Performance mode - I am a convert.....

  • When I bought my Powerhead in 2015, I started off using my POD HD500 as a MIDI controller in Browse mode and it worked well enough. At some point I used Performance mode with just a simple two button Boss footswitch but it became a nightmare if I accidentally double tapped and reverted to Browse mode with the POD for a while. Due to my needs for greater MIDI capabilities I got a FAMC Liquid Foot+ 12+ and later a FAMC Liquid Tracks LT100 as well. In short, I can do similar to full DAW controlled automation but without beating my drummer into agreeing to using a click track..... As lead singer in a three piece band, it's liberating and allows for crazy, complex stuff with minimal effort.


    I've been using Browse mode constantly for this until I considered the benefits of Performance mode. I was meaning to have a spring clean through the Liquid Foot and Liquid Tracks to get rid of loads of old, no longer used programming and decided to try moving over to Performance mode at the same time. I mean no disrespect to anyone that needs an editor for the KPA, but it was a breeze setting it all up with just RigManager to title each performance and then the front panel to select the right profiles. In comparison, changing the Liquid Foot with it's very pretty editor made me want to give up......


    Anyway, the switching is definitely much faster and it makes sense to have everything safely in Performance mode when I'm with my band. I never had an issue with switching lag as the tails from the delay covered any gap but it's definitely better this way and the sound changes are immediate and seamless.

  • Are you somehow able to do automatic tempo-synced MIDI changes without the band being locked to a click? If so, how? Curious about your setup! The less fiddling and more playing I get to do, the better!

  • The Liquid Tracks allows you to record MIDI tracks and play it back on command. You can also play them with audio too. The longer the track, the more likely you are to fall out of sync but I've got a drummer that is very consistent so I can record a series of program changes including morphing into without issue, if I'm sensible with track length. Using very obvious changes can be a problem but morphing between sounds makes the timing of changes more forgiving.


    For instance, I press a footswitch and it changes to a new profile, simulanteously triggering an audio sample too. After a period, that profile slowly morphs to a different sound. It then selects a profile identical to that morphed tone and at a set time, begins to morph towards a third sound. All from one stomp.


    I've got it doing some very fun stuff. On one song, I capture a loop of my rhythm playing during the first verse. As the KPA effects loop is set to zero return, nothing apparently happens. When I press a footbutton later, it morphs slowly to a lead tone, bringing up the effects return level just in time for the solo, bringing the loop into play. Then at the end of the lead break (with accompanying rhythm track from the looper) the sound morphs back to my rhythm tone, fades out the effects return (muting the looper) all without any further effort.