Zoom b9.1ut General discussion thread.

[jimwin]

I took advantage of the deal from GAK and got one of these. I have used it for about 40mins or so - and I find it quite complicated. I have owned Boss multi fx in the past (inc GT6b) and found them far more intuitive than this. I also have an M9 as well which a 3 year old could use. I havent read the manual for the Zoom (obviously!) and will persevere.

I only want to use this for some basic effects (chorus/Octave/reverb/EQ etc) and may gig it so need easy access to the patches. Any fundamental rules/logic from Zoom lovers (apart from RTFM!)??

Jim

[mr zed]

So, a few patches saved and tried out at rehersal last night. Very happy. No loss of any bottom end which was my main worry, just need to tweak the volume settings now so that they're more even. Oh, and we can now start to play Time is Running Out by Muse (about 5 years after everyone else has done it!). Had a fiddle this evening (matron) and just can't get the sound for this cock on. Anyone managed to dial this in? If so, are you willing to share the patch settings?

Cheers.

[TRBboy]

Think I'm gonna have to give up and move mine on....... I understand it better now, but it's just too involved for me, too many different parameters and layers to go into, it just seems to take far too long to adjust anything and find the sound I want.

Might get a B3 instead.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1357735933' post='1927423']
Think I'm gonna have to give up and move mine on....... I understand it better now, but it's just too involved for me, too many different parameters and layers to go into, it just seems to take far too long to adjust anything and find the sound I want.

Might get a B3 instead.
[/quote]

+1
Already got the B3 which is far better....now if they made a B5 !

[lefrash]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1357735933' post='1927423']
Think I'm gonna have to give up and move mine on....... I understand it better now, but it's just too involved for me, too many different parameters and layers to go into, it just seems to take far too long to adjust anything and find the sound I want.

Might get a B3 instead.
[/quote]

Its quite bizarre actually, beacuse I'm finding it really easy to make adjustments on the fly. Any effect can be altered and saved within 3-4 button presses/knob turn. Saying that I dont really use it for any mental effects, and any changes i make at gigs are generally just mix balance changes or a slight change in EQ.

You can probably tell, I'm still loving mine!

[Mudpup]

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1358267014' post='1935978']
Its quite bizarre actually, beacuse I'm finding it really easy to make adjustments on the fly. Any effect can be altered and saved within 3-4 button presses/knob turn. Saying that I dont really use it for any mental effects, and any changes i make at gigs are generally just mix balance changes or a slight change in EQ.

You can probably tell, I'm still loving mine!
[/quote]

Ditto here
Finding it really easy to use once you've spent some time with it.
I set up 2 banks of amp models without any compression, speakers or effects to use as a reference and then tweak them from there.

[Guest MoJo]

The B9.1ut gets easier the more time you spend with it. IMHO , the B9 is the better live tool

[Benplaysbass]

Is anyone getting like a click when you hit the string. I don't think I have heard it through the amp but sat here with headphones it seems that some patches are making a pop or click on the initial note. It might just be my headphones of course.

[Benplaysbass]

Think I have sussed it, played around with the ZNR and it has gone.

[Benplaysbass]

Just spent most of the evening trying to get it to work with cubase. I have tried everything. went to put it through audacity and it worked straight away. Wonder if I am going to have trouble with the librarian software. I've ordered a midi to usb jobbie.
So far I'm really liking this pedal, now I am getting my head round it a bit better. In the studio next month will be interesting to see how it sounds then.

[mikebass84]

Ive been using Sonar 8 with my pedal. Make sure you download the drivers from the zoom website

[Benplaysbass]

[quote name='mikebass84' timestamp='1358634721' post='1942726']
Ive been using Sonar 8 with my pedal. Make sure you download the drivers from the zoom website
[/quote]I did get them from the zoom site, I'm on vista 64bit so downloaded them, went all through the setup as in the manual. I could hear stuff back through the pedal from the computer but cubase wasn't getting any signal from the pedal.
Audacity was straight on and working within minutes and I can monitor through my computer speakers rather than back through the pedal which is nice.

[Ancient Mariner]

Have you told Cubase to use USB as the audio input source?

[Skinnyman]

I spent a good afternoon with this today and here's a few thoughts in no particular order which may answer some of jimwin's questions...

1) Like so many pieces of kit these days, the manual is really good - if you know how the unit works and just want it as a reference manual. What's missing (and this isn't just Zoom, I find it with almost everything these days) is the Concepts guide that talks you through the basic principles of operation so you can get your head around the approach they've taken.

2) Once you've sussed the above, it's fantastic!

3) Some of the effects, especially the synth-based "special effects" are stereo and, while they work ok through an amp and cab, they really sound best through a stereo output. Not a criticism, just an observation - don't expect the stereo chorus or synth sounds to be at their best without a two channel output. They work brilliantly for recording though!

4) "Play" mode and "Manual" mode are, at first, quite confusing terms - I think of "Play" mode as "Select" mode in that it allows you to quickly navigate to the bank you want. "Manual" mode I think of as "Performance" mode - once you've found the patch you want, you hit F2 (in most patches anyway) and now you have the relevant effects loaded into the individual footswitches and you're good to go. Once I'd sussed this (and maybe it's obvious to everyone else but it took me a while. I am a bear of little brain...), it became much easier to use!

5) Yes, there are loads of patches and lots of parameters to fiddle with but my view is that each patch represents a "virtual" pedalboard that you can configure for your own performance - and to get you started, they've set up a bunch of them so you can find one close to what you want and then fine tune it for yourself. Once I've set up two or three patches, I have, in essence, two or three different pedalboards that I can swap between during a gig for specific songs. Once I have this set up, I don't really envisage making many more changes unless we add more songs to the setlist of I'm doing something a bit different for a recording project. Again, once I'd got my head round this idea, stopped trying to get to grips with all of the parameters that could be changed and instead picked some patches that I liked, modified them and then set them up close together in a user bank the whole unit became much easier to use.

So, in summary, my main criticism is that the manual is missing a "Basic Principles" section but once you've sussed the above, it's a phenomenal piece of kit and I can see myself using it a lot....

Of course, this is only my experience - everyone's different and will have different needs - but if you're as cinfused as I intially was and trying to make sense of it all, I hope the above helps in a small way.

Enjoy

[jimwin]

Skinnyman - many thanks for your reply and your posting.

I have spent more time with this now - and completely agree with you. I have now understood the concept of how it works. It seems pretty versatile and am starting to get the "virtual pedalboard" organised

As with all effects, (particularly multi fx) - you only really know how good a saved patch sounds at gig volume. I had a couple of patches that sounded great through headphones and practice amp. Used them at a rehearsal (at gig volume) - sounded completely different! (and not in a good way). So I think it will take time to fine tune the required sounds - which will need to be done at rehearsal/sound check.

Overall pretty impressed though - although not sure it will replace my stomp-box pedal board.

Thanks again

Jim

[Ancient Mariner]

I don't have a B9, but other processors I've owned HAD to be set up in a band context if they were to be used in a band context.

[Skinnyman]

Agreed. I've noticed that there's even a big difference between playing through an amp and cab versus headphones or through the Audio Interface into Sonar. Some effects work in one environment but not others and vice versa.

I've got what I think are some reasonable patches but I fully expect to have to fine tune them at rehearsals - but at least I have a start point. I'm also wondering how usable the stereo effects will be live unless I put the unit through FOH so that's something else to try in rehearsal - but again, I have an idea of the ones I want to try out.

Really, my point in posting was to share my experiences in the hope that it might give a quick start to those who are thinking of getting one of these and maybe getting put off by the "it's very complicated" discussions. Or those just opening the manual for the first time and facing the hump that we've all had to climb for ourselves! There's a lot of useful discussion on this and several other forums about the unit but I wasn't able to find anything anywhere that would have helped me get the concepts straight in my head before I powered up......

[jaybass 70]

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1358706472' post='1943734']
I spent a good afternoon with this today and here's a few thoughts in no particular order which may answer some of jimwin's questions...

1) Like so many pieces of kit these days, the manual is really good - if you know how the unit works and just want it as a reference manual. What's missing (and this isn't just Zoom, I find it with almost everything these days) is the Concepts guide that talks you through the basic principles of operation so you can get your head around the approach they've taken.

2) Once you've sussed the above, it's fantastic!

3) Some of the effects, especially the synth-based "special effects" are stereo and, while they work ok through an amp and cab, they really sound best through a stereo output. Not a criticism, just an observation - don't expect the stereo chorus or synth sounds to be at their best without a two channel output. They work brilliantly for recording though!

4) "Play" mode and "Manual" mode are, at first, quite confusing terms - I think of "Play" mode as "Select" mode in that it allows you to quickly navigate to the bank you want. "Manual" mode I think of as "Performance" mode - once you've found the patch you want, you hit F2 (in most patches anyway) and now you have the relevant effects loaded into the individual footswitches and you're good to go. Once I'd sussed this (and maybe it's obvious to everyone else but it took me a while. I am a bear of little brain...), it became much easier to use!

5) Yes, there are loads of patches and lots of parameters to fiddle with but my view is that each patch represents a "virtual" pedalboard that you can configure for your own performance - and to get you started, they've set up a bunch of them so you can find one close to what you want and then fine tune it for yourself. Once I've set up two or three patches, I have, in essence, two or three different pedalboards that I can swap between during a gig for specific songs. Once I have this set up, I don't really envisage making many more changes unless we add more songs to the setlist of I'm doing something a bit different for a recording project. Again, once I'd got my head round this idea, stopped trying to get to grips with all of the parameters that could be changed and instead picked some patches that I liked, modified them and then set them up close together in a user bank the whole unit became much easier to use.

So, in summary, my main criticism is that the manual is missing a "Basic Principles" section but once you've sussed the above, it's a phenomenal piece of kit and I can see myself using it a lot....

Of course, this is only my experience - everyone's different and will have different needs - but if you're as cinfused as I intially was and trying to make sense of it all, I hope the above helps in a small way.

Enjoy
[/quote]

Excellent insight Skinnyman, I too struggled as this is my first Multi Fx unit, I was completely baffled with the amount of Parameters, settings and different Eq sections, but once you understand the concept of changing and storing patches it does become easier to use.
On the whole I think this thing is a keeper for me, I can see it being really useful for all band situations. The main thing for me is that it doesn't change your overall Tone or digitise it too much, just gives it a nice colouration.
Please keep us informed on your experiences with the Librarian software, I still cant get mine to work , I dont know if the usb midi lead I have bought is compatible, its this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190410997530?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
I know it was only £4, can anyone recommend one that definitely works.

[Skinnyman]

Hmmm. The one you've got [u]should [/u]work.... whether you've just got a dodgy unit (sorry, but at £4 I can't see QC being that high a priority) or there's a more fundamental issue is hard to say. What operating system are you running? And, stupid question, but have you tried swapping the MIDI plugs over? The MIDI IN plug should go to the MIDI OUT port on the B9 and vice versa which is counter intuitive to say the least!

Apologies if this is all basic stuff you've already checked but....

When you say it doesn't work, what happens when you try to start it up? Have you set the MIDI parameters in the Librarian software? Mine defaulted to MS Wavetable and I needed to select the MIDI port for my interface. And do you have any other MIDI units that you can try the lead with to rule that out (or in) as the issue?

I got the M Audio UNO MIDI - USB interface for £20 from DV247 which arrived today - plugged in and worked straight out the box with no issues. The only minor gripe I have is with the Librarian software which crashes on exit - I've read somewhere that this is a known issue (sorry, "undocumented feature") running Windows 7 64 bit. It's not a major problem - I just have to make sure that I save any patches I've edited back to the B9 before I exit.

I agree with you though - this is a keeper. I'm not sure I'll use the wilder effects in a live situation (that said, we don't have a keyboard player so I can see the synths being quite useful from time to time to add a bit of atmosphere) but I like the flexibility and, used discreetly, it'll allow me to tailor a sound to match the wide range of covers we do. Just as importantly, I can see this adding a whole new dimension to recordings.

I'm currently playing around with the Live Sound1 patch to tailor it for my gear/playing style and see if I can also add in the PedalSynth (see above for comments re lack of keyboardist) - I need to try it at rehearsal but once I have that set up, I can see it being the go-to patch I use for the majority of live stuff

[jaybass 70]

Thanks Dude, I've tried all of the above except trying another midi device as I havn't got another one. I keep getting the 'Device inquiry timed out' window popping up, the midi in out lights flash on my midi lead so it looks like its trying

[misterook]

I've been using the guitar version of this on my rig for about 3 years (G9.2tt) - I LOVE the "Z pedal" - really handy for the guitar (I play both bass and guitar in my band) - doing live dub out mixes of reverb / delay, blending on the fly - it's really handy. I've been able to get some truly awesome bass sounds out of it, which has really moulded my sound as a bassist now.

The one thing that annoyed me about the G9 is the fact the EQ is useless to a bassist, and I often generate some crazily low harmonics accidentally with some of the crazier effects; there's no bass synth, and the thing is actually quite heavy for a pedal....

The B9 seems to tick all the boxes and it's a steal... I might be tempted to get the bass version instead of the guitar one. Seems to have the Z delay and step filters that I love, as well as the Fuzzface and Tubescreamer distortions I use on my geet.

Has anyone else made the transition and managed to sucessfully transfer G9 patches across to the B9?

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='jaybass 70' timestamp='1358860254' post='1946100']
Thanks Dude, I've tried all of the above except trying another midi device as I havn't got another one. I keep getting the 'Device inquiry timed out' window popping up, the midi in out lights flash on my midi lead so it looks like its trying
[/quote]I got that message yesterday - I'd disconnected the MIDI but left Librarian running. After some head scratching (turn-it-off-turn-it-on-again, etc), I remembered to go and reconfigure the MIDI and off we went again. Sounds like it's the interface in your case though....

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='misterook' timestamp='1358861796' post='1946146']
I've been using the guitar version of this on my rig for about 3 years (G9.2tt) - I LOVE the "Z pedal" - really handy for the guitar (I play both bass and guitar in my band) - doing live dub out mixes of reverb / delay, blending on the fly - it's really handy. I've been able to get some truly awesome bass sounds out of it, which has really moulded my sound as a bassist now.

The one thing that annoyed me about the G9 is the fact the EQ is useless to a bassist, and I often generate some crazily low harmonics accidentally with some of the crazier effects; there's no bass synth, and the thing is actually quite heavy for a pedal....

The B9 seems to tick all the boxes and it's a steal... I might be tempted to get the bass version instead of the guitar one. Seems to have the Z delay and step filters that I love, as well as the Fuzzface and Tubescreamer distortions I use on my geet.

Has anyone else made the transition and managed to sucessfully transfer G9 patches across to the B9?
[/quote]

I did try my guitar briefly through the B9 and, to be honest, I wasn't overly impressed with the sound. I didn't really play around much so it might be that I could have got a better result after a bit of tweaking but first impressions weren't brilliant. I might give it another go though. If you want to send me a patch from your G9, I'll see if I can load it into the B. I'd guess the file structures will be the same but I'm not sure if the tags are the same - but if you want to send one over, I'll have a look.

[stu_g]

I was playing my precision through headphones earlier and there was alot of earth noise? i tried another passive bass and was beginning to think the zoom had developed a fault, then i plugged in the bass i first used with it when i got it, an ibanez rd500 which is active and noise was gone!

[Jack]

Generally headphones are more sensitive to this kind of thing. They're more full range and you tend to listen more closely to them compared to an amp that's halfway across the room. It may be entirely plausible that the P has always made noise and you've never noticed.