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Topic: PodXT & Volumn Pedal |
Dave Little
From:
Atlanta
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Posted 29 Jan 2007 11:49 am |
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In an earlier thread, it was pointed out that a compressor should be first in the chain - before the volume pedal. If you go straight from guitar to Pod (so as to utilize its compressor), can the normal volume pedal(s) (Hilton, Goodrich or pot pedals) be hooked in right after the Pod? My guess is, no. If that's the case, and other than the Line6 foot boards that have the pedal plus a bunch of switches, is there a single pedal that can be used there?
Dave Little
Last edited by Dave Little on 29 Jan 2007 4:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 29 Jan 2007 3:39 pm
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Dave,
I have my setup as follows...psg/tuner/vp/pod out stereo to amp. I just went to rack amp with ext speakers, best sound I've had yet.
Bill
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Dean Parks
From:
Sherman Oaks, California, USA
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Posted 29 Jan 2007 6:23 pm
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Dave,
The Line6 footboards I've tried have volume pedals that are too slow (electronically), and grainy... not good enough. That's the only way to get the pedal after the compressor, yet before the delays. I have not tried the PodLive, although I assume the same behavior.
Use a footpedal compressor before the Pod. But it's also not bad to compress after the volume pedal. It levels out your whole output, not just your attack, and the Pod compressor is not bad, just don't set the threshold to drastic.
-dean- |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Jan 2007 7:48 pm
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There's a ton of stuff in previous threads, and If I have time I'll search through them for you.
The compressor(s) in the xt like the distortions are only good if you dial them in almost exactly at the stage level you are going to use. It's harder than you might think because they won't work hardly at all until you get to that level. It's surprising.
"Sound Checks" with it are only relavant if you play at band levels when you dial it in.
The good news is that you can set it to "basement levels" and save a bank of them for home, recording etc. use.
They tell me a "midi pedal" works plugged into the xt, so you can "place" the comps and distortions "before" them, but I've heard there are latency and mechanism problems. I think Roland makes the best "midi volume pedal" that plugs into the "midi port" in the xt. I'll stick with my Hilton.
I have an XtLive, but I don't use the volume pedal on it with the Steel, and I don't use a compressor or distortion on PSG I have a "Turbo Drive" I put after the PSG when I use distortion.
Search on.
EJL |
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Dave Little
From:
Atlanta
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Posted 30 Jan 2007 3:52 am
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Thanks Guys
Eric, you confirm what I thought I understood from the previous threads. - That is, generally speaking, the compressor needs to be first out of the guitar, BEFORE the VP. It can also be used after the VP for a good (all be it) different effect.
What I'm hearing here, is that there is no good VP designed to be used after the rack type compressors (includes podxt). One has to revert to a stomp box to get the compressor in proper order.
Right?
Dave Little |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Jan 2007 5:53 am
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I have an xtLive, the floorboard version. The VP is on the wrong side to use it for PSG. I set it on the floor to my right and work the select pedals with my left right foot moving it off the Hilton VP for my PSG. I do use a compressor on the PSG sometimes, and in the course of time found a setting for the level that I normally use live at high volume, and select a channel with it.
When I stand up and play Tele, I use the volume pedal on the xtLive. The Compressor is before it internally.
If it were me, and you can afford one, a little stomp box would be the easiest to have it consistent at all volumes.
Gotta run.
EJL |
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Fred Bova
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 31 Jan 2007 12:36 am
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My suggestion is that you get a Comp Stomp Box. Many of these have a Very High Input Imp. as they use JFET devices in the input stage. This will act like the buffer in a Matchbox, Goodrich, or Hilton active Volume pedal, and will buffer your pickup so that you retain the highs.
Run the output of the Comp. into your Volume Pedal, and then the output from the Volume Pedal into any other effect(s) you have. This will be the quietest setup, retain your highs, and allow your Reverb and Delay trails to decay properly when you use your Volume Pedal.
I used to use my old BOSS Chorus pedal in bypass mode as a buffer for my PASSIVE PIEZO pickup on my Taylor guitar. This pedal has a Soft Bypass mode, the pedal amp is still active but there is no effect, but the buffer still acts as an imp converter.
The BOSS CS-3 has this same imp converter feature, and it has a full set of controls for Attack, Release, Sustain,Output and .. a Tone control.
http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/CS-3/specs.html
So, if you are not sure of the Input Imp of a comp try it out with a PASSIVE PIEZO pickup guitar. If the comp is not High Imp then the guitar will be a little low in volume and have little or no BASS. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 31 Jan 2007 7:36 am
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I agree with everything Dean said. I don't think it's either "right" or "wrong" to compress before/after the volume pedal. I imagine either approach has its adherents. I have used compression with a volume pedal for guitar for a long time - and have used both approaches.
In an earlier thread, I argued that compressor is normally the first effect in the chain. I was talking about placing it with other "effects", like overdrive-distortion-based effects and time-based effects such as delay, reverb, chorus, and flange. The reason is that a compressor amplifies quiet signals more than loud ones, and tends to bring up the noise floor during quiet passages. Distortion and time-based effects often create significant noise, so it's generally better to put them in after the compressor.
But a passive volume pedal - as long as the pot's not scratchy - doesn't generate significant noise. I don't think most players would use an active volume pedal if it generated significant noise - the ones I've tried are very quiet. I don't think there's any big deal in putting a compressor after a good volume pedal.
Even with the noise issue, I'm sure plenty of people use their own effects ordering, for their own reasons. There's no "absolute" right answer for ordering effects, IMO.
I do not normally compress pedal steel these days - but if I do and I'm running the Pod, I generally use the Pod compressor on its minimum setting, which I think is a compression ratio of 1.4:1. It should be only lightly audible, and it works OK, to my tastes if I'm looking for that effect. Any more, and I can hear it pumping.
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| What I'm hearing here, is that there is no good VP designed to be used after the rack type compressors (includes podxt). One has to revert to a stomp box to get the compressor in proper order. |
I don't see why you can't use a good volume pedal after a rack-style compressor like, say, a Joe Meeks. A Pod is not a rack compressor, but an amp emulator with built-in effects. The problem is that the volume pedal will amplitude-modulate everything, not just the compressor output. It has nothing to do with the design of the volume pedal. |
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