Using Laptop and Plugins for live effects

[SumOne]

42 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

Looks like a cool setup!

 

I can't help but notice you've had a few different setups from multifx to dedicated pedals. What's the driver for moving to this setup? Is it just experimentation, or is it a specific problem to solve?

 

I've been blown away by some of the vst effects, amp sims, and captures available. My mate was using his Steam Deck as a little portable practice rig with a tonex one. it's a great time to be nerdy and into effects 🤣

 

Mostly I just like geeking about with different sounds and setups (I spent years making electronic music before I ever picked up a Bass).

 

I am less fickle with things like basses and keyboards though, so it's not only that I like shiny new stuff! I always tend to nit-pick and think multi fx can be improved.

 

The reason for this current setup is that I needed a decent Laptop and interface for DJ stuff, and started recording Bass at home through it - then realised that the latency is low enough that it is fine for home practice...and if good enough for home practice, perhaps it'll work live.

 

It potentially fixes that nit-picking I have with multi fx. Don't like the filter in the Helix/Boss/Zoom etc? Tough! You're stuck with it! (or start adding other pedals), but with a Laptop you can buy a MF-101 Plugin from Moog for about £20. Likewise for me with B15 Amp, Space Echo, etc. Plugins and almost limitless routing and combination options, and MIDI controllers just open a whole new world of nerding!

 

 

[MrDinsdale]

8 hours ago, SumOne said:

 

Mostly I just like geeking about with different sounds and setups (I spent years making electronic music before I ever picked up a Bass).

 

I am less fickle with things like basses and keyboards though, so it's not only that I like shiny new stuff! I always tend to nit-pick and think multi fx can be improved.

 

The reason for this current setup is that I needed a decent Laptop and interface for DJ stuff, and started recording Bass at home through it - then realised that the latency is low enough that it is fine for home practice...and if good enough for home practice, perhaps it'll work live.

 

It potentially fixes that nit-picking I have with multi fx. Don't like the filter in the Helix/Boss/Zoom etc? Tough! You're stuck with it! (or start adding other pedals), but with a Laptop you can buy a MF-101 Plugin from Moog for about £20. Likewise for me with B15 Amp, Space Echo, etc. Plugins and almost limitless routing and combination options, and MIDI controllers just open a whole new world of nerding!

 

 

Yeah, it's pretty awesome how much stuff is available and for a great price. It's made for interesting reading, too. 

 

I need to experiment more with vsts. I'm pretty happy with stuff I'm doing on the QC, but stuff like the space echo would be fun. 

 

Will be following!

[SumOne]

5 hours ago, MrDinsdale said:

Yeah, it's pretty awesome how much stuff is available and for a great price. It's made for interesting reading, too. 

 

I need to experiment more with vsts. I'm pretty happy with stuff I'm doing on the QC, but stuff like the space echo would be fun. 

 

Will be following!

 

I'd say particularly for home stuff it is a good option if you already have an audio interface. 

 

I've spent a lot of time with Bass hooked up to the Laptop for Multi-FX editing, Source Audio Pedals, Future Impact etc. And it seems like for many of those things you can just cut out the middle man of using a pedal, the Laptop has plenty of processing power to do anything pedals can do, and lot of the free VSTs are just as good (or better) than pedals. 

 

Admittedly, using it live is a different proposition - and  I might regret it! 

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by SumOne