Block Input Gain and Parallel Path

bread

bread

Power User
I was wondering why only some blocks such as reverb and delay have an input gain control ?

For example, if I have chorus in parallel, then I would adjust the amount of effect with the level control (100% mix). However, the overall volume increases as a result and because there is no input gain control, then I have to compensate for the volume increase somewhere else in the chain. This makes things super complicated when I want to, for example, use the same amp block for 2 different scenes with and without chorus.

Consequently, I can only use (as far as I can determine) reverb and delay in parallel to avoid these level issues. Reverb is great in parallel but I don't see much value in having delay in this configuration.

Am I missing something or is this a common problem with using parallel path ?

Thanks
"Bread"
 
A chorus input gain control would do the same thing as output level, in parallel at 100% mix. It would adjust the block's volume, nothing more.

Chorus uses short enough delay times to add to the actual/perceived level if you just add the wet signal without turning down the dry. The easy solution is usually to not have a parallel dry path. Place chorus in series, set mix for the sound you want, adjust block level to match volume between engaged & bypassed. Use thru bypass mode.
 
Thanks for the reply, Bakerman.

I was wondering why the input gain control isn't applied to all blocks that don't run at 100% wet. Currently, if I increase level on (say) a chorus block, I also increase volume. Without an input gain control I have no way of turning it back down, so when engage I get an overall jump in volume.

As I understand it, parallel path does not affect the dry signal, where as adding "mix" in serial does, so there would be differences in tone depending which I use. If this is still true in digital Axe FX land, then getting levels set correctly in parallel would be very difficult to do if using different effects combinations with scenes (not all blocks have the "input gain" control needed to turn them back down).

I guess serial chains will have to be the solution for me for now.

Thanks again for your help.
 
bread said:
I was wondering why the input gain control isn't applied to all blocks that don't run at 100% wet. Currently, if I increase level on (say) a chorus block, I also increase volume. Without an input gain control I have no way of turning it back down, so when engage I get an overall jump in volume.
Click to expand...

An input gain control wouldn't help with this. Reducing that would give the same result as turning down the block volume. You need to reduce the dry level somehow, which requires extra blocks if chorus & dry signal are in parallel.

Longer delays and reverbs work a bit differently from chorus and other effects. They don't add as much to the average/apparent volume when keeping the original dry level.
 
Bakerman said:
An input gain control wouldn't help with this. Reducing that would give the same result as turning down the block volume. You need to reduce the dry level somehow, which requires extra blocks if chorus & dry signal are in parallel.

Longer delays and reverbs work a bit differently from chorus and other effects. They don't add as much to the average/apparent volume when keeping the original dry level.
Click to expand...

OK :)

Thanks
 
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