Series vs. Parallel Signal Routing

Episode 28: Series vs. Parallel
Welcome to the Chairmen of the Boards Podcast! The ultimate pedalboard podcast with the foremost rig builders in the world: Grant Klassen (Goodwood Audio), Brian Omilion (Omilion Audio), and Mason Marangella (Vertex Effects/The Rig Doctor). We've teamed up to democratize great tone and provide you with our best tricks, tips, resources and hacks so you can build the pedalboard of your dreams!
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[@VertexEffectsInc]

Episode 28: Series vs. Parallel //SPONSORS// The Guitar Sanctuary - theguitarsanctuary.com Sweetwater Gear Exchange - sweetwater.com/used Pedal Genie - pedalgenie.com (use discount code "board" for 50% off your first month) Best-Tronics - btpa.com (use code "dachairs" for 10% off) Creation Music - creationmusiccompany.com (use code "chairmen15" for 15% off)

[@mattlangill1100]

That delayed repeat of audio at the beginning, running in parallel thankfully, vs series. Great example! (hehe kidding nice episode guys)

[@ezymarquez5521]

Hahah that scam tho

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jsgovind]

This was awesome. I'm seriously considering using a parallel clean channel along with my bass pedals. Bass into a preamp pedal with a di out to the front-of-house. And a parallel out(unaffected) from the di box to all my pedals and finally another preamp DI pedal with a connection to the front-of-house. I think it would be better than playing with blend knobs of every pedal in a series connection to keep my low end while running my effects.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Go for it!

[@Michael_Is_Avg]

I think this video confirms the need to try stuff out. Like with gain staging. In my head and in theory, the idea of going a heavier drive into a lighter makes perfect sense, but I have tried it in so many different ways and I just did not like it. I love the way the dirt pedal reacted when I had the lighter going into it. Granted I also didn't have it maxed out on the heavy one, so there was still somewhere to go. In terms of series/parallel on wet effects, I haven't really tried it. Does make sense and might want to try it, but I do love the interaction between my delays and reverbs, so I'm not sure where I'll land. Something like the parallelyzer looks neat and always fun to learn a bit deeper. I've done Wet dry and all that stuff, but found just in series stereo is usually what works best for me.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Try stuff, learn new stuff! It's all fun!

[@marcuslewitzki4610]

I want to be able to run my wet effects in parallel but I'm saving up to get a Morningstar ML10X, which has that function. And if it turns out that I don't like it the Morningstar is still mainly a switcher and will fill that function. Unlike a parallel mixer which is just a mixer with that function as its only reason for existing.

[@danielrenton642]

Another option: With the new Morningstar ML10X, you can use midi to switch from a series rig to parallel rig in a second. You can also reorder your effects. It just lacks phase switches and levels, so you have to workaround that if needed.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Cool!

[@emilnovotny8011]

Hello, love your videos and your advice. I have a question, is there any downside to running a lower impedance signal such as from a bass guitar pickup through a buffer designed for piezo (10mohm)? I am trying to figure out a setup i can run doubling the upright and bass guitar. Thanks for the reply 🙏

[@VertexEffectsInc]

You can get a switch to have a variable input impedance if you want. You can ask Creation to leave the resistor solder pads open to put a toggle switch to have more than one input impedance option.

[@garywade5071]

Parallel is glorious, if only for the untouched dry path. Get there anyway you can. And there are less expensive yet powerful alternatives. OBNE Signal Blender is cheap. Decibel Eleven Pedal Palette allows parallel or series routing AND allows you to change the order of the loops. I’m using Captor X to drive my WDW rig.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I think the Musicom is still the best!

[@jacobpittman1996]

Mason, how would you split your signal out to the 3 channels of the rolls mixer? (Other than a/b/y pedal… or 2 of them to get 3 mono dry signals to feed >3 wet effects>rolls mixer)

[@VertexEffectsInc]

You don't split your signal, each stereo effect returns into the inputs of each channel L and R. If you effect is set to 100% wet, you're only feeding the input to mute the pedal or turn off the pedal.

[@BruceKnouseMusic]

I've been wanting to run a clean channel parallel with my direct in pedalboard, would 2 Old Blood Noise Endeavors Split/Meld's be good for splitting the signal at the beginning then summing it at the end? Or should I look for something like the JHS buffered splitter?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

You can, just use the sends.

[@hlyangel1]

It would be good if they used examples of previous popular recordings of series vs parallel

[@stevechance4422]

What specific brand and type of solder do you recommend for soldering patch cables??

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Kester 60/40 watch our soldering tutorials.

[@waynegram8907]

There's some amplifiers that have two effects loops that are in parallel so you could put on each channel you could have a compressor on one loop and then another loop that's in parallel that is a parametric EQ so you get the SAG of the compression to make your amplifier even more saggier but then you have the the parametric EQ which a lot of a lot of recording studio artist did in the eighties and '90s it's really is a big difference when you put a parametric EQ pedal and the effects loop but if you tried putting if your amplifier only has one effects loop and you try putting a compressor and a parametric EQ it's going to sound like garbage because it's only on one effects loop so you need an amplifier that has two parallel effects loops to try to get the SAG of the compression and then the parametric EQ to give you the whole overall EQ of the resonance of the amplifier it with a parametric EQ will will make the amplifier have that residence and and saturate at a certain frequencies and it makes a huge huge difference but it's hard finding amplifiers that have two effects loops on one channel so that's the thing if you could try to make a video about that that would be great to try to find amplifiers that have those type of effects loops

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks Wayne for the suggestion!

[@waynegram8907]

@@VertexEffectsInc you can put in a rack mount mixer that has multiple parallel send and return ports which you connect the mixer to the amplifiers effects loops this way you can put any pedal effects in parallel and able to mix them using the mixers EQ. Studio engineers would do this in the 80s

[@makeajazznoiseYTstoleit]

Ayo Rig Doc I could have swore on an old video you had a amazon link for a compact power strip with IEC-in. I can't for the life of me find the link now.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

This is the one: www.amazon.com/Conntek-55705-Housing-Receptacles-Computer/dp/B001IZ199M/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3HVQVRBB68NAA&keywords=Conntek%2Biec&qid=1667597863&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=conntek%2Biec%2Clawngarden%2C125&sr=1-2&th=1 however it doesn't have the standard 3 prong power cables on it, just male IEC ends - I know they make others, this is all I could find. Wonder if you search the brand name on Google if they'll turn up. Also Tripp Lite makes nicer metal ones.

[@stoneysdead689]

Sorry to be off topic but- I'm trying to decide between a Steel String or a Tone Secret overdrive. I'm running an Affinity Strat into a Blackstar Club 40 tube amp and I'm going for that Stevie Ray/Hendrix thing- think Little Wing or The Wind Cries Mary. I think the Steel String is more what I'm, looking for but then I wondered if maybe you could just turn the gain down on the Tone Secret maybe I could get the same thing. Which one would you run if you wanted this tone but also as much versatility as possible?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Steel String is less gain. Tone Secret is more mid-gain (Tube Screamer level of distoriton/overdrive). Steel String is more of a low gain drive or high gain boost if you will.

[@stoneysdead689]

@@VertexEffectsInc I bought them both and I love them- the Steel String MKII is more my style but, when I need some juice the Tone secret is perfect. Do you guys have a compressor out? I'm running a Boss CS3 right now, but I'm not really happy with it.

[@j4mbs]

The Rolls mini mix rules, but they come in both 12v and 15v power requirements, so if it’s being put on a pedalboard to be powered with a dedicated power supply, make sure you get the 12v. The 15v will not work when underpowered.

[@j4mbs]

Hey, Vertex Effects, there’s a scammer here, I can block them but I have no way of reporting their account

[@VertexEffectsInc]

They come with their own supply if needed but most supplies now include variable voltage supplies anyway.

[@j4mbs]

I have one on my board, but had to return the first one because it was dedicated 15v and would not run off of my Zuma on 12v, and it got replaced with a 12v version. Works wonderfully. I 10/10 recommend it with the caveat of being aware of the variable voltages.

[@taviswardlaw]

Name a song with parallel dry effects? Just about any song with bass! Bass players are very well accustomed to parallel signal paths for pedalboard compressors and gain pedals, but in larger rigs, things like pitch-based or synth style pedals as well. Experimenting with parallel paths for pedals with very different eq shapes (something like a mid scoopy big muff coupled with a more mid focussed distortion) can yield otherwise unattainable results.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Well...I was speaking to guitar. For bass players this has been done for decades.

[@personalfreedom2700]

You said at 23:20 to put a leslie before the amplifier… but i think you meant to say a leslie would go after the amp just like a real leslie?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

If you’re doing it with pedals that’s not possible

[@personalfreedom2700]

@@VertexEffectsInc you can always put the leslie pedal like the strymon lex to go after your iridium amp sim, then it would be possible with pedals in that scenario.

[@jacobpittman1996]

WAIT!! Is that why they called Clapton “SLO Hand!?”

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ha! Likely!

[@jacobpittman1996]

… and greater chafing. @1:30

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ha!