Let’s Talk effects!

I’ve decided to push back what I was going to put as this week’s video so I could answer some questions that I’ve seen on the one Facebook group.

Using effects

I’ve used two of the methods that I am going to discuss and one was a theory I have had and decided to try it.

Setting up internal effects

The first one, is the easiest because it doesn’t require any extra items.  It is quite easy to do as well.  You select the channel that you want to add the effect, click the MIXER button, use the cursor buttons to float over the “INSERT EFFECTS” icon.  Use the JOG wheel to turn it on.  Once it is on, click the effects button and you should be able to set what effects you want for that track.

Note: The internal effect can only be used on a single track at a time.  If you want to use it with more tracks, you’ll have to make sure that the effects are recorded so you don’t loose your settings.

Using external effects

This is pretty much my go-to setting.  I have a large selection of rack mounted effects that like to use all the time.  The console offers two separate channels to send effects.  On the back of the console, you’ll see two 1/4″ inputs above is written EFFECT SENDS.  You’ll need an outside source for your effects, this can be a guitar pedal or rack system.

To set this one up, put a 1/4″ cable (unbalanced) into the back or either effect 1 or 2, depending on which one you want to use on the front end.  Put the other end of the cable into the input side of the  effect that you’ll be using, for this first example, put another quarter in cable into the output side of the effect, if the effect is stereo, you’ll need two cables.

Plug the other end of the cable(s) into the A – H inputs on your console.  For a stereo effect, place the cables side by side remembering to do this in pairs.  A & B, C & D, E & F, G & H.

Using the assign button, assign the inputs to a track or tracks for recording, if using stereo, assign it to a stereo track and set the levels and press the record button.  You can monitor the levels on the screen and through your speakers.

Select the track that will be using the effect.  Click the MIXER button.  On the screen you will see two sections called “SEND” in the bottom right corner, one is green the other is grey.  First we want to turn up the master sends on the track, I generally leave both up fully since they are only active when there is a signal going through the system.  With the grey knobs, turn both masters all the way up, there isn’t any point in having them any lower because you’ll control the volume of sound going to the effects loop with the green knobs.

To the lower right of the knob on the screen you’ll see a box with either the word: OFF, PRE, or POST.  This is for setting when the effect uses the signal.  OFF won’t send any signal, PRE will use the signal as it has either been recorded or how it is set by the input.  Use PRE if you want to use an effect on a track, but you’d like to have the little or no original sound coming from the monitors so you can hear more of the effect.  POST uses the signal as it sounds coming out of the monitors.  If you don’t set this, you won’t get any signal for your effect to use.

Start playing our song or part, if you have many sections recorded, mute all the tracks except for the one you are recording the effects on and the track(s) using the effect. Play the song and start turning the send knob on the effect up (either EFF 1 or EFF 2).  You should start hearing the effect coming through your system.  If not check all the steps again.  If you still don’t hear anything, do the following:

Using the monitor select button, switch it to only play the effects channel, either EFFECT SEND 1 or EFFECT SEND 2, make sure it is the channel that you are using.  If you hear sound, that means it is something between your effect and the return input.  At least you know the initial part is correct.

If you are hearing the effect, you are now able to set up your effect how you’d like and record it on a separate track.  I like to do this because it gives me freedom to change it later if I didn’t like what I had originally done without having to start over with the original track.

Using the internal effects like an external effect

As I write this, it’s currently a theory, but I am certain it will work.  I will be testing my theory out in the video.  This one comes from the question, how can I add effects onto a imported track, which to me is the same idea as, I have a track, I’d now like to add some effects to it.

Borrowing from two previous sections.  We will first take a 1/4″ cable, insert one end into the effects input on the back and the other we will insert into an input channel (A – H), if you want to use the amp effects, I suggest the H.  Make sure the guitar switch is off, we don’t need to boost the signal.  Assign the input to a stereo track.  On this selected track, click the MIXER button, use the cursor buttons to float over INSERT EFFECTS, use the JOG wheel to turn the effects on and then click the EFFECTS button to select which effect you’d like to use.  Remember to click the RECORD button for the track so it will record the effects.

Select the track you want to use the effect and follow the steps above to use the external effect.  Now you are using the internal effects and recording them separately.

There is still a lot more to cover on this and I’ll have to make another video for more information.

–> Mike