GenoBluzGtr Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 I'm starting to include a Volume Block with my presets. A couple of reasons... - I was used to using a "boost pedal" or riding the guitar volume when I used amps and pedals. Never used a volume pedal before, so I wasn't "used to it". Now I think it's time to use it for a couple of things. - Volume balance between presets... My thought is to get my presets as close as I can in volume, but as I've seen over the past several months, I can never get them perfect and always end up adjusting the "big knob" several times during a gig. This way, I have a "window" and can use something close to the "mid-way" point for most rhythm stuff, and just dime it for solos. - Adjusting from Cleans to drives. I don't like to use a volume pedal to do anything other than pure level... and I don't care much for using it to "clean up" drives, etc... I can do that with my volume know on the guitar. So, my question: Do you put the volume pedal before everything? Between ODs and Amp? After the Amp but before Mods/Verbs/Delays? At the VERY end of the chain? Also, is Linear better? or Logarithmic? What are the pros and cons? Right now, I'm putting it after the amp and cab/IR, but before things like the delay and reverb (and any last-in-the-chain EQ blocks). And I'm using Linear, but I'm setting the travel to go from a minimum of 40% volume to a max of 100%. My hope is that I set the overall volume for a good lead/solo level when the pedal is toe-down. Then back off to about 60-65% for most Rhythm duties, but adjust in the Halfway area +/- some as I move from Preset to Preset. Better ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniedenov Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Put it after the cab or even between the amp and cab (it's a subtle difference) if you don't want it to clean the amp up. I like to have it before reverbs, delays and modulations (though sometimes I'll make an exception with something like a phase shifter). And I find "logarhythmic" to be the only useful way to set it, but then again, I mostly use it for volume swells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 If you intend to use it as an overall volume adjustment then somewhere toward the end of your signal chain is where you would want to put it. You will have to decide between logarithmic or linear just based on how it responds to your liking. Don't forget to set your expression pedal to "global" in global settings so that no matter which preset you have running or switch to, the volume pedal position is always current. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenoBluzGtr Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 If you intend to use it as an overall volume adjustment then somewhere toward the end of your signal chain is where you would want to put it. You will have to decide between logarithmic or linear just based on how it responds to your liking. Don't forget to set your expression pedal to "global" in global settings so that no matter which preset you have running or switch to, the volume pedal position is always current. Thanks for that... that explains when when I switch presets, I have to always adjust my pedal back to that ~65% spot... if I make it "global", it will automatically set the new preset to that position? Since we're on this topic, is there a way to make it so that when I switch presets, the Volume Pedal Block is always "selected" so I can look down and see the percentage level of my pedal position ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Thanks for that... that explains when when I switch presets, I have to always adjust my pedal back to that ~65% spot... if I make it "global", it will automatically set the new preset to that position? Since we're on this topic, is there a way to make it so that when I switch presets, the Volume Pedal Block is always "selected" so I can look down and see the percentage level of my pedal position ?? Yes if you make your EXP pedals set to "global" then if you have it at 65% in a preset, then switch presets, it will still be at 65%. In order to have the volume block selected when switching presets, you will have to save your preset with the volume block selected. I think that will work, but I am not at my Helix at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenoBluzGtr Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 Thanks, I'll give both a try. This could make things even easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakeItShredNo1 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 erniedenov and jbuhajla mentioned this idea, but to elaborate: (also, my "Quote" function isn't working for some reason in my browser, sorry)There are three general places you put a volume pedal in an FX chain. The very beginningThis will basically mimic a guitar volume pot. If your amps are breaking up, moving towards the heel on the volume pedal should clean them up (depending on how gain-y the amp is set) in addition to lowering the volume. Between the "gain" and "time effects"This typically means after the amp, but could also be between distortion pedals and other pedals if you're running your amp clean and getting gain from pedals. This will leave your base tone as is - moving toward the heel position will not clean up - but leave the "trails" on your FX like delay and reverb. As erniedenov mentioned, in Helix you can place the pedal between the amp and cab, which will give you full signal hitting your amp but attenuate the signal hitting the speaker, which can do different things on different cabs, but typically causes your signal to clean up easier due to less speaker breakup (YMMV in modeling). The very end of the chain.This essentially mimics a master output volume. The pedal does not effect tone at all, but does effect time-based effects. Full heel down will completely cut off the output, including trails on reverb and delay (assuming you have the minimum level set to 0%). As for the taper - that's something of a matter of preference, as long as you remember that our ears perceive sound to be logarithmic - that is, increasing dB by an order of magnitude (x10) is perceived as "doubling in volume." (read more here) So if Helix shows the volume pedal at "50%" you will hear it as more like 80% of full volume. That's why logarithmic tapers make such good volume swells - add in that we tend to unconsciously change how fast we move our foot as it gets closer to "toe down" and it's tricky to make a volume swell sound "natural" on a linear taper. That being said, I almost always run my volume pedal on linear because I don't use it for swells, I use it to tame my output in quiet parts and linear feels right to me. No answers, only better questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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