Volume Pedal Placement

J

jborders5

Member
Next week marks the first of many, many gigs using my Axe II. I'm frantically trying to remember the 40+ new (to me) songs, build and wire custom rack panels and tweak the 9 -10 presets I'm going to start with. It's been a fun journey over the last few weeks and I'm looking forward to finally getting out and using it in a live setting.

Anyway, I still need to get the expression pedals setup for the MFC-101. I plan on using 3 pedals. 1 Mission SP-1 dedicated to WAH, 1 EP-1 for speed control, crossfade between Electric and Piezo Acoustic, etc., and a modified (10K Log) Ernie Ball VP JR for a post amp volume control. How are you all using volume pedals in a live setting? I mainly want to have one for quick overall volume tweaks since I know my balance between patches won't be 100% until I get through a few gigs, but it would also be cool for volume swells when I can't grab the volume on the guitar. The default global volume works well, but is not the best for swells. Would it make sense to put a volume block after the amp/cab, but before delay and verb ? Thanks for any suggestions.
 
I set a volume block at the start of all of my presets. It affects the entire signal chain. I use a EB mono pedal for my EP. I did not change out the pot, but might do so. I calibrated the pedal, then followed the directions in the FX-II manual. I assigned the source to the appropriate expression pedal in on the MFC. I left the off value 0 and the full on value 10. I did mess with the mid point. I set it to 20 rather than the default value of 50. I also increased the damp milliseconds to 100 rather than the default 10. Works like a charm. Nice smooth volume swells.
 
I put my Ernie Ball VP Jr. volume pedal before the AFX II at the end of my guitar cord, (and my BBE Ben Wah) just like I have done for the past 30 years on all of my various amps/rigs. Works great, always has.
Why do so many guys here assume everything must reside within the grid?
I also have another Mission EP-1 via MFC,Set as volume pedal at default settings, which acts as an overall level control. Two totally different uses which both are very useful and work well together.
When put in front of the axe, it acts much as a guitar volume knob to control gain, cleans up any preset and gives you back another Expression Pedal spot on your AFX. (in my case with my wah ahead as well, it gives back 2 spots)
 
I put my volume block right before effects loop and cab. That way if you want to back down on a preset with delay turned on, your delay wont make everything sound mushy.
 
I place my volume block after the amp / before the delay/reverb. This way I keep the drive setting of the amp, when I turn the volume down. And I am able to make "swelle"-like effect with delay/ reverb on.

If I want to lower the volume AND the amp-drive I use volumepot on my guitar.

The other expression pedal is always a wah, a block with autoengage placed after the comp-block / before the drive block.

This works splendid for me. But experiment a little to see what suits you.

I have not experimented with other use of the expression. I dont need it.


Greetings
AAEN
 
kerrlehr said:
Why do so many guys here assume everything must reside within the grid?
Click to expand...

Placing the volume pedal before the Axe FX will function differently with any sort of gain than compared with putting it after the amp block.

Before Axe FX: increasing volume will fade in a clean signal to a distorted one- just like a volume pot swell.
In the Axe FX, after the Amp block: increasing volume will not change the amp distortion amount but will fade that tone from nothing up to the maximum volume of the amp.

If I want the former then I have the guitar volume.
I can't get the latter by putting the volume pedal before the Axe FX.
It is about having options.
 
AAEN said:
I place my volume block after the amp / before the delay/reverb. This way I keep the drive setting of the amp, when I turn the volume down. And I am able to make "swelle"-like effect with delay/ reverb on.

If I want to lower the volume AND the amp-drive I use volumepot on my guitar.


Greetings
AAEN
Click to expand...

chrisallen8888 said:
I put my volume pedal on the ground, usually on the right of the MFC.
Click to expand...

I do what both of these guys do regarding volume pedal. :D

You can level your patches before you gig or rehearse and quite effectively. Check my YouTube channel for a video I did on it. It's very effective and saves a lot of trouble on rehearsals and gigs.
 
what matters most here is how you want to affect the sound when you kill the volume...

placing it before the amp block will work like your guitar volume knob
so all your ambient fx will still sound when you're heel down.. [which I like]

placing it later in the chain, after the amp but before the delay / reverb blocks will have the same effect as above but without reducing the amp gain

placing it last will kill everything.. heel down = no sound.. no delay / reverb tails hanging over...

if the last option is what you want, I'd not even use a vol block.. why waste the cpu??
just use an exp pedal and assign is to the Axe's master volume in the MFC..
or... assign the EXP pedal to extern 2 [CC# 17] - assuming you're using extern 1 [CC# 16] for your wah
then you can assign the 'level' control of the final fx block in your chain to extern 2
so there's no real need for a vol block to be used as a 'master vol'
 
jborders5 said:
I mainly want to have one for quick overall volume tweaks since I know my balance between patches won't be 100% until I get through a few gigs, but it would also be cool for volume swells when I can't grab the volume on the guitar. The default global volume works well, but is not the best for swells.
Click to expand...
Since a picture is worth 1000 words:
MFC Board.jpg

The M-Audio pedal on the left is my master volume. Not only is it cheap, it has a "minimum" adjustment so I can effectively use it to tweak volume without muting things completely. The Lexicon box in the top left adjusts patch volume up/down. I've found that over time, my volume balance gets dialed in and I rarely use it these days.

If I'm doing volume swells, I'd used one of the Mission pedals on the right. The one with the "M" is spring loaded while the other is not.
 
I use the same cheap Maudio pedal. But again, mine is on the right of the MFC. When I use a wah or 2nd pedal, it is to the right of my volume. So imagine 2 of those pedals on the left, on the right instead.
 
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