Preset Mix/Routing - Fractal VP4 Owner's Manual

VP4 OWNER'S MANUAL

Preset Mix/Routing

The Preset Mix/Routing page is like a "Command Center" for the various mix-
related settings for all effects in the current preset. It shows the four effect
types and allows you to adjust their Mix, Level and other settings without
bouncing between menus. To navigate this page, turn SELECT to the desired
row, and turn ABCD to adjust settings for the four effects.
Bypass - Use this to bypass/engage effects outside of Effects Mode.
Mix - This adjusts the balance of "Dry" and "Wet" for the effect. Effects with
no mix, such as Wah, GEQ, etc., will show "NA".
Level - This adjusts the total level of the effect, both wet and dry.
Meters - A meter at the top of each column shows the input level (blue) and
output level (green) for the corresponding effect. When clipping occurs,
the meter turns red. This makes the Mix/Routing page an excellent tool for
tracking down the cause of clipping inside a preset. For instance, if you see
that Effect 3 overloads its output but not its input, you'll know to adjust the
settings inside Effect 3 to correct this.
Bypass Mode - Bypass Mode determines how an effect block behaves when it
is bypassed. The default setting of "Mute FX In" for time-based effects allows
tails to spill over when the effect is bypassed. (Note that for these effects,
"Level" controls the dry even while the effect is bypassed.) The default setting
of "Thru" for non time-based effects behaves similarly to "True Bypass" on an
analog pedal: while bypassed, "Thru" has no impact whatsoever on the sound.
(Additional options for Bypass Mode are covered on the next page.)
Kill Dry - Kill dry is a provided for those who run time-based effects in parallel
(see "Routing" below). With Kill Dry turned on, no DRY signal passes through
the block. Instead, the Mix control functions as a level control for the Wet
signal only, potentially making parallel effects easier to use.
Channel - Changes the Channel of the selected effect. Remember that each
channel has its own settings for all parameters — including Mix, Level, Bypass
Mode, Kill Dry, etc.). You can even change the Effect type — but not the Block
Type). See p. 34 for more on Channels.
TIP: If you're using Scenes, change to Scene Mode and open this page as an
excellent "Scene Builder" with the ability to adjust bypass, channel, mix, level,
and more—with four scenes instantly available across the footswitches.
PRESETS
Routing: This parameter allows effects 2, 3, or 4 to be run in Series or Parallel
with respect to the previous block. A dynamic illustration shows the current
configuration.
Example: Setting Effect 3 to "Parallel" places it in
parallel with Effect 2, as shown in the image (right).
Of course you could say that Effect 2 is also parallel
to Effect 3, but on the VP4, "Series" or "Parallel" refers
to the previous block. So, Effect 2 is in series with Effect 1, and Effect 3 is in
parallel with Effect 2. This also explains why you can't choose "parallel" for
Effect 1: there is no previous effect!
FAQ: Why Do People Use Parallel Effects?
If you, like most people, have always strung pedals together in a chain, you'll be
comfortable with the default settings on the VP4, with four effects in series.
The option to run effects in parallel does create certain creative sound design
opportunities however. An easy example to understand is Reverb and Delay in
series or in parallel. In series, you hear reverb on the dry (what you play) and
the wet (the echo that follows). In parallel, only the dry signal passes into the
reverb, so the echoes that follow are dry, with no reverb.
MYTH: Time-based effects are easier or sound better in parallel.
FACT: On the VP4, time-based effects work just as well in series as
they do in parallel, with no difference in the dry signal's level or tone.
First, adjusting Mix for time-based effects on the VP4 does not change the dry level
until it is turned above 50%, making it easy to maintain unity gain.
Second, the VP4 has a very high-quality signal path, meaning that the dry signal isn't
compromised like it might be on vintage gear, analog pedals, etc, even without an
analog dry path.
In short, you can easily achieve excellent results with series effects. If anything, it's
parallel effects that require extra effort, as you'll need to either 1) turn on Kill Dry if
available for that block, or 2) adjust the Mix to 100% and set Bypass Mode to "Mute In"
or "Mute Out."
Because parallel effects require special settings, the VP4 has a
built-in "Help" page with a reminder. To view it, select any Routing
parameter on the Mix Overview page and then press ENTER.
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FX2
FX1 FX4
FX3