Wah Question

[guitarjim]

Is there a way to negate the "gentle fade" on the wah block when it disengages? I need to switch immediately from lead to rhythm and it's lingering on my first chord.

 

[unix-guy]

Yes, assuming you're using auto engage, select one of the "fast" options in the modifier settings.

Those control how quickly the effect disengages.

 

[Rex]

FWIW, it’s not a gentle fade. It’s just a delay before the Wah switches off. The actual transition is as abrupt as any “real” Wah pedal.

 

[Bakerman]

FWIW, it’s not a gentle fade. It’s just a delay before the Wah switches off. The actual transition is as abrupt as any “real” Wah pedal.

It is a gentle fade, excessively slow and causing more problems than it solved IMO. FM9 4.01 release notes:

Changed bypass/engage speed for the following blocks: Filter, Graphic EQ, Parametric EQ, Tremolo and Wah. These blocks now bypass/engage with a gentle fade as rapid bypass/engage with these types of blocks can sound abrupt.

Axe-FX III 21.02 had the same change for those blocks plus drive, but drive bypass was reverted to the faster type in 21.03.

I think linear fades around 10-15 ms would be better than either of the current types.

 

[Rex]

It is a gentle fade, excessively slow and causing more problems than it solved IMO. FM9 4.01 release notes:

Changed bypass/engage speed for the following blocks: Filter, Graphic EQ, Parametric EQ, Tremolo and Wah. These blocks now bypass/engage with a gentle fade as rapid bypass/engage with these types of blocks can sound abrupt.

Axe-FX III 21.02 had the same change for those blocks plus drive, but drive bypass was reverted to the faster type in 21.03.

I think linear fades around 10-15 ms would be better than either of the current types.

View attachment 145393

...and you are correct.

 

[iaresee]

Is there a way to negate the "gentle fade" on the wah block when it disengages? I need to switch immediately from lead to rhythm and it's lingering on my first chord.

Put it in parallel and use a mixer block after it to select it.

 

[guitarjim]

Put it in parallel and use a mixer block after it to select it.

Yes, assuming you're using auto engage, select one of the "fast" options in the modifier settings.

Those control how quickly the effect disengages.

I'm already using the fast-pos option, but that didn't solve the problem. The mixer block is an interesting idea. I've never tried to tie that to an expression pedal. Thanks.

 

[unix-guy]

I'm already using the fast-pos option, but that didn't solve the problem. The mixer block is an interesting idea. I've never tried to tie that to an expression pedal. Thanks.

Yeah, sorry... I forgot about the fadeout change, so that option won't solve that part.

I haven't had my coffee yet but I'm not sure how a Mixer block would solve this with an auto engaged Wah block.

@iaresee - can you elaborate?

 

[iaresee]

A preset is worth a thousand words. External 1 is mapped to my CC pedal -- just map it to yours and you'll see how it works.

The wah is always on and the mixer block has steep curves to turn row 2 up and row 3 down when you move the pedal.





This approach is not without its own problems though. Notably, you don't want to venture into toe up territory when wah'ing or it flips back to the dry signal on you. It highlights why the slow fade decision was made for the bypass on the wah IMO.

If you really want fast switching and the full range of the wah pedal available to you: use a switch to toggle the mix levels on the mixer block, not the continuous controller. Remember to turn attack and release damping to 0 on the row gain controls when you do this. change channels on the mixer block between a channel that selects the wah row and a channel that selects the non-wah row. (Updated: channels are better, simpler here)

 

[guitarjim]

A preset is worth a thousand words. External 1 is mapped to my CC pedal -- just map it to yours and you'll see how it works.

The wah is always on and the mixer block has steep curves to turn row 2 up and row 3 down when you move the pedal.





This approach is not without its own problems though. Notably, you don't want to venture into toe up territory when wah'ing or it flips back to the dry signal on you. It highlights why the slow fade decision was made for the bypass on the wah IMO.

If you really want fast switching and the full range of the wah pedal available to you: use a switch to toggle the mix levels on the mixer block, not the continuous controller. Remember to turn attack and release damping to 0 on the row gain controls when you do this. change channels on the mixer block between a channel that selects the wah row and a channel that selects the non-wah row. (Updated: channels are better, simpler here)

Got it. I use the same type of curve to engage a drive block when I press down on the wah. Can't change to a switch. Moving from the pedal to the switch takes longer than the "soft fade" of the wah. When they introduced the "soft fade" to combat the abruptness of the previous wah block, I wonder why they didn't make it configurable? Anyway, I'll give this a shot. Thanks.

 

[iaresee]

I use the same type of curve to engage a drive block when I press down on the wah

Then you're already avoiding the toe up when you wah so this should feel pretty decent to you.