does order of pedals matter when being run through a looper?

[JimmyDoomsday]

now that i've acquired pretty much all the essentials to run my pedals through an audio switcher/looper, is there any specific order i should run them into the inputs to ensure maximum tonal quality and avoid degradation? or can i just arrange them in the most spacially pleasing way on my rack shelf since they'll all be bypassed? i've got reverb, phase, eq, delay, and chorus so far (and will soon be adding overdrive, trem, and possibly comp and/or flange). will be cutting my own lava patch cables to custom length and probably using a dc brick (or voodoo powerplus) to power. what's my best course of action? thanks in advance!

 

[bravedude2]

wait , do certain pedals sound better through the loop or in the front? i'm not really a pedal guy.

 

[mrkmas]

I would say it depends how they are running. If you never plan to have more than 1 pedal engaged at a time, then the order I would say would not matter. However, if you plan on 2 or more pedals engaged at once, you need to make sure the ordering will sound good.

For example if loop 1 is eq, 2 is phaser, and 3 is delay, and that sounds good when they are engaged, then do that. I would not go delay in loop 1, phaser in 2 and eq in 3 just because it was easier to fit onto the rack shelf.

I prefer delay to be a the end. So for me, I always made sure delay was at the very end of the signal when engaged.

 

[mrkmas]

wait , do certain pedals sound better through the loop or in the front? i'm not really a pedal guy.

They most certainly do. Most of the modulation and delay pedals are best kept in the loop. overdrive/dist are best kept infront. It does come down to preference though as always and how hard the amp will be driven.

 

[bravedude2]

thanks, i only have a boost pedal, crybaby, and a hush II. so you can tell i'm not very pedal savoy..

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

well, i'm gonna be controlling everything via midi foot controller, and yes, i definitely plan on engaging more than one pedal at a time. but again, they're all gonna be patched through their own independent loops. i'll have 9 loops in total to work with, all of which are true bypass. so would it make a difference, in this case, if i put delay in loop one, chorus in loop two, phase in loop 3, etc? or should i stick to keeping with the traditional ordering of pedals regardless?

 

[mikehickey]

I would put them in a traditional order, as per what you are used to. I route my GCX loops as if they were just a pedal board...so I have a boost>chorus>flanger>phaser (my delays are tapped off a line out for a W/D/W setup)

 

[mrkmas]

well, i'm gonna be controlling everything via midi foot controller, and yes, i definitely plan on engaging more than one pedal at a time. but again, they're all gonna be patched through their own independent loops. i'll have 9 loops in total to work with, all of which are true bypass. so would it make a difference, in this case, if i put delay in loop one, chorus in loop two, phase in loop 3, etc? or should i stick to keeping with the traditional ordering of pedals regardless?

I would stick with traditional ordering since for example in the order you listed, you would have a delay running into a phaser, which wont sound ideal more than likely when both loops are engaged. I always ran the pedals in the switcher in standard order.

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

sweet. thanks! what's the best order? i've fiddled with a few, and every site i read/person i ask seems to have a different answer.

 

[Gainzilla]

does your amp have an FX loop? The short answer is that whether the pedals are on the floor or plugged into a looper, there are still certain rules that you need to follow with specific pedal placement order. Loopers can bring things in and out but they cant switch order( I think that the Switchblade can do that possibly)...

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

yes, i have two fx loops (engl savage 120).

 

[Gainzilla]

yes, i have two fx loops (engl savage 120).

Ok, youre going to want to run time based stuff through the loop; Delays and chorus for sure. as far as the front of the amp is concerned, if you use something like a boost or distortion along with a phaser , youd want to run the phaser into the distortion/boost. That isnt a set rule but IMHO, it does sound better.

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

excellent. now, how do i run things through both an fx loop AND an audio switcher (rocktron patchmate)?

 

[Gainzilla]

Check your PM's

 

[voodooradio1]

excellent. now, how do i run things through both an fx loop AND an audio switcher (rocktron patchmate)?

Let's say that loops 1-4 are for front of amp and 5-8 are going to run in the loop.Make a jumper from passive or active out to the input of loop one, insert first effect, make jumper from out 1 to input 2, and so on.The out of loop 4 goes the amp input.
The input of loop 5 goes to fx send, insert pedal, make jumper from out 5 to input 6, and so on.The out of loop 8 goes to fx return.
I'm fairly new to switchers and every time I engage multiple fx and switch my amp with the touch of one button, I cant help but wonder how I ever got along without one.Nice to be able to relax and concentrate on playing as opposed to worrying about when my next dance moves are coming up.