Ironically Slowdive isn’t the biggest band to have used the FX500. Ed from Radiohead used one early on. He was using one when I saw them open for Belly back when they were supporting Pablo Honey. Not that he was using the Soft Focus patch. Mild Motion was my go to. Or at least a patch is made based on it. That was back in 90-91 or so. My first high school part time pizza job helped pay for that.
I’d also say Soft Focus more than a plate reverb with chorus on the wet signal. The reality is the entire patch is a wet signal and it’s a wet signal from the start. And that starts with what’s a key part of the behavior of that patch which is how the notes bloom, not only because the relative heavy mix of reverb and delay but that first DYN block. The way the Compressor is set in that block helps kill initial pick attack/transient. So things really bloom and don’t have that initial spike when pick hits string. This helps accentuate the pad-like feel of the patch.
hey! thanks for chimnig in. you are probably right with everything you said, I just never got into Radiohead at all (besides some singular songs) - maybe need to change that at some point. Unfortunately I didn't had the time to fully play through all the presets on the FX500, hopefully can snag my own one in the future. Regarding the dynamics block: When I played the FX500 and compared it to some other pedals I own(ed) I thought reverb + modulation gets you pretty much there, not spot on, but like "close enough a live audience would never ever hear a difference", but I didn't try comparing the patch *with* and *without*, so that's another little experiment future me will have to go after at some point. Cheers!
@@dots.sounds I don’t think it’s super well known that Ed was using it. I think I hear it on the beginning of You and actually think I hear it in Creep as well. Not sure what preset he was using. But just having been a Yamaha user for a long time (started with the FX500 and then upgraded to a FX900 in college) I just have some of that sound in my head. The early reflections reverb was available in pedal form via the Magicstomp. They didn’t have a Soft Focus based preset in that unit. I tried recreating the Soft Focus with a FX900 and even tho there’s a ton of crossover with the effects between the unit. The FX900 doesn’t quite get it exact.
@@Iodine74 Loving this thread! I will definitely will listen to find those sounds in those songs. I guess I am not old enough to be fully in the wave of those units (I didn't even know the existence of the Magicstomp). But good to know that the FX900 doesn't work to fully get in the realm of the Soft Focus, because I was eyeing on one of those. I kinda miss the FX500 for some sounds and from time to time I want to buy my very own.
@@Iodine74Yep! And the original patch also has a stereo digital delay after the reverb, which again obscures the attack and leads to that ‘floating block of sound’ thing. The Caitlinbread pedal doesn’t have the delay (also it’s mono).
Back when I was in ozean, this was the exact sound I was going for. But we had Quadraverbs and Boss pedals, so our sound was a bit different. Great video!
I still have a working FX500 circa 1989, which turns my spare room into Shoegaze land 😃 Soft Focus is iconic of course, but this unit is FAR from a one trick pony. My favorite patch is actually 39, Lush Strings - which no one ever talks about! Thanks for showcasing it here 👍
Never tried a Helix. In theory it should be possible to get kinda close to the Soft Focus Patch with Comp, Reverb and Chorus in a single patch? Did you try that? And did the Catalinbread one knocked it off? Super interesting!
@@dots.soundscatlinbread one is mono, unfortunately… to me, the wide stereo Ensemble Chorus is an important part of the sound. The rest of the patch is easy enough to do with anything (Compressor, EQ, long Hall, Delay). It’s the character of that specific Yamaha chorus effect at the end of the chain, that makes it sound like *that* sound!
@@sub-jec-tiv indeed that is the biggest plus of the original. and that's the reason I bought the one back that I used in this video. cant wait to record songs with that.
I've owned two FX500's in my life but I recently sold my last one since I owned the FX40 as well as the Loomer pedal that also has a Soft Focus setting on it. It was just easier using a pedal format than having to use the rack unit with the extra cables. I'm lazy I guess.
I think rack stuff for live purposes feels a bit outdated most of the times - especially for smaller acts. But in the studio I still can see myself use it if it has some very specific sounds. The Loomer was pretty cool, back when I owned one. Could totally see myself using it.
@@chadb1176 I think the FX40 gives more flexibility and sounds more like it. I quickly made this video awhile back. ua-cam.com/video/5UtXYEX0EY8/v-deo.htmlsi=GCYQ2LgrQzL6aMp5
@@chadb1176 if I may chime in - it's been a while since I owned a Looper but I think the FX40 has a bit more tweakability for the soft focus sound compared to the Looper. That one has some other nice benefits to it though that might outperform a basic FX500 algorithm. Really excited to see what other people have to say on that matter!
I really want the fx40 but I have two reverb pedals already and it’s hard to justify. I just love that the fx40 never gets quirky. You can put all the knobs at 100% and it sounds awesome
Nice work! I was way into showgaze back in college in the early 90s. Even played in a shoegazey band. I used a Alesis Quadraverb. Switched to various Eventide boxes when I actually started making decent money and still own a H8000 and got a h9000 a couple years back. These type effects are right up Eventides alley. Ive created similar type sounds and the Eventide already has patches in the same vein. I’m going to try to recreate the Soft Focus patch with it. Should be a cakewalk with VSIG.m, but could just do it probably with the Emote control plugin. Incidentally Slowdive denies they used the fx500 but I doubt it. Sounds just like some of their sounds. Saw them about 5 years ago. Was too far back to tell what they were using on stage. Saw Robin Guthrie open for Brendan Perry back around 2011. They both shared a Eventide Eclipse, which I used to have too, running through a Roland JC-120, an amp I used have myself. Great sounding cleans and takes FX really well.
thanks for the indepth insights! the quadraverb is something I really want to try now that I got some time with the FX500. This sounds like another shoegaze classic and can be found for quite good money. This is also the first time that I read that they never used the FX500. With a sound being that close I kinda can't believe that.
Great video!!! One question I have: Is it possible to have the Soft Focus patch of the FX500 programmed exactly on the FX900? If so, do know (or does anyone knows) all the effects/parameters values? Thanks!
Thank you really much! I think there are a few videos on youtube about some people building the fx40 sound on there. If you arent lucky with those I can for sure look the effects and parameters from the original unit and post them here!
I don't own the FX500 anymore as it was given to me by a friend for this video. But if you only compare the soft focus patch it was pretty spot on if you dial it in right.
Back in the day (I’m 57 now) we had a four piece (our singer was a bonny looking lass with a questionable voice - so masses of RV - and no guitar skills at all but insisted on having one on stage - the rest of us was a standard trio). I made up for the lack of a second guitar with my Fender VI to some extent but then you lost the gazey bass lines that hold everything together when I did that. The guitar effects chain went Wah pedal (I forget which one), DOD Milk Box, TS808, Rat, Boss Tuner, MXR Phaser, tremolo (I think an EHX) and a Boss Digital delay. RV came from the amp (Laney) and had a foot switch. The wah pedal,broke but he continued using it as a ‘cocked wah’. I had a for the VI an MXR phaser, then a CS-1 (no effect at all on the lower notes) then an Arian Octaver, then a TFGRBM, a volume pedal with the tuner in the by pass loop, then a Digitech delay.
@@dots.sounds Yeah, great guitars. I have a Pawn Shop bass now. Back then it was a Japanese Fender. I think! It was borrowed actually. It was a mates dads. Middle pup was bust. Problem with VIs is the 6th string. It’s awful. Barely works as an E and rattles if you hit it too hard. No way you can lower it at all. To fit a fatter bass string meant changing the machine heads and drilling out the hole. I actually did just this with a Squire. Changed the bottom three. Could then play at C#. Although with my fat fingers it was all very ‘snug’! Currently, my VI is in Drop G. So, more of a Baritone I guess. It makes an absolute racket. The problem here is ‘what do you do with the bass guitar? Currently, trying a little bit of a low Octaver effect. Not convinced though.
I have one in my rack as well (and do have some of the SPX units from Yamaha too). The noise… It's terrible, at least on my unit. If I can get this unit quieter I'd be far happier. And also the gainstaging, this thing clips so easily. Regarding the MBV sound: I use basically the same settings but in my opinion the quality of the algorithm is not as good as on the SPX series where it is just a far better defined sound. The FX500 is more "mushy"
@@dots.sounds The SPX unit Kevin Shields used was the SPX90, first revision I think (or perhaps the SPX90II but I thought the interview at the time mentioned the 90 and the Alesis Midiverb3). My own units are the SPX900, SPX990, SPX1000 (stereo version of the SPX900), and the REV7 which is from the same time as the SPX90 but aimed at studio use. I prefer to use the SPX900 over the FX500 for the MBV reverse reverb setting. But… the Soft Focus patch is really difficult to recreate on anything else because the SPX units just don't use the same delay > reverb setting as the FX500 does and also the use of the compression is important (as it basically clamps agressively on the transients of the incoming signal to smooth it out). I'm still not entirely sure what kind of reverb type it is because the manual doesn't mention it. Some say it's a plate but it could be anything. From the demos I hear, the Catalinbread one doesn't really nail it, nor does the Keeley Loomer.
@@santibanks Thanks for the input! Will try to hunt one of those down if I find a nicely priced one. Re: Soft Focus - I think the Catalinbread is actually pretty close for the normal user and the differences get pretty much lost in a mix or live-scenario. But it's not 100% identical, that is true.
I don't own either of those (the FX500 was a loaner) but a quick youtube search tells me that both units are pretty much the same. The presets on the FX500B seem to be more bass centric and the "Dist" function seems to be called OD on the bass version. You probably can recreate all of the sounds with it, but take it with a grain of salt.
Oh yeah! That one definitely helped. But I guess, I sold it 2 weeks ago because I wanted to reduce my setup a bit and get some new stuff for the studio. But I think I'll miss him a bit.
I don't usually say anything, but you gotta cut back on saying "umm" in most of your videos. Just a viewers reconnection, I don't mean anything negative, for the best.
Ironically Slowdive isn’t the biggest band to have used the FX500. Ed from Radiohead used one early on. He was using one when I saw them open for Belly back when they were supporting Pablo Honey. Not that he was using the Soft Focus patch.
Mild Motion was my go to. Or at least a patch is made based on it. That was back in 90-91 or so. My first high school part time pizza job helped pay for that.
I’d also say Soft Focus more than a plate reverb with chorus on the wet signal.
The reality is the entire patch is a wet signal and it’s a wet signal from the start. And that starts with what’s a key part of the behavior of that patch which is how the notes bloom, not only because the relative heavy mix of reverb and delay but that first DYN block. The way the Compressor is set in that block helps kill initial pick attack/transient. So things really bloom and don’t have that initial spike when pick hits string. This helps accentuate the pad-like feel of the patch.
hey! thanks for chimnig in.
you are probably right with everything you said, I just never got into Radiohead at all (besides some singular songs) - maybe need to change that at some point. Unfortunately I didn't had the time to fully play through all the presets on the FX500, hopefully can snag my own one in the future.
Regarding the dynamics block: When I played the FX500 and compared it to some other pedals I own(ed) I thought reverb + modulation gets you pretty much there, not spot on, but like "close enough a live audience would never ever hear a difference", but I didn't try comparing the patch *with* and *without*, so that's another little experiment future me will have to go after at some point.
Cheers!
@@dots.sounds I don’t think it’s super well known that Ed was using it. I think I hear it on the beginning of You and actually think I hear it in Creep as well. Not sure what preset he was using. But just having been a Yamaha user for a long time (started with the FX500 and then upgraded to a FX900 in college) I just have some of that sound in my head.
The early reflections reverb was available in pedal form via the Magicstomp. They didn’t have a Soft Focus based preset in that unit.
I tried recreating the Soft Focus with a FX900 and even tho there’s a ton of crossover with the effects between the unit. The FX900 doesn’t quite get it exact.
@@Iodine74 Loving this thread! I will definitely will listen to find those sounds in those songs.
I guess I am not old enough to be fully in the wave of those units (I didn't even know the existence of the Magicstomp). But good to know that the FX900 doesn't work to fully get in the realm of the Soft Focus, because I was eyeing on one of those. I kinda miss the FX500 for some sounds and from time to time I want to buy my very own.
@@Iodine74Yep! And the original patch also has a stereo digital delay after the reverb, which again obscures the attack and leads to that ‘floating block of sound’ thing. The Caitlinbread pedal doesn’t have the delay (also it’s mono).
Back when I was in ozean, this was the exact sound I was going for. But we had Quadraverbs and Boss pedals, so our sound was a bit different. Great video!
thank you!
I really want to try a Quadraverb now. Would be the next logical step to do so.
Dude no way I love Ozean!!! Best UA-cam suggestion I’ve ever had
I still have a working FX500 circa 1989, which turns my spare room into Shoegaze land 😃 Soft Focus is iconic of course, but this unit is FAR from a one trick pony. My favorite patch is actually 39, Lush Strings - which no one ever talks about! Thanks for showcasing it here 👍
yes! there is definitely a lot to discover in those boxes. Wish I still had the FX500. Hopefully can snag one again at some point.
Just curious… did you run it directly into the amp or in the effects loop for your demo?
@@brysimm404 this was done with the music man and I don't remember it having a loop. so direct in.
@@dots.sounds Yes - So many cool sounds in there. I wish Yamaha would reissue one in a pedal friendly format.
Lush Strings is so tasty
I honestly did not know the origins of the soft focus aside from pedals marketed for shoegaze. Thanks for the deep dive. Also that kodex looks awesome
Glad I could share some knowledge! And yes that kodex is beautiful 🩵
nice work on this video. I didn't really know about soft focus until now
glad I could bring some light into the dark. it's a super cool unit
This is so pretty and nostalgic! You really captured the feeling of that genre but with a more vivid, modern fidelity. 😍
thank you so much for the nice words! really glad you like it.
I lwn a helic, but still bought the catilinbread Soft Focus specifically for the Slowdive sound.....its amazing
Never tried a Helix. In theory it should be possible to get kinda close to the Soft Focus Patch with Comp, Reverb and Chorus in a single patch? Did you try that? And did the Catalinbread one knocked it off? Super interesting!
@@dots.soundscatlinbread one is mono, unfortunately… to me, the wide stereo Ensemble Chorus is an important part of the sound. The rest of the patch is easy enough to do with anything (Compressor, EQ, long Hall, Delay). It’s the character of that specific Yamaha chorus effect at the end of the chain, that makes it sound like *that* sound!
@@sub-jec-tiv indeed that is the biggest plus of the original. and that's the reason I bought the one back that I used in this video. cant wait to record songs with that.
Well done! Such a classic sound!
thanks! that's indeed a classic for a reason!
Great sounds! 👌 Brings me back!
Thank you!
I've owned two FX500's in my life but I recently sold my last one since I owned the FX40 as well as the Loomer pedal that also has a Soft Focus setting on it. It was just easier using a pedal format than having to use the rack unit with the extra cables. I'm lazy I guess.
I think rack stuff for live purposes feels a bit outdated most of the times - especially for smaller acts. But in the studio I still can see myself use it if it has some very specific sounds.
The Loomer was pretty cool, back when I owned one. Could totally see myself using it.
Between the FX40 and Loomer, which one do you think did the best job emulating the actual FX500? Thank you for your help. Looking to purchase one.
@@chadb1176 I think the FX40 gives more flexibility and sounds more like it. I quickly made this video awhile back.
ua-cam.com/video/5UtXYEX0EY8/v-deo.htmlsi=GCYQ2LgrQzL6aMp5
@@chadb1176 if I may chime in - it's been a while since I owned a Looper but I think the FX40 has a bit more tweakability for the soft focus sound compared to the Looper. That one has some other nice benefits to it though that might outperform a basic FX500 algorithm.
Really excited to see what other people have to say on that matter!
I really want the fx40 but I have two reverb pedals already and it’s hard to justify. I just love that the fx40 never gets quirky. You can put all the knobs at 100% and it sounds awesome
Very cool track! 🤘
thank you so much!
Subscribed immediately! I love everything about this video! Wow!
thank you so much! that really helps this channel out
Love it!
Nice work! I was way into showgaze back in college in the early 90s. Even played in a shoegazey band. I used a Alesis Quadraverb. Switched to various Eventide boxes when I actually started making decent money and still own a H8000 and got a h9000 a couple years back. These type effects are right up Eventides alley. Ive created similar type sounds and the Eventide already has patches in the same vein. I’m going to try to recreate the Soft Focus patch with it. Should be a cakewalk with VSIG.m, but could just do it probably with the Emote control plugin.
Incidentally Slowdive denies they used the fx500 but I doubt it. Sounds just like some of their sounds. Saw them about 5 years ago. Was too far back to tell what they were using on stage. Saw Robin Guthrie open for Brendan Perry back around 2011. They both shared a Eventide Eclipse, which I used to have too, running through a Roland JC-120, an amp I used have myself. Great sounding cleans and takes FX really well.
thanks for the indepth insights! the quadraverb is something I really want to try now that I got some time with the FX500. This sounds like another shoegaze classic and can be found for quite good money.
This is also the first time that I read that they never used the FX500. With a sound being that close I kinda can't believe that.
Tweaked modechoverb on my eventide space does the job
Great video!!! One question I have: Is it possible to have the Soft Focus patch of the FX500 programmed exactly on the FX900? If so, do know (or does anyone knows) all the effects/parameters values? Thanks!
Thank you really much! I think there are a few videos on youtube about some people building the fx40 sound on there. If you arent lucky with those I can for sure look the effects and parameters from the original unit and post them here!
@@dots.soundsThat would be awesome, thanks! Can you please do that, please? 🙏😎
@@dots.sounds I that I just can’t find any of those videos, sadly… 😢
This is a great review of this classic along with the comparisons. If Yamaha came out with Pedal Platform of this unit they would kill.
Thanks! A shame that yamaha doesn’t care for pedals, they could bring like a handful of shoegaze boxes just with fx500 algos alone
Thanks for this great video
thanks for watching!
How much is missing on the Catalinbread soft focus since it lacks the dual parallel delay that the original fx500 has?
I don't own the FX500 anymore as it was given to me by a friend for this video. But if you only compare the soft focus patch it was pretty spot on if you dial it in right.
It's so close it's ridiculous....the sound I've been searching for
Really great playthrough. What is the name of the first pedal you are playing in pt. 3?
Ah, got it now. Great pedal it seems.
@@RetningNord The Untiefe is pretty dope, yes!
This is so good. It's been so long since I watched one of your videos for some reason. Holy shit dude. 😩😩👌👌🔥🔥
thank you so much pal!
Back in the day (I’m 57 now) we had a four piece (our singer was a bonny looking lass with a questionable voice - so masses of RV - and no guitar skills at all but insisted on having one on stage - the rest of us was a standard trio). I made up for the lack of a second guitar with my Fender VI to some extent but then you lost the gazey bass lines that hold everything together when I did that. The guitar effects chain went Wah pedal (I forget which one), DOD Milk Box, TS808, Rat, Boss Tuner, MXR Phaser, tremolo (I think an EHX) and a Boss Digital delay. RV came from the amp (Laney) and had a foot switch. The wah pedal,broke but he continued using it as a ‘cocked wah’. I had a for the VI an MXR phaser, then a CS-1 (no effect at all on the lower notes) then an Arian Octaver, then a TFGRBM, a volume pedal with the tuner in the by pass loop, then a Digitech delay.
sounds like a fun time!
would love to get a bass iv at some point.
@@dots.sounds Yeah, great guitars. I have a Pawn Shop bass now. Back then it was a Japanese Fender. I think! It was borrowed actually. It was a mates dads. Middle pup was bust.
Problem with VIs is the 6th string. It’s awful. Barely works as an E and rattles if you hit it too hard. No way you can lower it at all. To fit a fatter bass string meant changing the machine heads and drilling out the hole. I actually did just this with a Squire. Changed the bottom three. Could then play at C#. Although with my fat fingers it was all very ‘snug’!
Currently, my VI is in Drop G. So, more of a Baritone I guess. It makes an absolute racket. The problem here is ‘what do you do with the bass guitar? Currently, trying a little bit of a low Octaver effect. Not convinced though.
I have one in my rack as well (and do have some of the SPX units from Yamaha too). The noise… It's terrible, at least on my unit. If I can get this unit quieter I'd be far happier. And also the gainstaging, this thing clips so easily.
Regarding the MBV sound: I use basically the same settings but in my opinion the quality of the algorithm is not as good as on the SPX series where it is just a far better defined sound. The FX500 is more "mushy"
oh! what SPX do you have (or which one would I need)? Think this would be another nice addition for my gear corner. :)
@@dots.sounds The SPX unit Kevin Shields used was the SPX90, first revision I think (or perhaps the SPX90II but I thought the interview at the time mentioned the 90 and the Alesis Midiverb3). My own units are the SPX900, SPX990, SPX1000 (stereo version of the SPX900), and the REV7 which is from the same time as the SPX90 but aimed at studio use.
I prefer to use the SPX900 over the FX500 for the MBV reverse reverb setting. But… the Soft Focus patch is really difficult to recreate on anything else because the SPX units just don't use the same delay > reverb setting as the FX500 does and also the use of the compression is important (as it basically clamps agressively on the transients of the incoming signal to smooth it out). I'm still not entirely sure what kind of reverb type it is because the manual doesn't mention it. Some say it's a plate but it could be anything.
From the demos I hear, the Catalinbread one doesn't really nail it, nor does the Keeley Loomer.
@@santibanks Thanks for the input! Will try to hunt one of those down if I find a nicely priced one.
Re: Soft Focus - I think the Catalinbread is actually pretty close for the normal user and the differences get pretty much lost in a mix or live-scenario.
But it's not 100% identical, that is true.
the early reflection setting is more adjustable? you could adjust it for play any mbv song?
You could change the time and mix yes! Not sure if they used it on everything though.
Great video! What is the name of the first pedal?
The only effects besides the FX500 are the Lichtlaerm Audio Untiefe and the Catalinbread FX40 - you are probably referring to the Untiefe?
Yeah, correct. Thanks!
@@dots.sounds
I wish I had that FX500 😍😁
Does the FX500B works as well for these settings on guitar?
I don't own either of those (the FX500 was a loaner) but a quick youtube search tells me that both units are pretty much the same. The presets on the FX500B seem to be more bass centric and the "Dist" function seems to be called OD on the bass version.
You probably can recreate all of the sounds with it, but take it with a grain of salt.
@@dots.sounds thanks
shoegaze vid where songs are good n doesn’t sound like shit. this is huge
Ive been wanting to buy one of these for years now, they used to be really cheap, now it seems i cant find one anymore
If you have a bit patience you sometimes still can find some cheapos but they have been cheaper before, you are right!
Is that the 212 130hd amp? If so i have one. Do you rate it?
It’s a 1x12 Sixty Five. Pretty good with pedals but without them it’s a bit bland sometimes.
The Trem is pretty cool though.
shout out to Musicman as part of the sound too i love mine for fuzzy gazing . I HAVE A COUPLE AND CAB LOVELY AMPS RARER TO SEE THESE DAYS
Oh yeah! That one definitely helped.
But I guess, I sold it 2 weeks ago because I wanted to reduce my setup a bit and get some new stuff for the studio. But I think I'll miss him a bit.
This video is so good, it makes me want to buy you a Mic stand
thank you so much!
I can assure you, I already got one. But it was to much of a hassle to get the shot right with the limited amount of space. 😅
great video for a great fx unit. look them up used. they are really cheap! at least in germany under 100 €
Yeah! Crazy deals out there. At the moment rack stuff doesn’t fit my workflow but I kinda want to get one anyways.
You just play all the right notes dontcha?!
I at least try to!
I don't usually say anything, but you gotta cut back on saying "umm" in most of your videos. Just a viewers reconnection, I don't mean anything negative, for the best.
Thanks for the honest feedback, I‘ll try to work on that. With english not being my first language it‘s a process. 😅
Will try to improve that!
@@dots.sounds nah, din't notice. don't stress.