PYPB 38: When 'a few' just isn't enough...

[Vlad5]

GORGEOUS Vlad!! Looks super tidy and very foot-friendly. Can't wait to see the etching . Mind giving a rundown on that looper? Signal chain, etc? So much PIMP.

Cool you settled on the Proton, Vlad, and continue on with the submarine and BMC. Where do you have the BMC now in your chain? Still close to the end?

Your setup is, as always, freakin awesome. With that bypass looper and the Schism, your options must be pretty wild! I like that you DIY some stuff too, that relay box is genius!

Behndy's board is saaaweet as well, all that etchy madness is pimp!

haha yep, doesn't matter what changes he makes it always looks SICK.

Thanks gents! Yeah, I like the Proton a lot. Not as quacky as the Bottom Feeder, but much more controllable. And the BMC is so useful for selective frequency boosting (or cutting). Right now it's at the end of channel 2, to boost some low-mids after all the dirt and such.

Ok. Here's the current signal chain:

in > relay > Schism > Submarine Designer > relay > VP-Jr > out
Schism channel 1: Divided Octave > Timeline
Schism channel 2: B3K > Tall Font Russian > Unpleasant Surprise > Proton > Faye Sing > BMC

The black box, bottom left, is a DMC-3XL midi controller for the Timeline. There is also a Source Audio expression pedal controlling both the Timeline and Faye Sing.

The loop switcher I'm building will work like this:

2 channels in, 2 channels out.
Both channels will have 2 loops each.
All loops can be combined into a single 4 loop series, or 2 channels of 2 loops each blended in parallel (using the Schism).

Bottom buttons from right to left will be:
channel 1 loop A
channel 1 loop B
channel 2 loop C
channel 2 loop D

The three top buttons from right to left will be:
channel 1 invert: serial order of loop A/B switches to B/A.
loop C first: loop C moves from beginning of channel 2 to the beginning channel 1, before loop A.
loop D last: loop D moves from end of channel 2 to the end of channel 1, after loop B.

So basically, the 2 channel mixer becomes a 4 loop serial mixer.

Um... I'll try to draw up a diagram, that may be easier. I don't know how well it'll work, like if for instance bleed-through will be an issue, but I have the hookup diagram all worked out. I just need to wire it up and acquire 12 lava plugs... next paycheck.

 

[Jeff Moote]

Sweet setup Vlad. I am looking forward to hearing how that works out.

I'm working on an overhaul of my boards at the moment, though not quite as elaborate as yours. Photos coming soon...

 

[Dr Greenthumb]

That's just crazy talk!

Quite a bit of work you got there to figure it all out! It should be sweet once it's all done! If there is such a thing..

 

[Vlad5]

Its a neat little puzzle. If it doesn't work out, I won't cry, since I can always rewire the loop switcher to do anything else I want, like a simple 7 loop series mix.
In any case, it'll be waaaaaay cheaper than a midi switching setup (which I wish I could afford, of course).

 

[nodisco]

Minimalism didn't work for me.

 

[behndy]

hurm. so, i have a new desire.

i would like a smaller midi....... brain unit. something that i can program patches into..... that would send out multiple midi messages. basically something that i can program to send all the patch change messages to a buncha different pedals that can take midi messages. that way i could click on a single switch to set all the pedals to the right patch to start each song. laziness..... would rein SUPREME.

and i have absolutely NO idea where to look. any ideas? somebody make something like that?

MURRRRRRRR?

 

[J.Wolf]

There is some insane looking boards in this thread. Here's mine. Still working some kinks out, but I really dig it.

 

[Knettgummi]

hurm. so, i have a new desire.

i would like a smaller midi....... brain unit. something that i can program patches into..... that would send out multiple midi messages. basically something that i can program to send all the patch change messages to a buncha different pedals that can take midi messages. that way i could click on a single switch to set all the pedals to the right patch to start each song. laziness..... would rein SUPREME.

and i have absolutely NO idea where to look. any ideas? somebody make something like that?

MURRRRRRRR?

Not sure if anything already exists that packs it all in a single box, but I think you could cover a lot of that with a simple FCB1010 - or really any MIDI foot controller, plus something like [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] to send the signal to multiple targets. You may have to step on more than one switch to change all settings, though. I imagine you could have one bank for each "song preset", and then each switch on that bank could reset a separate pedal (so spam for full reset ).

Add an arduino and a just a small dash of DIY savvy and you should be able to send all the messages you want with just a single stomp...

 

[Stefmeister]

Can't wait to unleash this on the unsuspecting public tonight

 

[metalinthenight]

sweetness!

 

[Basehead]

hurm. so, i have a new desire.

i would like a smaller midi....... brain unit. something that i can program patches into..... that would send out multiple midi messages. basically something that i can program to send all the patch change messages to a buncha different pedals that can take midi messages. that way i could click on a single switch to set all the pedals to the right patch to start each song. laziness..... would rein SUPREME.

and i have absolutely NO idea where to look. any ideas? somebody make something like that?

MURRRRRRRR?

Probably overkill for what you want, but my boy Mike Vegas at Nice Rack NYC puts together some cool, custom MIDI-controlled boards:

Link Removed

Link Removed

He's extremely knowledgeable (and a VERY nice guy!).

I believe he's just relocated to LA as well...

 

[Basehead]

There is some insane looking boards in this thread. Here's mine. Still working some kinks out, but I really dig it.

I really dig it, too...very nice!

 

[Wud]

hurm. so, i have a new desire.

i would like a smaller midi....... brain unit. something that i can program patches into..... that would send out multiple midi messages. basically something that i can program to send all the patch change messages to a buncha different pedals that can take midi messages. that way i could click on a single switch to set all the pedals to the right patch to start each song. laziness..... would rein SUPREME.

and i have absolutely NO idea where to look. any ideas? somebody make something like that?

MURRRRRRRR?

For MIDI the old stuff often trumps the new IMHO
The old Alesis MMT8 would probably be a good cheap solution if you can find one -

http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/mmt8.php

You don't have to use it's "Sequencing" abilities if you don't need em, but you can fire out a gazillion program changes or sysex data strands to all your different MIDI devices.

 

[My name is Mudd]

For some-odd reason, I seem to remember that whoever makes the iPad effects app/thingy claiming to be able to do multiples like that...I think.

 

[4StringsEnough]

I've had this configuration for a while:

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Have to add that I'm currently using a Philosopher King and a Boss PS-6 Harmonist at the beginning of the chain and occasionally I throw an Aguilar Tone Hammer at the end.

CHAIN

PS-6 > Philosopher King > OC-2 > Wolf Computer > Micro Octave > Orbit > TAFM > Geiger Counter > Super Fatman > Xerograph > Iron Lung > GK3 > Moog LPF > Flashback > Frantabit > Tone Hammer

My favorite pedal is the GK3. It's LFO is feeding the Moog at all times. That's really all I use it for. I just wish it was smaller.

I gotta also give props to the Guyatone micro-octave. It has a really synthy sound that pairs amazingly with the Xerograph...

I'm gassing hard for a Hall of Fame Reverb and some modulation effects like the Polytope and the Subdecay Quantum Starlight. I really think that would take my board over the top but there's no money at the moment.

Also, I'm a big octave fan. How's the Second Voice used as an octave generator? I see a lot of people use it but I'm not sure if they use it as fuzz or octave.

I'm looking for something that's highly playable and can track like a champ. Dynamics are always a plus.

BTW... have to explain why I use the Philosopher King... it's basically squeezing the beejeeezus out of my signal and sustaining it endlessly for a couple of synth long notes that I like to do. It's noisy and weird but honestly it gets the job done. When I feed the compressed signal to the Micro Octave it's basically endless synthy sustain and it makes me a happy camper. Also, the volume synth is sweet to have since I don't have a volume pedal.

Octave sweeps from the Boss PS-6 at the beginning of the chain are so sweet... Make's the whole synth experience more exciting!

Also.... forgot to add that at shows with my current project I also use a Roland VB-99 at the beginning of the chain. Pretty awesome sounds on that.

Everyone can check out my music here:



The MIDI-Burger (name of my current project) Sampler pretty much uses the whole pedalboard so check it out if you're curious about the sounds. Those comments are the names of the songs.
I'm your standard synth-bass enthusiast.

Great to see the Guyatone Micro Octave. I love that pedal!

 

[Vlad5]

Can't wait to unleash this on the unsuspecting public tonight

This makes me drool a little...

 

[Waterpilot]

This makes me drool a little...

Yeah man. The last few pages have been doing that to me.

 

[Drop-D]

Sorry for the Delay there!
Tracking seems to be equal to the Whammy IV on Classic mode so far, but then in the Chord mode, it's a tiny bit slower (only on really fast shred-type runs) but lets you track/shift whole Chords (surprisingly ) smoothly without glitching. Is REALLY what I've been hoping for after owning the Bass Whammy and 2 Whammy IV's. Plus the sweep of the pedal is smoother too! So, many plus's!
In terms of tone, it's still a digital pedal and I never noticed any tonal improvement with the Bass Whammy over the Guitar versions (apart from the Bass version sucked tone big stylee! haha!).

I'm a little late on this:

Andy,
How do you feel the new whammy is when placed before a dirt/fuzz pedal? I love my bass whammy usually (about 90% of the time) but trying to play with it set to down octave is just garbage through any kind of dirt. I hate it. Most of the other settings sound great through dirt. I just experience problems with oct down mostly.

 

[pantherairsoft]

My band dropped a live EP today. It's best live recording we have ever had and captures what we actually sound like really really well. Throughout the 6 track set I use every single unit on the board with the exception of the Freqbox so check out a few of my lovely sounds. It's bass > board > Genz Streamliner 900 > Barefaced Big Twin being recorded with a blend of a Mic and a DI... Plus the Big Twin is so loud that you hear a little bit in every vocal and drum mic too - Just how I like it!!!

http://ourhelicalmind.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-dogstock-2012

 

[luccabf]

Here's my actual board, with Ernie Ball Vp. Jr, TC Polytune, Markbass MB Octaver, Xotic Robotalk 2 and TC Alter Ego Delay/Looper (special version of the Flashback Delay)

I'm reformulating it, and I will buy more three pedals (Preamp, Chorus and Compressor) and a Pedaltrain Jr. soon.