Blend Models And Mags With Expression Pedal

[adessmith]

I use the magnetics for my electric tone, and modeling for my acoustic tone, and make a smooth transition or blend the two together with the expression pedal.

I was just curious if anyone has a different method for doing this.

This is how I do it:

In the setup menu (hold the VIEW button to get into that menu) scroll down to the inputs page (page 3).
For input 1 source I selected VARIAX (knob 1) (This will route the models to the top section where the path splits on the screen)
For input 2 source I selected VARIAX MAGS (knob 2) (This routes the magnetic pickups to the bottom section of the dual paths)

You also wanna make sure input setup is set to preset, not Global (do this with knob 4) From what I understand that is just to make sure that the inputs can be set differently on a patch by patch basis.

Then scroll down to page 7 (the Variax page)
Make sure Preset is selected (knob 1)... again, I think this ensures that each patch can have its own model specified.
Also, ensure that Vol+Tone+Toggle lock is selected (knob 3) so that any volume, tone, or switch changes you make for the electric tone doesn't change the acoustic model you are using.
Then use the #2 dial to set the acoustic model you want to use.

 

THEN, exit the setup menu (using the view button)
Place any effects, preamps, etc you want to use for the acoustic sound in the top section of the "dual path"
Place your amp and effects for your electric in the bottom section.
You also want to select the mixer (the little doohickey where the two paths come together) and make sure neither A or B are panned left or right

They need to both be at 0. You can also adjust the volume level of each path here to balance the volume between the two.

 

 

NOW, the trick to blend between them with the volume pedal can be accomplished 2 ways.

You can put a volume pedal in each path. This uses up some of your DSP though, and two effects "slots" on the screen.

The other thing you can do is assign the expression pedal to a parameter of an amp or effect (such as volume).

To assign the expression pedal to a parameter of a virtual volume pedal or amp, select the amp or pedal is the signal chain and double tap the MOVE button. Turn knob 1 until you see the parameter you want to control. (The only parameter for the volume pedal is called volume, so turning it wont do anything when you are setting up a volume pedal in the signal chain), then turn knob 2 to select EXP1 or what you want to use to control it (you could even blend with the volume or tone knobs on the guitar!) Then use knobs 3 and 4 to select your min and max settings.
What I do is assign the expression pedal to the volume parameter of the amp model I use for the electric, and insert a volume pedal for the acoustic.
The trick, though, is to enter the max and min values backwards on one of them.
For instance:

I set the volume pedal on EXP1 (for acoustic) to min 0%, Max 100%.
Then I also assigned EXP1 to the volume parameter of the amp for the electric, and set the Min 100%, Max 0% (When EXP1 is at its MIN setting, the volume is 100%, When it is at its MAX setting the volume is at 0)
This way the volume pedal controls the acoustic the way you would expect, but controls the electric in reverse (When the expression pedal is at the lowest position [heel down]the electric is all the way up, but the acoustic is all the way down, when it is at the highest position [toe down] the acoustic is turned all the way up, and the electric is all the way down.

I have experimented with the values a little, but I've never gotten it to respond exactly like I want. For the most part it works well enough though.
The thing to note is, by doing it this way when the expression pedal is exactly 1/2 way between min and max, both tones are at 50% volume.
I don't know enough about how sounds mix together, but I would think that 2 guitars playing at the same volume are not 2x as loud, so two guitars at 50% probably don't equal 100% (at least it seems like that when I attempt to "blend" them)
Sometimes I disable the volume pedal on the acoustic, so the acoustic stays full blast while I add in the desired amount of electric.
Other times I want to make a smooth transition from acoustic to electric, so I keep it on.

 

While I was writing this, I thought about trying to set it up so that EXP1 acts like a blend between the two, and EXP2 adds the electric without taking out the acoustic, but thinking about how to set it up to do this is making my brain hurt. I'm actually afraid if I try my brain may very well explode...

[ltmsc]

I do the same, but use an additional expression pedal. The Line 6 one works great. I just plug it in to the HD500. The pedal on the HD500 controls my electric volume (via the modeled amp's volume) and the second pedal controls my acoustic. I do like your blended way with only one pedal, but with two, I can get 100% volume with each path.

[Rewolf48]

You do have two knobs on the Variax as well - so the acoustic volume could be controlled by the Variax Volume knob and the Mags by the Tone or you could use the tone to cross-fade between the electric and mags sounds.

 

The relative volumes at 50% depend on the response curves of the volume pedals - this is a known issue with the HD series that hasn't been fixed or enhanced http://line6.com/support/message/369651#369651

[Rewolf48]

I should have said that to keep an even overall volume you need 50% RMS on each source at the half point (root mean squared) not 50% of the signal level.  the latter will give an apparent drop in volume at the mid point