The Ultimate Guide to using FX pedals with a Synthesizer (or Groovebox)

The Ultimate Guide to using FX pedals with a Synthesizer (or Groovebox)
Distribute your music with DistroKid - 7% Discount Link:
►distrokid.com/vip/liamkillen
CONTENT OF THE VIDEO
0:00 Hello // Synths + FX Pedals
1:31 Here are the pedals we’re using
2:10 About the Circuit Rhythm
3:30 Why are guitar pedals an awesome creative tool w/ synths?
4:32 How should you set up / power your pedals?
6:31 What can pedals do?
13:49 Mono vs Stereo
16:20 Effect Order
17:00 Audio Routing // Using a Mixer
19:10 Levels / Line Compatibility // Studio Grade vs not
21:23 Levels between Pedals
22:33 Thank you // Ways of Supporting
Check out Delicious Audio, the biggest FX pedal blog in the game- we're already lined up for PLENTY of other FX pedal / synth collaborations in coming months - super exciting! :-)
►delicious-audio.com/
Interested in purchasing some of the gear mentioned in this video? Support this channel while you're at it by using the affiliate links below:
USA (Sweetwater):
►PedalTrain XD 18: sweetwater.sjv.io/Nkem2b
►Model 1.4: sweetwater.sjv.io/baq0VM
►Novation Circuit Rhythm: sweetwater.sjv.io/Y9jGLJ
►Novation Bass Station: sweetwater.sjv.io/zN0B4G
►Strymon Nightsky: sweetwater.sjv.io/oqGBOW
►Eventide H90: sweetwater.sjv.io/ZQmRNz
►Eventide Tricerachorus: sweetwater.sjv.io/GmQ2g2
►Meris LVX: sweetwater.sjv.io/anL4eY
►Red Panda Particle: sweetwater.sjv.io/rQ0BXD
►Boss SL 2 Slicer: sweetwater.sjv.io/eKQbN1
►Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3: sweetwater.sjv.io/MmkWNM
UK / EUROPE (Gear4Music):
►Novation Bass Station: tidd.ly/3EG4jKO
►Novation Circuit Rhythm: tidd.ly/3EWlxDI
►Strymon Nightsky: tidd.ly/3tb8lIy
►Eventide H90: tidd.ly/48zDuFU
►Eventide Tricerachorus: tidd.ly/3ZxD6Dw
►Red Panda Particle: tidd.ly/3t68mgF
►Boss SL 2 Slicer: tidd.ly/46b0xFo
EUROPE (Thomann):
►Novation Circuit Rhythm: bit.ly/3S30G7M
►Novation Bass Station: bit.ly/3LiShuz
►Strymon Nightsky: bit.ly/4aX8PTW
►Eventide H90: bit.ly/3O47IrG
►Eventide Tricerachorus: bit.ly/3SiFIDb
►Meris LV-X: bit.ly/4aYDyQv
►Red Panda Particle: bit.ly/3vzuykG
►Boss SL 2 Slicer: bit.ly/3S1iwbj
►Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3: bit.ly/3HjotLF
Need help with something? Book a 1 on 1 Consultation:
►www.liamkillen.com/consultation
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►hyperfollow.com/lkmusic
Other Related Videos:
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#fxpedal #dawless #fxpedals

[@LiamKillen]

Distribute your music with DistroKid - 7% Discount Link: ►distrokid.com/vip/liamkillen Check out Delicious Audio, the biggest FX pedal blog in the game- we're already lined up for PLENTY of other FX pedal / synth collaborations in coming months - super exciting! :-) ►delicious-audio.com/

[@redpandalab]

Great video. One clarification: the Particle is fully stereo in/stereo out (including mono-to-stereo) using TRS cables. Hold the ON/[DIV] switch and turn the blend knob for random stereo panning. You can access stereo parameters and much more using our web editor, TouchOSC layout, or MIDI (USB or TRS).

[@LiamKillen]

Thank you for this information! 🙏

[@chiefbucknell]

@@LiamKillenGet ready for some super stereophonic fun, once you dig into what Red Panda describes above. The update that added the random stereo panning made me SO happy! ❤🐼🎛️ Great video, as always! ✌️

[@deliciousaudio]

Thanks Liam for working with us on this project, awesome job!

[@LiamKillen]

Truly a pleasure! 🍻

[@colbyrankin5260]

The timelines of this video is unreal! Rebuilding my studio as we speak and I’ve been looking for this exact video for a week. Thanks brother 🤘

[@LiamKillen]

Love hearing comments like this! Glad to help out 😊

[@timdanyo898]

Liam man.. I really appreciate you. This video is helping me so much. I love this new up leveled tutorial style. Thank you!

[@LiamKillen]

It’s really a pleasure- thx for watching!

[@johnchesters81]

Quality video. Great to see the Circuit Rhythm getting some love. Mad underrated sampler, the most immediate and fun sampler I’ve ever used…and I’ve used most 😂

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah I’m starting to really like the workflow!

[@lawrencemichell6062]

Great video, and hot techno groove there!!

[@LiamKillen]

Thank you ! We could use your vibe and encouragement over in the Discord ! :-) discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP

[@bartvriesacker5466]

Very cool vid! I am currently running a minilogue through a TC Flashback (among other pedals)for my live set up. What I love is the mash button because it adds an extra expression possibility. Therefore: would be cool to explore these options on pedals (also like whammy, wah, expression pedals). Anyways: looking forward to the next vids on this topic! Thank you!

[@LiamKillen]

Working on the next right niiiooowww!

[@kathleencoveny3860]

Amazing sounds .. rhythm coming from this set up ... this awesome mix is thanks to the pedals/synthesizer and your musical chops that bring it all together .. cheers to all you savvy beat makers... How'd you do? Amazing.. as always .. !

[@LiamKillen]

Cheers to you and this comment! 😊

[@mushuhaku632]

Your content is so goood that i kind lost. The video just starts and i alredy thought thats was motor synth😂😂😂😂😂😂. Haapy new year brooo❤❤

[@LiamKillen]

MotorSynth video coming soon!

[@indigosnow_]

Mad helpful video. I need to get a quality mixer

[@LiamKillen]

Glad to help! The Model 1.4 rips! Highly recommended.

[@joebowbeer]

3:52 I'm looking forward to the ZOIA appearance

[@LiamKillen]

Oh it’s coming in this series

[@oldunclemick]

Good video 👍 One thing I learnt is to be careful of delay effects that are not mono compatible. BBD delay pedals often simply invert the delayed signal to make "stereo". That's all very good but in mono the delay signal cancels out - instantly transforming the player from The Edge to the lesser half of The Duelling Banjos! 😱 And it's not just old BBD pedals - some of Korg's REMS digital effects built into the D1600 had exactly the same issue. Even today there are situations where our music would be played in mono so any intent of commercial release needs to consider this.

[@LiamKillen]

Always appreciate when people make additions like this- thank you!

[@andrij.demianczuk]

I love using some pedals with my Octatrack. I use send effects via the Cue out and return Through track, then I can select which machines send to my effects loop :)

[@LiamKillen]

Ouuu good combo good combo!

[@SonicVibe]

good info

[@LiamKillen]

It’s a pleasure to show ya 😊

[@kuanjian]

Great video thanks! What is the brand of the orange patch cables?

[@LiamKillen]

Those are George L's cables! :-)

[@davidbock201]

LOL... both my pedal boards are currently empty on the floor... I'm constantly switching my (too many) pedals between guitar rigs and my mini-synth desk.. My sound room looks like a Rat-King cable tornado zone. That being said, nice walkthrough and vid. Hey, speaking of cable mgmt... what Orange cable did you use for your George L's? I really like the orange!

[@LiamKillen]

Those are George L’s cables! 😊

[@_B.C_]

Got a link/recommendation for a good little equipment vacuum?

[@LiamKillen]

Search “air blower” on Amazon! 😊

[@Painsoreal]

Dope

[@LiamKillen]

😏

[@muzzy2007]

Your video inspired me to get the h90. Are you able to make a video of how to connect a pedal as an outboard fx unit from a daw? I want to use it with logic.

[@deliciousaudio]

You need to do this: 1. have a mono or stereo send on your DAW routed to one of your audio interface outputs 2. connect that output to the input of the H90. 3. Then connect the stereo output of the pedal back to a stereo in of the interface 4. assign that input to a (stereo) fader of your DAW letting the live input through Obviously, more specific instructions depend on what DAW you use.

[@muzzy2007]

@@deliciousaudio hey, thanks for this. I’m using logic x. So I’m using the universal audio Apollo twin. So if I understand correctly, output from that into h90, then output from the h90 back into the UA?

[@LiamKillen]

Something to consider!

[@LiamKillen]

Thx for this!!

[@paolodg71]

Yes, I'm not a logic expert but hopefully it will compensate for latency issues you may have with routing audio out to the real world.

[@YarivGilad]

Hey Liam, love your content! How about an affiliate link to your famous vacuum cleaner? :)

[@LiamKillen]

Search opolar on Amazon! 😊

[@dyscotopia]

I have some old fairly basic multi effects boxes from my youth. I'm running my Boog Model D through one directly into the mixer and using the other connected to a Waldorf 4-pole as my aux send... But I have a drumbrute impact which has individual outs for the drums, which seems like an ideal use case for pedals as the impact, while a great machine doesn't have a lot of sonic versatility. But I'm already maxed out on space. I've been eyeing Temu to dip my toe in pedal water without spending a ton. I notice they have pedal power banks and pedal boards and lots of affordable pedals. Are any of these worth trying? Keeping the pedals below the desk, connected to a cheap submixer seems very tempting

[@LiamKillen]

I'm not familliar with temu!

[@dyscotopia]

@@LiamKillen it's a bit like wish. They sell a bit of everything. The pedals never seem to mention line level compatibility so there might be an issue with drum machine processing if the impact overdrives their cheap circuits in an unpleasant way

[@dustyaudio]

“Get off my lawn!” (shakes guitar angrily at the synth kids) jk, excited to hear your approach!

[@LiamKillen]

lol! Thanks for watching :-)

[@geluix69]

I use two Rythmes synced in midi, since its mono I hard pan tracks left or right and can have a total of four separate outputs to mix individually. Adding FX additionally if needed. Live venues are all in mono regardless, stereo is a waste of time. The Red Panda Particle v2 can be synced also via midi, the EXP port can be confirmed as a midi port in the Web editor. Or you can use a USB midi host and do thru USB Midi.

[@LiamKillen]

Thx for this input!

[@DF-ds4cx]

Safe to not use a re-amp to lower from line level to instrument level depending on the particular pedal?

[@LiamKillen]

ummm should be.

[@trevormalcolm4328]

I’m thinking about getting another sampler, I like the idea of the Circuit Rhythm (specially budget wise) but for some reason I feel like the workflow is a little clunky! I’m I justified in disliking it for not having at least a “basic” screen?

[@LiamKillen]

I’m still new to the rhythm I absolutely would NOT describe it as clunky at all! It’s actually quite fluid in my experience thus far.

[@whiteperill]

What's the engine that you use to clean your synths in the intro?

[@LiamKillen]

That’s an opolar blower! You can find em on Amazon

[@whiteperill]

@@LiamKillen thanks!!

[@TheBrainvision]

Decksaver

[@LiamKillen]

😏

[@ChristianSamsel]

Calling the company event-ide instead of even-tide triggers me more then it should

[@LiamKillen]

I don't know how to pronounce anything.

[@TouchSonic4]

Phaser pedal makes sound choppy, and you can control slow or faster use rate knob. I Don't Like Fhase sound , but choppy is fantasy Maybe I will buy Distortion and H90 😊

[@LiamKillen]

Next video of this series is all about modulation 😊

[@TouchSonic4]

@@LiamKillen I can't Wait :)

[@musicbyethan]

pedaltrain boards are legit 👍. good video man

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah they make such a huge difference. Thank you! :-)