A Little Confused...

gitapik

gitapik

Active Member
Hi,

I'm back on the trail with my PBC 6x. I was intimidated at first, but it's just too powerful a unit to ignore. And I love my pedals. So I want to do more than just set up basic presets.

I just Bookmarked the "Mastering the Mastermind" video link page...and have watched a few as well. So far I haven't come up with answers to:

1) On my "Presets" page in the Editor (4.6.1), when I go to "Audio", the Loops show as they "should" (what's seen in the videos). But when I go to the global Audio page, Loops 1 through 7 have an extra box (besides the lock, Off/On boxes) which is labeled "Fuzz". Now...I just subbed a fuzz pedal for my Timmy, which used to occupy Loop #4. Renamed my presets, "Fuzz", as well. Wondering what's happened here and how it might be effecting everything else.

2) I have a Strymon Volante last in the chain as a midi device. I've figured out how to assign the 8 presets to individual Mastermind presets, but they aren't engaged when I switch presets. I have to press 'On'..which is nice in some scenarios...but not others. Wondering how I can customize that. Before I learned how to edit those 8 delays and assign them to specific Mastermind presets; the Mastermind would automatically assign the Volante presets to the Mastermind ones, in sequence (Volante 1 to Mastermind 1 etc) and the effect would be "On" the minute it switched over. Now it's the opposite.

3) Along the same lines with the Volante: I'd like to set up trails. I'm sure it's in the videos...just looking for a shortcut through discussion.

4) And, one more time with the Volante: while I can edit and assign presets 1-8 (or 0-7, I should say)...I'm in the dark as to how to create and save presets outside of those numbers. As is; I set up the preset, wait for the blue light, and then press one of the 8 buttons. I'd like to know how to start using those other 292 presets.

I know this is a "Read the Manual, Bob!" moment...and I will continue to study up. But any help will be greatly appreciated. If it's too wordy to explain; hopefully someone can set me up with some links.

Thanks.
 
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1) Checking the Fuzz box tells the PBC that there's a fuzz in the loop. If that loop is first loop turned on in the signal chain, the PBC will automatically turn off the input buffer to keep the buffer from interfering with the fuzz. Once the loop is turned off (or is no longer the first active pedal in the signal chain), the buffer will turn on again.

2) The answer depends on how you assigned the Volante presets to PBC presets in the first place. If you'd like to send me your settings file you saved in the editor, I can have a look and make suggestions.

3) The only way to have trails is to have the Volante's loop turned on at all times, and then send it MIDI commands to enable or disable the pedal. Or, don't have the Volante in a PBC loop at all, and have it connected after the PBC's output. You can still get it to bypass using MIDI commands.

4) I've never used a Volante, so I can't give a definite answer. However, the way it works with most pedals is that you set up a PBC preset to select one of the Volante presets via MIDI, set the knobs as desired, then hold whatever button is required to store the preset.
 
rjmmusic said:
1) Checking the Fuzz box tells the PBC that there's a fuzz in the loop. If that loop is first loop turned on in the signal chain, the PBC will automatically turn off the input buffer to keep the buffer from interfering with the fuzz. Once the loop is turned off (or is no longer the first active pedal in the signal chain), the buffer will turn on again.

2) The answer depends on how you assigned the Volante presets to PBC presets in the first place. If you'd like to send me your settings file you saved in the editor, I can have a look and make suggestions.

3) The only way to have trails is to have the Volante's loop turned on at all times, and then send it MIDI commands to enable or disable the pedal. Or, don't have the Volante in a PBC loop at all, and have it connected after the PBC's output. You can still get it to bypass using MIDI commands.

4) I've never used a Volante, so I can't give a definite answer. However, the way it works with most pedals is that you set up a PBC preset to select one of the Volante presets via MIDI, set the knobs as desired, then hold whatever button is required to store the preset.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Hoping for a bit more clarification:

The fuzz that replaced the Timmy is the 4th loop, overall. I do have it as first in the chain with a couple of my presets. On the global Audio tab, all of the loops are labeled "Fuzz", with Loop 1 "On" in blue and Buffer 1 "On" and in blue, also. In the Audio tab of Presets; there is no mention of Fuzz on any of the Loops and the Buffer is labeled as "On', but not blue in all of the presets.

Is this normal? I'm noticing no sound problems. Everything's coming out crystal clear.

Not sure why; but the Volante used to be turned on at all times and now it's not. Can you tell me how to set this up?
 
gitapik said:
Thanks. Hoping for a bit more clarification:

The fuzz that replaced the Timmy is the 4th loop, overall. I do have it as first in the chain with a couple of my presets. On the global Audio tab, all of the loops are labeled "Fuzz", with Loop 1 "On" in blue and Buffer 1 "On" and in blue, also. In the Audio tab of Presets; there is no mention of Fuzz on any of the Loops and the Buffer is labeled as "On', but not blue in all of the presets.

Is this normal? I'm noticing no sound problems. Everything's coming out crystal clear.

Not sure why; but the Volante used to be turned on at all times and now it's not. Can you tell me how to set this up?
Click to expand...
I've been watching some videos and I'm seeing where I should be able to disable midi messages to a device on the Presets tab (both on the PC Messages and Audio area of Presets). This doesn't work with my board and I believe this is because my Volante isn't connected to a Loop. It's running last in the signal chain, simply connected as a midi device. Is this where my problems lie?
 
The Fuzz mode doesn't have any visible effect in the editor, but if you have Fuzz checked for loop 4, when you turn on loop 4, the buffer indicator on the PBC's screen should turn off.

The audio connections and MIDI connections are completely independent of each other. You can control the pedal from the PBC even if it's not connected to a loop - as long as it's connected by MIDI. Why it isn't working is something that needs more research. Do you have any buttons on your PBC defined to control the bypass state of the Volante? If Send on Preset Change is turned on on that button, that's probably why the Volante is turned off.
 
Thanks. Please know that I am doing my homework, here. Just want to make sure I get it right and I do appreciate your assistance.

At first, the 8 Volante presets would coincide with the Mastermind Presets. Always On. Then I assigned one Volante preset to all of my Mastermind Presets and, although this worked, the Volante would always be Off. I've since done a factory reset and the Volante is now always on when I switch presets on the Mastermind, again.

These are screenshots of my Global, Midi, Devices, and Audio tabs, as a reference to both the Fuzz and Volante:

CJ52rIw.png


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This is a shot of the Preset Actions with the Fuzz engaged first in the chain (Loop 4):

8kKw311.png


This is Preset Audio for the same preset/pedal order (Fuzz is Loop 4):

IbwxSyu.png


Here's the Preset Action for no Fuzz and Volante Engaged:

GTaDQtt.png


And the Preset Audio for the same:

rQDax7v.png


And here's a Preset Action for no Fuzz and Volante not engaged (I tried it with the box checked on and off with the same result: Volante was engaged):

GVn9wvA.png


And Preset Audio for the same preset:

HM2a1Cl.png


Hopefully this isn't too confusing and overkill. Thanks, in advance, for your attention.
 
Ok, a few things:
- You really shouldn't use preset actions except as a last resort. You can make it work, but it will result in a lot more work for you in the long run. (You would be required to add a preset action to every preset you're using)
- You're sending CC#7 to the Volante, but according to the Volante manual, that CC number doesn't do anything.

I recommend editing a button on the PBC, which is dedicated to turning the Volante on and off. The button settings should be:
- Mode: Normal
- Type: IA
- Send on Preset Change on, Update on Preset Change on, all other checkboxes off
- Add this action to the button:
Volante:Bypass / CC Toggle #102 off:0 on:127

Pressing the button should toggle the Volante on and off. Once that's verified to be working, you can use the Buttons section of the Presets tab to choose whether that button automatically turns on or off for each preset, which in turn will bypass or activate the pedal.
 
Thanks.

I’m in transit and will take care of this as soon as I’m home.

Couple of questions:

I don’t remember doing any setting up of the Preset Actions/cc toggle but will be happy to take it down. Can you tell me how to disable those actions?

I’ll give your Volante suggestion a shot. So the assigned delay preset will be available for the corresponding Mastermind preset but the diff will be that it’s on a separately defined button in the board that can either be assigned or not?

I was considering assigning a “blank” Volante preset (everything set to zero) to the Mastermind presets that don’t require a delay as a solution last night. Would you have thoughts on that?
 
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gitapik said:
Thanks.

I’m in transit and will take care of this as soon as I’m home.

Couple of questions:

I don’t remember doing any setting up of the Preset Actions/cc toggle but will be happy to take it down. Can you tell me how to disable those actions?

I’ll give your Volante suggestion a shot. So the assigned delay preset will be available for the corresponding Mastermind preset but the diff will be that it’s on a separately defined button in the board that can either be assigned or not?

I was considering assigning a “blank” Volante preset (everything set to zero) to the Mastermind presets that don’t require a delay as a solution last night. Would you have thoughts on that?
Click to expand...
To disable, just click on the action and click Remove Action.

The difference is that you now have a way to turn the Volante on and off. In the settings you posted, there was nothing I could see that was trying to control the Volante's bypass state. It may be the Volante allows you to store some presets in the bypassed state and others in the active state - that would explain why it was turning off. But there's nothing I could see in the PBC that would attempt to bypass or active the Volante.

You could set up a blank Volante preset, but it's not an optimal solution because you use up one of your 8 presets.
 
I had the Preset Actions on 3 of my 20 presets. I just removed those actions. Wondering what I should do with that Button Groups Volante CC action 7 on the Global tab...(?)
 
gitapik said:
I had the Preset Actions on 3 of my 20 presets. I just removed those actions. Wondering what I should do with that Button Groups Volante CC action 7 on the Global tab...(?)
Click to expand...
Remove that, too.

It looks like you didn't start with a new configuration, instead starting with settings for a different rig?
 
gitapik said:
Thought I had 300 presets...?
Click to expand...
You're right, sorry, I was just reading the manual for another pedal and got them confused.

If you can store a preset in the Volante so that it starts up bypassed, and store the other presets in the active state, then that would be an ok solution. No additional button required in that case.
 
gitapik said:
Not sure what you mean by the "new configuration/different rig" comment. Can you elaborate?
Click to expand...
I'm just wondering where all the CC#7s are coming from if you didn't put them there. Pre-existing settings from a previous configuration is one explanation.
 
rjmmusic said:
I'm just wondering where all the CC#7s are coming from if you didn't put them there. Pre-existing settings from a previous configuration is one explanation.
Click to expand...
I see. It might've been yours truly in one of my less than lucid moments...? Don't know.

Thanks so much. I'll delete it. Leaving "Allow all buttons off" checked"...yes?
 
gitapik said:
I see. It might've been yours truly in one of my less than lucid moments...? Don't know.

Thanks so much. I'll delete it. Leaving "Allow all buttons off" checked"...yes?
Click to expand...
It depends. Do you have any buttons assigned to that group (group 1)? If not, the setting doesn't matter.
 
Nope. Volante is Group 1 and no buttons are assigned at this point. Think I'm going to set up that "blank preset" for now. Don't want to lose a preset button. But thanks for the suggestion.

Thank you so much. I'll let you know how things work out. This 6x is awesome! Kudos!
 
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So I should leave "Allow all buttons off" checked on the Global Button Groups?

Also: I guess this is RJM101, here...but I notice that I'm losing all my settings on my Mastermind Editor after doing a Backup and then closing it. That is, the settings aren't there when I click on the Editor icon on my Mac's dock, once it's been closed. Does this mean I just open the most recent Backup as my Editor when I want to make/import/export changes?
 
gitapik said:
So I should leave "Allow all buttons off" checked on the Global Button Groups?

Also: I guess this is RJM101, here...but I notice that I'm losing all my settings on my Mastermind Editor after doing a Backup and then closing it. That is, the settings aren't there when I click on the Editor icon on my Mac's dock, once it's been closed. Does this mean I just open the most recent Backup as my Editor when I want to make/import/export changes?
Click to expand...
If no buttons are assigned to Group 1, then Allow All Buttons Off has no affect at all. Groups affect the behavior of IA buttons and have no other effect.

The editor always starts up with a blank configuration. Load your last saved file (or read settings from your PBC) and you'll be ready to go.
 
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