Wrapping my head around the C4 Synth Pedal

[PaulS]

The best part of browsing the presets people have made, is being able to try them instantly without having to save em to the pedal. The first day I got my C4, I spent hours just going through the ones in the community. Found an amazing phased distortion that I used the next night at practice. It’s crazy fun.

 

[Les Fret]

This is kind of what I was wondering... could it imitate chorus/flanger effectively?

Not sure about the C4 but I have a Spectrum and I can get some nice chorus and phaser sounds out of it by using the LFO. I think you can do that on the C4 as well. Also good octave and fuzz and tremolo sounds. No delay or reverb sounds. Pitch Shifting on the C4 is also not on par I have heard.

So it can function as a sort of amputated Multi fx unit with only one fx sound at a time. The downside is that there are only six preset slots. Which is way too less for this pedal. If you want more (and you certainly will!) then you need a midi controller which is not very practical.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I'm just going to say it....the C4 is largest jump in pedal technology since Line 6's modeling pedals in the 90s. Anyone who owns it realizes the 4 knobs are mostly superfluous but from a marketing perspective, the general public would not be able to understand/accept the concept of a pedal with NO knobs.

 

[RJ]

To that point I wish that more of the perimeters were accessible on the front of the pedal.

I could be content with 3 (or 6?) presets but needing to have additional hardware for editing and more additional hardware for midi is a bit too much for me at the moment.

I was about to spring for a C4 but once I realized it’s not directly compatible with my Morningstar MC6 I had to reconsider.

 

[Les Fret]

To that point I wish that more of the perimeters were accessible on the front of the pedal.

I could be content with 3 (or 6?) presets but needing to have additional hardware for editing and more additional hardware for midi is a bit too much for me at the moment.
.

I agree lugging an extra midi controller to your gigs is not what you want. I just wish more presets were available from the pedal itself. Also the fiddling with the little alt knob on the back is far from ideal. But love the Spectrum nonetheless!

 

[GMC]

To that point I wish that more of the perimeters were accessible on the front of the pedal.

I could be content with 3 (or 6?) presets but needing to have additional hardware for editing and more additional hardware for midi is a bit too much for me at the moment.

I was about to spring for a C4 but once I realized it’s not directly compatible with my Morningstar MC6 I had to reconsider.

I have a Boss ES-5...and I use a C4, Lunar, Aftershock, Nemesis, EQ2, Ultrawave and a Spectrum. The Neuro Hub is very useful as a Source Audio Midi Sender with 128 presets specifically for the SA ecology. The ES-5 that I use is a bit more sophisticated than your MC6 natively. My C4 is probably the most used pedal on my board and it's right at the beginning of my chain / loops. However, with the ES-5 I can move it's order about through any of my 5 loops. The C4 is simply amazing with midi control. Using it with a Midi controller just opens up the control options vastly beyond the stock 4 knobs and 6 patches. 2 of the knobs are function assignable. All 4 knobs have secondary functions, although I find this fiddly. Expression control (great over midi) allows three different functions (and inversions / range selects on the pedal for each function) to be assigned to expression control.
The C4 has 6 presets accessible via the pedal's 3 way switch. If you connect to it via Midi (Hub etc) then you have access to the other 122 presets. If you add something like a faderFox PC4, which is a CC Midi assignable 24 knob array, then you pretty much have midi CC control over every knob in the C4's desktop interface. You just have to map / assign a midi CC number to the parameters that you want to use on the C4 and then configure the PC4 too.
Or you can use the C4 as a simple 6 preset / 4 knob device that owns filters, octavers or synth tones. However, you might find 6 presets very limiting on this amazing box of tricks.
For patch creation, editing or cloud patch wandering, you will need the Neuro desktop editor. Tweak what you like then save as a patch...recall via midi.

 

[el murdoque]

Got all excited before I realized I had to filter by C4 patches, but still there were some cool/promising sounds there...

I believe you can also use the presets for the spectrum in the C4.

 

[GMC]

I believe you can also use the presets for the spectrum in the C4.

The Compatability check box is the way to enable that function in the search. All of the Spectrum's patches are usable on the C4, just not the other way around. Which is why I create my octaver and / or filter patches on my Spectrum and all the other stuff on my C4.

 

[MovinTarget]

The Compatability check box is the way to enable that function in the search. All of the Spectrum's patches are usable on the C4, just not the other way around. Which is why I create my octaver and / or filter patches on my Spectrum and all the other stuff on my C4.

Interesting, I might see if any of the Spectrum patches scratch an itch as well...

 

[MovinTarget]

Thanks for all the input! It does sound like an amazing synth pedal in small form which is what I was looking for (I travel for work) though it sounds like I may stick with getting the Zoom B1-Four now and keep this in the back of my mind for when I want some more advanced synth effects...

 

[Les Fret]

The C4 is simply amazing with midi control. Using it with a Midi controller just opens up the control options vastly beyond the stock 4 knobs and 6 patches. .

What midi controller do you guys use for the Spectrum/C4?
And what is a cheap Midi controller solution for recalling and switching presets at gigs? I prefer a small footprint and easy UI.

 

[AlexanderB]

Thanks for all the input! It does sound like an amazing synth pedal in small form which is what I was looking for (I travel for work) though it sounds like I may stick with getting the Zoom B1-Four now and keep this in the back of my mind for when I want some more advanced synth effects...

You might consider the Future Impact as well. Bigger box, but is definitely more inviting to use. With 99 preset slots + multiple parameter access on the front panel, it should be gig ready without additional gear. Would still benefit from an expression pedal for some sounds, I think.

 

[MovinTarget]

You might consider the Future Impact as well. Bigger box, but is definitely more inviting to use. With 99 preset slots + multiple parameter access on the front panel, it should be gig ready without additional gear. Would still benefit from an expression pedal for some sounds, I think.

I'll check it out but it seemed like the C4 was generally better received here.

 

[Goatrope]

What midi controller do you guys use for the Spectrum/C4?
And what is a cheap Midi controller solution for recalling and switching presets at gigs? I prefer a small footprint and easy UI.

Simple setup for me was to use a DMC Micro Pro, with the USB ghost adaptor. I have access to all my presets, and can read them as text in its led display.

As another datapoint for the OP: When I added the C4 to my board, I removed my EHX Micro Synth, MXR Script Phase 90, and EBS Octobass. It did those sounds better than the individual pedals, which is not something I can say about the multi-effect pedal options I’ve Encountered.

I’ve never tried to get chorus or flange out of the C4, so I don’t know what’s possible.

What I can tell you is that you’ll be lost down a rabbit-hole for hours just previewing the community presets. This pedal is my chameleon/ secret weapon.

 

[AlexanderB]

I'll check it out but it seemed like the C4 was generally better received here.

Well, many have both, I do, and do not put one above the other. @Quatschmacher and others have done extensive comparisons, and there are advanages to both.
For standalone gigging, the FI can do for many, but the C4 begs for an additional MIDI device.

 

[AlexanderB]

To that point I wish that more of the perimeters were accessible on the front of the pedal.

I could be content with 3 (or 6?) presets but needing to have additional hardware for editing and more additional hardware for midi is a bit too much for me at the moment.

I was about to spring for a C4 but once I realized it’s not directly compatible with my Morningstar MC6 I had to reconsider.

Then check out the Future Impact. 99 programmable preset slots, some real time, hands on editing via display, massive interface via laptop. On par with the capabilities in C4, IMHO, but somewhat different. No need for any add ons to gig.

 

[Les Fret]

Simple setup for me was to use a DMC Micro Pro, with the USB ghost adaptor. I have access to all my presets, and can read them as text in its led display.

Do you connect the DMC directly to your C4 with the USB adaptor of the C4? And can you still use the 4 knobs of the C4 on each of the 128 presets when you use a midi controller? Or only use the knobs for the 6 presets?

 

[MovinTarget]

Yeah, I'm looking at the FI v3 now and saw Quatschmacher named dropped on some of the forum posts.

So it sounds like the FI might be a bit more affordable at the entry level to get full access to it's potential since you don't need to buy a midi controller on top of the pedal, unless a $60 mini midi controller is floating around...

Again, this would be mostly to keep me busy while traveling so the less bloat, the better.

 

[Goatrope]

Do you connect the DMC directly to your C4 with the USB adaptor of the C4? And can you still use the 4 knobs of the C4 on each of the 128 presets when you use a midi controller? Or only use the knobs for the 6 presets?

Yes, the DMC is connected directly to the C4 via the USB cable (ghost adaptor).

The 4 knobs function the same, with or without the DMC. The DMC is just my interface to access all my presets.

The 4 knobs can be assigned whatever function you like, if you want to tweak a particular preset in real-time. I have one knob set the same on all my patches, as an output level control.

 

[Williethump]

Trying to research this in laymans terms and perhaps that's my problem:

Can the C4 Synth pedal act as a multi effects system for bass?

My primary interests would include:

• Synth effects
• Chorus
• Flanger
• Octaver
• Auto-Wah

Would this pedal be overkill for these types of sounds even if they were possible?
Do I need a midi controller on top of this pedal to really tap into its potential (i.e. I'm really looking at more than a $240 investment?)

If it does reverb and/or echo, that's cool but much lower priorities.

It looks like a very cool system, however, it is a little like trying to drink from the hydrant when looking at the website.

tnx!

Those C4s are explosive.