Performance slot order?>

1st Official Post

    I searched the forum for a thread on this - but no luck:


    So I have used Kemper's for a few years now. I'm ALWAYS in browser mode for gigs, managing to use a single rig and morph to get [almost] everywhere I needed to go at a gig.

    I have decided to finally take the plunge to use performance mode, but struggling with the slot order implementation ....


    > Do you use each slot sequentially to move through the song?

    or

    > Do you keep each slot as a constant instance per song? Meaning:

    Slot 1 = Intro

    Slot 2 = Verse

    Slot 3 = Chorus

    Slot 4 = Bridge

    Slot 5 = Solo


    Each approach leaves holes in my [tiny] brain for effective navigation/implementation. Appreciate any insight!


    Thanks!

    I use (mostly) each performance as a single amp across all 5 slots.

    I go from clean first slot to high gain in the 5th slot generally.

    I keep the effects pretty much the same per performance.

    This lets me choose a different guitar, and still able to find the right tone for it.

    Another performance may have some ambient effects, and/or a different amp.

    Seems to be the way I've settled in...

    It depends on the gig and it's actually a serious matter as having the wrong approach can get you in trouble at the gig.


    Some gigs require more flexibility than others. For example, if it's a top40 cover band with large repertoire or a showband that plays lots of different stuff; for those, my performances have 5 different amp profiles usually in incremental levels of gain and effects in each that can be activated on the fly. With this approach, sometimes I can't quite get the optimal sound a part needs but what I lose there, I gain in flexibility as I can use the same patch in many situation.


    For gigs with bands that have a limited songlist that is set in concrete (ie an original band on a 40 minute festival set), I use the 5 slots per song as "Slot 1: intro, Slot 2: verse, Slot 3: chorus, etc" as you describe and it works very well but is not flexible at all... I only use this approach if there is no doubt about the material being played; if the band adds or changes songs at the last minute you may be in trouble. Also in those cases I sometimes find more helpful to label the slots as something more specific like "Trem part", "Swells", "Slide part", "Chug part" because in the heat of the moment, that's usually what my brain thinks about first rather than a generic "verse" which you might not immediately recall how it's supposed to sounds. That approach can also take a LONG time to program because (every part of a song) x (number of songs) = a LOT of slots to fill in but also allows you to dial in the precise sound you need in every part of every song.


    You can combine both approaches if your volumes and EQs are sufficiently well balanced across all your slots and performances.

    I think Jed has nailed it with the pros and cons of each strategy.


    I mainly play in bands where setlist is flexible and we improvise quite a bit so song structures can change is a soloist is on fire that night for example. Therefore, I mainly go for a simple flexible setup and sacrifice “optimal” tones/FX


    Like both Jed and dmatthews , i tend to use a single amp across all 5 slots (or if I’m using one of my piezo equipped guitars 4 slots plus an acoustic rig) plus a few flexible effects just in case.


    I really love Jed’s approach of labelling slots in a sound descriptive manner rather than Verse/Chorus/Bridge as I have a brain like a sieve.


    I have a similar approach to JedMckenna I have a utility performance which suits most function band occasions. Increasing gain from 1 to 5 with morph boost on 2-5 and morph chorus and delay on 1. Other performances are for occasional bands, jazz and countryish.

    A brace of Suhrs, a Charvel, a toaster, an Apollo twin, a Mac, and a DXR10

    Like 1
    • Official Post

    there is such a thing as using too many sounds - 5 slots for one song is pretty much overkill.
    I play in a band with 3+h of cover material and still I only use a handful of PROFILEs that simply work.
    Technique, pickup selection and vol-pot can take a PROFILE quite far.
    Yes, there are special sounds that I only use in certain songs - a wide & evil Rammstein tone and a crunch tone transposed two halfsteps down to accomodate the singer's range, which it can't be transposed on the instrument since the riff is open string based.

    The factory rig '1971 Mars Golub Crch' is an amazing base for rock-centric bands for example.

    With the already mentioned exception of the 'special' tones, I do get by with one Performance - that's it.
    Super consistent sounds over IEM, the FOH mixer is happy (and he's not the happy kind usually) night after night.

    K.I.S.S. ;)

    I rarely - if ever - use more than 3 slots.


    In a live setting - clean & dirty, with morphs or effects switching in and out for variation.


    I’ll use specific performances just to set tempo without having to tap/beat scan. I’m lazy like that.

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

    WOW - thanks so much everyone. Lots of great input here and I will take the response to keep it simple - the focus should be playing not dancing on a pedalboard. I may need to create a couple of performances that require 5 slots of very specific tone (intelligent pitch shift solo stuff), but I *should be* able to keep it together with just a couple (famous last words!)


    APPRECIATE! :thumbup:

    I use performance mode exclusively in a worship setting with button 1 with a pad (with an infinite button for the pad on one of the effects buttons). Button 2 clean (but with a drive effect if needed (also chorus, trem and rotary on standby), button 3 mid drive, button 4 hi gain, button 5 lead sound. Don’t forget when you press any of the 5 you can initiate a morph. On all but the pad button, my morph adds verb. On the pad, morph trails off the verb (pad). I have other performance options banked up and down with lesser used tones but this performance, 90% of the time works perfectly.

    My effects are similar on each button, 1/8 dly, dotted 1/8 dly, drive etc.

    I have some songs with the intro, verse, chorus thing, but found it too limiting for normal use.

    There is a simple rule here in Texas. You pick no more than 3 tones; clean, crunch, high-gain/solo. You play those all night to your heart's delight. I have never been to a small gig or mega concert where I heard more than 3 tones. The more famous had only 1 tone/amp the whole show.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

    Quote from BayouTexan

    There is a simple rule here in Texas. You pick no more than 3 tones; clean, crunch, high-gain/solo. You play those all night to your heart's delight. I have never been to a small gig or mega concert where I heard more than 3 tones. The more famous had only 1 tone/amp the whole show.

    Everyone’s favourite Texan (other than you Larry) Billy Gibbons even has a 31 band GEQ in front his amp to make all his guitars sound like each other. That’s taking one tone to the max.

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    Everyone’s favourite Texan (other than you Larry) Billy Gibbons even has a 31 band GEQ in front his amp to make all his guitars sound like each other. That’s taking one tone to the max.

    :D :D :D


    I have an MXR 10 band and fumble all over it.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

    Quote from BayouTexan

    There is a simple rule here in Texas. You pick no more than 3 tones; clean, crunch, high-gain/solo. You play those all night to your heart's delight. I have never been to a small gig or mega concert where I heard more than 3 tones. The more famous had only 1 tone/amp the whole show.

    What I meant in my previous post is that it's possible to have just the same amp profile throughout the entire performance with different effects or settings on each individual slot. If you are a steady member of an original band that always play the same repertoire of 10-20 songs over and over in concerts or festivals, it's worth investing time in programming 1 performance/song instead of tap dancing to trigger effects on and off of every rig etc. Anyway, feel free to find out what works best for yourself but I'm saying this with a long history of both disasters happening by mismanaging rigs and smooth sessions with perfect sounds just at the click of a switch. 5 slots/song doesn't necessarily mean "too many sounds" nor is "overkill"; it could be the same exact sound with just a slight volume difference - having it in a different slot can sometimes make management more straightforward and less confusing.

    Hey good topic!

    I use a setup which I use since entering midi in ..... oooops 1992:

    Each song in the set has an individual performance, even if the song needs less than 5 sounds/tones.


    1. Slot is a clean Twin (some with compressor) -> easy to find position in stage trouble ;)

    2. Slot is a Deluxe in light crunch setting

    3. Slot is LEAD

    4. Slot is a tone with certain effects if need

    5. Slot is the main rhythm tone -> easy to find position in stage trouble ;)

    I dimmed my tab LED down so position!


    Slots 3-5 are in most cases the most song related tones. Slots 1-2 are defaults.


    Best regards

    Hudi