Do you find multiple features useful without presets?

[mattmccloskey]

I am always intrigued by new and better sounding effects.

Many of these effects, like the strymon pedals, offer endless parameter combinations and extremely high quality performance.

On the other hand, many pedals are simple 'set and forget' pedals with a few knobs that just 'sound right'.

My problem is with the first category - NOT because I don't like lots of control, but because in real live playing, you still get stuck with one, or maybe 2, sounds all night.

For example, I like to have different delay settings- a nice slap back, a longer ambient tape-type delay for solos, and then a few settings specific to certain tunes (with modulation, different times and mixes).

The strymon delays, the flashback , these do multiple sounds. But you still get stuck with one on the gig. Unless of course you have time to bend over onstage and move knobs around, step on or push multiple knobs...

Another example - the chrono delay. This delay appeared to have many features I wanted - sound quality, multiple subdivisions, an A/B preset switch. But after getting it, I was bummed to find that the preset only changes time. That's it. You still are stuck with the same echo hardness, mix, subdivision, feedback. What's the point? I can't have slapback and then a longer delay because I don't want the same feedback or mix on both.

Outside of home use these things become features I can't really use. For recording I have thousands of dollars in software to do anything I want for effects, so they don't help there.

Anybody else feel this way? I watch the demo videos and think "great, how am I going to bend over hold down 2 switches and turn a knob to add more tape crinkle for my solo?".

What good are all these sounds if you can only have 1 easily accessible all night?

[JoeE]

I tend to agree - hence I go for simple set and forget options.
I can see how someone who changes guitars/amps/styles often may find it useful, however I don't so...

[Lolaviola]

Can't afford the Cadillac delays
Tried the common digital delays with storable presets
Frustrated, went back to simple 3 knob pedal type for live playing

[kugelblitz]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I used to have a lot of great sounding individual effects with lots of options, but I found it too difficult to switch easily between different sounds when playing live. I've since switched to a MIDI/Loop system with Eventide pedals, that lets me instantly switch between any sound. Not only is it easier to switch, but having presets lets you easily recall a certain sound, rather than the hit and miss approach of trying to dial in the right sound before every gig.

[mattmccloskey]

Originally Posted by JoeE

I tend to agree - hence I go for simple set and forget options.
I can see how someone who changes guitars/amps/styles often may find it useful, however I don't so...

Exactly - I would like to be able to use the various sounds, but I simply can't bend over in the middle of a tune, or even between tunes, and flip a bunch of switches around.
In that case, I might as well just have a simple pedal that does one thing.

I was thinking of the pedals that do have presets, and even then most of them are awkward to use live.

I had an eventide timefactor, which can store 100 presets. But you have to click the pedal in ONE direction to find a bank. Makes it utterly worthless on the fly in that case. "excuse me guys, I can't start the tune until I move from bank 11 to bank 99" (whilst frantically stomping away)

[CaptainAwesome]

Originally Posted by mattmccloskey

I had an eventide timefactor, which can store 100 presets. But you have to click the pedal in ONE direction to find a bank. Makes it utterly worthless on the fly in that case. "excuse me guys, I can't start the tune until I move from bank 11 to bank 99" (whilst frantically stomping away)

This drove me nuts until I reduced the number of banks to 4. Any more than that and I end up fiddling too much.

[mattmccloskey]

Originally Posted by kugelblitz

Yeah, I feel the same way. I used to have a lot of great sounding individual effects with lots of options, but I found it too difficult to switch easily between different sounds when playing live. I've since switched to a MIDI/Loop system with Eventide pedals, that lets me instantly switch between any sound. Not only is it easier to switch, but having presets lets you easily recall a certain sound, rather than the hit and miss approach of trying to dial in the right sound before every gig.

that's about the only approach that seems to work - a MIDI set-up.

I've considered an eventide eclipse with a midi controller. However, that can turn into 2-3 grand real quick.

I wish some company would make something high quality that is a multi-effect on the floor, with an expression pedal built-in.

[mattmccloskey]

Originally Posted by CaptainAwesome

This drove me nuts until I reduced the number of banks to 4. Any more than that and I end up fiddling too much.

Sure, that's what I ended up doing. Problem is - now you can't have access live to any of the other banks. Seems kind of superfluous to have them in that case.

[kugelblitz]

Originally Posted by mattmccloskey

that's about the only approach that seems to work - a MIDI set-up.

I've considered an eventide eclipse with a midi controller. However, that can turn into 2-3 grand real quick.

I use a Musicomlab EFX MkIII - It's both a MIDI controller and a Programmable True Bybass Looper. it's a bit pricey (around $700 AU if I recall correctly), but it does give you control over your board. With one stomp you can change presets on midi-controllable pedals as well as activate/deactivate loops for pedals without MIDI. It has a really small footprint too. I find it a good compromise between stompbox fun and convenience for live performance.

[mattmccloskey]

Originally Posted by kugelblitz

I use a Musicomlab EFX MkIII - It's both a MIDI controller and a Programmable True Bybass Looper. it's a bit pricey (around $700 AU if I recall correctly), but it does give you control over your board. With one stomp you can change presets on midi-controllable pedals as well as activate/deactivate loops for pedals without MIDI. It has a really small footprint too. I find it a good compromise between stompbox fun and convenience for live performance.

thanks for the tip - that sounds like the type of unit for me, something that integrates analog stuff as well as being compact. I'll check into that!

[baggas]

That's the same frustration I have with Strymon. I have the El Capistan and BSR and absolutely love the variety of useful sounds I can get, especially the El Cap. But even with the favourite switch I'm limited to just two presets. If I want more sounds in a set I need to be bending down adjusting switches and dials.

This is what I love about the TC nova pedals. They are still a fairly small footprint (slightly larger than strymon) but have 9 presets which I think is an ideal number. If the strymons had a similiar functionality they would be nearly perfect!

Another reason why I cannot wait until the Timeline is released.

[bbrunskill]

Yeah, pedals with tons of options need presets, or otherwise it's just worthless having all those features. I'm too busy playing guitar live to mess about changing settings on the fly.

[62Tele]

I with you. I find that there is a point where options are simply useless for me live.

Good examples are my Retro Sonic Delay and Josh Smith Dual Trem - Fast and slow trem, short and long delay. Great tone, a COUPLE of options - more than enough. I can adjust the pair on the fly and not have to worry that I flipped some switch of doom etc. I had a Brigadier and an Empress Trem together at one time - great pieces, but I never used more than maybe 10% of what they could do at most.

[mattmccloskey]

wow, I guess I am not alone!

I think the big manufacturers seem to understand this a bit more. That's why BOSS and digitech have been making compact floor-based units for years. The only problem with them, IMO, is they just are not that great in the sound and quality department. They have great feature sets but they are inexpensive, and sound that way.

[orogeny]

it's why the dd20 killed for me for so long. fantastic for live use.

it's also why i haven't been tempted to buy a darn thing until the timeline. (tried the timefactor, but preferred the dd20!)

timeline is absolutely in my future.

dd20 going to the emporium. . .