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Darkglass Anagram Multi FX Announced
- Thread starter Elmstreet
- Start date
hm, gotta say the update brought some drastic (in a negative way) changes to my presets.
Disabled the Luminal in all of them for now. I will work on the presets over the weekend to get the sound where it was before the update.
Should not take too long, but no time...
Disabled the Luminal in all of them for now. I will work on the presets over the weekend to get the sound where it was before the update.
Should not take too long, but no time...
You can use an expression pedal to control the 'Cutoff Freq' (Gravitron) or 'Filter Cutoff' (Moogerfooger) to mimic a wah pedal.
My point in my wishlist post was that this approach has never brought satisfying results for me. That's not exclusive to the Anagram - I felt that way about high end analog filters with expression pedal inputs, like the 3Leaf Chromatron and Iron Ether XD. They work fine if you're doing big synth sweeps with fuzz and other effects feeding the filter, but they don't have the vocal qualities and dimension of a good, dedicated wah pedal.
The Dunlop MC404 is my go-to bass wah. So I currently have that and my Rusty Box (always on drive) in the loop of the Anagram. Ideally, the Anagram could replace everything on my board, but I'm still satisfied with it doing extensive utility work like it is now. The Anagram effectively replaced 6-8 pedals on my old board (depending on the band setup). I now have those same/similar effects along with a bunch more options that I would've loved to have on my analog board, but I couldn't achieve that without going much bigger on the board and pedal investments.
Definitely not reacting like they were before at all. I’m not sure they were previously working correctly. Now the threshold and ratio settings match what I’d get in a line 6 product or daw.
There is some great input and feedback on what would be desirable from a Wah block on the Anagram.
I'd really encourage adding to this specific Wishlist post so that it doesn't get lost in this monster thread! Wah Pedals Controllable with Expression Pedal
I'd really encourage adding to this specific Wishlist post so that it doesn't get lost in this monster thread! Wah Pedals Controllable with Expression Pedal
Yeah, I think a lot of people will be scrambling to readjust their Presets, in particular those with the Luminal FET compressor block, after they update to v1.8.0
Obviously this is a good thing overall as we now have compressor blocks that work (better) and have more functionality. However, there will be some short term pain to review Presets and adapt or tweak then as necessary.
This is definitely one of those updates where you need to read the release notes, and if activity gigging, take the conservative approach on holding off updating until you know you will have time to review and test your Presets that just the compressor blocks.
Since my early discovery and testing here on Talkbass that showed the HL was not actually compressing, to the interim fix that provided gain reduction but far less than anything comparable, to the current update, I'm just pleased that Darkglass has taken a serious look at the issue, resolved it, and accommodated a wishlist item many, myself included have had in the inclusion of gain reduction meters. This is something folks have been begging Line 6 to do for the HX Stomp to no avail for years. Even including it in HX Edit to match what's already available in Helix Native, as both are clearly built on the same platform, has gone without so much as a peep from Line 6 as of the last time I checked. It's encouraging when a manufacturer actually listens and responds.
this is really helpful. Outside of buying an Anagram, I'm trying to get a feel for how I would use it for my current gigging needs.In a single song are you really needing more than 3 tone variations? I know it's possible, that's a clarifying question and not a 'are you out of your mind' question
Because if not, then you can think of it as 3 tones variations (either by using scenes or in stomp mode) per Preset. And from there, you can easily change Preset between songs.
But, if the answer to the above is actually Yes, then most people seem to be going with some form of MIDI Footswitch (often the Darkglass one, but the Morningstar stuff is incredibly versatile, or at the lower end of the spectrum the MVave stuff). Personally, I've veered away from pedal board tap dancing and just MIDI automate all my Preset and Scene changes now, so if that is an option for you, I'd strongly recommend it.
I suspect the main first challenge people using MIDI footswitches are working around is the way the Anagram makes you jump between Preset Banks (requires at least 2 footswitch presses) and the couple of seconds audio drop performing that operation. Again, this assumes you can't optimise your Presets by putting them in the same Preset Bank. At least by using a MIDI footswitch to trigger the loading of specific Presets brings it back to a single footswitch press.
So, I do have some material that calls for more than 3 tone variations in a single piece. It's also not just sequential ... i.e. FX 1 on ... off, then FX 2 on. ... off. I also need to switch back and forth without latency.
A song example would be: clean (amp+cab+comp+??) => medium distortion => clean => heavier distortion with env filter + octave down => clean.
Then, because this is a live music/gigging scenario, I need to be able to switch to another set of sounds pretty quickly for the next song.
Right now I am getting this done with multiple pedals, and while it does make me do the "pedal foot dance", I've got it worked out ok and the pedal board is not super crazy big (6 pedals, including the multiple preset VT Deluxe). I would honestly love to get to a smaller pedalboard and simplified device set, but it's not clear to me that I could get there with the Anagram.
I saw @RCM-Bass pedal board with the Cali76, MXR Synth, Anagram with the Pirate Midi switch for 3 more options, and that seemed like a great set-up.
hey RCM, very cool board. Looks a lot like what I'd like to put together. How does the MXR fit into the Anagram blocks/scenes/in-out setup. Can you just kick it in while using a set of Anagram settings ? Do you just turn it on and it blends with the Anagram output (somehow) ?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Honestly, I’ve not tried out the MXR Bass Synth yet. I will probably run it in series before the Anagram.hey RCM, very cool board. Looks a lot like what I'd like to put together. How does the MXR fit into the Anagram blocks/scenes/in-out setup. Can you just kick it in while using a set of Anagram settings ? Do you just turn it on and it blends with the Anagram output (somehow) ?
Inquiring minds want to know!
You can honestly just do something like that in stomp mode depending on your ‘clean’. Say, for example:
•Clean = harmonic booster, comp
•Med Distortion = A/O, LPF, limiter
•Heavy+ Sound = octave, Rat, filter, etc
You could create a single preset with all of the blocks above, in whatever order you want the signal chain to be for each. Then you just ‘bind’ those 3 different combinations of effect blocks to each of the three footswitches. So FS 1 turns on/off your clean tone, FS 2 turns on/off medium distortion, etc.
There are also options for scenes, but I find that stomp mode is super versatile when you use the binding function to control multiple blocks with a single footswitch.
What you are describing is very doable in a single Preset with 3 different scenes, and you'll have seamless 1 Footswitch switching between the scenes.
If you needed quite significantly different sounds, you could even do it as 3 different Presets in the same Bank. Just for reference:
Each Bank has 3 Presets.
Each Preset has 3 Scenes
Each Preset has 24 Block slots (2 rows of 12)
There are some really good YouTube videos from the Darkglass guys (OK, mostly the incredibly awesome @IvanBassist
) that might help you get a sense of the ways you can use the Anagram, and how that could potentially replace your existing pedal board.I'd start here for a brief overview -
Then here to go a little deeper -
Once you wrap your head around those fundamentals, it will help you understand the way it works, as well as any limitations you'll need to with accept or work around. Then you can check out some of the other videos they have in their Anagram playlist -
What you are describing is very doable in a single Preset with 3 different scenes, and you'll have seamless 1 Footswitch switching between the scenes.
If you needed quite significantly different sounds, you could even do it as 3 different Presets in the same Bank. Just for reference:
Each Bank has 3 Presets.
Each Preset has 3 Scenes
Each Preset has 24 Block slots (2 rows of 12)
There are some really good YouTube videos from the Darkglass guys (OK, mostly the incredibly awesome @IvanBassist
I'd start here for a brief overview -
Then here to go a little deeper -
Once you wrap your head around those fundamentals, it will help you understand the way it works, as well as any limitations you'll need to with accept or work around. Then you can check out some of the other videos they have in their Anagram playlist -
thanks for all of that. Ivan has also offered some help via PM.
The FX loop send and return are also just additional blocks in your Preset so you can control where in the Anagram preset signal flow the loop to your external gear occurs. Being blocks, they can be turned on and off.hey RCM, very cool board. Looks a lot like what I'd like to put together. How does the MXR fit into the Anagram blocks/scenes/in-out setup. Can you just kick it in while using a set of Anagram settings ? Do you just turn it on and it blends with the Anagram output (somehow) ?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Of course, you could also put external gear before the Anagram main input, or after an output.
IvanBassist
Commercial User
- Jun 8, 2008
- 3,743
- 11,118
- Disclosures
- Content Manager at Darkglass Electronics, Dingwall Guitars Artist
5V and 500mA, overloading the USB-C out can lead to instability and reboots. It is meant for powering single devices like MIDI footswitches, not whole pedal boards.@IvanBassist wondering if you can ask the techy’s how much power out I can pass through the usb c port? I didn’t hammer it but I ran the standard power supply and then usb c out to my cioks 4.
Device rebooted but everything powered, but wondering how much current it’s passing.
Also still doesn’t work as an audio interface with the iPad.
That’s all for now
Sounds like it’s fine to power my Subdecay Noise Theory and Mojohand Cream Pie via a mission m529
Thank you.
Now if they can just get it working as an audio interface with the iPad
Hello everyone! I’m thinking about getting a Darkglass Anagram and have a couple of questions:
- Is it possible to use it with headphones while also playing a backing track through them? It would be similar to using it as an audio interface for recording, allowing both the bass signal and the rest of the playlist to be heard in the headphones.
- Which headphones would work well with the headphone output? I couldn’t find any specifications about the headphones output, and I’d like to know if I’ll need a headphone amplifier to use it with what I currently have (e.g.: Hifiman Arya Organic).
- Lastly, I have to admit I’m not a big fan of Darkglass distortions. However, I find the device really interesting and it seems to offer a better user experience compared to other options on the market, along with being very portable. With that in mind, I understand it’s possible to add effects that don’t come by default on the device, right? If so, is there any database or community where these effects are shared, sold, or otherwise available?
1. Yes. This is how I primarily use it as I don't really gig or jam with others anymore, and I live in a townhome and like my neighbors. I use bluetooth with my phone for backing tracks. No issues and works well.
2. Your headphones should work. They'll plug into the back of the Anagram.
3. Checkout Tone3000's site. Plenty of captures to choose from. The Anagram itself has plenty of clean effects as well.
TONE3000 · Neural Amp Modeler (NAM) Profiles and Impulse Responses (IR's)
TONE3000 is the world's largest community for guitar tones, bass tones and studio equipment captures. Discover and share IR's and NAM profiles of amps, pedals, rigs, outboards, and signal chains. It's free!
www.tone3000.com
Answers above are all spot on. On the headphone setup, no separate headphone amplifier or mixer is needed. The Anagram has dedicated volume control for the headphone output, and you can setup your effects/signal chain to include amp and/or cabinet sims to make the headphone mix sound more or less 'live'. The big thing to note is that the headphone output on the Anagram is 1/8" - not 1/4".
