Signal Path Necromancy

["Scott Bullerwell" <tanelorn@dimensional.com>]

It's like a puzzle, only not fun: 

My setup consists of a guitar w/midi pickup and two outboard synths
controlled by same.  

All signals (dry guitar, synth 1, synth 2) are routed into a mixer.  

All signals have their own volume pedal between the source and the mixer.

Signal processors are mounted in FX loop of mixer (Aux 1).  Whole lotta
syrup added here: chorus, detune, delay, doppler panning, flange,
harmonizer, sodomizer, transmogrifier, little plastic box that goes "bing!"
etc.

Looper is mounted thus: mixer's "Tape Out" to looper's input.  Output from
looper goes into empty channel on mixer.  

I want to be able to send the signal of my choice (guitar, synth 1, synth
2, or any combination thereof) to the looper.

Problem: the looper records wet signal in this configuration.  The looper
is plugged into the board, and to get the loop back into some semblance of
a stereo image I bring up the FX level on that channel AGAIN.  Nasty comb
filtering, squealing, etc.

Solution: run only dry signal to the looper.  But HOW?  There's three
signal sources, and all of them are stereo even when dry (stereo guitar
preamp, stereo synths).  I can pull half-inserts off of the mono
channels... what about a resistive mixer?  Hey, that just might work! 
Patch the three mono dry half-insert signals into a resistive mixer and
into the looper, then out of the looper into the board and through the
stereo FX bus for some syrup.

Anyone got a more rational/elegant/simple/prudent idea than this?  I'd love
to hear it!

Scott Bullerwell
tanelorn@dimensional.com
Boulder, Colorado, USA