What is considered "12 O'clock" with knob settings?

[EvanBl]

Hey guys,

 

I'm still getting used to the transition to using a multi effects unit after being used to pedals for a long time. I know generally to dial in a sound on an unfamiliar pedal you 'start at 12 O'clock and go from there.'

 

My question is when you load an effect, are the control parameters considered "12 O'clock" when the bar graphic is half full, or when the knob is in it's default state.

 

Thank you!!

[silverhead]

The default settings are not necessarily 12 o’clock. The midpoint of the range would be considered 12 o’clock.

 

Unless, of course, your amp goes to 11.

[voxman55]

Its an interesting question. The terminology only really evolved relating to amp EQ where the halfway point on the knobs rotary position ie 12 noon 'straight up' was intended to indicate a more neutral halfway tone.  Even then this is misleading because on some amps the tone parameters are interactive ie adjustments to one parameter e.g. mids, changes other parameters eg treble and bass, depending on where they are positioned.  If you were looking at a bar line equivalent think of it that e.g. if you set mids to halfway and then changed the treble to halfway, the mids and or bass bar would move too. With certain real effects, the adjustment scale is logarithmic not linear which means that half way doesn't always represent the mid point of the parameter range. 

 

However, assuming the modelling is accurate this behaviour may still be reproduced but may not equate to what you see. For example although you're seeing the bar at halfway, much in the same way as 12 noon on a rotary dial, that doesn't always mean you are hearing  half the range. For example the maximum change you hear might be within the first 70 percent of the parameter range with the remainder having less impact. So 12 noon on the dial or 50 percent along the bar may not always equate to what you might think.

[phil_m]

On some amp models the default settings of some parameters is actually 0 or 10. Some amps, for instance, don't have an actual Presence knob, so leaving it 0 would be the default position. On amps that don't have a Master Volume knob, having the Master Volume parameter at 10 would be the default position. So I guess, really, I'll add another vote in for the 50% spot doesn't really mean much.

[voxman55]

16 minutes ago, phil_m said:

On some amp models the default settings of some parameters is actually 0 or 10. Some amps, for instance, don't have an actual Presence knob, so leaving it 0 would be the default position. On amps that don't have a Master Volume knob, having the Master Volume parameter at 10 would be the default position. So I guess, really, I'll add another vote in for the 50% spot doesn't really mean much.

Exactly right sir!   

[EvanBl]

Thanks y'all! Yeah this question came to me because I was preoccupied with the parameters on one of the Pod Go's compressor effects, with one default value being -37 dB (around maybe 30% spot on the bar). I was trying to compare it to a general compressor settings guide which simply says "4 O'clock for this tone, 2 O'clock for this other tone."

 

But yeah I totally haven't considered the nature of logarithmic vs linear values, max/min default positions, etc etc. If only it was easier to specify a value on an actual pedal.