5
and then it converts that pitch into digital information that
triggers
a sound
engine, either internally in the synth or externally via MIDI. As such, the bass
is only used as an input device—like the keys on a keyboard synth—to play
sounds you call up on a menu, such as piano, strings, drums, and so forth.
With the VB-99, the string signals from your bass are always the fundamental
building blocks of the sound you hear, even when the realtime modeling
process modifies that sound into something quite unlike a bass. As a result,
playing a COSM instrument always feels and responds just as naturally as
playing your normal bass, with every subtle expressive nuance coming
through.
Bass to MIDI
While COSM instrument modeling itself isn’t a synthesizer, the
VB-99
does
have the ability to use the divided pickup signal to
trigger sounds in an external synthesizer or sound module via
MIDI. This is called the “Bass to MIDI” function, and it’s basically like having a
Roland GI-20 GK-MIDI Interface built in.
Connecting a Normal Bass Without a Divided Pickup
If you like the sound of your normal pickups as is—or you
don’t want to install a divided pickup—you can still use
your bass with the VB-99. Just plug its output into the
VB-99’s rear-panel 1/4-inch BASS INPUT jack. You won’t
be able to use COSM instrument modeling (including its alternate tunings
and polyphonic effects) or the Bass to MIDI function; those require a divided
pickup. But you can use all the rest of the VB-99’s processing options,
including COSM amps and effects.
As mentioned earlier, the Roland GK-3B and other divided pickup
systems allow you to send the normal pickup output along with the
divided pickup output over the 13-pin cable connection. The GK-3B
control unit has an onboard switch to allow you to easily switch
between regular bass, divided pickup output, or both, and the VB-99
has internal mixing options to blend the sounds as well. Another quick
way to bring your normal pickups into the signal chain is with the front-
panel BASS DIRECT switch.
COSM Amps to the Max
Once you’ve created a COSM instrument—or plugged your regular bass
into the BASS INPUT—you can “amplify” it virtually using a COSM amplifier
model. The VB-99 offers 12 COSM bass and guitar amps, from vintage
legends to modern classics. Each amp model offers uncannily accurate
sound replication, as well as a set of familiar controls (volume, bass, treble,
bright switch, etc.) as found on the real amp. The amp’s speaker system—a
critical component of any bass or guitar amp’s sound—is modeled as well,
with a selection of five different virtual mics and variable mic positioning.
You can mix and match speaker types at will, or turn the speaker models off
altogether if desired.
For a detailed listing of the COSM amps and speakers, see the VB-99
Owner’s Manual.
