How do you play live with an ID TVP amp in the UK?

[whirtleby]

So does anyone play live with ID TVP amps in the UK? How do you do it? I mean, how do you switch channels? I will outline the problems here:

1) I have an ID:100 TVP head which has a ton of in-built sounds, so I don't want to have to purchase separate effects pedals or I won't be making use of the effects which come with the amp. I mean cleans, crunch, heavy OD and even a few tweaks like a bit of delay or chorus if I need it, are all contained in the amp.

2) I therefore need a way of switching between different patches when playing live. This can't be limited to 4 specific patches per song! For that reason alone, the blackstar footswitch is no good. To clarify, most songs won't need more than 4 different guitar sounds - most will only need a couple - but I play a variety of songs, so it can't be limited to the SAME 4 each time. For example, 8 - 10 patches would be enough sonic variety to play everything I want. I can have clean, clean reverb, clean chorus, light crunch, crunch, OD, OD lead boost with delay, and OD lead boost with phaser. Some songs might need to switch between clean, crunch, and OD lead boost (delay) Others might need OD and OD lead boost (phaser). Other might need clean reverb, light crunch, OD. Those three configurations mean I need to switch between 7 different patches in various configurations for each song. I can't be switching back and forth between BANKS which have been tailor-made for each song! It is vastly simpler to just be able to switch between 8 patches.

3) Even if the blackstar footswitch DID have more buttons per bank instead of just 4, it can't really be used live, because there is a delay when switching. This means you can never reliably smoothly transition between clean and OD, because the delay will always make it slightly off. This isn't a glitch with mine, it's what I've also read countless times. I assume it is to do with some kind of processing having to take place due to the pedal not communicating via MIDI.

4) That leaves me with MIDI footswitch options. I purchased a second-hand Rolls MP128 MIDI buddy. At first it seemed to solve all of my problems in one swoop. Instant patch switching between 10 different patches! However, it's now starting to slighty glitch every now and then, which of course rules it out from being used live as if it glitches when I want to change from OD to clean and doesn't change the patch, the song will be ruined! Of course I have no way of knowing if the problem is due to the footswitch or my amp, an inherent problem or just inherited from it being damaged in someway as it is second-hand, or a problem with the power suppply due to the fact that it's an american product and I live in the UK.

5) I want to try a different MIDI footswitch, the best seems to be the Rocktron MIDI mate, but again that's an American product... every other footswitch I seem to be able to find is 'designed for a particular model of amp' and when people have queried online if it can be used for other amps, no one seems to know. So there seems to be no demand in the UK for MIDI footswitches which can be used with any guitar amp?

6) As stated previously, I don't want to spend hundred of £££ on 2 distortion pedals, a chorus, boost, and reverb pedal, then just keep my amp on clean the whole time - I want to be able to make use of the effects it already has!

Any advice is appreciated.

[Yardman]

Hi there,
i am not playing in the UK but in Germany. I own a TVP260 Combo and i'm using it with a Behringer FCB 1010 Midi Footcontroller. This piece of hardware is quite affordable and does a good job. You can switch between 99 presets and it is programmable. Means, you cann assign midi commands.
I use it together with an alternate firmware, called "UNO", wich enhances the abilities by giving you the possibility to use up to five switches as stombbox. So i can turn on and off the onboard effects of the amp without having to change the preset.
You should give this a try.

[CuztardPi]

Hi,

Another thumbs up for the Behringer FCB1010 .... I'm in the UK & use my ID260TVP live with my band with a FCB1010 to select patches, turn effects ON & OFF, set tap tempo, volume pedal & modulation speed .. for a couple of years now very successfully. I'm very happy with my setup

See this thread for how I use it (originally):
http://www.blackstaramps.com/forum/view ... ing#p19768

More recently I've also been using the above setup with a couple of pedals into the front of the amp for solo boost; see here:
http://www.blackstaramps.com/forum/view ... =10#p21074

[Enlive]

The latency your describing when switching patches might be because it engages on the release of the switch rather than the press. Also if you use a different tube type for each patch there is a slight delay but can be eliminated by making a whole bank of 4 patches using the same tube type. Also I've noticed a cool hack when switching from distortion to a clean patch. If you hace reverb on your distortion patch or lead patch, use the same reverb on the clean channel and the reverb will hang over after the switch to clean making it super smooth sounding. Even if your not using reverb on your other patches put the reverb on and keep it the same type as the reverb in your clean patch just witg the volume all the way down but have the green light lit up and when your switch to clean it will hang over.

[budgie60]

As the rhythm guitarist in a band i use the manual clean warm setting with a way huge swollen pickle for a bit of grunt,
works really well