SaxPedalGuy #1: Preamp Shootout (How to get saxophone/trumpet/microphone onto a pedalboard)

[@monkcleo]

Finally there is some love in this market. Just want to share some info regarding to gear. 1. Tc Helicon Voice live play. (Great pedal, best thing about this it has room mic, for auto key in harmonizer) 2. Zoom A1Four and A1Four X (Only release early this month. Relative cheap pedal. I am still testing it atm. The only draw back is there is no tap tempo for delay) 3. Vocoloco (Use this pedal when I start getting into sax effect, not a bad pedal, but the only drawback is the foot switch could be quite noisy with some mixer) 4. For anyone who already using wirelss system, your base station should have instrument level output, and you could plug them straight to some multi guitar effect. I would highly recommend ZOOM MS70CDR, is best value for money atm.

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Hi Leo! I have an older Zoom G3x, and it is a great pedal for the price. It's also very easy to use and can run on 4AA batteries! Maybe I'll use it in a video soon. Thanks!

[@SteveDew]

You had me at Jamey Aebersold cassettes.

[@SaxPedalGuy]

😂

[@jambajoby32]

For all of you wondering, Cusak Music makes a pedal called Pedal Cracker in which you can use a mic with pedals. XLr in & our, phantom power and built-in gain for mic and fx

[@SaxPedalGuy]

@@jambajoby32 sure, it looks like a cheaper Mixing Link with fewer features that didn't exist when I made this video. How much are they paying you?

[@jambajoby32]

@ none! Pedals + horns is a nightmare up until that device! Def spreading the word.

[@jonahjones8140]

Hi. Thank you for putting out this (and the 2nd one) video. There are not many vids on using guitar pedals with mics and yours are good ... very good ...and much appreciated! I use a mic with a Native American Flute, in order to both amplify and add some echo effect ("electronic cave"). My simple chain has been: Mic>impedance matching transformer>Delay pedal>small MicroCube guitar amp. I am trying to avoid an overkill mixer set-up (I play solo, with a single mic) and keep it small, but I need more volume for when I play at outdoor PowWows. I bought a larger powered speaker that, unlike my guitar amp, does NOT have an instrument-level input, but rather just Mic-In and Line-In. As such, I was told I'd need to come from my pedal's 1/4" Instrument-Level out >into a DI box in order to get a Line-Level output. While researching this stuff, I stumbled upon the Eventide Mixing Link, which - as you know - accepts a Mic's XLR (no need for an impedance-matching transformer) , has an effect pedal loop, AND has a Line-Level output. It looks like an awesome solution for me as it eliminates the need for both an impedance transformer and for a separate DI box.. BUT, my new speaker does not have any type of built-in EQ so I would need an EQ pedal in addition to my Delay pedal. THEN, ... then I read about Voco Loco by Radial Engineering. While similar in features to the Mixing Link, an extra feature of the VocoLoco is a built-in 2-band EQ, which is appealing as it might eliminate the need for a separate EQ pedal (although it might be enough?). So ... after all this, my question is .... have you tried the Voco Loco and, if so, how do you like it compared to the Mixing Link? SO much to learn ... so much $$$$ needed to but all the fun toys! :-( Love and Mercy, Bro!

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Hey Jonah Jonah, sounds like you've done your research and I'm glad you liked the video. I personally haven't used a Vocoloco, but I know some other saxophonists who do and haven't heard a bad word about it. Brian Donahoe of Progger makes pedal demo videos using a vocoloco (Here's one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3fCp4GGntWel9E ). If you think the 2 band eq on a Vocoloco will do it for your sound, then go for it. If you wanted to try for cheaper, you could get a mini DI box, a decent eq pedal, and maybe a single loop switcher to cover your needs in a little modular setup.

[@garmonloop]

Thanks! This is really useful rewiew. Now I have Eventide Mixing link and Shure A85F. I think that Mixing link has two disadvantage: it clicks when on/off switch is pressed and it has a quite noisy preamp. I use Shure A85F to connect the mic to the guitar processor and it works well.

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Thank you, glad it helped you!

[@vecchiuz2143]

Sorry i m not Sure i get it.. I have a condensor mic, Can i just connect it to a pre amp, The pre amp to pedals, And than to an audio interface???? Thanks a lot to share Your Experience!!

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Hey vecchuiz. Condensor mics usually need phantom power so you're going to need a preamp that does that. The mixing link is your best bet. This mixer doesn't have phantom power, but most larger mixers do. Check for that feature before you buy a preamp. Good luck!

[@montxsuz]

Actually you have given me a good idea here that may save me money. I was thinking about a Voco-Loco or and Eventide Mixing Link, both around A$500-$600. But the other day I bought a brand-new but discontinued Italian Proel Mi5 mixer on Close-Out for A$40. It looks very similar to your Mackie almost, but better build quality and with built-in effects. I have not thought of using it as a preamp in front of pedal effects. And the beauty is it will take both a microphone and/or a piezo pickup plugin jack - or even two. I guess the A1Four X will also work in the same way, except it will only take 1 input at a time. What can go wrong? :) (Probably plenty). Thank you though.

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Mixers aren't as small and pretty as a Mixing Link, but that should work no problems. If you play multiple instruments you can do what I do at home and mute the ones you're not using with a mixer. Good luck and have fun, it's only music so you're safe to experiment :)

[@prizmwizard]

Nice vid man! Gave me some good ideas for processing mic signals. Another possibility worth mentioning would be using some handy recorder with phantom power and sending the line out into your pedal board. My zoom h4n runs on 2 AA batteries and has up to 48v phantom power.

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Very cool. I have a similar Tascam recorder I can try that with.

[@connordaniels595]

With the rolls preamp, I have to plug my mic into the input, and then plug the output into my pedals right?? I’m new to this and don’t have the money to buy something like a Vocco loco or a Eventide

[@SaxPedalGuy]

That's right, we're using all of these as pre-amplifiers. The pre stands for pre effects.

[@atomextravaganza]

Any chance it needs anything before or after? Sax w. XLR>Rolls MP13>Keyboard Amp……..DI Box or Mixer after the MP13 (Before amp)?????????? 🤔

[@fuxmaulder1]

With the impedance matching adapter into the eq pedal, if you wanted to connect to a mixer would the pedals 1/4” output go directly into a 1/4” channel input, or would it be preferable to go out of the pedal into a DI box and then out of the DI into a xlr mic input on the mixer?

[@SaxPedalGuy]

I've never had a problem going 1/4" into the mixer, just try not to run your cable in parallel with any power cables. I think you'd want a di box if you have an amp onstage and you want to give the sound person a clean fx signal.

[@rbroderick]

Have you ever used the Voco Loco or the Sans Amp 21?

[@SaxPedalGuy]

Hey there, I haven't personally used either. I hear good things about the Voco Loco, Jory has one here kzbin.info/www/bejne/enzEhauua8R2pZI SansAmp is news to me but seems interesting.

[@RickySweum]

Well done tutorial