LFO Effect - Does it exist

[6810]

Totally speaking out the wazoo here but as a synth head, I'm used to being able to apply LFOs to a range of parameters (from cutoff frequency to volume to pitch etc).

What I am really thinking about (and would make if I had the knowledge/skills) is basically an LFO box which would consist of a variable speed LFO (or several which could be sync'd or run individually) which would control say amplitude (tremolo), cutoff (wah, sweep), pitch (vibrato, chorus) and maybe phase.

Essentially, what I am podering here is feeding my bass signal into a compact-(ish) FX box (that isn't the input of one of my synths and can sit on my pedal board etc) that would allow multiple effects to be controlled by a single/multiple LFOs.

Analog or digital (though, I must admit, for me there is an inherent sexiness in the engineering of analog over digital) , I don't care...

Does this make sense? Does it exist? Any thoughts?

[bongomania]

Yes, look into the Moogerfoogers and their master control unit. Also the Studio Electronics Modmax pedals have LFO outputs for controlling other Modmax units.

[6810]

Wow, that was fast and helpful.

Big thanks.

I do a bit of audio signal manipulation through a microKorg, and recently I've been getting into controlled randomness and super slow LFO modification of sound. So I started wondering if a pedal or rack version existed.

Thanks again.

[gastric]

Most current multiFX boards or rack FX can support controlling parameters via tap tempo, MIDI Clock, or often onboard LFO, then set any of the time based parameters to a beat division. While they may not use the word "LFO" specifically, any of the rate based effects are using a LFO when set to beat divisions, though often you're locked into sine wave LFO unless the effect specifically provides different wave shapes (tremolo, panner, slicer usually does, phaser, flanger, etc. doesn't usually). Many more modern boxes also provide internal LFO and/or support external MIDI CC control so you could have your synth or sequencer pushing all sorts of crazy stuff to the FX via MIDI CC.

[rsmith601]

All of our Tri-Mod effects have three means of modulation of the effect, and LFO is one of them. This family includes a collection of Wah Filter sounds, a collection of Phaser sounds, and a collection of Flanger Sounds. We do not offer one pedal that does all.

[caeman]

6810, I am curious about your question. When I first read it, I imagined your were asking about a pedal that was just an LFO, then amplitude control and the rest were also distinct pedals, being fed the master LFO. Something like this...

[gastric]

He's coming from a synth background where you'd be able to assign a single LFO to control multiple parameters simultaneously. Not only does it control multiple parameters, it keeps them all beat synced together.

In contrast most guitar stomp box type effects don't provide anything other than a rate control, which is a LFO but not freely controllable and certainly not synced across multiple effects.

You have to buy fairly expensive boutique individual pedals (Moog, etc.) to accept external MIDI or CV control. Or digital multieffect boxes most of which have internal LFO, various assignment options, and/or external MIDI Clock and/or MIDI CC control.

Lots of options out there depending on wants, needs, and cash.

[bigchiefbc]

It sounds like what you're really looking for is the Moog MP-201 and a mess of Moogerfoogers.

Do it. Moogers are awesome.

[iamdenialNJ]

Buy yourself an octave pedal, gated fuzz, moog mp-201, moog mf101, and a chorus (optional) and you're in synth land all day..everyday.

[Wud]

I also seem to remember Proton Lenny had an individual LFO box on his board that was built by (I think) Robot Factory.
It was used to control various pedals on his board.

As others have already said -

Moogerfoogers FTW

[6810]

Originally Posted by caeman

6810, I am curious about your question. When I first read it, I imagined your were asking about a pedal that was just an LFO, then amplitude control and the rest were also distinct pedals, being fed the master LFO. Something like this...

Basically my thought was for an all analog (or else simple digital) "pedal" (or rack unit) that goes like this:

Bass Signal
|
__________
LFO Pedal
O <-LFO knob (controls rate, also switchable:
| Master/bypass)
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
O O O O <- Individual LFO knobs rate control*
| | | |
Amp Q Pitch Phase
______________________
|
line out to amp

*if the master was enabled, they would all be synced to the master, if master was bypassed then they would be individually controlled. Further, they would need to be switchable to disable them if the effect was not required.

Another way of thinking of it is as four very simple fixed parameter LFO controlled FX units that had a master LFO stuck in front of them.

This pedal could then be switched etc.

[6810]

Originally Posted by gastric

You have to buy fairly expensive boutique individual pedals (Moog, etc.) to accept external MIDI or CV control. Or digital multieffect boxes most of which have internal LFO, various assignment options, and/or external MIDI Clock and/or MIDI CC control.

Lots of options out there depending on wants, needs, and cash.

That's true. However, what I'm thinking of here wouldn't strictly require midi control etc. My context would be for lots of distortion/sub bass etc to be controlled for psychedelic effect.

Really, I was just wondering if there were simple analog or digital solutions out there already in pedal/portable form since plugging a bass or guitar into a keyboard etc can get a bit hairy/fiddly with connections, input levels, output levels and so on. Plus it would probably just look cool.

[6810]

Originally Posted by rsmith601

All of our Tri-Mod effects have three means of modulation of the effect, and LFO is one of them. This family includes a collection of Wah Filter sounds, a collection of Phaser sounds, and a collection of Flanger Sounds. We do not offer one pedal that does all.

Yeah, you guys rock. I love what you do (now if only I had more money).

Linking three tri-mods would be cool, send a separate signal to each. Now how could I rig up a master LFO.

Man, all this procrastination is turning me into a mad scientist!

[gastric]

Off the shelf any of the Line6 or BOSS/Roland multieffects can do what you've described, and probably some of the Digitech, Zoom, etc. though I cannot say for sure. But what you're describing is commonly available.

* Master LFO = master clock, set via tap tempo or external MIDI clock sync
* Individual LFO = individual effects rate, can be individually synced to a beat division of the "master LFO", and each can have the same or different beat divisions (1/4 for tremolo, 1/8 for delay), or set fora non-synced free rate control, or any combination

You can control any of these with foot switches and/or expression pedal depending how you configure the patch. Stop into any Guitar Center, etc. and have someone show you a Line6 running tap-tempo for master BPM and demo the effects and their various rate controls and ways to manipulate it.

Totally possible, it exists today on the used and new market. And not too expensive.

[Swimming Bird]

Eventide units can do this, but only one effect at a time. Same goes for a Korg Kaoss Pad. Both have midi ins and outs though.

For analog, consider the Robot Factory Dual Tremolo (amplitude modulation) or LFO mod box for your LFO source, with an EHX Worm for phase/pitch/amplitude/cutoff, and EHX Memory Boy for pitch/delay, and an IE Xerograph for LPF cutoff. There are a gazillion ways to do this once you find an LFO source you like, and I don't think it'd be hard to use a single source to control multiple pedals with expression inputs.

[walker rosewood]

4ms Pedals For The Win.

[caeman]

Look at all those knobs!

[6810]

Originally Posted by gastric

Off the shelf any of the Line6 or BOSS/Roland multieffects can do what you've described, and probably some of the Digitech, Zoom, etc. though I cannot say for sure. But what you're describing is commonly available.

* Master LFO = master clock, set via tap tempo or external MIDI clock sync
* Individual LFO = individual effects rate, can be individually synced to a beat division of the "master LFO", and each can have the same or different beat divisions (1/4 for tremolo, 1/8 for delay), or set fora non-synced free rate control, or any combination

You can control any of these with foot switches and/or expression pedal depending how you configure the patch. Stop into any Guitar Center, etc. and have someone show you a Line6 running tap-tempo for master BPM and demo the effects and their various rate controls and ways to manipulate it.

Totally possible, it exists today on the used and new market. And not too expensive.

It's amazing what is available out there. I've used multi FX units in the past and you're quite correct to suggest them. THe only problem with them is design. What I mean is that it is often difficult or fiddly to control multiple parameters either simultaneously or consectutively (quickly). Not that it can't be done, and with MIDI and what not automation is possible if using a PC in tandem with a keyboard etc. But again, it all tarts to get a bit complicated.

Does that make sense? I suppose that I am looking for a simple yet flexible controller that exists somewhere between a synth LFO patchbay and a pedal. It's a tactile experience thing. Like a simplified/hard wired analog patchbay/LFO section on an anolog synth - but for bass (or guitar or whatever).

Thanks to everyone for all ideas and input so far.

[6810]

Ok, so a new idea.

BTW, this is all speculative stuff, I'm not necessarily seeking a perfect solution to any problem at the moment, I've just been getting into drones and randomness lately and LFOs are a great tool.

So, to go back. Originally, I thought that it would be cool to have a single master and several sub-LFOs to control several basic yet separate effect parameters.

However, now what I think would be better is a "modular" type design.

In other words, a few fairly simple pedals could be developed (essentially tremolo, auto-wah/filter, chorus etc) with an additional controllable LFO circuit that could be switched between master/slave.

Like this

Audio Signal -> PEDAL 1 -> Wet Out no LFO send
or
Set master/slave Wet out with LFO send

If you switched the PEDAL 1 LFO to master and to send, the LFO signal would then be routed through all subsequent pedals. Pedals able to receive this LFO would be synced to it. By switching to Master they could ignore/block the signal and receive only audio. By making a sequence of pedals all "master" you could have LFOs modding LFOs etc.

Ok, it's all confusing, I'm still thinking it through... any ideas?

[pwsharp]

I know zip about effects pedals, still trying to get my head around the whole midi thing with an Axon AX-100 & Roland XV-2020.

But I'm wondering if control via midi using something like a Midi Solutions Thru box (4-way splitter) would fit the bill. At leasr they're cheap... Hmmm, but I guess that would lack the flexibility you're after.

Peter