Greg's rig: signal flow for the dynamic one-man orchestra
Hi everyone, Upon seeing the photo from Saturday's AZUL release gig, Dean asked in another if I would post some details about my current rig.
In this trio, my role is very diverse, sometimes, I'm bass/guitar, sometimes I'm the orchestra, sometimes a gigantic ethno-dulcimer. Flexibility and a diversity of tones, without using MIDI triggered sounds is my goal. So lots of options for splitting and layering sounds are a must...
Here's the pic again, but with some markers to show you the individual items:
1. The StepABout. This preamplifies, balances and equalizes both bass and melody signals before routing them through the A or B signal paths. The A signal path is usually used for the bass side and the B for the melody side, but they can be switched and combined in any way with the four switches on the box. Setting your basic tone before any other processing is a good idea. adding eq after other effects can add noise. Balancing the level of each side of the Stick relative to the other is important to avoid uneven levels in mono mode.
"A" PATH:
2a. SWR preamp on SM-400. With the StepABout, I mainly use this for the tube compressor, but before I had the StepABout, I used this preamp all the time. Great for the bass side of The Stick. signal is fed out into 3a.
3a. Boss SE-70 multi-effects for the A (bass) path. delay, filter, slow gear, ambient effects
4a. Behringer line mixer. This gives me a master level control for the power amp in on the SWR amp head (5a). It also gives me a way to patch out in the recording system or PA if needed.
5a. SWR SM-400 power amp. stereo or mono power for Bag End Cabinet(s).
6a. Bag End SX15-XLD (or something like that...) 15" with coax tweeter. Best cab for the sound I like, with a rear port, for big fat bass, nice mids, and spreads the sound and has a clear wide angle high-frequency response.
"B" PATH
2b. TC Fireworx. There is a little compression, plus a pitch transposer and filter I like to use on this for the B (usually melody) path.
3b. Pigtronix OFO (octave-fuzz-overdrive). The octave effect is a high octave not a low one, it's like a ring modulator sound, very cool before distortion or even by itself.
4b. Boss Metal Zone distortion. Seriously heavy distortion.
5b. Boss SE-70 multi-effects. everything from the slow gear, phaser, overdrive, pitch transposing, delay, reverb, rotary speaker.
6b. Fender Deluxe Reverb amp. great for the melody side, but don't put bass frequency note into it if possible…
Controllers:
CA1. Boss FC-50 changes patches on the A path SE-70
CA2. double switch for altering parameters with patches on the A path SE-70
CA3. EV-5 pedal controls the output level of the noise suppressor circuit on the A path SE-70
so it functions as a pre-delay volume pedal for that path (connected directly to the SE-70)
CB1. footswitch controls the filter on the TC Fireworx
CB2. Boss FC50 changes patches on the B path SE-70. CB3 and CB4 are converted to MIDI
controllers #7, #64 and #80 through this unit as well.
CB3. EV-5 pedal controls the output level of the noise suppressor circuit on the B path SE-70
so it functions as a pre-delay volume pedal for that path.
CB4. Two "latched" swathes with LEDs for altering parameters and bypassing individual effects
within the multi-effects patches on the B path SE-70.
Recording:
R1. Mac Powerbook running Logic, using an M-Audio interface with 8 inputs. stereo mics in from of the drums (AT-4050 set to omni), Direct from the trumpet effects processor, mic in front of the guitar amp and direct signal from 4a.
Enhancement:
G1, stainless steel travel mug with strong dark roast Melita cone drip. a little sugar, no cream.