod Now, I would love to get my hands on a Lovetone but the chances of that happening coupled with the rediculous price tag puts that one a little out of reach. I think the Moog would probably be the best choice of the group although I am definetly interested in the Copilot and the Sinister Analog. I am thinking of getting in touch with Brad from Tonefactor to see what he has to say about the last two choices. Now, I know what a ring mod does (and it is quite dramatic and non musical), so me asking which one retains the tone of the bass is probably a rediculous question lol. I guess I just want to hear if anyone has experience with any of these, and which one they like! Thanks!

 

 

I use ring mod effects now and again, and I'm actually going to be building a Green Ringer soon as well.

 

I disagree completely on them being non-musical. It depends entirely on how the ring mod is "tuned." If it's adding overtones that are complimentary to the notes you're playing, it will sound very cool, and actually very harmonized. In the same vein though, you can also have it tuned more dissonantly, causing a sound that some would deem "less musical."

 

As for which to go with, I'd probably go with the Moog or Copilot Android. I love EHX, but the Android seems a bit more versatile than the Frequency Analyzer.