I love my AFX station. It was my first synth and its the one i cant put down. Its such a feature rich piece of kit, and so well laid out that it feels immediate and like a (WARNING!CLICHE approaching!) Real instrument! Great content mate!
I have found that some patches differ in sound using different keys, and that's not always musically desired, so I sample the desired sound and play via my ESI 4000, and it's amazing how great this is. Novation is kicking arse with updates to this synth. V nice video btw.
YEAH! It is cheaper and it is not a Moog, but that doesn't mean it is a crappy synth! People should start using their ears and hands and not their eyes when talking about music
Had no idea BSII could be so musical, and that Aphex Twin thing a sort of drum map, as on rompler keyboards, only analogue. Now I need to watch your earlier comparison video.
omg I LOVE that Glide Divergence thing!!! I'm gonna try it right now! Owning a BSII for years I can really say the only think I don't like about it is some sections of the control panel are not one knobs per function. I don't like it specially when it comes to the OSC controls. I really want, at least, one knob per oscillator! Other than that it's an unbelievable machine for its price and the updates by the firmware were something nobody could have never imagined! When the para-phonic mode arrived it was like having a new synth. Fantastic
This looks like a great little synth and if I didn't already own the Sub37, this would definitely be on my list. I already have too many synths to be honest though but I suspect I'm not alone in this respect!
Your musical intro and outro using AFX mode with the arp (or sequencer) really sells it. And, you're right: The bandpass sweep you did is magical. Very nice!
You can do even more cool stuff than that. You can put it in a protected mode which stops the afx kit from being overwritten when you change any of the knobs, but if you switch to an octave below the AFX kit, you can edit and modulate that patch. This can be used to create very cool performances actually. For example you could use an external sequencer to play a beat on the two octaves with the afx kit, but then you yourself could flip a few octaves and start doing a performances, by simply holding down a note. Whenever there's an empty space in the beat, you legato to your note. But here's the cool thing, with this protected mode turned on you can start modulating this specific note that you're legatoing to.Sorry if i'm bad at explaining it, but try searching bass station II advanced sound design and watch the example about 43 minutes in. That's bloody cool :-D Makes it sound like you have a setup with a drum machine and a synth.
Great video. I sold my BS2 after I got a Sub 37 because I thought surely there's no reason to have both when the Sub 37 is the "better" and bigger synth to own... well fast forward a few years and I've long since sold my Sub 37, however I re-purchased a BS2 because it's an amazingly indispensable synthesizer with a killer sound and amazing all around features. Also weighs about a 1/10th of the Moog.
Yeah this blows the competition away as far as features. with the new paraphonic mode and preset key afx mode. it's a no brainer. Going to get one now. So cool
In your sub 37 vs BS2 comparison video you couldn't get the BS2 to mimic a TB 303 the way the sub 37 could. I'm wondering if any of the updated BS2 "retriggering" functions solved that problem? Thanks. Great videos.
well now you need to make a video with things the sub37 can do that the bs2 can't :P love it when companies like novation, arturia, moog, and akai continue to update firmware on their products to add more functionality. quality vids, thanks!
I had my BS2 on eBay until I watched this video. I was going to sell the BS2 because I thought I just needed the Moog. Think I'll keep it now. There are enough reasons to have both.
Lovely patch @ 7:15! I'm a bit late to the part here but thought i'd share my thoughts.I'm on my 2nd BS2. I sold my original, upgraded to a Matrixbrute, really didn't like the MB. Sold it and thought id try a Pro 3. That sounded plastic-y and cheap to me. Sold that and bought another BS2 and am happy. However I really wish the sequencer had more options like different gate lengths to get more interesting sequences/303 basses and such. Love the BS2 though and the filter is one of my favs, even more so than the moogs I reckon. Just seems to bit a bit nicer giving a nice punch, especially noticeable with pluck basses.
I used it heavily for quite some time then got alittle bored with it, then it broke and stayed broken for some time. When I had it fixed I fell in love with it again, just in time to see it getting some attention again.
@@rogier5591 I put it in a stupid place and my wife accidentally pushed it on to the floor so the volume got glitchy, I could still get sound but only if I actively pressed the volume knob down at all time which was really limiting. Since I suck at soldering and such I had a friend repair it, I think he had to order some tiny part which made it more comlicated than it should have been
@@markussamnell6408 Thanks for sharing! Accidents like that can happen, glad to hear it was fixable! I was just wondering about the build quality on these...I had a Monologue for a while and although I liked it as a synth, the build quality was so-so. The lack of bolted knobs (onto the faceplate) made it so that after only a few months of normal use, the knobs would get wobbly... Bass Station II at least has bolted-on knobs, so that's a big plus! I can see myself buying one in the future, but right now I believe I've fallen in love with a granny.. the Moog Grandmother that is :) So I'm saving up for that one first!
wait so with that last feature, the adjustable gate...could you combine that with the acid filter to do the 303 emulation? You mentioned in the other video you couldn't get that sound...
It’s not exactly an adjustable gate - but an envelope function. You still can’t do the stabby 303 style with ties like in the S37 comparison. You could simply adjust the envelope if all notes were short, the problem comes when you want some longer notes in there. With a short envelope decay the tied notes don’t work. Thanks for watching and nice comment 👍
After the past 2 updates (2 and 2.5) you simply just can’t beat the Bass Station. Definitely the most feature rich mono synth in its price range and is capable of punching so far above its weight, that it’s comparable with a $1500 Moog.
Is there a solution for the LFO going out of sync? It only stays audibly in sync for about 15 seconds. Only solution so far is to use key sync and just play in time like a boss.
Lovely demo, thanks a lot! It is quite interesting to see how these "kids" works against big daddies like Sub37 :-) Just wonder, if you have a Waldorf Pulse 2 in your collection. Would love to see a demo on it from you.
i got the normal BS2, and was kindda thinking about changing it for a moog grandmother or sub 25 but man... novation really knows how to elliminate competitors. i know moog is moog and stuff, but novation really improved this one in time over the other synths.
If you’re not using the CV on the MB with other kit you’ll probably get a lot more from the BS. The only annoying thing for me is dual use of some of the knobs which gets frustrating when you tweak the wrong one.. just remember to save stuff regularly... with the free librarian you can save as many patches as you like.
@@StarskyCarr ok thanks. Had to ask because I have one on order. But this video has me thinking I may have made a mistake if bs2 can do all of these things at the price. I've watched your other videos as well.
8:08 well... it's not really a true 2 oscillator monosynth. It's a 3-oscillator monosynth, fully fledged now since the sub can be detatched from tracking osc 1 with the new updates. The sub oscillator is still somewhat limited compared to osc 1 and 2 though. No triangle, no pulsewidth modulation or pitch modulation. Well, the pitch can probably be modulated with midi, not sure? And the pulse still has 2 settings that could also be modulated with midi. It's also got a paraphonic mode. I think the sub 37 has too, but it's a duophonic synth by nature isn't it? The Bass Station 2 isn't so the VCA is shared by the oscillators causing envelope retrigger on both notes when new key is pressed, but this creates interesting results that you probably couldn't get with the sub 37, or would be more hardpressed to achieve.
@@StarskyCarr dang, shame!! Unrelated question: by using the 3 oscillators tuning and the AFX mode, could one make an overlay of the same patch but different chords on every key?
annabelleshaus yes - the intro track does a bit of this, plus some drum sounds. Slight changes in tone and different chords would be the most useful way to use this I think. The drums are just a really good way of demoing that’s what’s actually happening.
Personally, the Bass Station II wrecks the Sub 37 for actual bass sounds in your comparison. Sub 37 certainly sounds more vintage and "analog" but that cheesy-circus-music flavor is inescapable.
As we don't make music with the "price" but with the... sound, the BS can't compete the Sub 37 on this point, unfortunately... new additions just make it sounds like a VST losing the analog touch. But it's just a personal feeling of course.
They are tons of fun though, the BS2 still does all the stuff it did before and I'm not going to criticise Novation for adding extra functionality!The layers thing is mental when you sequence or arpeggiate through iterations of the same preset. I don't keep up with Moog stuff, are they still adding features to the Sub?
@@ben1210 The problem is not to add things or not, it is the result. How it sounds. As I said it it is my personal feeling and I don't want to argue about a personal feeling.
The sounds that you got from 8:35-9:11, it gave me chills. What an amazing synth, I love it.
Excellent walkthrough that has rekindled my BS2 love! Thanks.
Great tune at the end too.
I love my AFX station. It was my first synth and its the one i cant put down. Its such a feature rich piece of kit, and so well laid out that it feels immediate and like a (WARNING!CLICHE approaching!) Real instrument!
Great content mate!
Gosh! 7:31 detachable sub oscillator and that patch you just came up with there - I guess that finally sold me for the Bass Station (again!)
Impressive machine! Excellent demo, as usual!
Shitty demo. Unmusical disturbing noise this was the most part.
I have found that some patches differ in sound using different keys, and that's not always musically desired, so I sample the desired sound and play via my ESI 4000, and it's amazing how great this is.
Novation is kicking arse with updates to this synth.
V nice video btw.
YEAH!
It is cheaper and it is not a Moog, but that doesn't mean it is a crappy synth! People should start using their ears and hands and not their eyes when talking about music
Frank Cassinelli - agreed, too many folk in TH-cam land listen with their eyes!
I'm using my ears and half of the sample sounds in this video sounded terrible.
+Moog is overrated brand. The logo in Moog costs 200€ alone.
It's a very very decent synth!
That’s that old thing about people knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Had no idea BSII could be so musical, and that Aphex Twin thing a sort of drum map, as on rompler keyboards, only analogue. Now I need to watch your earlier comparison video.
omg I LOVE that Glide Divergence thing!!! I'm gonna try it right now!
Owning a BSII for years I can really say the only think I don't like about it is some sections of the control panel are not one knobs per function. I don't like it specially when it comes to the OSC controls. I really want, at least, one knob per oscillator!
Other than that it's an unbelievable machine for its price and the updates by the firmware were something nobody could have never imagined! When the para-phonic mode arrived it was like having a new synth. Fantastic
This looks like a great little synth and if I didn't already own the Sub37, this would definitely be on my list. I already have too many synths to be honest though but I suspect I'm not alone in this respect!
I can vouch you’re not alone!!
It’s cheap AF, buy it.
Your musical intro and outro using AFX mode with the arp (or sequencer) really sells it. And, you're right: The bandpass sweep you did is magical. Very nice!
You can do even more cool stuff than that. You can put it in a protected mode which stops the afx kit from being overwritten when you change any of the knobs, but if you switch to an octave below the AFX kit, you can edit and modulate that patch. This can be used to create very cool performances actually. For example you could use an external sequencer to play a beat on the two octaves with the afx kit, but then you yourself could flip a few octaves and start doing a performances, by simply holding down a note. Whenever there's an empty space in the beat, you legato to your note. But here's the cool thing, with this protected mode turned on you can start modulating this specific note that you're legatoing to.Sorry if i'm bad at explaining it, but try searching bass station II advanced sound design and watch the example about 43 minutes in. That's bloody cool :-D Makes it sound like you have a setup with a drum machine and a synth.
@@mortenrobinson That's a really cool, unique feature! Cheers for taking the time to explain how it works.
@@mortenrobinson didnt know about this added feature, i was hoping it had the full range if notes! im about to renoise this baby to hell and back
Nice. I've used both extensively, and I greatly prefer the BSII, especially for the price.
Interesting... maybe not such an odd comparison after all. :)
Great video. I sold my BS2 after I got a Sub 37 because I thought surely there's no reason to have both when the Sub 37 is the "better" and bigger synth to own... well fast forward a few years and I've long since sold my Sub 37, however I re-purchased a BS2 because it's an amazingly indispensable synthesizer with a killer sound and amazing all around features. Also weighs about a 1/10th of the Moog.
Yeah this blows the competition away as far as features. with the new paraphonic mode and preset key afx mode. it's a no brainer. Going to get one now. So cool
sold BS2, repurchased BS2 hoo :o
Nice one Starsky ...... very generous of you. I bet Novation will be well impressed with this demo ;)
Impressed by turning knobs randomly creating awful sounding sounds. I doubt that.
In your sub 37 vs BS2 comparison video you couldn't get the BS2 to mimic a TB 303 the way the sub 37 could.
I'm wondering if any of the updated BS2 "retriggering" functions solved that problem?
Thanks. Great videos.
well now you need to make a video with things the sub37 can do that the bs2 can't :P
love it when companies like novation, arturia, moog, and akai continue to update firmware on their products to add more functionality.
quality vids, thanks!
0.42 seconds
Great video
And did the gate timing get fixed in the update , allowing you to get that "Josh Wink" 303 sound?
It’s nothing that needs ‘fixing’ just a function of the synth. But I don’t think there’s been any updates that address it.
I had my BS2 on eBay until I watched this video. I was going to sell the BS2 because I thought I just needed the Moog. Think I'll keep it now. There are enough reasons to have both.
you did the right thing mate!
You cant have a too long video if its about the Bass Station II.
It the best cheap analog mono synth ever!!! 🔊🔊🔊
Awesome!!!
Thanks a lot for your videos, my Subsequent have a new (blue) friend now 😁
Does this have a 5th feature like on the microbrute? Can I use it in paraphonic mode?
Lovely patch @ 7:15! I'm a bit late to the part here but thought i'd share my thoughts.I'm on my 2nd BS2. I sold my original, upgraded to a Matrixbrute, really didn't like the MB. Sold it and thought id try a Pro 3. That sounded plastic-y and cheap to me. Sold that and bought another BS2 and am happy. However I really wish the sequencer had more options like different gate lengths to get more interesting sequences/303 basses and such. Love the BS2 though and the filter is one of my favs, even more so than the moogs I reckon. Just seems to bit a bit nicer giving a nice punch, especially noticeable with pluck basses.
the sound at 8 50 is amazing is possible to have your patches? i cant do itt =D
if this thing was 3x octaves & had some sort of delay/reverb built-in, it would be perfect. it's like 95% of the way :)
I used it heavily for quite some time then got alittle bored with it, then it broke and stayed broken for some time. When I had it fixed I fell in love with it again, just in time to see it getting some attention again.
Would be interesting to hear what part of the synth broke and how easy it was to repair, if you care to share?
@@rogier5591 I put it in a stupid place and my wife accidentally pushed it on to the floor so the volume got glitchy, I could still get sound but only if I actively pressed the volume knob down at all time which was really limiting. Since I suck at soldering and such I had a friend repair it, I think he had to order some tiny part which made it more comlicated than it should have been
@@markussamnell6408 Thanks for sharing! Accidents like that can happen, glad to hear it was fixable!
I was just wondering about the build quality on these...I had a Monologue for a while and although I liked it as a synth, the build quality was so-so. The lack of bolted knobs (onto the faceplate) made it so that after only a few months of normal use, the knobs would get wobbly...
Bass Station II at least has bolted-on knobs, so that's a big plus! I can see myself buying one in the future, but right now I believe I've fallen in love with a granny.. the Moog Grandmother that is :) So I'm saving up for that one first!
wait so with that last feature, the adjustable gate...could you combine that with the acid filter to do the 303 emulation? You mentioned in the other video you couldn't get that sound...
It’s not exactly an adjustable gate - but an envelope function. You still can’t do the stabby 303 style with ties like in the S37 comparison. You could simply adjust the envelope if all notes were short, the problem comes when you want some longer notes in there. With a short envelope decay the tied notes don’t work. Thanks for watching and nice comment 👍
After the past 2 updates (2 and 2.5) you simply just can’t beat the Bass Station. Definitely the most feature rich mono synth in its price range and is capable of punching so far above its weight, that it’s comparable with a $1500 Moog.
Because Moogs logo alone costs 200€
What did the updates fix/improve?
What do you think about the SE-02? It’s pretty much in the same price range only without keys
Is there a solution for the LFO going out of sync? It only stays audibly in sync for about 15 seconds. Only solution so far is to use key sync and just play in time like a boss.
Tried the Dark Energy yet?
Lovely demo, thanks a lot! It is quite interesting to see how these "kids" works against big daddies like Sub37 :-) Just wonder, if you have a Waldorf Pulse 2 in your collection. Would love to see a demo on it from you.
Sorry, haven’t got a pulse. There are so many cool monos around I could fill 2 studios with them :)
Very late here, but I have a BS II and have been thinking about getting a Sub 37 cos reasons... but clearly I don't need to 😊
i got the normal BS2, and was kindda thinking about changing it for a moog grandmother or sub 25 but man... novation really knows how to elliminate competitors. i know moog is moog and stuff, but novation really improved this one in time over the other synths.
Looks like I'm selling my Minibrute 2 for one of these....loads of features but at the end of the day this thing just sounds better to me
If you’re not using the CV on the MB with other kit you’ll probably get a lot more from the BS. The only annoying thing for me is dual use of some of the knobs which gets frustrating when you tweak the wrong one.. just remember to save stuff regularly... with the free librarian you can save as many patches as you like.
It's such a dark horse.
Nope. It`s a dark synth ;)
I'm curious to why you pit everything against the sub 37. Can't tell if it's a favorite of yours or if you're disliking it.
Sub 37 is definitely a favourite of mine. To me it’s pretty much a benchmark of synth design so setting a standard (but a pricey one).
@@StarskyCarr ok thanks. Had to ask because I have one on order. But this video has me thinking I may have made a mistake if bs2 can do all of these things at the price. I've watched your other videos as well.
@@mpmi7588 You absolutely won't regret the S37.. and as I concluded in my comparison - buy the BSII while you're saving for the S37 :)
According to Legowelt he finds the moog "boring"!!! May have been a sub phatty he was talking about.
8:08 well... it's not really a true 2 oscillator monosynth. It's a 3-oscillator monosynth, fully fledged now since the sub can be detatched from tracking osc 1 with the new updates. The sub oscillator is still somewhat limited compared to osc 1 and 2 though. No triangle, no pulsewidth modulation or pitch modulation. Well, the pitch can probably be modulated with midi, not sure? And the pulse still has 2 settings that could also be modulated with midi. It's also got a paraphonic mode. I think the sub 37 has too, but it's a duophonic synth by nature isn't it? The Bass Station 2 isn't so the VCA is shared by the oscillators causing envelope retrigger on both notes when new key is pressed, but this creates interesting results that you probably couldn't get with the sub 37, or would be more hardpressed to achieve.
This was made before the 3rd osc update. I’ve another video with the Aphex mode etc.
Does this have cv outs?
No
@@StarskyCarr dang, shame!! Unrelated question: by using the 3 oscillators tuning and the AFX mode, could one make an overlay of the same patch but different chords on every key?
annabelleshaus yes - the intro track does a bit of this, plus some drum sounds. Slight changes in tone and different chords would be the most useful way to use this I think. The drums are just a really good way of demoing that’s what’s actually happening.
Sidenote..Radiohead used the original bass station for the bassline in exit music on ok computer album.
7:00
oof grimy asf mate!
Personally, the Bass Station II wrecks the Sub 37 for actual bass sounds in your comparison. Sub 37 certainly sounds more vintage and "analog" but that cheesy-circus-music flavor is inescapable.
As we don't make music with the "price" but with the... sound, the BS can't compete the Sub 37 on this point, unfortunately... new additions just make it sounds like a VST losing the analog touch. But it's just a personal feeling of course.
They are tons of fun though, the BS2 still does all the stuff it did before and I'm not going to criticise Novation for adding extra functionality!The layers thing is mental when you sequence or arpeggiate through iterations of the same preset. I don't keep up with Moog stuff, are they still adding features to the Sub?
@@ben1210 The problem is not to add things or not, it is the result. How it sounds.
As I said it it is my personal feeling and I don't want to argue about a personal feeling.
@@KNHSynths not trying to argue, genuine question! I have to admit to being a Novation fanboy, probably colours my judgement.
the VST comment is just BS imho
Orbital have done alright out of making music with one 😊
It would be good if the sounds actually sounded good.
8:36 disagrees
@@TealTactics Yeah 30% of the sounds sounded good and 70% awful. Now which one it was?
@@MikkeMan maybe not your style of sounds, and obviously you can program the sounds to your liking.