Three Pedals Walk Into a Bar Together: A GP-10, an SY-300, and a Mel9...

[Rhcole]

Yes, it's a setup for either an incredibly weird or stupid joke. Perhaps both.

But, this is actually no joke, it's an inspiration, brought on by this topic about buying more used 13 pin gear:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=21429.0

I have tons of VG synth ambient sort of gear now, enough to get me divorced quickly if I set it all up at once and start cackling too loudly. The issue isn't more (well actually it usually is, but that's another topic), it's how to use what I have efficiently and well.

I've had a VG-99 and GR-55 hooked together, two GP-10s, SY-300 with various boxes...
"Use them efficiently and well".

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, here is a candidate for maximum firepower/minimum footprint. It's not ultra-compact, but very scary in capability. Let me explain. A couple of months ago in SY-300 land I posted about the SY's overlooked and underutilized return input jack.  In the SY-300 you can assign anything to the return jack except the Oscs. For you Hex guys, I will point out that the SY has 4 main FX modules, many of which are doubled up - Reverb/Chorus, Delay/Chorus, etc. which is like having 8 fx blocks if you are into ambient music and all you want to make is space dribble music. And you can route them in any order or location you want. I have learned to lean on the Return jack heavily recently, using the primary input for processed synth sounds controlled by an Exp pedal. The input is where I send pedals such as the Mel9 because the Oscs mimic many of the characteristics of whatever input you drive them with.

The GP-10 has annoyed me because it runs out of FX too fast. Bingo! Run the main out of the GP-10 into the Return jack of the SY. It's now an "all you can eat" buffet of FX for whatever you want to add to the GP-10 out. And, going into the Return jack it won't interfere with or adulterate the Osc inputs. Further, the Osc synth in the GP is just too unreliable sometimes for tracking and performance. Although it is incredibly clean and is a great synth, the SY eats its lunch for tracking and trustworthiness.

Now the SY, for all of it's massive horsepower (c'mon you hex guys, there's more under its hood then you think), has to be programmed just right to get good, clean synth-type sounds. That's where the Mel9 comes in. It likes to sound "rounded" and smooth. Plus it has an actual choir, come on now, who doesn't like that. Anyway, what the Mel9 gives you is a vast upgrade for orchestral sounds that can be added to or actually DRIVE the SY Oscs. You gotta' hear what that sounds like- it's BRAND NEW in the world of VG-land.

The Guitar Out of the GP goes into the Mel9. That section goes into the SY-300 input.

By combining these three boxes in this way, you get a mad-hatter's three ring circus of possible voicings that A) is fast to setup and take down B) covers and compensates one-another for what each box does well and poorly, C) uses presets (except the Mel9) which are manageable live, and D) is reasonably compact and even redundant, meaning your hex pickup can explode and catch fire and the SY can still get you through the gig, etc.

As I said, for your consideration- "Use them efficiently and well".

[Cups]

 Curiouser and curiouser. 

[vanceg]

Cool setup for sure.  I'd call that at least a "compact" rig, if not "sub compact"
sweet!

Yes, it's a setup for either an incredibly weird or stupid joke. Perhaps both.

But, this is actually no joke, it's an inspiration, brought on by this topic about buying more used 13 pin gear:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=21429.0

I have tons of VG synth ambient sort of gear now, enough to get me divorced quickly if I set it all up at once and start cackling too loudly. The issue isn't more (well actually it usually is, but that's another topic), it's how to use what I have efficiently and well.

I've had a VG-99 and GR-55 hooked together, two GP-10s, SY-300 with various boxes...
"Use them efficiently and well".

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, here is a candidate for maximum firepower/minimum footprint. It's not ultra-compact, but very scary in capability. Let me explain. A couple of months ago in SY-300 land I posted about the SY's overlooked and underutilized return input jack.  In the SY-300 you can assign anything to the return jack except the Oscs. For you Hex guys, I will point out that the SY has 4 main FX modules, many of which are doubled up - Reverb/Chorus, Delay/Chorus, etc. which is like having 8 fx blocks if you are into ambient music and all you want to make is space dribble music. And you can route them in any order or location you want. I have learned to lean on the Return jack heavily recently, using the primary input for processed synth sounds controlled by an Exp pedal. The input is where I send pedals such as the Mel9 because the Oscs mimic many of the characteristics of whatever input you drive them with.

The GP-10 has annoyed me because it runs out of FX too fast. Bingo! Run the main out of the GP-10 into the Return jack of the SY. It's now an "all you can eat" buffet of FX for whatever you want to add to the GP-10 out. And, going into the Return jack it won't interfere with or adulterate the Osc inputs. Further, the Osc synth in the GP is just too unreliable sometimes for tracking and performance. Although it is incredibly clean and is a great synth, the SY eats its lunch for tracking and trustworthiness.

Now the SY, for all of it's massive horsepower (c'mon you hex guys, there's more under its hood then you think), has to be programmed just right to get good, clean synth-type sounds. That's where the Mel9 comes in. It likes to sound "rounded" and smooth. Plus it has an actual choir, come on now, who doesn't like that. Anyway, what the Mel9 gives you is a vast upgrade for orchestral sounds that can be added to or actually DRIVE the SY Oscs. You gotta' hear what that sounds like- it's BRAND NEW in the world of VG-land.

The Guitar Out of the GP goes into the Mel9. That section goes into the SY-300 input.

By combining these three boxes in this way, you get a mad-hatter's three ring circus of possible voicings that A) is fast to setup and take down B) covers and compensates one-another for what each box does well and poorly, C) uses presets (except the Mel9) which are manageable live, and D) is reasonably compact and even redundant, meaning your hex pickup can explode and catch fire and the SY can still get you through the gig, etc.

As I said, for your consideration- "Use them efficiently and well".