Expression Pedals

[Shadoweclipse13]

I've got a couple of pedals that can take an expression pedal (EQD Hummingbird, and my OBNE Dark Star which should be here today!), and I've gotten curious about using them.

Those of you who also have pedals that can take expression pedals, do you use them?

[jthomas]

I have a Roland EV5 that I use (in various configurations) with a Pigtronix Resotron (Wah-like) and a Strymon Lex (leslie pedal). Extremely versatile. I really need another one.

[Jonesie]

I was using one (a Moog one) with my Vox Delaylab, and it was a lot of fun. On that particular pedal you could choose the parameter that it controlled, so for one delay I'd have it be the amount of repeats, and then for a modulated delay setting I made it into a faux-rotary speaker speed control.

[jorri]

I just got one for either Microcosm or Space but yet to integrate ito much playing, it sounded good for opening up controls like repeats and decay for when more intense sounds are required instead of presets. Other ideas are if i find some more 'special effect' use that it could be played like a wah, such as the filter knob or 'size' on reverb which causes pitch shifts much like a delay pedal would.
Less so if it cant be set with an ideal minimum setting perhaps? Need to figure it out, and which parameter it can control live, since it does have a min setting- its just a M-Audio EXP barely more cost than a pack of strings.
Ive become very practiced at foot knob changing but doesnt always work & i /ideally/ would love my EHX hazarai to have some expression available but it doesnt, because the decay knob can be glitch-like and very expressive on some modes.

[fuzzjunkie]

I used a Roland RV-5 and an Ernie Ball volume pedal in my old setup. The Roland controlled a Roland rack unit and the EBV controlled the speed on a Voodoo Vibe.

Now I use a Source Audio expression pedal that can control 3-4 effects individually or all together.

I have it controlling the Q on a Fairfield Four Eyes. I use it for filter sweeps and fuzz wah. It can sweep a positive or negative curve. Oh, and it also has an LFO function, so I have a setting that’s very Diamond Sea. It could be used as an aut-wah, but this sounds more like a fuzzy pulsing phaser-wah.

I have it set to control the tape speed or echo mix level on a Strymon el Capistan.

It controls the tremolo and vibe speed on the Voodoo Vibe. Just needs a send/return cable.

It controls various functions on an Eventide Timefactor. Mix, regeneration, echo volume and modulation speed.

It can store settings, so it can just sweep a filter, or sweep a filter, speed up a tremolo, and increase delay feedback all at once. Saves me having 2-3 more expressions on my board.

[nanamour]

I use an old Boss FV-300H as an expression controller for my Eventide H9 and find it indispensable; plugging into that EXP jack totally transformed the way I approached the H9, from status reverb/delay box to instrument of its own, and it’s helped simplify my board by replacing a few standalone treadle controlled effects. For instance, I use exp control of some of the PitchFactor and PitchFuzz algorithms to do what I otherwise would have kept a Whammy in my board to accomplish. The expression pedal can also be assigned to control the volume of effects, so can more or less replace a volume pedal for things like swells (though I find the taper on my particular unit not the best for this) or on the fly level-setting.

Like fuzzjunkie’s TimeFactor, the H9 and its algorithms can be configured to have multiple effect parameters simultaneously assigned to expression pedal control, which can be cool for stuff like huge filter-swept polar wind reverb swells, or simpler things like sending a delay into oscillation at the nudge of the foot.

More relevant to your Hummingbird, I also really like using the expression pedal to modulate the speed of a repeat percussiony tremolo preset in real time—I’d think picking up a used/cheaper exp pedal worth it to experiment with that alone.

[fuzzjunkie]

More relevant to your Hummingbird, I also really like using the expression pedal to modulate the speed of a repeat percussiony tremolo preset in real time—I’d think picking up a used/cheaper exp pedal worth it to experiment with that alone.

This.

I have tap tempo on my delays, but I can use the expression pedal to control the speed of tremolo and other modulation effects to be in time with the music. Or go from half time to double time since I can set the sweep range.

[jthomas]

I bought my EV5 for $50 in 2018. Now they are going for $71, new. Holy cow! No way!

[Logrinn]

I've got Old Blood Noise Endeavors Expression Ramper which is awesome.



and also Electro Harmonix Cntl Knob, which is basically the manual version of the OBNE Expression Ramper.



Both are superfun and useful.

[Shadoweclipse13]

Sorry for the late reply guys! This week at work has been pretty busy (a good thing!!) made more busy as that I'm kinda-sorta training/showing around the new guy a bit (also not a bad thing!!). Thanks for all the replies!!

Jthomas - I'll definitely check out the Roland EV-5! The price is great, and I've always loved Roland's quality.

Jonesie - That sounds like a hell of a lot of fun! I've never messed with the Vox pedals before, but that sounds like a great delay. And it seems like the Moog expression pedals are kind of the standard.

Jorri - You think the way I do. I love the idea of using expression pedals for changing parameters instead of just presets, but something about using them in a way that makes unique sounds that might not be possible otherwise sounds amazing. Or to use a pedal to get sounds like something else, so as to keep my board not quite a big as it could be. I've mentioned before that I frequently use a tremolo and a delay or reverb to achieve a pseudo-rotary pedal sound, but I'd love to be able to use a phaser with an expression to get pseudo-wah sounds. The EQD Grand Orbiter is my go-to phaser, and mode 2 is a fixed filter mode (no LFO). I wish that I could have an expression jack added to it for just that reason as I love wah sounds, but don't know if I want a dedicated wah pedal.

Fuzzjunkie - Do you know what model expression that is? I looked up expressions from Source Audio, and I didn't see one that could save modes like that. Unless it requires a separate midi-switch or the like to save presets. That seriously sounds amazing. I've honestly had my eye on the fairly new Lehle expression pedal, as I've got one of their volume pedals and I love it. I love that it's got a Hall sensor, instead of a potentiometer. I was considering making a small switch in a box to be able to change between different effects (so if I'm using multiple effects that are hooked up to my expression pedal, I won't be changing all of them simultaneously, unless I want to).

Nanamour - That also sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. I'd definitely be using this for single-effect pedals, as I don't actually own any multi-effects pedals As for getting a cheap one to try out if I'd even like doing these things first, I almost forgot that I've got a Dunlop mini volume pedal (DVP4) for my bass rig that can be used as expression as well. I'm not sure that I like the mini volume size (even as short dude with average feet!), but if I sell it, I could at least try out the expression function for my few pedals that have expression jacks.

Logrinn - I was actually considering getting an OBNE Expression Ramper too. If I like using an expression pedal, I think I'd get both, since the Expression Ramper is unique and it's own thing. That switch box I mentioned above, I could add an output switch too, to change between traditional expression pedal or the Ramper. Or even make a 3-wat switch where I could assign each pedal to either the Ramper or the traditional one independently. Hmm, ideas ideas.

[cestlamort]

Like many, I have an RV5 that I use with a variety of pedals and it is a great no frills pedal in that regard. I don’t use it all the time but it’s a great way to revisit what the pedals can do and maybe inspire you to explore different dynamics or sounds (such as flirting with self oscillation in a delay pedal).
For my uses (light duty, not a major part of my set up) the Roland more than suffices and it solid but doesn’t weigh much at all.

[Gavanti]

You might consider looking at a Mission Expressionator as well. I've been using one with a DVP4, and it's fairly simple to footswitch among three pedals or control multiple pedals with it. The only thing it doesn't seem to get along with well so far is the volume control on my Swiss Things—I'm not certain what is going on there, but it adds some noise at lower volume settings.

[Shadoweclipse13]

You might consider looking at a Mission Expressionator as well. I've been using one with a DVP4, and it's fairly simple to footswitch among three pedals or control multiple pedals with it. The only thing it doesn't seem to get along with well so far is the volume control on my Swiss Things—I'm not certain what is going on there, but it adds some noise at lower volume settings.

Thanks for the heads-up! I love all the little devices That's too bad that it doesn't seem to like your Swiss Things. I'm not really looking at one, but I've always been a bit of an EQD fanboy.

[Shadoweclipse13]

Like many, I have an RV5 that I use with a variety of pedals and it is a great no frills pedal in that regard. I don’t use it all the time but it’s a great way to revisit what the pedals can do and maybe inspire you to explore different dynamics or sounds (such as flirting with self oscillation in a delay pedal).
For my uses (light duty, not a major part of my set up) the Roland more than suffices and it solid but doesn’t weigh much at all.

Another vote for an RV-5. Another to add to the list to try if I need to buy a full expression pedal!

[fuzzjunkie]

You might consider looking at a Mission Expressionator as well. I've been using one with a DVP4, and it's fairly simple to footswitch among three pedals or control multiple pedals with it. The only thing it doesn't seem to get along with well so far is the volume control on my Swiss Things—I'm not certain what is going on there, but it adds some noise at lower volume settings.

I looked at the Mission Expressionator, and thought about building a switch that would split the control out to different pedals too.

That’s when I came across the Source Audio Reflex. Unfortunately it looks like they are discontinued? I got mine when they first came out 5 years ago. It was exactly what I needed. Wished that it was around 10 years earlier, but I guess it was still either ahead of its time or there’s just not enough interest in controlling 3-4 pedals and being able to store presets?

https://www.sourceaudio.net/reflex-exp ... ller.html

As mentioned earlier: it can control 3 pedals directly through regular output jacks that can be individually configured using dip switches. This is important because the Voodoo Vibe, el Capistan and the Four Eyes fuzz all have different input voltages. (I suspect that’s why Gavanti is having noise issues with Swiss Thing?) I would need 3 pedals because of that, so the Mission and the pedal switch idea wouldn’t work.

It’s also a midi controller and can store 128 presets. I wish the el Capistan could store more than 2. Heck, my 1987 Roland unit can store 8! The midi out controls the Timefactor, and it could control the Space as well, but I don’t need that. There’s even a USB out to connect digital gear.

The killer function for me, outside of the 3 different voltages, is the 5 different waveforms. Now only 2-3 are much use to me, but the pulse LFO is key to getting a Diamond Sea type sound out of a box that is not a Formant Synth or whatever the Ludwig Phase 2 pedal (tower?) is.

You can change the direction of the sweep to each pedal too, so toe down to one is heel down to another. I have one preset where the speed is ramping up on one pedal while slowing down on another.

There’s also a beat LFO setting that I have never used, but could be useful for a number of things. I am thinking it could glitch out a bit crusher pedal (don’t have one) or setting a noise gate or tremolo to chop up a signal - think Robin Guthrie or Portishead or Massive Attack chopping up a sound by gating it with a drum machine beat. Except without the drum machine. Even if it’s random it could do step-phaser sounds. Not sure exactly how it works but now I want to try it out!