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SA Orbital Modulator Settings Thread

gregmon79

gregmon79

Dec 20, 2012
27,397
19,561
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Chicago IL
#1
So, I've been toying with the SA orbital for a few weeks now and I still can't seem to get that lush, really pronounced chorus. I'm struggling. Can someone help please? I'm struggling with the manta as well. I know that there is a dedicated manta settings thread, but I figured these two would be good to pair together in a settings thread. But I'm mainly more concerned with the orbital. Please help guys! Thanks.
 
#4
Hang in there Gregmon. Don't give up the ship so fast. There is definitely a learning curve with the SA stuff because of all the different parameters that can be accessed and tweaked. If you don't like to experiment than you should stick to the simple knob or two of the analog pedals but the possibilities of sounds and accessing multiple scenes with these pedals are enormous. Patience.
 
#6
Also, SA has hinted at the fact that they might implement a way to share settings through their hub manager software and the midi hub. So, maybe one day people will be able to just give you their settings :)
 
#7
That would be great...... If I had a HUB. I don't plan on getting one though. One thing I have noticed with the orbital and manta is the depth controls are really touchy. That may be a great thing if I can just figure out how all the other settings interact with the depth. One of my largest confusions is with the wave form knob or whatever it's called. I know that can have quite an effect depending on where it's set, but I don't know how it really works. On the manta it's a lot more pronounced. The orbital, to me anyway, not so much. I feel a little lost with these pedals at times. I'm glad the OFD is pretty straight forward, cause I'm really diggin it. It's done a wonderful job of filling the shoes of the pedals I took off in it's place, the OCD and rat king.
 
#8
Gregmon,
the OFD is certainly a good starting point for getting your mind wrapped around using our effects. Manta is a bit more complicated, and Orby is the most.

Orby does have one very important feature. If you hold down the left little button (option select I think it it called?) for a few seconds, it will take you back to the factory suggested setting for that effect. Try doing that with the Choruses. Then only tweak one thing at a time and see how it goes. You can always get back home with the "beam me up Scotty" feature as noted.

The modulation source (MOD SOURCE) knob is not so bad, and it is a really powerful thing. It exists on both manta and orby. It allows you to take your effect and then modulate it with either an envelope, LFO, etc. With Orby you want this to be on an LFO most of the time (looks like a sin wave) and with Manta it should start with an envelope.

I know the learning curve is not like a 2 knob analog pedal. However, there are years of enjoyment and sonic exploration in these pedals. Good luck!
 
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#9
Thanks so much for the input rsmith, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain that stuff. I remember reading that factory reset trick somewhere but obviously forgot, because I haven't done it. And I think it'll help me immensely. I'm going to try your suggestions here in a little bit and report back.
 
#11
So, I tried the suggestion of rsmith. And I really like the result. I'll probably leave it at that, maybe a little tweaking here and there. But check this out, i have no idea what I did or his it happened, but I had both presets activated at the same time and the orbital totally sounded like a ring mod! It was crazy. I have a pic of both lights lit that I'll post in a little bit. I'll even try up post a link of the shirt video I took
of the sounds it was making. I think it totally glitched out on me though. Never knew the orbital could go ring mod on dat a**.
 
#13
gregmon79 said:
So, I've been toying with the SA orbital for a few weeks now and I still can't seem to get that lush, really pronounced chorus. I'm struggling. Can someone help please? I'm struggling with the manta as well. I know that there is a dedicated manta settings thread, but I figured these two would be good to pair together in a settings thread. But I'm mainly more concerned with the orbital. Please help guys! Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the learning curve struggle... I actually sold my Manta because I could not get an envelope filter setting that was as good as my Wonderlove (I know it can be done, but not by a mere mortal such as myself). Anyway, I'm keeping my orbital as a personal challenge to master the king of modulators.

So, Masters of the SA universe, please post your orbital settings so us mortals can learn and grow!
 
#14
Matt Dean said:
I'm with you on the learning curve struggle... I actually sold my Manta because I could not get an envelope filter setting that was as good as my Wonderlove (I know it can be done, but not by a mere mortal such as myself). Anyway, I'm keeping my orbital as a personal challenge to master the king of modulators.

So, Masters of the SA universe, please post your orbital settings so us mortals can learn and grow!
Click to expand...

Matt, thank you for confirming Im not the only one!!

I would really like to see someome elses settings as well, hence the thread. I could use some help for sure. I am actually making a call to Source Audio, Roger helped me out and gave me Jons number to help walk me through it, so hopefully I'll be able to figure it out tonight. I have two shows coming up this Thurs and Fri and I need a chorus. Good thing I have a small clone on the way, you cant get much simpler than that! But I look forward to mastering the Orbital. I had, and still actually have thoughts, of flipping it, but I do want to give it some time and see what it has to offer.


SETTINGS PLEASE!! Thank you.........
 
#18
gregmon79 said:
So, I've been toying with the SA orbital for a few weeks now and I still can't seem to get that lush, really pronounced chorus. I'm struggling. Can someone help please? I'm struggling with the manta as well. I know that there is a dedicated manta settings thread, but I figured these two would be good to pair together in a settings thread. But I'm mainly more concerned with the orbital. Please help guys! Thanks.
Click to expand...

here's a short clip of my main 'chorus sound' on my OM. first bypassed, then engaged:

 
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#19
Would it be possible to snap a shot of the pedal with your settings? I'd like to maybe start a little booklet of settings for easy reference. I know we have presets and all that but it'd be fun to spend some time messing with everybody's settings and see what we come up with. Sound clips are great too but without knowing where the knobs are set to not having the roadmap doesn't get you any further down the road. Knowing where you are going helps but the complexity of thesis pedals makes it difficult to know what does what.
Make sense?

My Orbital is in the hands of my mail carrier at this moment.

AND I just swung by the nice folks at Ant Hill Music to grab my new Manta! Nice to now have a dealer 2 miles away. They sell alot online and have a big eBay store. Sell all kinds of parts, bodies and necks, hardware and effects!
 
#20
Yes, it's important to stress to folks that if a pic is used to show ones settings, they have to make sure that the knobs are the actual settings. It's so easy to get the knobs in one spot and start tweaking things then have the knobs be pretty far off of the original preset that you're sharing. Makes it a little tough, but it can be done.
 

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