Most useful uses for expression pedals?

aziz

aziz

Power User
I'm setting up a pedalboard, and I can't decide whether to include one or two expression pedals, and that decides the pedal board size. Normal vs. ridiculously big. So far I've used one pedal, and I believe it would control wah for 95% of the time, and something weird in the last 5%. What are your best and most-needed uses for expression pedals?
 
volume
wah
delay feedback
delay volume
rotary / univibe / tremolo rate
whammy
two amp crossfade
fx input gain
drive bit depth
drive gain
pan
lfo depth

probably loads more i can't think of
i use two - one is always attached to a volume block within a preset and the other is a wildcard...
 
I've made some presets where it changes amp gain, delay feedback, delay input gain and reverb volume at once, and it's a fun one to use. Very...expressive. Screw it, I'll get the big board!
 
simeon said:
volume
wah
delay feedback
delay volume
rotary / univibe / tremolo rate
whammy
two amp crossfade
fx input gain
drive bit depth
drive gain
pan
lfo depth

probably loads more i can't think of
i use two - one is always attached to a volume block within a preset and the other is a wildcard...
Click to expand...

+1 for that whole post, with a double vote for dedicated volume plus wildcard pedal. I have experimented with as many as four expression controllers, and settled on two pedals as being the right number for my needs. I use the input jacks for additional switch some times, but haven't needed more than two sweepable pedals.
 
I have four.

1. Output level
2. Wah
3. Delay 1 level and Delay 2 feedback
4. Modulation speed
 
I link one to the amp block master volume (more like actually rolling the amp up/down rather than just true volume at the end of the chain) and simultaneously the delay block feedback. As volume goes down, delay feedback goes up, and vice versa.
The other is typically wah, but under certain circumstances I'll link it to time based effects like tremolo/rotary/whatev or maybe reverb mix to wash out when needed.
 
simeon said:
i use two - one is always attached to a volume block within a preset and the other is a wildcard...
Click to expand...

Yes I do the same thing instead I use three Ep's. One=always for volume swell other two are different each preset. Now the hardest thing is to remember what you have set those two EP's for. When having lots of presets this can be a problem. And also remembering how you have set the scenes can be a problem.
 
If there's no inbetween board size, I'd say go with the smaller one.

One expression pedal is usually enough. Remember that you can only control one pedal at the same time... unless you like ballet-dancing.
I have two expression pedals, as many users here recommend; one for volume, one for wild card, but I usually end up just having the wah on the second one.
I could easily go with just one expression pedal, though, as the situations where you need both wah and volume at the same time are extremely rare.

Go check your music material. Do you need both wah and volume at the same time? If not, go for the 1-pedal solution and use the small board.
 
Zwiebelchen said:
One expression pedal is usually enough. Remember that you can only control one pedal at the same time...
Click to expand...

I really like having three EP's and almost every preset I have has all three occupied. I like to have one for volume swells (all presets fixed), one for delay mix, delay feedback, reverb mix, reverb time or whatever and the third one for whammy, wah, pitch shift effects or any other things. I really like having separate control over things especially in free improvised settings.
 
Bodde said:
I really like having three EP's and almost every preset I have has all three occupied. I like to have one for volume swells (all presets fixed), one for delay mix, delay feedback, reverb mix, reverb time or whatever and the third one for whammy, wah, pitch shift effects or any other things. I really like having separate control over things especially in free improvised settings.
Click to expand...
Still, unless you have 4 feet, you can not control them at the same time ;)
 
Effects/delay mix, trem/delay speed, Volume, and wah. The two pedals for fx mix and speed are slim profile so I can use one foot to control both pedals if I need too. But they change depending on the patch. I have one patch that I use for creating big feedback loops via delays so for that one I attach the EP as a feedback level control.
 
I use 3 and setting up for four. Trying to talk myself out of four because the 4th one doesn't fit the board, so it'd have to sit on the floor beside it. I have one for amount of drive/on/off, another for wah, another wildcard and the fourth volume.

The problem is I do improv. If I did songs all set up specifically for specific songs I could do it differently. But I'm trying to set presets up as WTF I might want in any given moment.
 
toolfanem said:
Effects/delay mix, trem/delay speed, Volume, and wah. The two pedals for fx mix and speed are slim profile so I can use one foot to control both pedals if I need too. But they change depending on the patch. I have one patch that I use for creating big feedback loops via delays so for that one I attach the EP as a feedback level control.
Click to expand...

What pedals are those?
 
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