Designing guitar effects on your computer

[SrMeowMeow]

I've heard about these kinds of things but never tried one myself. The idea I have of it is that it's some kind of multi-effects pedal that you can plug into your computer and use the provided software to design your own effects on the computer. Changing parameters, combining effects into one patch, etc. But I don't even know the right term for it so I've had no luck searching on Google. Does anyone have any recommendations for specific products or know how to get me started on searching for it myself?

[kit_strong]

The only thing I can thing of that really meets your description is the Line 6 Tone Core Developers Kit.

 

It's not a multi-fx unit per se though as each pedal only allows for one effect at a time but with the Dev Kit that module can be programmed to be whatever you want.

 

With something like the HD500 you can use the computer to edit your presets and effects can be combined to be engaged with a single foot switch but you can't really design your own effects.

[SrMeowMeow]

 

The only thing I can thing of that really meets your description is the Line 6 Tone Core Developers Kit . It's not a multi-fx unit per se though as each pedal only allows for one effect at a time but with the Dev Kit that module can be programmed to be whatever you want. With something like the HD500 you can use the computer to edit your presets and effects can be combined to be engaged with a single foot switch but you can't really design your own effects.

 

 

I think the latter is more what I'm talking about. As in, you open up the software, choose a compressor, dial it in exactly how you want. Then you find some distortion, dial it in, and save the two of them together as one patch. Then maybe you add some chorus to that and save that new mix as a second patch. And then assign different patches to different buttons on the floor pedal. Etc.

[lz4005]

 

With something like the HD500 you can use the computer to edit your presets and effects can be combined to be engaged with a single foot switch but you can't really design your own effects.

 

 

A lot of newer multi-effects units allow you to edit patches via USB and give you better control/more parameters that way as compared to using the knobs on the unit its self.

[kit_strong]

 

A lot of newer multi-effects units allow you to edit patches via USB and give you better control/more parameters that way as compared to using the knobs on the unit its self.

 

 

Indeed, I would guess that every current gen Multi-FX unit allows preset editing via USB. But I wasn't quite sure if that was what the OP wanted.

[SrMeowMeow]

'tis. I think I will go check out an HD500 at Guitar Center now.

 

Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to run guitar > HD500 > mixing board > PA?

[WRGKMC]

I have some older midi controlled Art, Digitec, Boss units units that allow you to

adjust the built in parameters of the various effects, places them in different combinations, orders,

all that kinds of stuff and build banks of them in seperate memory slots.

Thats not exactly what you would call "Designing" and effect.

I can also download presets for it others have designed and upload them to the units.

Again its not designing a pedal, it's simply setting up perameters.

 

The technology really isnt perfected yet but you may see the next generation

of effects to be software based. You buy a floor unit that has super low latency

and simply upload software based effects from different manufacturers.

You could pick and choose which you want from the different manufacturers.

This is what you do for DAW recording software. You arent worried about

latency mixing like you are playing guitar live. They have programs like Guitar

Rig, Amplitude, and many others, but you need an ultra fast quad processor

to run them in real time and even then you still have latency of 10~100us.

If they can come up with a combination of software and programable chips

or even magnetic memory which is super fast, many of those obsticles

may dissapear. It will still cost you as much as a regular pedal in the beginning though,

and unless everyone goes that way, its likely to become obsolite as quickly as it becomes popular.

If manufacturers cant make money, whats the sence in designing something guitarists would steal

from others like they do thirs music. It would have to be completely pirate proof. Like an analog pedal?

[kit_strong]

 

'tis. I think I will go check out an HD500 at Guitar Center now. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to run guitar > HD500 > mixing board > PA?

 

 

Nope, that's the best way to run it IMO. THat's exactly how I use it at home except for the PA part is a set of low-cost Kustom Powered wedges.

[A_Gitarman]

 

I have some older midi controlled Art, Digitech, Boss units units that allow you to adjust the built in parameters of the various effects, places them in different combinations, orders....

 

 

Yeah, editing your patches via PC has been around for a while now. Pretty much ANY Line6 unit is going to have USB connectivity, AFAIK. Heck, even my DigiTech RP-1 from the early 90's had some rudimentary stuff that you could do via MIDI.

 

Now, something that would allow you to use/ create VSTs, otoh... THAT would be cool.

[wartoxin]

yeah, I do some programming of effects, even with the line 6 tone core developer kit it's not something to get the hang of quickly. There is something called synthedit that can help if one wanted to get started. (I know you were asking more about patch editing though)