SPICETONE 6APPEAL - Shawnb's Tips & tricks

Started by shawnb, September 19, 2015, 12:38:15 AM

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Brak(E)man

Quote from: chlorinemist on May 28, 2017, 03:04:38 AM
Here's another 6Appeal demo, demonstrating its poly-envelope capabilities, string panning, and LFOS.

https://soundcloud.com/chlorinemist/envlfos/s-tOA9F



Great stuff love the sounds and the song , playing

what other FX did you use ?
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

chlorinemist

Quote from: Brak(E)man on July 09, 2017, 02:31:23 AM
Great stuff love the sounds and the song , playing

what other FX did you use ?

In that clip I use an EHX Pitch Fork for harmonized fifths, a Lexicon PCM80 for reverbs, an RT Electronix Threeway (Tri-Stereo Chorus clone) for chorus, and my Eventide H8000 for delays and more chorus. Note I'm only using basic effects on these processors, nothing i'm doing on the H8000 or PCM80 that you couldnt do with BOSS pedals, etc. The 6Appeal is doing virtually all the heavy lifting fx-wise in this clip; the interacting lfos make a crazy tremolo effect that interact with delays in really complex ways.

I've since developed a much more complex setup utilizing the breakout box mode and using the h8000 for a hexaphonic pitch shifting/tuning changes and 8-channel multi-tap auto-panning delays. Setting the delay time for each string and pickup differently allows for some unbelievably complex polyrhythmic sounds...

I record into a stereo channel strip consisting of a Sonic Farm Creamer+ tube DI/preamp, Aurora GTC-2 optical/FET compressor, and API 5500 eq. This gear is some very nice stuff but not essential to a good sound, and certainly nothing you couldn't recreate with plugins. I just prefer tracking with hardware and already had this gear in my studio.

Brak(E)man

Thanx for that info.
I like the song a lot and the sounds

I'm hesitant to get the Spicetone for only one reason.
The sound seems perfect but
I don't want to go back to hardware live or in the studio.
I want as a small setup as possible straight to PA or Daw.
Not even a mixer nor additional FX boxes etc.

So I'm trying to figure out a way to use the Spicetone
with FI GP -10 but...

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=21338.msg153623#msg153623
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

chlorinemist

#28
Quote from: Brak(E)man on July 09, 2017, 04:00:41 AM
Thanx for that info.
I like the song a lot and the sounds

I'm hesitant to get the Spicetone for only one reason.
The sound seems perfect but
I don't want to go back to hardware live or in the studio.
I want as a small setup as possible straight to PA or Daw.
Not even a mixer nor additional FX boxes etc.

So I'm trying to figure out a way to use the Spicetone
with FI GP -10 but...

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=21338.msg153623#msg153623

6Appeal straight to the DAW is really the ideal workflow. It's the most flexible way to go. I like to use a bunch of hardware gear but I could totally recreate everything I do in the clip with the 6Appeal and Ableton Live. It is the only part of my rig, aside from my Cycfi pickups, that I consider indispensable. Everything else can be recreated with plugins, but the 6Appeal definitely not.

Brak(E)man

Quote from: chlorinemist on July 09, 2017, 04:19:38 AM
6Appeal straight to the DAW is really the ideal workflow. It's the most flexible way to go. I like to use a bunch of hardware gear but I could totally recreate everything I do in the clip with the 6Appeal and Ableton Live. It is the only part of my rig, aside from my Cycfi pickups, that I consider indispensable. Everything else can be recreated with plugins, but the 6Appeal definitely not.

What about live ?
That's why I'm hoping for the GP-10 pathway.

I tend to use it the same way apart from
using loopers and FX in the Daw.
Live I depend on the built in fx in the Vgs Gp and SY Usually one at the time
And use 1-2 Gigadelay for looping in delay mode.
straight to PA
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

chlorinemist

Quote from: Brak(E)man on July 09, 2017, 04:29:41 AM
What about live ?
That's why I'm hoping for the GP-10 pathway.

I tend to use it the same way apart from
using loopers and FX in the Daw.
Live I depend on the built in fx in the Vgs Gp and SY Usually one at the time
And use 1-2 Gigadelay for looping in delay mode.
straight to PA


I think if you're concerned about having a compact setup, you ought to consider incorporating a laptop into your live rig. I think people are hesitant to do it because in the past laptops and DAWs were much more unstable and computers took several minutes to restart if they crashed.
However, a modern laptop today with an SSD running Ableton is actually an extremely stable platform. I've been playing live with a Macbook Pro in my rig for 6 years now and I've never had it crash on me during a performance. And if it ever did, my current laptop reboots in about 10 seconds so a crash won't result in an embarassing 10 minute silence while I wait for my OS to boot up like it would have with one of my old HP laptops back in the day.

Brak(E)man

#31
Quote from: chlorinemist on July 09, 2017, 05:03:56 AM
I think if you're concerned about having a compact setup, you ought to consider incorporating a laptop into your live rig. I think people are hesitant to do it because in the past laptops and DAWs were much more unstable and computers took several minutes to restart if they crashed.
However, a modern laptop today with an SSD running Ableton is actually an extremely stable platform. I've been playing live with a Macbook Pro in my rig for 6 years now and I've never had it crash on me during a performance. And if it ever did, my current laptop reboots in about 10 seconds so a crash won't result in an embarassing 10 minute silence while I wait for my OS to boot up like it would have with one of my old HP laptops back in the day.

I have used that but it's still too much stuff.
As it is now I'm good with the GP-10 and a boss DD-20
(I rely heavily on modeling instruments/sounds)
I can have that as carry on and it has all the stuff
that I need for a gig.

But I'm trying to find new inspiration and the Spicetone
might be one way. But I really would like to pair it up with GP.
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

vanceg

Quote from: Brak(E)man on July 09, 2017, 02:31:23 AM
Great stuff love the sounds and the song , playing

what other FX did you use ?

Wild - the beginning sound is almost exactly like a VG-99 patch I wrote ages ago.  But smoother and much "nicer" sounding.  We are truly on the same aesthetic tip.

Brak(E)man

I have one final Q before ordering.

How is the single string sound when playing solo
compared to the combined sound of 2-6 strings.
Soundwise and experienced loudness.


(I'm asking because , the sound of hex distorted chords
with this device sounds great.
But sometimes using hex dist compared to mono dist
There's at least 2 things that happen.
When using mono dist the chord and the single string
are usually in balance, that's not always the case with hex dist.
I want to use both with the same patch.)
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

chlorinemist

Quote from: Brak(E)man on July 11, 2017, 01:14:42 AM
I have one final Q before ordering.

How is the single string sound when playing solo
compared to the combined sound of 2-6 strings.
Soundwise and experienced loudness.


(I'm asking because , the sound of hex distorted chords
with this device sounds great.
But sometimes using hex dist compared to mono dist
There's at least 2 things that happen.
When using mono dist the chord and the single string
are usually in balance, that's not always the case with hex dist.
I want to use both with the same patch.)

The 6Appeal has a Mono path controlled by the mono knob for your mono pickup signal. This path has all the same features as the hexaphonic paths, you can use all the same distortions on it monophonically and blend that sound in with the hexaphonic distortion. I personally hardly ever do this and usually set my mono pickup path to be permanently in "clean" mode, but for those who desire it is totally available. Using the 6Appeal exclusively as a monophonic fuzz alone is very satisfying. I used it that way for a few months before I got my Nu system figured out. In my opinion even as a monophonic distortion pedal it sounds good enough to be sold for $500, and indeed if they had marketed it that way they probably would have sold plenty more. Lucky for us that they didn't choose the sensible path!

aliensporebomb

Quote from: chlorinemist on May 28, 2017, 03:04:38 AM
Here's another 6Appeal demo, demonstrating its poly-envelope capabilities, string panning, and LFOS.

https://soundcloud.com/chlorinemist/envlfos/s-tOA9F

All tremelo fx, volume swells, string pans and filter sweeps were achieved with 6Appeal. No volume pedal swells, all automated via 6Appeals ADSR.

The envelope ADSR is assigned to modulate all level parameters simultaneously on both hexaphonic paths (dry and distorted) but the mono pickup is left unaffected. I start off with the attack set very low, then gradually increase it to achieve a polyphonic "slow-gear" type effect. At some points I blend in my monophonic pickup, which is unaffected by the envelope, to layer a traditional guitar sound over the synth-like swelling hexaphonic sections.

The 2 LFOs are assigned to alternating strings (lLFO1: E, D, B LFO2: A, G, E) and are both modulating the level parameters as well, achieving a sort of poly-tremolo effect. I adjust the 2 LFO speeds with my BCR2000 throughout, creating lots of polyrhythmic patterns. Using the 32 step sequencer (I don't in this clip), which has all the same modulation capabilities, you can imagine things could get much more complex.

These are just some of the most simple, basic techniques you can achieve. The envelope and both lfos can do much more than swells and tremelos. They can be assigned to control the cutoffs, resonance and gain of the filters, or modulate the panning of the individual strings. The LFOS, Sequencer and envelope can be setup to be controlled by pitch bend messages, breath controllers or mod wheels. I feel like I'm just scratching the surface at this point, which is crazy considering how much cool stuff I've already managed to get it to do. Wish more pedalmakers had such ambition

This is totally beautiful stuff.  I'd buy a record of this type of thing.  Beautiful demo.  Have the Spicetone people heard this?  They should!  I have a similar patch on the VG-99 but yours is glassy and beautiful and almost alien.  Really nice!
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

chrish

Quote from: aliensporebomb on August 05, 2017, 05:10:56 PM
This is totally beautiful stuff.  I'd buy a record of this type of thing.  Beautiful demo.  Have the Spicetone people heard this?  They should!  I have a similar patch on the VG-99 but yours is glassy and beautiful and almost alien.  Really nice!
that's the demo that tipped the scales in favor of me purchasing a spice tone pedal.

mooncaine

Is it safe to send the output of this via 13-pin directly into the 13-pin jack of my VG-99? I'm thinking I'd like to send fuzzy filter-sweep swells out of this, and still get the custom tunings of the VG-99.
Would I risk damaging my VG-99 by sending fuzzed, or even just loud, signals from this to the 13-pin input of my 99?

aliensporebomb

Elantric?  I personally wouldn't dare but he would know if it was safe or not....
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

billbax

Probably a bad idea, but check with spicetone support FIRST. As standard, if can't connect a v-synth via Spicetone synth out, it should say in the manual.  Be very very careful, even if two power rail pins are the same polarity and voltage, it can still cause damage.  Don't do it until you've contacted spicetone.  Or Elantric will certainly know  :)

chrish

#40
Quote from: mooncaine on August 02, 2018, 05:33:58 PM
Is it safe to send the output of this via 13-pin directly into the 13-pin jack of my VG-99? I'm thinking I'd like to send fuzzy filter-sweep swells out of this, and still get the custom tunings of the VG-99.
Would I risk damaging my VG-99 by sending fuzzed, or even just loud, signals from this to the 13-pin input of my 99?
I have done that making sure to keep the levels low.

However, the results were not that good.

The 99 is optimized to create it's models from a clean hex audio signal. 

Also got some crazy midi outs from the 99 to tone module using the spicetone as the 13 pin input to the 99.

The best result was using a clean sound from the spicetone.

To bad the spicetone does not have the option of a 13 pin thru, ie, same signal as the input.

I have also plugged the spicetone's 13 pin out into a VG 8 with simular results.