Performance Best Practices

  • I had a q about Performance mode.


    I have a rig setup with all the possible FX I'd need. Do I need to create different rigs with the FX enabled or disabled for the various parts of my song?

    Just wondering how you do it!?

  • if you have the Stage or the Remote you can setup up to 4 effects per effects switch

    Thanks, I have the remote but I'm not asking about the buttons (stomps)


    I'm asking about Rigs per song I suppose.


    I have a song that could be played with one rig but in different combinations of FX on or off


    Have I misunderstood, I thought you could add a rig to the Performance slots and then set the FX within that Performance only to not affect the rig?

    I may be wrong. But the way I'm using it so far is 5 rigs per song... even if the core settings are the same.

    Edited once, last by iEddiez ().

  • That's exactly what Performance mode is for. 5 different rigs, all with the same (or different) settings.


    Changes in Performance mode don't affect rigs in Browse. Even if it's just one rig, I create a performance for a song. That way I know everything (including tempo and key for any harmonizing) is set specifically for that tune.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

  • I don't use it as one song = one Performance.


    I have the five Rigs I use the most in a Performance. They have effects that I can turn/on off to use in specific songs.


    My other Performances have five Rigs in them. They mostly contain a Rig or two needed to play a song or two, and another versatile Rig to fill the Performance.


    One Performance is five different Hair Metal Marshalls. One is '80s Clean sounds. One is vintage Fenders/Marshalls for playing Oldies gigs (but, between the pandemic and my main band gig schedule , I have been too busy to do those for a long time).

  • im guessing that how paults describes his set up is probably the most common way to use performances.

    Each performance being a “style” rather than a song, containing the “meat and potatoes” for that style, ie, a clean, a crunch, a dirty, a lead, etc.

    Certainly the kpa can have a different performance for every song but id say quite a few songs contain the same sounds and therefore could use the same performance. Imagine the demands for a “performance-per-song” approach if you gigged with multiple bands some of who may wish to change the order of songs on the night. (Can you get RSI in your toes?)

    Seriously, the kpa is flexible enough to cope with most users needs. I think simplicity is the key so you can focus on your playing performance rather than worry about tap-dancing. Unless of course you automate your changes, but that’s another story….

  • That's exactly what Performance mode is for. 5 different rigs, all with the same (or different) settings.


    Changes in Performance mode don't affect rigs in Browse. Even if it's just one rig, I create a performance for a song. That way I know everything (including tempo and key for any harmonizing) is set specifically for that tune.

    Thanks.


    So, I could copy my meat and potatoes rig for the 4 slots

    Then enable the FX in performance mode and it would overwrite my rig in the browse pool?

  • Our song order is ever-changing, and if someone yells out a request, it may instantly happen. because of that, my main Performance is located in the middle of the six that I typically use. I can get to any of those five main Rigs in a maximum of three or four fast clicks.

    Ah, it looks like Paults may have answered this for me here; How do I edit rigs/effects from within performance mode?


    Quote

    To edit the Performance Slot Rig, press the same buttons you would press in Browse Mode for FX, amp parameters, etc. When you Save the Performance, it will save the updated Rig in that Performance Slot (without changing your original Browse Mode Rig).

    With that in mind, I could copy the same rig into each slot of my performance, enable each effect and save it in that performance so my main rig is not affected...


    Will give it a test

  • People do tend to use performances in different ways but personally I've never understood why people need a separate rig or performance per song.


    I only have 3 active performances I use across 2 bands. The only reason I have 2 performances for one band is that I use very different guitars (Gretsch and Les Paul). My personal tips are:


    1) Look at a performance like a multiple channel amp combined with an effects pedal- I have mine arranged as clean, rhythm and solo, which leaves 2 slots for anything more specialist ( e.g. I have a slot for "Living on a prayer" for the vocoder). I have the effects I need for each slot e.g. for rhythm I don't use reverb so i don't need it.

    2) Use switching morph for more flex. I use it as an instant boost for riffs, I add touch more gain, volume and mid/presence.

    3) Minimize the number of performances as you need to balance all rigs and then performances. This minimizes maintenance.


    Live I never use browse and performance mode is ideal.


    Its very basic but hope that helps.

  • Morphing is a shout and a half for adding beef to riffs. Thanks for your help.

  • Morphing is a shout and a half for adding beef to riffs. Thanks for your help.

    I find it so useful to punch in and out, especially in a twin guitar band. I also prefer to switch morph rather than use a volume or expression pedal. I like to punch in with a fixed value rather than multiple levels etc. That also leaves my expression pedals free for true volume control etc.


    When they first brought out morph, I didn't get the point. I've become the biggest user of it now :). Saves using an effects slot for a booster etc. Great example of where Kemper knew better than me.

  • I find it so useful to punch in and out, especially in a twin guitar band. I also prefer to switch morph rather than use a volume or expression pedal. I like to punch in with a fixed value rather than multiple levels etc. That also leaves my expression pedals free for true volume control etc.


    When they first brought out morph, I didn't get the point. I've become the biggest user of it now :). Saves using an effects slot for a booster etc. Great example of where Kemper knew better than me.

    Thanks for all your help. I know I won't fill my kemper but I'm obviously concerned of having 5 rigs per song ?


    I'll look at performance edits tomorrow


  • For me, it’s becoming less and less of an issue, and I’m coming around to fewer performances.


    At the same time…I find some songs just need their own set of slots.


    I frequently put the tempo and key in the performance title, that way when I forget I can look at the Remote and know. That’s mostly for Worship songs where I’m playing them once every so often, usually in different keys, and then only for a weekend.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

  • Generally it seems to fall in to one of 2 camps: one performance per song, or a "kitchen sink" performance that does everything. I use both approaches at different times.


    For live sets: I play in an instrumental prog/post metal band, so my approach is probably much different than, say, a cover band player. We never switch song order during a set and play with some backing tracks. I use lots of time based effects and textures, and need to switch between very different sounds instantly. The drummer plays to a click and my delays have to be on tempo with the song's BPM. All of this means one performance per song is what I need. I never have to tap tempo or do any crazy switching because each sound I need for a song is saved as a rig or a morph. I just step on one big number switch when I need to change sounds. Easy peasy.


    For songwriting / jamming with the same band: I use a kitchen sink performance with most every sound I need accessable with some combo of rig switching, pedals 1-4, and morphs. I need to tap tempo and sometimes do some funky footwork, but I can improvise and try pretty any of my sounds on the fly if needed. Once my parts of the song get worked out, I'll copy it to a new performance and program it specifically for that song.

  • Josh has totally nailed it!


    There is no best workflow. It all depends on your own personal needs.


    As V8 and others have said, the one or two performances to cover everything approach works really well for many people and situations (me included) and is probably the best starting point to figure out what is going to work for you. However, in bands like Josh’s with a fixed set list and very specific sounds running off click tracks etc a song/part specific approach is necessary.


    The first step is to analyse what your own needs are then start thinking about how to best handle them.

  • Generally it seems to fall in to one of 2 camps: one performance per song, or a "kitchen sink" performance that does everything. I use both approaches at different times.


    For live sets: I play in an instrumental prog/post metal band, so my approach is probably much different than, say, a cover band player. We never switch song order during a set and play with some backing tracks. I use lots of time based effects and textures, and need to switch between very different sounds instantly. The drummer plays to a click and my delays have to be on tempo with the song's BPM. All of this means one performance per song is what I need. I never have to tap tempo or do any crazy switching because each sound I need for a song is saved as a rig or a morph. I just step on one big number switch when I need to change sounds. Easy peasy.


    For songwriting / jamming with the same band: I use a kitchen sink performance with most every sound I need accessable with some combo of rig switching, pedals 1-4, and morphs. I need to tap tempo and sometimes do some funky footwork, but I can improvise and try pretty any of my sounds on the fly if needed. Once my parts of the song get worked out, I'll copy it to a new performance and program it specifically for that song.

    Totally agree!

  • Generally it seems to fall in to one of 2 camps: one performance per song, or a "kitchen sink" performance that does everything.

    I'm somewhere in between: I have some "generic" performances for different styles, e.g. rock, blues, pop, ballads; I also have some guitar-specific (Tele vs. LP) and maybe specific to bands we cover ("Keef" performance ;) )


    Most of these performances follow a similar pattern: clean to dirty/crunchy/hi-gain from left to right, with one or two boosted lead sounds at the right. Makes it easier to navigate.


    I also use the morph feature to set up a second version of each of the five base sounds, with the initial one being the "cleaner" one, and the morphed adding a higher level of effects. Makes it easy to "sprinkle a bit of sugar" ( a bit more delay/ verb, maybe some chorus, phasing) when needed.


    This gives me 10 different sounds for every such performance, usually enough to get through the typical cover repertoire. If a song reeeeally requires some signature sounds, I'll slap on a song-specific performance, but that's a rare exception. So far, I'm getting through things with a bit more than a handful of performances.