How to control FX mix with expression pedal ala Steve Morse

gittarzann

gittarzann

Power User
I have read that Steve Morse...as well as others control there FX with an expression pedal.

I tried to find some reading material to explain what I am searching for and maybe phrase the question here more clearly, but I couldn't.

So ....can anyone explain what he is doing (like parameters you would attach to a controller and how they are manipulated).

Which effects he is manipulating and does one level up as one goes down or any such info would be great.

TIA
 
I believe he uses a pedal to mix in effects. So heel down is no fx, and toe down is full effects.
Easy to accomplish by a number of fx parameters to just one expression pedal.
For example the InGain param in the Delay block, the Level param of the Reverb etc.
 
http://www.stevemorse.info/equipment/index.html
http://www.deeppurple.com/index.cfm/pk/ ... pid/400088

He is running his effects wet/dry style (100% dry tone out of one set of amps and 100% wet effects out of a separate amp.
He is using Ernie Ball volume pedals and non-programable Electro Harmonix delays. It is reasonable to assume he is using the pedals for wet reverb and wet delay levels.

If you want this configuration using just your Axe pan your simulated amp tone (completely dry) hard left and send the left output to one real cabinet. Run a path after your cab sim to parallel, 100% wet reverb and delay panned hard right and send these to a separate real cabinet. Assign expression pedals to reverb level and delay level and you are good to go.

Ah, but you have an Axe and not some some silly mega dollar dinosaur rig (okay Scott play nice)...
You can also control delay time, or switch multiple delays, or switch in chorus and/or flange post reverb and/or delay etc.

Or (assuming you are using guitar type cabinets) you could get really nuts...
Send your dry tone out of the effects loop to your main guitar cabinet using the send block.
Pan your 100% wet delays hard left and send the left output to another separate guitar type cabinet.
Pan your 100% wet reverbs hard right and send the right output to a full range powered monitor and surround your guitar tone with glorious studio quality reverbs.

Hope this helps you!
_______________
I used to spend tons of money to build my wet/dry rigs. Once a rig was built, every design or effects change was a cabling and logistics nightmare. Now I can pick and choose between FRFR stereo, dual mono, single mono, three cabinet wet/dry and the only issue is which speakers to hook up. :!:

Let us pray...

FractalCliff is my shepherd.
I shall not analog.
He maketh me to lie down in ambient pastures.
He leadeth me to sonic goodness.
He restoreth my tone dreams.
He updateth me for free with righteous stuff
for my guitars sake.

Even though I play in the FRFR
of complete simulation,
I fear no jam session;
for FractalCliff is with me;
His algorithms and convertors , they comfort me.

Surely god tone and ambient bliss shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall play in the house of
Fractal forever.
 
He also blends his amps (or he used to at least). One night, years ago, I had the pleasure of watching the Steve Morse band while standing at the stage right next to Mr. Morse. He used a single volume pedal that would go from clean amp to distorted amp. This can easily be done in the Ultra with two different amps running at the same time. He also uses the other volume pedals (he usually has six or more, I believe) to bring in effects. In the very old days he actually ran his delays through an entirely different amp and would bring that amp up and down with the volume pedals. Creating, for that time, an interesting stereo effect.

I almost always use a single controller to vary my gain. Either adjusting preamp gain or adjusting the gain on a drive block. I really enjoy the tube drive into a plexi. I can go from traditional marshall 'clean' to a full-blown over-the-top roar and anywhere in between. I LOVE that. I don't ever want to go back. This is similar to what Steve does but a little smoother to me since it is all one amp and you are just changing the gain stages. I have done this for years with my Triaxis as well. Cool stuff!

Scott
 
Thanks for the tips guys.

The reason I am asking...is because I bought a Mission wah pedal which freed up one of my EB Volume pedals to use for something else and thought FX mix would be a good use for it. Unfortunately, I don't know how to apply something like this...I have a hard enough time creating my own fx, let alone trying to add a cc to mix them in.

I am going to try this out and see if I can get it working. If I am not mistaken John Petrucci uses something like this on some of his FX?
 
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