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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Suggested pedal-chain?
Suggested pedal-chain?
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Martin
1357 posts
Jan 06, 2018
10:17 AM
With very little time for experiment I´m going to have to order three pedals in a chain. (An upcoming gig.)
I assume this gives me nine permutations -- but I´m no math guy.
The pedals are: a Pog 2, a rotary pedal (Boss), and a reverb (or delay -- haven´t decided yet but I suspect they are equal).

My hunch would be to chain them in just that order. But I have no arguments for it, nor am I certain.
Is there a simple way to give reason to this or any other order of pedals?

(I´m starting out with a lo-z mic, a DI box; then finishing up with a small tube amp.)

Grateful for pointers here -- and even more grateful for pointers with aruments.

Last Edited by Martin on Jan 06, 2018 10:17 AM
Dox
75 posts
Jan 06, 2018
3:15 PM
Hi

First of all is useful to start learning some general rules about pedals order:

https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/what-is-the-best-pedal-order/

In your case a good starting point is:

POG -> Rotary -> Reverb -> DI -> Amp.

As side note, delay and reverb are NOT the same thing. They are related but not the same stuff. Google will help you to find the differences.

Bye
Martin
1358 posts
Jan 07, 2018
9:21 AM
Thank you, Dox.
Reverb/delay being "the same thing" was here only referring to their place in the pedal chain: I´m aware of the differences, and that´s why I owe various both delays and reverbs.

But the DI box last in the chain was a big surprise! Interesting -- and a bit hard for me, since I use an XLR from my microphone into the box. Will have to chekc this out.
Dox
76 posts
Jan 07, 2018
10:05 AM
Which DI Box you use? Normally the DI Box is used as last stage to match the output with amp or pa (or sound card). A low-z mic have to go straight into the first pedal using an impendance adaptor!

https://www.thomann.de/it/audix_t50_k.htm?ref=search_rslt_audix+impendence_196143_15

If you use an high-z mic you can go into the first pedal directly without any other device.

* About delay/reverb spot: yes normally reberb and delay are placed as last pedals in the chain. When used both, normally we place the delay first and then the reverb as last pedal.

Last Edited by Dox on Jan 07, 2018 10:10 AM
Martin
1359 posts
Jan 07, 2018
2:05 PM
The DI box is called "Milennium". Passive. I use it "in reverse" or "backwards", according to my tech guru. That means I plug an XLR cable from the mic into an "output" channel. The DI should work as an impedance adaptor used in this fashion.

The tech guy is a very able man when it comes to these things, pleny of experience, but I don´t understand a thing. However, it gave me a considerably better sound. Not stronger but clearer and warmer.

I only use lo-z mics. These days mostly an EV PL 35.
Dox
78 posts
Jan 07, 2018
2:35 PM
Yes Martin, the DI trick done the job but it's not common. Moreover if you want to go into the PA from last pedal y'll got problems. Is a better choice placing the DI as last pedal and use its unbalanced output to go to the amp and the balanced output to go to the PA (or sound card). In front of first pedal you put an impendance transformer and you have the most flexible and good setup. This is the reason because I suggest the DI as last pedal. If you plan to go ever into the amp you can leave the DI in front of the chain but use a DI to do the 'first-stage IMT' job is a little an overkill and waste space on pedalboard.

May be this video can clarify to you the DI job:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyz1NxMb8tk

Bye

Last Edited by Dox on Jan 07, 2018 2:52 PM
Martin
1360 posts
Jan 07, 2018
4:20 PM
Thank you very much, Dox. My last pedal goes into my amp so I guess I´m running free from those problems you hint at. But I´ll bear it in mind if I should opt for a direct to PA from pedal solution.
Dox
79 posts
Jan 08, 2018
2:50 PM
Ok martin! I don't know your typical music situations (indoor/outdoor, rooms dimensions, etc...) but please, keep in mind that the amp using isn't suitable every time: it's common to use the PA in many situation: maybe the amp isn't loud enough for some rooms or outdoor, a valve can goes out of order with a very wrong timing and other details which can lead to a very difficult usage of the amp for the harmonica. May be isn't your case now, but sometimes its happens. With this in mind, have a pedalboard which can go to the PA in a correct way is a weapon to not underestimate. FInally, if your amp has a "line out", so you can save cats and dogs hahaha :D

Bye!

Last Edited by Dox on Jan 08, 2018 3:24 PM
Martin
1361 posts
Jan 08, 2018
4:35 PM
Dox,
For this particular upcoming gig my 5 W tube amp is almost overkill. An art galleri of very modest size. (I could probably play acoustic and be heard, but I want my effects.)
For larger venues I mic it; for even larger venues I´ll use a bigger amp.

I have tried pedals direct to PA but that gave me feedback problems when I needed lots of volume. And no, my small amp has no line out and, as I´ve recently been confronted with, those 5 Watts aren´t enough sometimes.

Cheers.
hvyj
3512 posts
Jan 11, 2018
10:58 PM
Martin, What do you think of the EV PL35?
Martin
1363 posts
Jan 12, 2018
5:59 AM
@hvyj: I like it a lot and use it almost all the time. The off/on button on my 545 makes that one sometimes a competitor, but the EV is more feedback resistent, and that has proven quite the thing in certain contexts. (It´on a par with the Fireball in that respect but sounds a bit more ... vivacious.)
I´m really grateful for your tip!
hvyj
3513 posts
Jan 12, 2018
7:17 AM
I knew you would like it. I carry a Pl-35 and a 545 Ultimate. I use an XLR cable that has an on/off switch on the connector jack that plugs into the mic. The on/off switch is very useful.

Both of these mics have very strong proximity effect. So you can achieve a wide variety of different tones, textures and timbres depending on how tight or loose your grip is, how or if you cup, and the distance and orientation of the mic element in relation to the harmonica. You can also vary the volume to a significant extent with your grip using these mics. I am extremely happy with mine.

I assume the PL-35 smooths out the the harshness you were originally trying to ameliorate. Of course, the 545 provides more cut.

Last Edited by hvyj on Jan 12, 2018 8:08 AM


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