Kemper patch organizing in a live set

    Hi all,


    I would like to find out how you are organizing patches live. I play in a P&W band (only electric so lead and rhythm combined) and there is alot of different effects and complex tones used in one set therefore a simple clean-medium drive-more drive setup is quite limiting. I've tried different methods, 5 patches a set, 1 bank per song and a mix of different patches and songs per bank but would like to find out how you are organizing patches live and what is easiest to you.


    I enjoy a simple setup and mostly go to a 5 patches per live set and make-do within those 5 patches. Usually labelled 1-clean, 2-drive, 3-drive+delay, 4-breakup+ambient reverb, 5-ambient pad. To me the 1 bank per song with patches allocated to parts of a song setup takes up too much footwork.

    Hi Adrian.
    I’ve used my KPA live for about 4 years now in 3 different bands and have radically simplified my process.


    I typically use 3 or 4 performances, one for 90% of the gig and the others only for a few special songs where I need very different stomps.


    All my patches in the main performance have the same fx in each slot. The first two are locked on. (Wah and compressor)


    I use a simple home made 6 button midi controller set to control the remaining 4 slots, (C, D, X MOD). Two buttons on the controller select left or right slots


    Slots are set with varying levels of gain and EQ, two with the Wah locked OFF so I can use morphing.


    Not perfect but it has done me ok so far.

    Edited once, last by Gizmo ().

    Like 1

    I generally set up performances based upon a specific amp. I set up slots 1-5 with different profiles (most of the time - in at least once instance, I have a performance that is based on only two profiles that I liked enough to tweak for the other three slots) going from clean to a 'high' gain (for me) lead. I use the morph to boost the amp volume 4 dB but am considering going back to 6dB since the current band I am in the drummer bangs a lot harder, and I play more lead. Similarly, boosts or fuzz (i.e. green scream) boost 4dB. Other effects are generally limited with my current configuration, but in the past I have set up 'exact' copies of an amp performance and put different effect configurations above and below such that instead of hitting specific effect buttons, I could go up or down a performance to get to a specific effect set up - i.e. go up a performance and the wha wha pedal is already on, ready and waiting. Not necessarily efficient but there was a reason and methodology at the time.


    Generally now, what I do is I have six 'go to' amp performances. When and if I get to sound check, I try to run through them and decide which sounds best for the room I am in and I will try to stay with that amp performance most of the gig, straying to others only if I need a specific effect or gain level that isn't in the current performance.

    Thanks Gizmo, using 3-4 slots with fx locked in the same spots sounds like a good idea. I think I might try using performances for different amp models with varying gain levels and then the slots as 'effects bundles', I try to keep my footwork to the minimum, have always even with my previous, pre-kemper setup.

    Quote from flyingheelhook

    I generally set up performances based upon a specific amp. I set up slots 1-5 with different profiles (most of the time - in at least once instance, I have a performance that is based on only two profiles that I liked enough to tweak for the other three slots) going from clean to a 'high' gain (for me) lead. I use the morph to boost the amp volume 4 dB but am considering going back to 6dB since the current band I am in the drummer bangs a lot harder, and I play more lead. Similarly, boosts or fuzz (i.e. green scream) boost 4dB. Other effects are generally limited with my current configuration, but in the past I have set up 'exact' copies of an amp performance and put different effect configurations above and below such that instead of hitting specific effect buttons, I could go up or down a performance to get to a specific effect set up - i.e. go up a performance and the wha wha pedal is already on, ready and waiting. Not necessarily efficient but there was a reason and methodology at the time.


    Generally now, what I do is I have six 'go to' amp performances. When and if I get to sound check, I try to run through them and decide which sounds best for the room I am in and I will try to stay with that amp performance most of the gig, straying to others only if I need a specific effect or gain level that isn't in the current performance.

    I currently also have 3 'go to' performances set up with typical tones (fender-, vox-, marshall-style) to use for rehearsals to get a feel of what each song requires. I have to say, using these simple 'go to' setups is ideal with regards to limiting footwork, especially if you are also doing vocals, but it has limits when is comes to complex effects combinations which are more specific. I might be asking a rookie question but is it possible to run your single expression pedal in wah, volume and morphing? (but obviously in different slots/performances) If so, how are you achieving this?

    Quote from AdrianKe

    I might be asking a rookie question but is it possible to run your single expression pedal in wah, volume and morphing? (but obviously in different slots/performances) If so, how are you achieving this?

    I'm not the best person to answer this question. I don't use my expression pedal that much, and only for wha wha at the moment. I don't use it for morphing or volume.

    Quote from AdrianKe

    I might be asking a rookie question but is it possible to run your single expression pedal in wah, volume and morphing? (but obviously in different slots/performances) If so, how are you achieving this?

    Look at page 5 on the system menu. Your options are there. Basically AFAIK, you can have two, depending on which options are checked and what is enabled within your slot. My pedal is set to send morph (CC#11 I think). It becomes a Wah if Wah is enabled in that slot. So, Wah off = Morph, Wah on = Wah

    Quote from Gizmo

    Look at page 5 on the system menu. Your options are there. Basically AFAIK, you can have two, depending on which options are checked and what is enabled within your slot. My pedal is set to send morph (CC#11 I think). It becomes a Wah if Wah is enabled in that slot. So, Wah off = Morph, Wah on = Wah

    Thanks Gizmo, I will have a look, maybe just need to play around with the feature a bit more.


    Quote from jmillion

    Locking the effects on both sides - as well as saving Stomp and Post groups is a really handy method that I'm only now taking advantage of. Great tips on this thread. Thanks!

    jmillion, have never thought of locking effects blocks. Good idea! The only issue I might foresee is drive stomps volume and gain levels when using different amps with different gain levels but again, why use drive stomps when you can use driven amps. Anyway, think it might be a good idea to explore, thanks!

    Quote from AdrianKe

    jmillion, have never thought of locking effects blocks. Good idea! The only issue I might foresee is drive stomps volume and gain levels when using different amps with different gain levels but again, why use drive stomps when you can use driven amps. Anyway, think it might be a good idea to explore, thanks!

    I see your point about drives, but I tend to lock Wah, Univibe and Pitch as well in the Stomps while on the Effects side I lock Chorus, Delay and solo boost. I'm still experimenting, but at least it helps me avoid rebuilding every rig when I try a new profile that I want to use in a Performance.

    I play P&W and usually setup on a per song basis (especially on songs that require a specific delay tempo), but I do have a preset that is setup as a standard P&W type setup. I use that for songs that don't have any specific tempo, or if I don't know the song we might play. Slot 1 is setup as Intro, slot 2 is verse, 3 is chorus, 4 is bridge and 5 is ambient/volume swells. Slots 1 - 4 all have the same stomps setup (Pure boost, TS, RAT) and I have another Pure boost in slot X which is assigned to the tuner switch (I access my tuner by putting my expression pedal to minimum). I vary the level of reverb and delays by slot, and I have the TS turned on by default on the chorus and the RAT turned on by default on the Bridge slot. This way, I can use 1 toe switch to get a lead sound or a mild OD sound. Footswitch 4 switches my .8th delay on and off so I can have that option as well. This covers almost anything you can think of in a common P&W set. Of course, there are lots of ways to do this, but this is the way I am using right now. The amp I use is a MBritt AC30 (stays the same on all the slots). I also use morphing on each slot to change the delay/reverb (for instance, on the ambient/swells patch, it changes the reverb mix from 75% to 100% wet so I can strum and get a wash, but the default setting works good for ambient stuff/volume swells. Footswitch 4 on that patch changes between a standard delay and a pitch shifted delay so I can have the shimmer sound on my ambient/swells stuff as well. There are a few things you can't do with this setup, but all in all, it works really well. Hope this helps!

    First off I would recommend you join the Kemper P&W Facebook group. This gets discussed a lot over there. A couple of the guys are sharing their own performances that are their go-to for P&W.


    Check out Joseph Wu's for example, sounds really good. I've used the last two Sundays. Here's the link to his video, check the notes on how to download the performance:


    External Content m.youtube.com
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
    Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.

    Quote from KPA_Leader

    First off I would recommend you join the Kemper P&W Facebook group. This gets discussed a lot over there. A couple of the guys are sharing their own performances that are their go-to for P&W.


    Check out Joseph Wu's for example, sounds really good. I've used the last two Sundays. Here's the link to his video, check the notes on how to download the performance:


    External Content m.youtube.com
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
    Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.

    Hi KPA_Leader, I will definately join the group, thanks for the suggestion and link. Much appreciated!