Posts by Guavadude

500H or L? I’ll check mine again. Be sure to calibrate it and I think I’m using mode 2, I noted it in the other thread

you can see in the calibration page that the cc is being received through the entire pedal range. It's not a hardware issue, at least not with my FV500H which is in like new condition.

Check out this thread discussing volume pedals with ckemper

Best Volume pedal?

It’s not the FV500’s output, it’s the way the Kemper responds to the output is different than the way the pedal sounds when used analog with audio. And there isn’t a way to change this response curve in the Kemper.

Try setting the volume pedal range in the Kemper to -3. You won’t be able to go to compete silence but the swells will feel and sound much better.

Or just use the FV500 in front of the Kemper like I do.

Quote from ckemper

Guavadude , at half swell our volume pedal engine does roughly the same volume as the FV 500. We are about 2 dB less, which is pretty close.

However, in the first third we are more progressive than the FV 500, which is more or less linear by technical reason, and thus has a sharper onset.

Is it this what‘s bothering you? The first third of the range?

the first third of the range is what's bothering me about the exp pedal settings vs using FV500 analog. It's the 2db less on the exp pedal that I'm hearing. I want to use the full sweep of the pedal so it's very expressive but if it takes too long to get to a decent volume level, then I end up using only the top half of the range of the physical pedal. The exp pedal seems too linear now for the way I use it. The pic below is what I wish I could set the curve to while keeping the range at -5 so it's from no volume to full volume.

That's why I wish there was a curve control because this sweet spot of the physical pedal is different depending on what pedal you use. They may all be linear but the way they feel and respond under foot is different. Admittedly I'm being really picky here but for these types of swells on lapsteel and pedal steel, it's really important to feel and respond right.

Michael Thompson, session stud who does a lot of this style volume work, also uses an FV-500. This is a good example. The Vertex mod just removes the tuner out.

+1 on the need for some sort of recall in the DAW itself. USB plugin, sysex dump, or a way for the DAW to communicate with RigManager.

These are great! Thx Hays!

Quote from Vinny Burns

When calibrating a pedal, is there some sort of indication that it is in calibration mode? Pressing the calibrate button changes nothing on the screen to let you know if it’s working or not (I am using a Stage). Same with exiting the calibration process.

All seems very hit and miss as to having any indication if it’s working or not.

I was wondering this myself. Calibration button is lit all the time, seems like it’s always calibrating.

Quote from paults

They are on the Rig Exchange - the Author's name is Hays.

crhfish - Thank you!

I use those! Always looking still.

I’m always looking for these since I don’t have an EL84 amp. Please post the names or a link and I’ll try them out for sure. Thx!

Ok, I ran some tests, this is what I've found. I'm going for a very specific Jeff Beck sound swelling into chords and melody and I want the distortion and gain to increase as the pedal goes higher, emulating the volume knob on the guitar.

I'm testing this using a strat with p90s, into a Wampler Ego Comp and a Boss FV-500H (my preferred volume pedal ) into the Kemper using RMPacheco's Morgan AC20. All effects slots off except delay and verb. Expression pedal is used for INPUT Volume only. I tried pre and post amp stack locations but modifying the input gain is really the effect I'm going for.

I tried the expression pedals I own and this is how I need to set them to get as close as possible to the sound of the FV-500H in front of the Kemper, which feels and sounds perfect to me.

Boss FV-500H (as Expression) Mode 1 -4.0

Boss EV30 Mode 2 range -3.0

Boss EV-5 Mode 1 -3.5

Yamaha FC7 Mode 2 range -3.0

So to answer your question, I do think the volume pedal swell when using the full range of -5.0 is too progressive, (too slow) at least for how I'm trying to use it. It seems like half of the range of the pedal is gone before half of the volume is achieved.

I think the Boss EV pedals physically have too short a throw and the Yamaha has too long of a throw. The FV-500 is just about right under the foot in range and feel, but it's pretty big. I bought the EV30 hoping to use it for travel gigs but I am typically in the studio all day and use a hybrid setup with analog pedals in front of the Kemper, like Tim Pearce uses.

I still think the Boss FV-500H analog in front feels and sounds better than using it as an expression pedal but with the above settings it's pretty close. It could be though that when using it analog, I get the full range from off to fully on. To get the feel right using it as expression volume I have to narrow the range so it doesn't go completely silent.

I can try to record some video examples but it's a feel thing and hard to show. At least now I know that using these settings will get me close if needed. Expression pedals may all be linear in output but they definitely feel and respond different based on the physical throw and brand.

I think if there was one more control called CURVE with -5 to +5 range in the volume pedal settings that changed the logarithmic taper, you'd be able to make any pedal respond exactly how you wanted, and could keep the pedal range set at -5.0.

Also, I didn't notice a dead spot in any of the pedals. They all responded similarly.

Here's a quick demo of the FV500H used as expression with range set -3.0 so I have a wider sweet spot on the pedal. I used a little Valhalla delay and verb in post. Hope that helps.

Can anyone expand on why the Tube Screamer can’t be accurately used when profiling?

I also just used an rca to XLR cable and it worked.

I did have issues though with my RME UFX not enjoying that the Kemper be the master clock. Once I went back to using the analog outs on the Kemper my issues went away.

Quote from ckemper

Expression pedals all have a linear taper. And except for dead zones, they all react the same.

Can you tell about differences of specific pedals?

The only pedal with excessive dead zones known to me is the Boss.

There is no cure for dead zones, as they cannot be detected by the connected device. No curve for that!

We have improved the curve for the volume pedal function a year ago.

Please check again.

Display More

I think when I did my tests after the update, I was using Boss pedals. But I've never noticed a dead zone, just the sweep isn't quite right. I have a few other exp pedals I can try. At that point I just gave up and use the Boss FV500H post comp pedal and pre Kemper.

I should note that if you're using an exp pedal for simple quick swells or like an on/off while recording, it doesn't really matter what you use or how it's set. I'm using it with a lap steel and riding the volume for swells and to control sustain...increasing while it rings out.

I'll do some tests and see how each exp pedal I have reacts. I'll also try to record the midi output from them so I can see what I'm hearing. I haven't been able to get an exp to feel right yet and they sure don't feel like they are all reacting the same to me.

Quote from caveman1

I just got a tone dexter not long ago....I could do profiles of some of the existing tone prints and upload if there is interest......

Not sure they would translate given its already"matched" to something

I’d be interested in trying these if you don’t mind making them. Has anyone tried loading one of those acoustic IRs into the Kemper’s cab?

This is an issue with the Kemper that needs to be resolved. There are so many expression pedals and they ALL repond differently. If they’d just add a few parameters to control the curve like every keyboard controller has, then EVERY pedal would be able to be setup to respond perfectly.

I don’t think this is an excessive request.

I love the taper of the Boss 500h and use it for volume pre Kemper input.

I use it after a comp pedal and before dirt pedals.

I could never get the sweep to feel right as an expression pedal for volume and still wish the Kemper had better adjustments for pedal tapers.

Don’t think about it so much, just plug it in and try it. You’ll have your answer a lot quicker that way.

Just plug it in as you're thinking, no need for a DI.

You might compare this to just using the line ins on the MOTU. There might not be as much different as you think and that will leave your Neve available for acoustic recording without having to repatch all the time. Or if you're MOTU has digital in, then that's an option as well.

personally I think the less wax the better. A pickup that is slightly microphonic but doesn't squeal is where the good stuff is at.

It makes the guitar come alive and react to the amp at a much lower volume.

Squealing pickups are another matter. I bought a set of Duncan Antiquity P90s and they weren't potted at all. I couldn't use them at stage volume. I sent them to the custom shop and they lightly potted them for me. Now they're awesome.

Alnico II magnets, low output and a little microphonic, that's the sweet spot for me.

Rig Manager really should be able to alphabetize the folders as they are added, or at least after toggling the open folder arrows.