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Topic: Who’s using a Kemper for Steel |
Michael Hartz
From:
Decorah, Iowa, USA
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Posted 19 May 2019 7:25 pm |
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| Who else is using a Kemper for steel? I got one about a month ago and all I can say is DOUBLE WOW!! Michael Britt sent me some Nashville 400 profiles but I ended up using a Little Walter 50 profile I bought in one of his profile packs. Sounds amazing especially thru in-ears. It has some amazing effects also, I was able to use the pitch shifter/harmonizer to create a rig so I can play Bruce Bouton’s Highway 40 Blues intro and it actually sounds like the record. I was also able to profile my Boss EQ pedal (Bo-Bro) going into a Fishman Spectrum Aura pedal with the blend turned up to create the most realistic dobro sound ever (even better than the Match-bro imho). I can also re-create a double tracking effect and much more. I am also playing my Tele, banjitar, and mandolin thru it. I’ve got the monitor out in stereo going into my Shure Wireless in-ear system so I hear all my instruments directly from the Kemper, then I blend in a mono monitor feed from the board with all my instruments turned down ( so I don’t get phase problems) into the Kemper’s aux in. The best thing is I was able to replace 100’s of pounds of gear and cut my setup and tear down in half. This is one of the most amazing pieces of gear I have ever come across. |
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Scott Denniston
From:
Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA
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Posted 20 May 2019 3:56 pm
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| Your post is about word for word what I've been telling friends. I mean down to the Little Walter profile. I haven't played out much this year but I've never heard my Sho-Bud sound as good as it did through the Kemp with a line out to the PA. Plus I was using the powered monitor near me for that speaker-on-stage feel. The cool thing is that the sound guy doesn't have to do anything but volume. I think it's best to go out mono so you're not bunging up the mix. Go out at -18db and it will be full with no clipping worries with the volume pedal. When I get time I'd like to try profiling some amps myself on it. Skip trying it with a bad PA though -- sounds like crap. In that case just use the monitor. Oh yeah, I was also using Brad's Steel Black Box so that had something to do with it. |
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Josh Braun
From:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 21 May 2019 7:59 am
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I'm using it - run my steel, guitar and fiddle through it - sounds amazing! I believe another forum user, Bryan Daste is using one as well.
I've never had luck using the NV Peavey profiles - but I don't generally get along with peavey amps anyhow. With my Williams that had a True Tone, I liked the surgical steel profile a lot. But with a 710 in the same guitar, I'm preferring Fender amps, like Super, Bandmaster or Twin models (fwiw, I've had great success with the
Amp Factory models).
I'm now gigging an Emmons PP with original pickup - sounds perfect through a bf twin profile.
Now, if only someone would do some Webb profiles... |
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Danny Naccarato
From:
Burleson, Texas
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Posted 16 Jun 2019 6:34 am
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| Been using one for over a year. It has the power amp. I've got some rigs is be happy to share, including a modded Nashville 400 > Vibrosonic cab, B3 type with rotary spin up/down, etc. |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2019 12:57 pm
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Yep, been using one and I love it! It's all down to the quality of the profiles. You guys want to set up a profile exchange? I have a bunch I made on the Rig Exchange, if you search for BD-PSG. I've got some go-to's from commercial profilers, too. The MBritt stuff is great. I really like the Supro packs from Gold Lion and others. Would love to see more steel-centric profiles!
_________________
http://pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2019 1:08 pm
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BTW, if anyone wants to get into serious profiling, I've got the Kemper DI (for making direct/Merged profiles) and some nice mics. Shipping amps is the only real challenge 
_________________
http://pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 6:36 am
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On short notice, we're on a fast track to a 'silent stage' and so - kicking and screaming - I just got a used Kemper last week. I've only had a less than two hours with it so far and, I have to say, I'm a convert. It sounds great! To this point I've only used my P/P with it which is not my road guitar and, for it, my favorite profile so far is an Ashdown bass rig I stumbled onto last night.
My questions, for now, are about stage set-up.
Michael - it sounds like you're doing what I need to be doing. I'm missing, though, how you're blending the output from your monitor out and the feed from the board. Can you flesh out your signal routing for me? Thanks!
Josh & Michael (and whomever else is doing this) - are you using an external switch box for your different instruments? If so, what are you liking for that?
Danny & Bryan - I'd love to hear some of those profiles!
Anyone and Everyone - I'm looking for pros and cons of different routing schemes. I need to end up with the Kemper going to the board in mono and returning to ears from the board in mono and in such a way that I can easily bring myself up and down in the mix. (I love Michael's system of hearing the steel in stereo, though, if there's also a way to monitor in stereo and still just send a mono feed to/from the board.)
What's working best for you all? |
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Josh Braun
From:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 6:50 am
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Hi Chris,
I use a Radial JX-42 (https://www.radialeng.com/product/jx-42) for my switching needs. I have the Kemper in a rack, and have a slot that has the JX-42 and a small patch bay.
For in-ears, I now have an old dbx iem, but have also used a behinger compressor and a Rolls personal headphone monitor. Right now, I run the dbx IEM feed into the kemper's aux input (it's a mono monitoring signal). I get 0% of me in that mix - just the band (this avoids phase issues). Then I use the headphone out of the Kemper and get a stereo signal of myself in my in ears (along with the band mix).
Works great!
Btw, since you guys are going to in-ears/silent stage, note that I've noticed some growing pains with band mates. Mostly, they'll complain about how they can't hear me (even though it's fine in the FOH). They seem to think that when we do a quick line check and they hear me in the monitor in isolation, that that will be loud enough when the full band plays (which it never is). Anyhow, just mentioning that your band mates (if they're like mine) may also need to get savvier at controlling their monitor mixes (in ears or not) because they can't depend on an uncontrollable side-wash signal to always be present.
I mean, that should be a win for everyone, but you'd be surprised at how often the musicians will come to me to complain instead of communicating/working with the sound guy to get their mix right. |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 9:05 am
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Thanks, Josh. Just so I understand... Your monitor mix from the board goes to the Kemper Aux in? If so, are you getting a Lo Z signal to the aux input without any issues? Also, where do you control your volume relative to the band mix?
As for the growing pains, those actually fall to me. Even though a couple of guys have been using cabs now and then, I'm actually the last one on the bandstand using an actual amp. The goal is to get all cabs off the stage asap and I'm the one kinda holding up the show. Only the singer will have wedges and the sound guy is hoping that won't be forever. |
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Josh Braun
From:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 9:25 am
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| Chris Bauer wrote: |
| Thanks, Josh. Just so I understand... Your monitor mix from the board goes to the Kemper Aux in? If so, are you getting a Lo Z signal to the aux input without any issues? Also, where do you control your volume relative to the band mix? |
The chain is more like this:
Monitor signal (xlr) -> DBX IEM rack unit -> Kemper aux in (xlr - the return input)
I thus get both the monitor signal and my signal via the Kemper headphone out.
I've also run the Kemper headphone signal into a Rolls PM, and then run the monitor xlr into the Rolls PM as well. Worked fine, but that doesn't really provide peak level protection. The DBX IEM unit has that (and a few other goodies).
If you have a consistent sound guy or a dedicated in-ears setup, it'll probably already have peak level/limiting built in. I play in too many environments where I can't rely on the venue's in-ear protection, so I use the extra DBX unit.
Note that because I'm getting my own signal via the Kemper's headphone unit, I do have to make sure the board isn't also sending my mono out signal back to me. Usually this is a two second conversation, but occasionally it feels like asking a sound guy to do a difficult calculus problem in their head. |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 10:37 am
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| Thanks, Josh. We travel with our own sound guy who's great so that part of the equation is well covered. However, we're reliant on house sound systems so that can provide some show-to-show challenges. |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:20 pm
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Yes, I would recommend using the Kemper's headphone out for your IEMs - ask for a mix without steel, and mix in your steel using the Kemper. You'll get a nice stereo reverb, which is quite pleasant 
_________________
http://pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:31 pm
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| Using that approach, Bryan, where do you take the send from the board since, as I understand it, using the alternate input mutes the main input? Also, how does one play with the volume of the steel relative to the board mix using that routing without messing with the volume going to the board? |
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Josh Braun
From:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:33 pm
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| Chris Bauer wrote: |
| Using that approach, Bryan, where do you take the send from the board since, as I understand it, using the alternate input mutes the main input? Also, how does one play with the volume of the steel relative to the board mix using that routing without messing with the volume going to the board? |
Not Bryan, but here's the technique:
1) You lock your main output volume to a good number for the FOH. Lots of folks use -18 for their main output (going mono)
2) You configure the main volume knob to only increase the headphone out
I use the main input and aux input without any probs - it's all crazy configurable. |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:35 pm
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There's a menu setting for Aux In level, so I'd suggest leaving the steel volume alone and mixing in the Aux In to taste. Look in Output settings, page 6. Use the Aux In -> Headphones to dial up your level. It doesn't mute the main input!
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http://pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:36 pm
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Also, on page 2 of output settings, I'd recommend checking only Headphone Link at the top right. This will link the headphone volume to the Master Volume knob on the Kemper, so you can adjust your IEM level on the fly (using the knob) without affecting Main (FOH) or Monitor (if you use an amp or wedge) levels.
_________________
http://pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com
Last edited by Bryan Daste on 17 Jun 2019 12:55 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:44 pm
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| Thanks, Josh and Bryan! |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2019 12:57 pm
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No prob! BTW, you can grab the steel profiles I made by going to the Rig Exchange and searching for the string "BD-PSG" - have fun! There are some wacky ones in there. Merged profiles are marked with an "M," (earlier ones I used "DI") and those are perfect for trying out different cabs, since the profiles have perfect separation between Amp and Cab.
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http://pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com |
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