My bro just showed interest in singing in our two piece band and we want to use my pedal board and run the vocal through it. The problem is there was a considerate amount of buzz going on in the amp once I turned it on. Right now this is how I set it up: mic(609)>mixer>insert out>pedals>amp I also just plugged straight into the amp into the mixer and still had the same buzz. What is a solution to get rid of this buzz?
I'm recording my vocals right now with an M13 and not getting any significant noise. I am using a Digitech Vocal 300 as a buffer since it has a 1/4 inch out. You may need some sort of balanced to unbalanced conversion straight into the effects before it gets to the mixer. Edit::: I may have this confused a little, are you running the bass and vocals into your main mixer, then an insert out to a bass amp?
something like this? Nady HE-1 Hum Eliminator | Musician's Friend or is there a simple/cheaper solution
Maybe. If it doesn't get it done, MF has a decent return policy. I know that in the past when I tried to run from a mixer direct to an instrument amp as a personal monitor, it was really crappy sounding with lots of noise. I think it was a combination of impedance problems and ground loops, but I am not certain. If that Nady does as it says, it should help both situations. I'm still a little uncertain of your signal chain, but there are a handful of places where the Nady could slide in regardless of your routing to improve you're results.
Your "bro" should get himself a small PA. Putting vocals into an instrument amp is a junior high school, 1st band situation. (We've almost all been there briefly) Unless it's a Great mixer, studio quality, chances are the preamps and impedence transformers are cheap and it's line level too low. "Bro" needs to get, at least, a mic preamp (like ART for $60 or less) 1/4" out into effects (Which ones by the way?) into one amp input, you in the other (with other effects if you want). If you want to both use the same effects, esp if overdrive is involved, that's crazy. Unless you are so avant guard & abstract that noise is what you want.
Well probably not going to have it running through an instrument amp live, possibly a pa so maybe that will fix things but it's tough to tell I don't have a pa to test it on beforehand. Probably need to invest in a small pa cab and a separate effect board for him soon...
I already have a PA head I could use, will look into that preamp too. And as far as effects go, mostly overdrive and fuzz with a good amount of delay in there too for some really great effect.
Now that I fully understand your situation, I'm with Bassbrass. The vocals need their own signal chain all the way to the powered speaker or pa, unless the point of the vocals is something way out of the norm.