First live show with kemper questions

  • Tonight I use my powered kemper head, kemper remote, and 2 Dunlop expression pedals live for the first time. Ive never used it live, and I have no idea if I should mic my guitar cab or use the direct out. I am using it with a mesa 2x12 cab. Any suggestions? I bought the kemper used and it came with tons and tons of paid profiles. so a couple questions I had-

    Will different profiles be louder or quieter through the PA if I go direct? Do I use the master volume knob or do I just use the normal volume knob? I read not to turn the cabinet button off, and just turn the monitor out off. I did that, but whenever I turn the cabinet button off on the front I still hear a difference through the guitar cab. I am nervous as shit to use it, because I haven't really figured out the remote completely either. Ive used amps and mic'd up for 12 years now. I hope I don't sound like shit because im not brining a backup amp! Any other important things I should remember or do as a first time kemper live user that you would have wished you were told?

  • Use the direct out into the mixer and your 212 Mesa for monitoring.

    Take enough time for your soundcheck.

    If you're not sure you should try it live with the next gig and use your known equipment this evening.

    Zelonko4ever

  • I would personally go direct to the board. But make sure the cab sim is on for that particular line. You can leave it off with the connection that you're sending to your actual Mesa cab.

  • Use the Main Out for the PA, not the Direct Out, and as mentioned previously, use your Mesa Cab for a monitor. I suggest setting up very early and trying it all out with no serious time pressure.

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

  • Main Output

    Use MAIN OUTPUT L and R to connect to a mixing desk in a recording studio, or to the front-of-house mixer in a live situation. You have a choice of XLR (balanced) or quarter-inch TS-jacks (unbalanced).

     Main Out -12 dB

    Whenever the device connected to the MAIN OUTPUT XLR or TS jacks (e.g. mixing desk or audio interface) indicates too much level coming from the Profiler, or there is the need to set the Main Volume to less than -12 dB, then activate the Main Output Pad to reduce the signal level of the MAIN OUTPUT by 12 dB. This increases the range of the MAIN OUTPUT Volume control and preserves the signal-to-noise ratio of the MAIN OUTPUT

  • Worth mentioning, even if late, to create PERFORMANCES rather than just using the BROWSE mode for live use.

    Then you should set the output level of each slot to sound about the same apparent loudness as the others and STORE them that way.

  • Sorry I havent been on, I need to turn my email notifications on....I actually couldn't figure it out on time,.. and ended up using my engl retro head and 2x12 mesa cab.... I still havent figured out how to program the stomps and expression pedals. I program them in browser mode, not performance correct? I am just going to offer someone some money to Skype me and answer my questions and teach me through it. It's a lot more complicated than plugging my pedal board to my effects loop and I'm good to go!

  • Browse and Performance Mode are totally independent. If you load a rig from Browse Mode in e.g. slot 1 of a performance and change it there it won‘t affect the rig in Browse Mode.


    To program effects, just hit one of the stomp buttons for 2 seconds and turn the type or browse knobs for either categories or presets of effects.

  • I needed 3 weeks before I knew my Kemper good enough to use it for a GIG.

    Start do define one performance with setting sound close to present equipment.


    Do this in your rehearsal room if possible to have enough loudness.


    E.g. : My first performance and still one Basic Performance is:

    1. Pure Clean , 2. Dirty Clean , 3. light chrunch , 4. heavy crunch, 5. Solo (more overdriven and/or distorted)

    Normalize the volumes of the rigs in your performance(s).


    Connect to FOH as adviced above (Main out mono or stereo to Mixer, Power out to Monitor box. )


    Watch Tutorial Video (easy to find on Kemper Home page or YouTube) and READ the DOCUMENTATION.!


    Be patient. The Kemper allows so much options that it is difficult at beginning.


    Good luck.

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  • When setting up performances, I run the main out signal to cubase and level all patches to about -3dB using a dB meter. solo patches (morphing or exclusive) are set for a 0dB out to avoid clipping sent the the board. Once that is complete, I usually go back and make slight adjustments by ear as some profiles cut thru more than others. if you don't have a daw, you can do this with outboard equipment. your sound man will appreciate getting consistent signal over a variety of patches/performances. post eq can be used to "fine tune" the levels to insure all your performances sit evenly in the mix. Depending on how many different profiles you plan to use, this may take some time but will be well worth it in the end.

  • I think you should show up in practice with the Kemper and no amp plug it on the PA , tell the guy that you experience and test the Kemper and discover it with the rest of the band in an open mind attitude. There is no way you will learn it all before and then go LIVE and that perfect

    ANd nobody will mind to try this new toy but in repetition not LIVE first

    Repetition first ... and if you like it and the rest of the band like it then you bring it live

  • Its really not that complicated...


    Finding the right profiles is the hardest part.

    Once you have your sounds, then its just a matter of setting it up.


    Use performance mode for live, so much easier. Each performance has 5 slots so set it up how you want - I have slot 1 Clean, Slot 2 warm clean, slot 3 any special sound for a song ( I have a talk box for the Jovi), Slot 4 main rock rhythm, 5 solo.


    1) Choose you sound and save into the relevent slot

    2) balance volumes between them using your ears and refine during sound check

    3) Add stomps to taste


    Plug in your expression pedals, calibrate and allocate them to volume or wah etc.


    Test at rehearsal as Gforce guitar suggested...


    Done!

  • Thanks guys, im using it tonight, I only have 1 performace set up for the whole show. Just a Diezel profile and have a clean crunch and lead and effects in the stomps, and wah/volume/pitch for the 2 expression pedals.


    question - can I turn the volume up on my cabinet on stage without it affecting the volume coming out of the PA? How do I make sure that all the levels are the same through the PA?


    I cant do it at practice because we are a cover band that doesn't practice, we live far away and learn the songs then play them live. I do have 2 JBL studio monitors I could test them with or can I just test it with my guitar cab? Thanks!!

  • If you want to control the volume of this setup, then link all participating volumes to the MASTER VOLUME knob by the link buttons described above (“Output Volume Link”).

     You can also setup an individually controllable stereo output separately from the MAIN OUTPUT: set Monitor Output source to “Master Left” and Direct Output source to “Master Right”. Link both volumes of DIRECT and MONITOR OUTPUT to the MASTER VOLUME knob, and unlink Main Volume. Now you have a stereo monitor signal,

    Output/Master Section 45


    controllable by the MASTER VOLUME knob, independent from the MAIN OUTPUT, which goes to the main mixing desk.

    Please be aware that you cannot disable the virtual cabinet for the DIRECT OUTPUT as well, as this function is reserved for the MONITOR OUTPUT only.