Smooth transition to distortion

[Rick6]

Any help with the following would be appreciated.

 

I'm looking for a pedal that will allow a smooth transition from a clean to a distorted sound using a foot pedal that looks like a volume pedal.

 

The application is as follows:

 

I play rhythm in stereo. The guitar is mono. It feeds into a Boss ME50 which generates stereo chorus. Left and right go to separate amps. I'm thinking of replacing the amps with a small PA (like a Yamaha Stagepas, maybe).

 

I like the ME50 because I don't need presets and I don't have to scroll. Pretty much everything is controlled by dedicated knobs.

 

But,

 

There are a few things it won't do.

 

1. I'd like to generate the stereo separation with delay, not chorus, but the delays seem to be all mono.

 

2. I like to be able to control the amount of distortion with another pedal. And, it has to add distortion without appreciably raising the volume. I don't need the distorted sounds to be in stereo.

 

Do any of the pedalboards have separate expression and volume pedals? And can the expression pedal do this?

 

Or, is there some way of setting up two channels, one clean and one distorted and then using a pedal to mix them? Like all the way up is just the clean channel. Half way is 50-50 and all the way down is all the dirty channel?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Rick

[dot-dot-dot]

I think that the GT-8 will let you blend between two different amp models with the expression pedal.

[gorebuc]

The best way for smooth transition to distortion is a single channel tube amp set "on the edge." As you pick harder, it gets dirtier. Need more? Step on the OD. Thats all I know, sorry it doesn't help.

[beezdeez]

http://www.toneinprogress.com/

 

I want one of these for similar reasons.

 

But I'm going to be honest. I didn't read all of your post so if you said something that rules this out, I'm sorry. I'm too lazy to read posts that long.

[murch33]

Originally posted by Rick6 I'm looking for a pedal that will allow a smooth transition from a clean to a distorted sound using a foot pedal that looks like a volume pedal.

My 4ms Duo Distortor does just that. It's got separate volume knobs for both the clean and dirty signal, as well as an expression pedal out that allows you to control the distorted volume. You can set the clean volume at unity, then leave the pedal on at all times and just mute the distorted tone with the expression pedal. It's great for that "distortion fading in & out" thing. And you can set it up so that the distorted level is loud enough to completely drown out the clean level, or you can blend them.

[ToadWorks]

I'm not pimping, but the Enveloope could do want you want, without the rocker pedal:


http://www.toadworksusa.com/el/index.html

[Soloman Grundy]

Originally posted by gorebuc The best way for smooth transition to distortion is a single channel tube amp set "on the edge." As you pick harder, it gets dirtier. Need more? Step on the OD. Thats all I know, sorry it doesn't help.

haha seriously.. one of the many reasons why a simpler setup is easier and many times sounds better..

but i can't resist pedals, either.

[Rick6]

It looks like the GT-8 with an extra expression pedal may do the trick.

Patch 1: Stereo signal. Stereo chorus and/or stereo delay. The built in pedal as a volume pedal. Essentially the two internal channels are completely independent.

Patch 2. Mono output -- meaning the L+R outputs see the same thing. The built in pedal is still the volume pedal. The outboard expression pedal pans between fully clean and fully dirty (one internal channel vs. the other) while keeping overall volume constant (right? it'll control volume?).

In this case, the two internal channels are blended by the expression pedal and then summed.

Patch 3: I can't quite figure it out, but it sounds like I might be able to retain the stereo signal characteristics of patch 1, while "panning" only the distortion. Or perhaps having the expression pedal sweep distortion on both channels simultaneously.

Anyway, the idea is to hit a footswitch and then ride the expression pedal to blend crunch into an otherwise clean lead.

Thanks for suggesting this. It looks good.

Rick

[66_skylark]

Boss PD-1 Rocker Distortion

[EvilSoup]

Toneczar VFM

Expensive.

[spentron]

http://www.intergate.com/~spentron/guitartech.html

[TheGZeus,OnFire]

I just saw an effect that did just that somewhere.

[Pwn3d]

I would suggest a Podxt live or a Boss gt8 as mentioned.

If you just wanted to have dedicated pedals it would be easier, but of course they are dedicated pedals and you would need cables and a board and a powersupply and such. You could run your signal to a stereo volume pedal then run the L side to a dist pedal and the R side clean to be able to fade between them. Next run a Y cable to a boss ce5 or other stereo chorus and then run into a boss dd6 or other stereo delay.

that whay you have your fade between dist. and clean and you can have your delays and chorus's in stereo.

but if you wanted it all in one unit I'd probably go with the gt8.

[Pwn3d]

Originally posted by TheGZeus,OnFire I just saw an effect that did just that somewhere.

Acually it would be real easy to fade between dist and clean. All you would have to do is mod a volume pedal to have a loop that pans the output between signal A and signal B. (actually now that I think about it I may do it just for fun )

A: orignial signal > loop signal
B: original signal

And on the plus side it'd be pretty cheap. The only thing he would have a problem with is the delay and chorus in stereo.

[TaZMaNiO]

I've used a Roland GP-8 for years for just this effect...in fact since you can assign most of the FX parameters to the EV-5 expression pedal I have other effects like the Delay set so I can open-up the feedback parameter and it goes wild like a hi-gain boost...

[PFDarkside]

Originally posted by EvilSoup Toneczar VFM Expensive.

Someone needs to make a cheaper version of this pedal. Heck, a quick redesign of your's Toadworks to incorporate an expression pedal...

For a simple self-contained unit all you really need is a volume pedal with two pots working in opposite directions with the correct sweeps, right?

[hoerni]

Originally posted by PFDarkside Someone needs to make a cheaper version of this pedal. Heck, a quick redesign of your's Toadworks to incorporate an expression pedal...

I could probably modify the Paneer circuit I built for IndoFunkCity to do something like this. I'm actully thinking about doing something similar for my "monster-bass-rig-pedalboard". I want to have 2 amps with an effected and clean chain, but be able to mix the two signals or separate them. I'm not sure if it will work though and I'm probably better off just biamping with the effects through one and the straight sound through the other.

For a simple self-contained unit all you really need is a volume pedal with two pots working in opposite directions with the correct sweeps, right?

Actually the 2 pot idea gives sub optimal results. Using 2 log pots gives a big volume drop in the center. Like shown here



This is where IndoFunkCity started using a Ibanez Pan Pedal. Did not give good results.

2 linear pots is better, but still a drop in the center.

For IFCs panning application, I went with a design based on the original Orban pan circuit (commonly found in mixers) It's sweep looks like the following:



To do the mixing instead of the panning I think it would be a pretty easy circuit mod. If you're interested, let me know and I can see about working on it.

I've got a couple of more weeks until class is done and I can start working on projects again. I was planning on a big redesign of the panning circuit, but I could probably come up with a cleaner version of the board for the old circuit and build a few of those if there is interest.

[hoerni]

For the full story on the IndoFunkCity Pan Pedal, see

this thread

There are even pictures and sound clips on the later pages.

[TheGZeus,OnFire]

There IS an effects pedal that is two effects loops in an expression pedal.

I can't remember where I read about it, but Ithink it was a recent guitar mag.

[vigor&kandor]

There IS an effects pedal that is two effects loops in an expression pedal. I can't remember where I read about it, but Ithink it was a recent guitar mag.

 

 

i saw that aswell. much like you i can not remember where it was at. does the Chopper Pan pedal do this?

[TheGZeus,OnFire]

Originally posted by vigor&kandor i saw that aswell. much like you i can not remember where it was at. does the Chopper Pan pedal do this?

Naw, it was more plain looking than that.