I just wanted to clarify that the kemper isn't going to induce midi lag if you are using the midi in and midi thru connections.
This is exactly how I have it hooked up and it does lag. This has already been discussed and dissected by the Kemper team in another thread.
I don't see how that would be a problem for my MIDI pedal since it doesn't receive any data, it only sends it. So I don't think it would care if the Kemper's are sending any data since it won't do anything with it anyway.
If you have your Kemper Footswitch hooked to this MIDI device and then out of that to 2 Kempers, how will the footswitch know what text to display on the screen? Or which Kemper to receive other info from (like tap tempo settings, etc)? I don’t know the ins and outs of it. I’m just going on what I was told by Kemper on this forum.
I would be certain running a midi cable in to one unit and then from midi thru to the next kemper would have no lag. I was running this setup with other midi gear before I simplified my setup. That's what midi thru is for, it passes on the midi signal with no processing added. As for making a stage control a kemper rack, I've no idea but I'm sure the kemper boffins would have planned for this.
Well, I was pretty certain it would work too; until I tried it.
I'm currently using an RFX MIDI Wizard (there is also a MIDI Buddy that is easier to find) and one of it's features is an additional MIDI out called "Shared". So basically, it can send the same signal out from 2 different physical MIDI jacks at the same time. I'm wondering if you couldn't use this (or maybe even just a MIDI Splitter of some kind) to control both of them via MIDI, instead of trying to daisy chain them together? In theory, they should both get the MIDI signals at the same time and reduce, if not eliminate, the delay caused by daisy chaining them.
That won't work. According to past discussions I've had with Kemper, you can't use a separate MIDI device to control both Kempers because the Kempers also send MIDI info back to the footswitch and it could mess things up having 2 Kempers sending different info to the footswitch at the same time. The only way to do it (as far as I've heard) is to connect a MIDI cable from Kemper 1 MIDI out to the MIDI in of Kemper 2. But that's the problem. You step on the footswitch to change the Kempers; Kemper 1 receives the command and switches just fine, but there is a significant delay between the hitting the footswitch and when Kemper 1 sends Kemper 2 the MIDI signal to change.
I started with a rack and then later added a toaster. My plan was to run two Kempers simultaneously at gigs for a thicker sound with a TC Mimic pedal in front of them (one output of the Mimic going to Kemper 1 and the other stereo output of Mimic going to Kemper 2). The problem is that there is a noticeable lag/latency when using one Kemper footswitch to control both Kemper’s. For example, trying to get both Kempers to switch from a clean rig to distorted rig, you would hear them switching a different times (like a half second delay) which makes it totally useless in a live setting. I’ve tried multiple ways of hooking this up (including the way that ToneJunkies mentions on their YouTube video) and it flat out doesn’t work. The UI to MIDI doesn’t help either. Can’t get rid of the delay of one Kemper sending them command to the next Kemper to switch.
So I’ve now just gone back to using one Kemper live, and leaving my toaster set up at home for recording or practicing.
I know this is a dumb question, as using beta on production is never a good idea, but have you guys who have been using the beta think it is stable enough to use for a gig? Only new feature I'd really be using would be the acoustic simulator on a few songs. Having the acoustic sim isn't super important to me, so if it is really buggy or unstable, I'll just stick with the older release I've been using.
I've always followed the rule of NEVER using a Beta OS for gigs. Followed it right up until last week when I decided to install it - and it later gave me error screens that I couldn't get rid of until the Kemper support team told me how to reset everything. To me, the acoustic sim is a fun toy - but after having sat with it more, I find that's all it is in terms of live performances. Even with EQ, I couldn't get the full body sound that I was looking for and when someone else plays a real acoustic at the same time, it got buried. So (IMO) it's definitely not worth the risk.
All sorted now. The initial set of instructions I got just said that I could follow some steps and then reinstall the OS. But they didn't mention that I'd need to go back to 7.32 first. That opened up a whole new set of problems. In the end, doing a total initializing and wiping of the unit was the answer. Due to me having a backups of everything, it was very easy.
Kemper support team is great and VERY responsive. Love it!
Well, I thought I was. They emailed me instructions, but they didn't work.
I emailed Kemper and they sent me instructions on how to go back to a previous stable release but they didn't work.
Thanks. I knew where to get the download but wasn’t sure if there was anything specific that I needed to do in order to go backwards in terms of OS. All set now.
Currently using Beta 7.5.0 on both my rack and toaster. The toaster got locked up with an error message and I don’t want to risk my rack doing the same thing. How do I safely revert back to the last working OS? Do I also need to revert back to an older version of rig manager (I’m using the most current version of that too).
Hi Guys,
So, I went against my #1 rule that I've always followed and was foolish enough to install a Beta version on my Kemper. I'm currently using Beta 7.5.0.18050B. It's been working fine for several days. Yesterday, I made a backup of my rigs (the exact same way and same USB stick that I've been using for years) and today, I went to load that backup. After the restore loading window completed, my Kemper restarted like it normally does, but when the screen came back on, it showed the error message in the first picture below. So I hit "exit" like it told me to, and then when it came back up, it showed me the error in image #2, and shows this one every time I start it up.
Any ideas how to fix it? Or is it a case of having to wait until the Kemper team emails me back? And, can I just somehow re-install the latest working release (7.4.1)? The only reason I even tried the Beta was for the acoustic sim, and the more I played with it, the more I realized it wasn't worth it. So I'd rather just go back to an OS that works.
Hey guys,
I’m running a Godin A6 Ultra into my Kemper and love it. I’m looking to add a compressor to help balance the dynamics and frequencies, but I’m not really getting there. Anyone have some compressor settings or tips that they can share to get me started? Admittedly, I’ve never really learned how to use the Kemper compressor appropriately, so any help would be appreciated!
For everyone experiencing the hiss, I would strongly suggest using the profile that waraba shared earlier in this thread (he links to the video and download). I originally started off using a different profile and was getting the hiss. I tried his, and it was hiss-free. So then I just used his as a starting point and tweaked it to fit my pickups (using the neck pickup of a Guthrie Govan Charvel with the coil-tap on). No hiss, and starting to get really good sounds. It'll NEVER sound like an actual acoustic - so if you have that as your goal, you're likely going to be disappointed. I'm comparing it to past piezo pickups I've used, and it sounds comparable. Put it this way, I was going to buy a Taylor T5 for my acoustic duo project I'm starting, and instead, I'm going to save the $1800 and roll with this. Just my opinion, but I'm happy with it . . . . . IT WAS FREE!
Display Moreby popular demand, here is the rig used in my demo ( played on a P90 semi hollow )
It's based on the famous morgan AC20 minus AMP & CAB
with a good gate , plus a noise gate set around 6 , it's dead silent & dynamic , huge with the Delay/VERB.
add a comp in slot D if needed.
Adjust acoustic sim parameters to your taste as well as other EQ parameters , comp ...
Enjoy
demo ref :
How did you get the sound of the 3rd piece of this demo? Sounds like the acoustic sim while played with another profile (like 2 sounds at once)? Or is this literally two different tracks? Sounds great, so I’m hoping there is a way to do this.
I got a chance to sit down with it today. I started with a free Ampeg profile and then shut the cab and amp off. I kept the EQ on, but set it to flat other than reducing the bass by about -2.0. On the acoustic sim setting, I have the pickup set around 6.8, body around 4, bronze around 3.4 and sparkle around 0.3.
I’m using the neck pickup of a Guthrie Govan Charvel with the pickup split on.
Overall, I think it sounds really good. It doesn’t quite have the fullness of a real acoustic, but is definitely as good as or better than any piezo I’ve had in the past.
If I move to the 4th pickup position (bridge and center pickup) it gets too “spanky” and thin sounding. On that pickup, I added a studio EQ into one of my slots to bring some low end and fullness back. But in general, the first configuration I mentioned above sounds great. And adding a studio EQ shouldn’t be an issue for anyone because in general, with acoustics, you don’t need as many slots for effects available anyway.
I was thinking about buying an acoustic for an acoustic duo project I’m about to start. But instead, I’m going to save the money and just use this sim.
As per my other thread, tried it very quickly and not getting great results (very noisey and not much difference with it on or off...). I need to keep playing...
I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but I’m curious as to how realistic it’ll sound. Or, if it’ll be any different than what I already do for an acoustic sound (e.g. use an MBritt Fender profile with the cab turned off - sounds like a pizeo).
"Kemper Stage - Rocks on a flat surface"
That's why I bought a rack. It rocks hard on all surfaces.
Sorry. Had to do it. 
I usually record totally dry and then use plugins to add effects later. I'm sure there are several ways to accomplish what you're trying to do, but one easy way would be to record your main and then layered tracks in stereo with the stereo effects you want on them. Then in your DAW or sound editing software, just reduce one side of the wav file's volume to zero, and then do the same on the other side in the other wav file. Then repeat the process (record two new tracks to use for left and right layered tracks and then again mute one side of each). Just make sure you're muting the same side on each track. The key will be to make sure your playing when layering tracks is spot on.
For sound editing programs, I use Sound Forge, but free programs like Audacity will allow you to do the same thing.
I'm running a similar setup.
Mac Desktop w/Yamaha HS8 speakers and a toaster. I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 interface and it works fine. Just connected the Kemper SPDIF out to the SPDIF input of the interface (but you can use XLR or 1/4" if you want). The Focusrite connects to the computer via USB cable. So as long as your MacBook has a working USB input, that's all you'd need.
I like the 6i6 because I can connect my Kemper via SPDIF and then I have my Korg Kronos connected to the MIDI inputs, and then just run a couple cable from the 2 outputs of my 6i6 to the HS8 speakers. Nice to be able to connect multiple sources at the same time.
The only thing I don't like about the 6i6 is the software that it comes with can be a pain in the a**. It's more complicated than necessary and seems to be the only complaint with the Focusrite stuff. Once you get familiar with that, everything works great. And it's an affordable interface.
