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I don't really know, how do I find out which channel is BOSS on? And yeah, I guess having the Boss's midi in might be a mistake. I tried unplugging it yesterday though and nothing's changed but will try that again (I completely removed that midi cable)
All of your answers can be found in here:
BOSS - Support - ES-5 - Owner's Manuals
BOSS - Support - ES-8 - Owner's Manuals
So the boss' midi in cable was the problem, thanks for help. And those stars on the display are a feature of the latest update (good to know) 
Great thread. I absolutely love my ES8. It was a game changer. Im currently using it to control the Mobius, Ventris, Nemisis, H9, Ottobit & Prog. EQ. I also use it to send expression to the H9, nemesis & Mobius. It took sme time to understand all the programming but now I can do most things on the fly and I feel liberated to make any sound I want without fear of recreating later. Glad to be apart of this thread and help others with issues and get help with mine. Cheers!
Hi!
I've got a simple newbie question about the ES-8. I've already read the owner's manual and the Version 2 supplementary manual and I understand the unit is able to achieve this, but I'll ask it here anyway.
I think the following can be done with the parameters Output Buffer and Output Gain in conjunction with the new patch parameter Mixer Mode but, can I control the output volume of each loop or combination of parallel loops? For example, loop 1 has an overdrive pedal and loop 2 a wah and a fuzz pedal. If I engage only loop 1 it has unity gain with my clean sound. The same with loop 2, I achieve unity gain when I connect this loop alone. But what about connecting both loops simultaneously in parallel? Or in series? How could I avoid the bump in volume without an additional master volume for the output of this preset with two loops sounding at the same time?
Can the mixer via combination of the patch parameters Mixer Mode (set to Manual), Mixer Gain, Output Buffer and Output Gain control the output level of each preset, being it in parallel or series?
Thanks in advance!
I've got a simple newbie question about the ES-8. I've already read the owner's manual and the Version 2 supplementary manual and I understand the unit is able to achieve this, but I'll ask it here anyway.
I think the following can be done with the parameters Output Buffer and Output Gain in conjunction with the new patch parameter Mixer Mode but, can I control the output volume of each loop or combination of parallel loops? For example, loop 1 has an overdrive pedal and loop 2 a wah and a fuzz pedal. If I engage only loop 1 it has unity gain with my clean sound. The same with loop 2, I achieve unity gain when I connect this loop alone. But what about connecting both loops simultaneously in parallel? Or in series? How could I avoid the bump in volume without an additional master volume for the output of this preset with two loops sounding at the same time?
Can the mixer via combination of the patch parameters Mixer Mode (set to Manual), Mixer Gain, Output Buffer and Output Gain control the output level of each preset, being it in parallel or series?
Thanks in advance!
They should make an ES-14 for those of us with problems.
I used to have problems like yours, and the Boss ES-5 has saved my marriage. LOL. It has kept me within a box if you will... If I can't solve it using the Boss ES-5, my idea is too complex. I have considered the ES-8, but I like a couple large pedals, so that has saved me with board space. If I had all Source Audio pedals, likely a Boss ES-8 would be mine for example.
If you have MIDI controlled pedals, you can be sneaky and leave them outside of the loops. Synths and delays / Verbs for example are great before and after, and you can use MIDI to bypass them. Sure you loose some reordering function, but its a bigger win in the end.
The ES-8 is great if you are using stereo, but even then it's limited. You can run some very clever hacks using the stereo lines however, which are basically just parallel signal paths. With some careful planning and a bit of money, you can squeeze an extra two, possibly 3 loops.
What I found to be the most rewarding was finding pedals that compliment the ES functions, and the pedals I absolutely must have. In the end, I'm really fond of where I have gotten because of its limits.
Now, a bit further, look into what MorningStar has to offer. It seems you can't change order of pedals, but you can control loop on / off and have a modular, MIDI heavy setup that except for the controller hides under your board.
Boss should consider this approach - Boss ES-x without foot switches, but the smarts, so it can be rack mounted, under board etc.
Quick question of about the stereo outs of the es-5. If your running one amp dirty and another clean, can one of the stereo outs carry a conpletely unaffected signal?
[QUOTE="Alien8, post: 22397188, member: 257318".
The ES-8 is great if you are using stereo, but even then it's limited. You can run some very clever hacks using the stereo lines however, which are basically just parallel signal paths. With some careful planning and a bit of money, you can squeeze an extra two, possibly 3 loops.
What I found to be the most rewarding was finding pedals that compliment the ES functions, and the pedals I absolutely must have. In the end, I'm really fond of where I have gotten because of its limits.[/QUOTE]
Can you let an E8-8 owner into some of these hacks? I know one to get 9 pedals switch-able, but if there is another way to get 2 pedals into the matrix, that would be awesome.
Also, I have heard the ES-8 is sync-able to other ES-8’s, effectively creating an ES-16, but you CANNOT do this with an ES-8 an ES-5. Do you know about the chaining ES’s
The ES-8 is great if you are using stereo, but even then it's limited. You can run some very clever hacks using the stereo lines however, which are basically just parallel signal paths. With some careful planning and a bit of money, you can squeeze an extra two, possibly 3 loops.
What I found to be the most rewarding was finding pedals that compliment the ES functions, and the pedals I absolutely must have. In the end, I'm really fond of where I have gotten because of its limits.[/QUOTE]
Can you let an E8-8 owner into some of these hacks? I know one to get 9 pedals switch-able, but if there is another way to get 2 pedals into the matrix, that would be awesome.
Also, I have heard the ES-8 is sync-able to other ES-8’s, effectively creating an ES-16, but you CANNOT do this with an ES-8 an ES-5. Do you know about the chaining ES’s
please DO share any tricks to expanding that 8. I'm looking to head in the ES-8 direction and really wishing there was a way to have it be an ES-10 or dare I ask for an 11 or 12?
Well, there are two loops that are stereo, there are stereo outputs, a tuner out and a volume loop. Using combinations of these with the right pedals in the loops mean that you can squeeze a few more in. The catch is that you are best off using MIDI pedals here that have a zero volume setting, so you can mute the L or R side if needed. The tuner out is always on, and first in the chain, but you can use the return of one stereo channel to have it feed a signal back in.
Without having one myself, I can't confirm that all this works, but reading the manual certainly leads me to want to try it!
Edit: also consider that some pedals will have a fixed position, they just make sense there, so if you have a comp that you always use first, run it outside, or a HPF, run it very last if you aren't going stereo.
Without having one myself, I can't confirm that all this works, but reading the manual certainly leads me to want to try it!
Edit: also consider that some pedals will have a fixed position, they just make sense there, so if you have a comp that you always use first, run it outside, or a HPF, run it very last if you aren't going stereo.
You don't need to do it like this. If you set it up in the menu so there is a parallel link across the desired pedal, only with no loop number defined in it, you get a clean blend. No need to reserve an empty loop or to blend with an 'off' pedal. It's not explained like this in the manual though.
Just took the plunge on an ES8 after selling some other gear. What cables do you find are best to use to wire things up? Looking to take up the least space w cables and this beast on my board.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Question for MIDI informed people...possible to use two separate controllers? I have my ES-5 in hand and will happily use it to build song patches which will have both regular and MIDI effects. But I also have a Disaster Area controller on the way, and I'd love to use that for dedicated patch scrolling on things like the Future Impact, etc.
Is this allowable in MIDI-land? I know i can physically link them altogether but will things take MIDI control information from multiple controllers?
Is this allowable in MIDI-land? I know i can physically link them altogether but will things take MIDI control information from multiple controllers?
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
up up up...
...Have had the ES-5 adopted on my board (along with the Disaster Area DMC-3XL) now for for a good handful of shows. It's taken a bit of mental adjustment to remember to not just hit the same button on/off like you would with individual pedals but remember 'this button is effect, this button is clean, though I've only messed that up once on stage.
I know some people have had concerns about the onboard buffer...I can't say that I've had any trouble. I've left it in default setting, and honestly, this new setup just sounds better. Very subtle but it sounds clearer and cleaner (and I already had buffered pedals on my board).
It took me a bit to dial in my sounds again since it really does sort of change things, but that wasn't necessarily hard to do. It's also nice. I can try out moving effects order around. For instance I have a patch I use that's Volume-swell->Crossover->Fuzz->Envelope->Chorus->Delay and now I've also got an option for Volume-swell->Chorus->Crossover->Fuzz->Envelope->Chorus->Delay, and another similar with a different delay setting, etc.
Indeed I'm happier to have the DMC-3XL on board for turning on/off midi effects independent of the ES-5 and scrolling through patches on those pedals too. Though I do have the MIDI set up on the ES-5 so the loops and midi work in a unified way.
Other things I've learned:
-The Lava soldered Tightrope connectors: Select the right angle cables...they seem to be a bit more mechanically secure to me than the straight ends.
-Midi cables. Expensive and I've tried 3 different designs of them to settle on the forth.
...Have had the ES-5 adopted on my board (along with the Disaster Area DMC-3XL) now for for a good handful of shows. It's taken a bit of mental adjustment to remember to not just hit the same button on/off like you would with individual pedals but remember 'this button is effect, this button is clean, though I've only messed that up once on stage.
I know some people have had concerns about the onboard buffer...I can't say that I've had any trouble. I've left it in default setting, and honestly, this new setup just sounds better. Very subtle but it sounds clearer and cleaner (and I already had buffered pedals on my board).
It took me a bit to dial in my sounds again since it really does sort of change things, but that wasn't necessarily hard to do. It's also nice. I can try out moving effects order around. For instance I have a patch I use that's Volume-swell->Crossover->Fuzz->Envelope->Chorus->Delay and now I've also got an option for Volume-swell->Chorus->Crossover->Fuzz->Envelope->Chorus->Delay, and another similar with a different delay setting, etc.
Indeed I'm happier to have the DMC-3XL on board for turning on/off midi effects independent of the ES-5 and scrolling through patches on those pedals too. Though I do have the MIDI set up on the ES-5 so the loops and midi work in a unified way.
Other things I've learned:
-The Lava soldered Tightrope connectors: Select the right angle cables...they seem to be a bit more mechanically secure to me than the straight ends.
-Midi cables. Expensive and I've tried 3 different designs of them to settle on the forth.
Do you have 2 chorus pedals or you are able to route the ES-5 to go through an effect more than once? You say you do volume > chorus > other stuff > chorus. Typo, 2 pedals, or ES-5 is even cooler than imagined?
For the Lava soldered, straight ends were not a problem, you just prefer the right angles from a construction standpoint? I went with G&H stubby straights as they are fairly small and with the ES-8 there is not a lot of room to be dealing with right angled plugs unless you want wires bending up and over in every spot.
Lastly, which MIDI cables did you settle on and did you try the disaster area ones?
Sorry for all the questions/discussion but I'm knee deep in setup. Just waiting on my final cabling to arrive and then wiring it up and building my initial patches (hopefully) this weekend.
