Roland V-Bass VB-99 User manual

STAGE EXPERT SOUNDSET
Detlef Blanke from Bremen, Germany is a professional bass
player, songwriter and arranger. He has been running his
own recording studio since 1996. Detlef was involved in
numerous live and studio projects with international line-ups.
He toured extensively around the globe and worked as a
producer and bassist for Steinbergers "Virtual Bassplayer"
and as musical director for the "virtual guitarist II".
Detlef has used the Roland VB-99 live and in the studio for
many years to expand the palette of bass sounds he can
offer. He prepared this 20 signature sounds for us. They are
all tried and proven on stage. You will also find an audio
demo to each sound.
Detlef Blanke:
These are my favorite 20 sound presets. Sounds are always a subjective and personal matter, but
be assured, they will be fabulous and functional with either a bass amplifier cab with tweeter or
played directly into the PA system.
I hardly use any other bass modeling sounds except the fretless, the double bass and the synth on
the VB-99 because I simply love the sound of my active 5-string. I'd rather add synths, guitars or
some of the great sounding effects to the natural sound of my bass.
The sound presets are programmed with my active 5-string bass. This might cause the effect level
and the synth or guitar add-ons to be a bit loud compared to the unprocessed sound if you are
using the preset with a passive bass. Please adjust each preset level to the type of bass you are
using.
Generally the preset volume is perfectly balanced with my natural bass sound if the GK-pickup
control knob is set to middle position (100). This should give you ample headroom in both
directions to adjust it to your taste (0-200).
Enjoy my universe of bass sounds!

Please note:
Please transfer the sound files with the VB-99 Librarian-Software into the VB-99.
You can find specific information about the mapping of the footswitches and the expression
pedals of the FC-300 in the PDF "footswitch assignment".
1.) 2 Oct Solo DB (2 Octave Solo Synth)
My favorite lead and solo sound with a synth two octaves above the bass sound. Perfectly suited to
create pads or fatten up the sound in a small band.
2.) 2 OctUp Synth DB
This is similar to preset 1 (2 Oct Solo DB) but adds more synth and modulation. Wonderful sound
to make the synth sing, especially in the low registers.
3.) BassOrchestra DB
This is a fat mix of natural bass, synth bass and strings. Nice atmosphere, great for intros!
4.) BobsNightmare DB
Emulation of the classic fat synth sounds of the 70ies by Bob (if you know who I mean ;)
It will sound like a sequencer if you play it right. The ultra-fast attack of the VB-99 makes this
possible.
5.) Bs+StratPoCho DB (Bass & Strat powerchord)
You are playing bass and guitar at the same time. The bass sound is souped-up with a slightly
distorted Strat power chord (root and fifth)
Great dynamics on the guitar part! One step on the CTL2 on your foot controller turns you into the
lead guitarist. The fifth is eliminated and the guitar volume goes up.
6.) Double Bass DB
No, that's not 2 basses. It is my favorite double bass sound with lots of tone and wood. It sounds
amazingly real when used in a band, even without the huge body...
7.) Dyna TWah DB (dynamic touch-wah)
The name is game. A great unique funky sound with great dynamic response to your attack. A
bass wah without having to use a pedal.
8.) E+A Fretless DB (fretless electric Jazzbass & acoustic double bass)
Best of both worlds! Growling fretless sound with a touch of air and wood of a double bass. Very
elegant!

9.) Fat Sub DB
Fat, ultra-low, thick, exactly like your favorite sine wave keyboard bass. Perfect for modern styles to
add the extra bottom punch. This is made for oomph tzzz oomph tzzz music!
10.) Git Hi5 LP-ST DB
Hey, slinky strings, your bass mutates into an electric guitar! The tuning is exactly like the top 4 or
5 strings on a guitar copying the major third between the G and the b string. This allows you to fret
guitar chords exactly like on a guitar. You can choose between a Strat and a Les Paul on your
EXP-Pedal 2.
11.) GitBs OpTunin’ DB
Good Lord, this is getting tough! The easiest way is to play a one finger bar chord across all 4
strings. This gives you the root on the bottom string and a major chord on the top 3 strings. If you
need a minor chord you can either fret the A string one fret below or you can step up the EXP-
Pedal 2. One step down and you're back to major.
12.) Monsterlead DB
Another great solo sound with a fat synth. In this preset the synth sounds more like brass. Great for
chordal pads if you switch off the bass.
13.) OctUp Synth DB
Atmospheric synth with a good amount of modulation, one octave above the bass. It's great for
long moody sustained notes and soundscapes.
14.) PadBs OpTunin’ DB
This preset works the same way like the GitBs OpTunin’ DB Preset except the top 3 strings have a
string pad instead of a guitar sound.
15.) Parallel OD DB (parallel overdrive)
This preset sends your bass sound through an overdrive distortion and adds the result to the
unfiltered sound. You can control the amount with the EXP-2 Pedal. This way you will keep the
definition of the bass and the ultra-low bass.
16.) Stressbrett DB
Fabulous, every effect you always wanted combined in one preset. And it's not the stomp box
nightmare of a guitar player. You will find all of the classic effects in one single preset on the FC-
300 foot controller. CTL-1 activates the Chorus, CTL-2 controls the Octaver and the two EXP-
Pedals seamlessly add Overdrive and a Mutron-like filter.

17.) Taurus Drone DB
Super-low and smooth synth bass, inspired by the godfather of all foot pedal bass synths of the
70ies. Great for pads and for rhythmic play. Try to fingertap with your left hand and palm-mute the
strings at the same time with your right hand. Nobody will believe you are actually playing an
electric bass.
18.) Vint Fretless DB
This sound comes handy when I don't feel like carrying a second bass guitar to a gig. If you play it
right, it is as close as it gets to the real deal. The basis of this sound is the tried and proven J-Bass.
The controller allows you to add effects like Chorus, Delay or a Touch-Wah.
19.) Wide Bass DB
Great combination of a natural bass and a synth bass. The EXP-Pedal controls the filter and the
harmonics of the synth.
20.) Pad C-C#-D / Pad D#-E-F / Pad F#-G-G# / Pad A-A#-B DB
I am 2 musicians at the same time: bassist and keyboardist! The VB-99 adds a scale-based synth
pad triad to your bass note. That's why it is important to choose the right key. Each preset gives
you three of the 12 root notes, going up in half steps. You alternate between the three notes with
the EXP-2 Pedal. Example: C# is middle position, C is a step down and D is a step up. If you are
playing in a minor key you have to choose the parallel major key. Example: A minor would require
the parallel C major key (three half-steps up).
It will get tricky when the whole band has tuned down their instruments... Happy transposing!
Bremen, 05.08.2011