Question on R5 midi controller and Syn 2

Synergy/MTS Forum

Help Support Synergy/MTS Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

LuxxtoneBoy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2018
Messages
46
Reaction score
0
Is it possible to control to Syn 2 hooked together with only one R5 midi controller?
 
Yes, directions are in the SYN-2 manual.

Connecting Multiple SYN2s
Follow the steps below to combine 2 or more SYN2 units. In this connection scheme the first SYN2 in the
signal chain is called the “Master” and the second SYN2 is the called the “Slave”.
- Connect your instrument to the Input of the Master unit.
- Run a cable from the "TO AMP IN" of the Master unit to the "INST. IN" on the rear panel of the Slave unit.
- Connect the main output L/MONO of the Slave unit to the "FROM AMP FX SEND" of the Master unit.
- Use the MAIN OUT(s) or the DI output(s) of the MASTER unit to connect to your power amp / monitors.
- Program the Slave with the Master in Bypass Mode.
Note - When using the input on the front panel, the "INST IN" on the back panel is disengaged.
The same procedure is recommended for adding a third, fourth etc. unit to the system
For most systems, it’s recommended that you set your SYN2s to the same MIDI channel. You can follow the
programming instructions above, repeating the steps for each SYN2. When you want to access the second
SYN2, make sure that the first SYN2 is set to bypass.
 
Technically yes, but I believe with the RF5 you will only be able to access any 4 of the 8 available channels at any one time. I don't think there is any way to program the buttons for dual use based on the current state of the bypass switch.

To access all 8 available channels without reprogramming I think you'd need a MIDI controller with at least 8 switches.
 
I decided to get a Fractal FX8.

tnjazz said:
Technically yes, but I believe with the RF5 you will only be able to access any 4 of the 8 available channels at any one time. I don't think there is any way to program the buttons for dual use based on the current state of the bypass switch.

To access all 8 available channels without reprogramming I think you'd need a MIDI controller with at least 8 switches.
 
LuxxtoneBoy said:
I decided to get a Fractal FX8.

IMO the FX8 is the perfect controller for the Syn2. Set your MIDI channels and FX inside scenes within a preset and it’s flawless.
 
Will I be able to access the 2 channels of each of the 4 modules (will have 2 Syn2’s) with the FX8?

tnjazz said:
LuxxtoneBoy said:
I decided to get a Fractal FX8.

IMO the FX8 is the perfect controller for the Syn2. Set your MIDI channels and FX inside scenes within a preset and it’s flawless.
 
LuxxtoneBoy said:
Will I be able to access the 2 channels of each of the 4 modules (will have 2 Syn2’s) with the FX8?

tnjazz said:
LuxxtoneBoy said:
I decided to get a Fractal FX8.

IMO the FX8 is the perfect controller for the Syn2. Set your MIDI channels and FX inside scenes within a preset and it’s flawless.

Yes. There are some small compromises that have to be made due to the design of the FX8, but if you're cool with them it works great.
 
Hi Tnjazz,

Care to expand a little in the FX8 limitations for controlling the Syn2’s? I have my Syn2’s on the way, so I want to make sure that I get what I need from the FX8 before making the purchase.
 
This post is long, somewhat hard to explain and I'm only on my first cup of coffee so bear with me...

You only have 8 buttons you can assign per preset, but you can assign them to anything. You technically have 11, but I have the 3 function buttons set to preset up, preset down and tuner.

Assuming one button per channel module, you would not be able to have a preset containing all 8 channels and have any way to directly footswitch effects on and off. That does not mean you cannot add 8 effects to the preset, just that you wouldn't be able to footswitch them easily.

You get around this limitation by using scenes. Here's what I do:

I create a preset for a specific song in our setlist. I decide which effects I will be using on that song and I add all of them to the preset. Then I decide which module channels I will be using for that song and I create scenes inside the preset corresponding to the module channels.

Effects are assignable per preset, but you cannot add new ones to different scenes inside the preset. But you CAN toggle them on and off, or X/Y them. So while you can't change what effects you use in a scene, you can change their state (on/off, or 2 different settings via X/Y)

So for example, let's say we sometimes play a song that calls for a clean channel, crunch channel and a lead channel. It has delay, reverb, phaser and a harmonizer and wah.

I create a preset with all those effects I will be using on the song, then create several scenes inside it, with the effects in various states.

Wah is assigned to the expression pedal so it is always available. Just have to step on it.

Scene 1 is set to a clean module channel, with phaser, delay and reverb on, and harmonizer off. I assign this to button 1.

Scene 2 is a crunch channel on a different module, with just delay and reverb on, phaser and harmonizer off. I assign this to button 2.

Scene 3 is lead tone on channel B of the second module, with delay, reverb and harmonizer on, with phaser set to off. I assign this to footswitch button 3.

This leaves me with 5 buttons to assign. I generally put a gate on one button, so that I can turn it on and off as needed. I also put as many fx as I can on the remaining buttons so that I can toggle them on and off as needed. This is dependent on how many scenes you have for that song (you can create 8 inside of every preset).

So when it's all said and done, my 8 footswitches for this one preset are as follows:
1 - scene 1 (delay/reverb/phaser on, harmonizer off, MIDI PC 1)
2 - scene 2 (delay/reverb on, phaser/harmonizer off, MIDI PC 3)
3 - scene 3 (delay/reverb/harmonizer on, phaser off, MIDI PC 4)
4 - phaser
5 - gate
6 - harmonizer
7 - delay
8 - reverb

So if I'm playing scene 1 and I decide I don't like the phaser sound, I can step on button 4 and turn it off and the scene stays active until I change to another one.

I do also have a "default" preset I use for goofing around with all my modules. The scenes in it are set 1-8 to each footswitch so that I can switch to every channel in a single preset. This has delay and reverb on for all 8 along with the wah, so the only difference is each scene channel switches.

Confusing, but once you set this up one time it will make total sense. You just have to adjust your approach a little. It's very much like using a loop strip. One button press toggles certain things on and off.
 
I’m going to order the FX8 and will probably reach out to you when I start programing it with the Syn2’s. Hope that is ok. Thank you so much for the feedback.
 
Sure, just PM me. It sounds complicated but once it’s in front of you and you create your first preset with scenes inside, it will make total sense.
 
This is what the Synergy guys used to control modules at NAMM.

http://www.rjmmusic.com/effect-gizmo/

http://www.rjmmusic.com/mastermind-lt/


 
Top