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June 5, 2007 8:15 AM

How and why do I use my gate/loop pedal?

picked up the little guy while working at the Salvation Army. I know they're supposed to be tons of fun, but I've never found a good explanation of what it is or how to use it. Let me rephrase: I haver found an explanation that my tiny basal punk rock brain could understand.

I need someone to lay this puppy out for me real simple. Otherwise, it's getting hocked.

posted by es_de_bah to technology (7 comments total)

Isn't the traditional method of figuring this out to plug a guitar (or keyboard) into it and fuck around?
I've seen a lot of freak folk folk fucking with them lately, and they can add a weird trippy dub thing. They're all over the Nao Wave comp too, which is really good, and they can be used for crude live dub stuff and crazy psych.
posted by klangklangston at 8:50 AM on June 5, 2007

It's hard to tell much without knowing some specifics about the pedal. Who made it, what's the model?

Assuming you have something like this, a noise gate is used to remove low level hiss and static from the signal going to the amp. A loop pedal is used to control a group of other effect pedals-- it's just like the effects loop on your amp, except it is switchable.

Klang is thinking of something like this, which is more like a mini recorder for layering parts live. You lay down one guitar part and save it, then play new parts over that-- both parts get sent to the amp at the same time.
posted by InfidelZombie at 9:34 AM on June 5, 2007

gotta DOD fx30b with three knobs: release, gate, sensitivity
posted by es_de_bah at 10:18 AM on June 5, 2007

That's the one in my first link. I'm just guessing, but sensitivity and release should adjust the noise suppression aspects of the pedal, and gate should allow you to mix the clean signal in with the effects you have looped.
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:31 AM on June 5, 2007

More detail: Sensitivity controls how much noise is pulled out of the signal. Release controls how the effect lets go of the signal as the input volume gets higher and lower, since noise is only an issue at low levels. You want to play around until you have a good tone with no noise, and no clipping of the attack or release of your notes.
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:38 AM on June 5, 2007

I have one of these (two actually). I primarily use it to switch out gear I dont want in the signal chain all the time (in my case, a korg x911 that has _no_ bypass).

As far as I know, this pedal has no real noise suppression abilities. It's not really a noise gate, and I don't believe would work for that.

You can set it up to "gate" one signal with another, but I've never found this to be particular useful. The primary reason being the fairly poor triggering of the gate.

I mostly use the loop function (not to be confused with a "looper" pedal), mostly as a bypass or A-B switch.
posted by alikins at 12:09 PM on June 5, 2007

Yeah, Infidel, I was thinking of the looper stompbox, which is sweet.
posted by klangklangston at 4:00 PM on June 5, 2007