Organizing Strymon Presets

M

Matthew Terrado

Active Member
strymon users! Or any other midi pedal users, how do you organize your presets within your midi pedals?
Generally, I like to organize everything alphabetically by song but if I need to add a new preset, everything has to get switched around. I just got a PBC and I’m trying to figure out what’s the best way to organize presets on my strymon pedals (Mobius, timeline, big sky) so that if I have to add a new preset on them, I wouldn’t have to go through all my songs on the PBC and change them accordingly.
 
I don't organise mine on the Strymon Pedals at all. I just stick a new preset wherever I can find one that isn't in use and do all the organising on the PBC. I have a button page setup on the PBC to scroll through presets on each of my midi devices which makes it easy to find a preset then hit the IA/Store button on the PBC to remember it. Works a treat for me but then I'm a bit too scatter brained to handle neatly organised anything ;-)
 
Wheresthedug said:
I don't organise mine on the Strymon Pedals at all. I just stick a new preset wherever I can find one that isn't in use and do all the organising on the PBC. I have a button page setup on the PBC to scroll through presets on each of my midi devices which makes it easy to find a preset then hit the IA/Store button on the PBC to remember it. Works a treat for me but then I'm a bit too scatter brained to handle neatly organised anything ;-)
Click to expand...

I also plan on making a button page to scroll through all my strymon presets but I also plan to have songs available on the PBC to drag into a setlist. I’m trying to make it as fast as possible to organize a setlist without having to tweak a bunch of midi commands. I’d rather spend more time playing through songs than setting up presets with the little time I have (kids)
 
Ah, the perennial problem. Only one solution I'm afraid; get rid of the kids ;-)

I'm not sure why managing set lists by drag and drop would upset your preset numbers.

How many distinct Strymon presets do you actually use? What is different about them?

I tend to use only 3 or 4 delays but linked to tempo. eg. 1 Andy Timmons type serial twin delay, a long single tape style delay, a slap back and maybe one or two specialist effects. I get round having tons of different delays by saving tempo in the song file so one delay style can cover many many songs.

If you need more than that because you use different delay "types" I would tend to save all my tape style delays in presets 1 -10 (or however many you are likely to need, then all my digital in the next sequential spaces etc. As long as you leave a few extras you should be able to fit in more if required without affecting the following blocks. As long as you stick to a consistent naming/munbering system you could always save the Strymon presets to the librarian editor (I think that might now be totally replaced by Nixie but not sure) and load presets to the Strymons on a project/band basis and have these line up with PBC settings.
 
I've also have some thoughts for organizing strymon presets. - I have ended up with storing similar strymon presets in "intervals" i.e. for example Big Sky: all the "Halls", "Springs" etc. lined up after each other. - This combined with button page for doing "preset+" "preset-" for each device. - Modify the preset and pres "IA store", then it's remembered next time you play that song.
 
If you own a MIDI switcher, it doesn't make sense to keep reordering the Strymon presets. (Trust me, I understand why you want to...I'm pretty OCD organized as well). But it just doesn't make sense and takes longer.

I have the big Strymon 3 (Timeline, Mobius and BigSky). I just start at preset 0 and start adding as time goes. I create presets in the PBC for each song, pointing to the right MIDI command on each of these 3 pedals. Then I create a Song inside the PBC where I specify the needed presets (the PBC presets). Then I create a setlist specifying which songs I need for a gig. The Strymon preset never gets moved again...it might get deleted and replaced eventually when I run out of space, but never just moved.

I use over 150 different delay presets, about 10 verb presets and several modulation presets this way. From one OCD guy to another....do it this way...you'll thank me later. Once the presets and songs are created in the PBC, you'll never have to do it again. Just create setlists as needed and drag those songs onto them. NOT having to mess with the Strymons is waaaay better than having to. The Strymon Librarian software is too archaic and Nixie still acts buggy....
 
I should mention, I created an excel spreadsheet for my 3 Strymon pedals MIDI setup where I keep track of all presets on them. This way I can easily see where each preset is.

Plus, I put some columns on there that help with how to MIDI command to them if you aren't using the PBC or doing some fancy programming. (Most people don't realize that the PBC does some automatic work for you when it comes to PC changes...it has to send a MIDI CC#0 value of 0-2, depending on patch and pedal, first, then follow it up with a PC command. The PBC does this automatically, but sometimes you need to do it manually in some cases...my spreadsheet helps with that). I can post it if anyone thinks it would be helpful....
 
shoelesscraig said:
I should mention, I created an excel spreadsheet for my 3 Strymon pedals MIDI setup where I keep track of all presets on them. This way I can easily see where each preset is.

Plus, I put some columns on there that help with how to MIDI command to them if you aren't using the PBC or doing some fancy programming. (Most people don't realize that the PBC does some automatic work for you when it comes to PC changes...it has to send a MIDI CC#0 value of 0-2, depending on patch and pedal, first, then follow it up with a PC command. The PBC does this automatically, but sometimes you need to do it manually in some cases...my spreadsheet helps with that). I can post it if anyone thinks it would be helpful....
Click to expand...
I think this is the best way for me as I have the 3 big strymons and a lot of presets that I use for each. I was thinking of making an excel spreadsheet as well. I’d love to take a peek at yours if you’re willing to post it!
 
Matthew Terrado said:
I think this is the best way for me as I have the 3 big strymons and a lot of presets that I use for each. I was thinking of making an excel spreadsheet as well. I’d love to take a peek at yours if you’re willing to post it!
Click to expand...

Well, I was going to upload it, but it looks like the forum will not allow me to upload an Excel spreadsheet. If you want to message me an email address for you, I'd be happy to email it. (You don't know me, but I'm not a hacker trying to steal your information or something....haha!). Up to you!
 
shoelesscraig said:
Well, I was going to upload it, but it looks like the forum will not allow me to upload an Excel spreadsheet. If you want to message me an email address for you, I'd be happy to email it. (You don't know me, but I'm not a hacker trying to steal your information or something....haha!). Up to you!
Click to expand...

You probably can upload if you zip the file first.
 
Matthew Terrado said:
Hey thank you for doing that! Can you explain why certain presets only need a PC and others need CC and PC?
Click to expand...

Sure...(but see the Strymon manuals for a more official explanation). And if anyone knows more than me (likely), please correct me where I'm wrong.

In order for you to change the BigSky for example to preset #14 (which would be Bank-04C), all it has to receive is a PC message of 14. This is true all the way up to preset 127 (for any Strymon pedal). But, if you wanted to go to preset #200 for example, the BigSky has to receive a CC message of CC#0=1 and then a PC message of 72. When it receives a CC#0 message of "1" and then a PC of "72" it will go to Bank-66C.....which you know as "preset 200".

The above always has to happen. HOWEVER, when you set up the PBC and add the BigSky as a device, if you leave the defaults that Ron has in the editor for the bank setup (MSB and Flat Numbering checked)....the software only makes you put in "200" when you want to do the above. The PBC is actually doing the above procedure, but all you have to do is say "200" and it does the rest. Make sense.

Let's say you wanted to program an IA button to take you to a certain preset on your BigSky. If you notice, you can choose "PC" as the action type, then choose BigSky, and then type in On/Off numbers...but you can ONLY put in numbers up to 127. If you wanted to do the "preset 200" example above, you can't do it without manually doing the CC#0=1 and then PC=72 procedure above. That is the reason for the extra data on my spreadsheet. Plus, not every MIDI controller is as smart as Ron's...some of them require you to ALWAYS do this style programming. So those extra columns are just quick reference for me.

Does that help?
 
shoelesscraig said:
Sure...(but see the Strymon manuals for a more official explanation). And if anyone knows more than me (likely), please correct me where I'm wrong.

In order for you to change the BigSky for example to preset #14 (which would be Bank-04C), all it has to receive is a PC message of 14. This is true all the way up to preset 127 (for any Strymon pedal). But, if you wanted to go to preset #200 for example, the BigSky has to receive a CC message of CC#0=1 and then a PC message of 72. When it receives a CC#0 message of "1" and then a PC of "72" it will go to Bank-66C.....which you know as "preset 200".

The above always has to happen. HOWEVER, when you set up the PBC and add the BigSky as a device, if you leave the defaults that Ron has in the editor for the bank setup (MSB and Flat Numbering checked)....the software only makes you put in "200" when you want to do the above. The PBC is actually doing the above procedure, but all you have to do is say "200" and it does the rest. Make sense.

Let's say you wanted to program an IA button to take you to a certain preset on your BigSky. If you notice, you can choose "PC" as the action type, then choose BigSky, and then type in On/Off numbers...but you can ONLY put in numbers up to 127. If you wanted to do the "preset 200" example above, you can't do it without manually doing the CC#0=1 and then PC=72 procedure above. That is the reason for the extra data on my spreadsheet. Plus, not every MIDI controller is as smart as Ron's...some of them require you to ALWAYS do this style programming. So those extra columns are just quick reference for me.

Does that help?
Click to expand...
Couldn’t have explained it any better. Thanks for all the info! I’m using a disaster area dpc-5 right now and you have to manually scroll to a preset on the strymon to save it to a preset on the dpc so I’ve never had the option to enter in CC’s or PC’s. With the DPC you can’t create songs/setlists so I’m stoked to be able to pull up a song and dragging it in a setlist rather than having to create presets for each song every time I gig.
 
shoelesscraig said:
Yep, Ron was right...I didn't think of that. I attached it here in case anyone else wants it.
Click to expand...
I was able to open the spreadsheet. Wow, that's way prettier than what I did . I watched a video a while back and Mikey Woodward with Goodwood Audio (who built my board) talked about and showed his "cheatsheet" on this - he has not gotten around to sharing it but I just built my own and use it for my H9's as well so I can try and keep track of what I am using - and on what song - without having to dig in the PBC Editor at the same time. Helps save a bit of time when crafting sounds and setting up presets and songs...

I am doing exactly what is said above - my Timeline and Mobius presets are in no particular order except I started putting downloaded/shared presets at the beginning of the list before I had the PBC so I could access them faster manually. I have not made any changes since and probably won't now. I took screen shots of the early Strymon editor screens for my phone so I could remember where they were too!

I have not used anything past 127 on either of my Strymons - most of the plus-100's are just duplicates of the earlier ones...but it's good to know about the CC's. I had forgotten about that.
 
Maybe it's because I'm on my phone. I'll have to try on a computer. I'm liking the idea of just having a few variations of different delays and reverbs set up with varying amounts of repeats and mixes. Then just slave them to the PBC with midi clock.
 
Jayden Friesen said:
Maybe it's because I'm on my phone. I'll have to try on a computer. I'm liking the idea of just having a few variations of different delays and reverbs set up with varying amounts of repeats and mixes. Then just slave them to the PBC with midi clock.
Click to expand...

I saw you DM’d me. I don’t have access to my pc right now to send it to you, but I suspect it is the phone causing your issue. If you can, try your PC and see if that’s it. If you still have issues, let me know and I’ll try to send when I can.
 
shoelesscraig said:
I saw you DM’d me. I don’t have access to my pc right now to send it to you, but I suspect it is the phone causing your issue. If you can, try your PC and see if that’s it. If you still have issues, let me know and I’ll try to send when I can.
Click to expand...

I got it to work, but I had to open it in a few apps to see it. Oh well. Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top