Series and Parallel Effects loop question?

[NgrungeBB91]

Hi, im new to my RM100, but what is the difference between using those effects areas than just hooking up the effects to each other then hook them to the input like normal, whats so special about these series and parallel loops??? This is a list of effects i want to get soon if this helps out with my question, thanks..
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Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb
Boss TR-2 Tremolo
Boss DD-7 Digital Delay
Dunlop DB-01 Dimebag Crybaby From Hell Wah

 

[Nigel T.]

It's all a possibility. Try 'em out and see what you like best. The only and most important advice there is. After all, you have to like the sound!

Onto the differences, as is implied in the names Series simply puts out the sound and cabling puts it through its various pedals/rackgear/whatever. Paralell also does that, but when it returns it is mixed with the original sound. In short... Series is perfect for tonal/pitch alteration (distortion, wah, equalizers, whammy, detunes, etc.), paralell for time altering effects like chorus, flanging and delays.

As to why put the pedals in the loops instead of in front of the amp? Where do you get your overdrive? If it is the amp, and you use a Reverb pedal for example then your reverb is being overdriven as well. This may sound like a tonal experiment, but most of the time it is cringeworthy. Put the Reverb in either loop and the reverb is not overdriven... Sound is nice If you get your overdrive from a stomp box it doesn't really matter. You can try the experiment by placing the reverb before and after the stomp box though.

My setup is as follows: Guitar > Wah > Whammy > Overdrive > Amp >(series) Volume > Multi effector for reverb, delay, mod > Amp (return).

My overdrive mostly comes from the various amps and for solo moments I pump up the volume by switching on my Tube Screamer. Clean solos with the Deluxe module are boosted by pressing Boost on the multi effects unit. The rest sort of speaks for itself.

There is a mix knob for the Paralell loop. Pushing that all the way up to Wet only means you just created a Serial loop. Also don't put Tuners in the Paralell loop; my multi effects box has a built-in tuner and it was not silent because of the Dry part in the sound loop (just a simple tip).

Good luck, and happy tweaking.

 

[NgrungeBB91]

Im still quite not understanding the point... im kinda getting it... ok say i wanted to connect those(that i listed in my first post) except the wah, would i connect all those pedals to each other then connect them to the parallel loop? then wah can go in series?

 

[Nigel T.]

Sorry, I hadn't seen the pedal list (or if I saw it thought it was something different).

The Wah is definitely in before the amp as it changes the tone. The 3 Boss pedals I'd put in the Paralell Loop. Do they have some sort of Mix knob? If they do you can put them in the Series Loop, and mix it yourself. If not then you can mix it with the knob on the amp.

The tremolo I am not familiar with, but as it alters volume I'd put it in the Series Loop. It would be kinda nonsensical to have the dry signal negating the tremolo from the box.

But once again... Play... Try it out. You may come up with something completely different that works for you.

 

[Julia]

Note: If you use anything like a germanium or silicon fuzz pedal they should go in front of the wah and whammy, unless these have been modded to be true bypass. Fuzzes provide tones an amp just cannot produce on its own.

Make sure you reduce the level of the loop to instrument level so you don't clip the pedal buffers or your pedal signal. You need to reduce it by approx -15 db. You can do this with an EBTech LLS2 or build one of these:

http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/newland/2081/id3.htm

All that is is a level pot, and it's variable so depending upon how hot you run your modules you can adjust this so you don't blow by it like you can with the -15 db fixed pad of the LLS2. You just have to set it and leave it alone. I made one and it cost me about $30 in parts because I didn't have the wire. Also if you build it out of an aluminum box make sure you insulate the jacks from the box. Mine is black plastic. Since it doesn't get banged around it's good enough. It is basically a volume pedal with a knob instead of a pedal.

And if you use a volume pedal, do not use the tuner out. That really sucks tone.

 

[Nigel T.]

And if you use a volume pedal, do not use the tuner out. That really sucks tone.

Thanks, forgot to mention that as my tuner is in the Nova System I use.

 

[NgrungeBB91]

Hmm... this all seems really confusing.. i guess ill just try it out when i get the pedals and such..

 

[tehuk]

Hmm... this all seems really confusing.. i guess ill just try it out when i get the pedals and such..

A really basic way of looking at it is to use overdrive/distortion in front while modulation effects or delays are in the loop.

 

[Rod]

The FX loops are line level...The pedals you want are instrument level...My pedals don't sound so great in the loops of my Lynchbox.....I'm going to buy a TC G Sharp rack....They have great verb, Delay's ect, and they are only $150.... I'd go that route, and save yoursel some $.....and your tone will be right on....
As far as OD pedals are concerned...they go between your guitar and amp, as does your wah....

 

[tung]

A really basic way of looking at it is to use overdrive/distortion in front while modulation effects or delays are in the loop.

That's a great simple way to go about it. Time based effects in the loop, distortion/overdrive/wah in front, that's how I do it. Good tone and least coloration to the original amp tone.