Organizing patches on a multi-effects unit

[gjbassist]

I received a Zoom B2 for Christmas and really like it. However, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the available settings. Those of you that use a multi-effect pedal frequently, how do you set it up to easily access the patches you use most? In a gig situation I want to be able to find them quickly. I have a separate foot petal which I can set up to change the banks on the Zoom. I was thinking of putting my most used patches at the beginning of each bank then using the foot pedal to scroll through them. Any other ideas?

[DBCrocky]

I haven't used multi effects setups on bass, but I've done plenty of it on guitars, and what worked best for me was to organize by songs, so that I could play each song without having to change banks.

[Sixpack324]

Originally Posted by DBCrocky

I haven't used multi effects setups on bass, but I've done plenty of it on guitars, and what worked best for me was to organize by songs, so that I could play each song without having to change banks.

This is basically my method too....

Bank 1
Patch 1 = Song 1
Patch 2 = Song 2
Patch 3 = Song 3
Patch 4 = Song 4
Bank 2
Patch 1 = Song 5
And so on.....

With my (now defunct) multi-effects processor, I can have 99 songs ready to go.

[gjbassist]

Originally Posted by DBCrocky

I haven't used multi effects setups on bass, but I've done plenty of it on guitars, and what worked best for me was to organize by songs, so that I could play each song without having to change banks.

That would require reorganizing my band's set list and I don't think they are going to want to do that just to accommodate my effects.

[metaball]

Bank 1
Patch 1 = Song 1
Patch 2 = Song 2
Patch 3 = Song 3
Patch 4 = Song 4
Bank 2
Patch 1 = Song 5
And so on.....

this.
or name the patch something that refers to the song name in case you change the setlist up & save them all in the same area so you can scroll thru quickly instead of hunting & pecking around.

...looking at the manual & seeing that it has a 2 digit LED i'd go with a cheat sheet & try to save the ones you'd use in a set close together. "The preset area of banks 0 - 3 contains the same patches as A - d." so i'd pick one to save, either the 0-3 or the a-d & steamroll your personalized settings or tweaks over the others & keep a chart of which songs they goto. good luck!
http://www.samsontech.com/site_media/legacy_docs/B2.pdf

[DBCrocky]

What I meant is that all the patches for a particular song be on the same bank. If three patches are needed for a particular song, those patches are on the same bank.

If you only need one patch per song, my advice doesn't apply.

[bassbrad]

It would be impossible for me to arrange things song to song, too many bands. I arrange my sounds in general groups where a clean or neutral sound is one or 2 away from effected sounds.
I usually start each bank with a neutral sound (nothing on but a touch of verb) then my "natural tone" a modded Bassman/ Submarine patch then build up the banks adding efx.


Zoom B2.1U User
Neutral room A0
Pop Bassman A1
Driving Miss F F A2
Auto Funkin' Wah A3
Retro Phaso A4
Pop Bassman A5
TripleOctaBass A6
Pop Bassman A7
Looper delay solo A8
BassmanFlanged A9
Motown Jazz B0
Pop Bassman B1

ps check out the Zoom Cheat sheets.

[gjbassist]

Thanks for the info. That cheat sheet will come in handy!

[gjbassist]

Has anyone ever wiped one of these units clean and started from scratch building their own presets?

[bassbrad]

You can't actually do that, the closest is a factory reset but it just reloads the factory and the mirror patches over the user banks.
I do start from "Zero" and build sounds up from there. Once you have a zero patch it's pretty easy to save as many as needed to whatever location.

Zero=All banks off

[gumtownbassman]

It is generally best to make your own user patches to suit your tone, factory ones are generally over done to showcase all the effects and functions.

I think of a multi-effects as a very large toolbox, you don't need to use every tool for a job.

I have about 8~12 patches i use regulary, to have one for each song is an overkill (IME/IMO). Clean to dirty in one bank, special song effects in another two banks.

I used to use the GT-10B, and now use the Roland GR-55 plus a tech21 VT-Bass pedal inserted into the GR-55 loop i drilled into it.