Re: Patch Bay Question...

[Duke Sexton <catilyne@icicle.net>]

At 04:30 PM 9/28/2002 -0700, JAMES FOWLER, III wrote:

>   i currently have 10 very different routing paths programmed and i can 
> switch freely and easily between them in live performance and i'm always 
> building more as the opportunity/need presents itself.

And...

At 05:09 PM 9/28/2002 -0700, Matt McCabe wrote:

>I find the flexibility both
>frustrating and liberating at times.  I've programmed 10 basic "utility" 
>patches
>that I use most frequently for live performances (clean w/ delay, clean 
>w/o delay,
>distortion w/ delay, etc.)  Then I have more complicated routing 
>configurations
>for when looping is involved.

Okay, this is a bit more like what I was asking about.  In a nutshell, my 
AudioMatrix will perform the same functions as the Switchblade (okay, it's 
not really as cool as the Switchblade, but since this is a question 
regarding design philosophy rather than the functionality of any 
particular 
unit, let's assume it is).

So, I'm in a situation where I *could* integrate flexible patching into my 
architecture.  The real question I'm trying to answer for myself is 
*should* I integrate that level of flexibility.

On the positive side, flexible routing would mean that I could patch any 
sound source through any combination of effects/loopers in any order (I'm 
currently working with four different sound sources and five different 
effect units, not to mention the Repeater).

On the negative side, I currently spend too bloody much time as it is 
engineering and managing the gear in the rack, as opposed to actually 
making music with it.  Integrating a non-hardwired routing scheme would 
add 
yet another level of complexity to the setup, when the purpose of 
stripping-down to a smaller amount of gear was to simplify the setup and 
actually get some work done.

So, the real crux of the matter comes down to the question, "is it really 
worth it?".

If I'm eventually just going to settle on only one routing scheme because 
playing around with this stuff during performance is too confusing, then 
obviously it's not worth speccing it into the rig.  But if you guys are 
finding value in, for instance, putting a line through one set of effects 
on one looping pass, then perhaps adding distortion for the second pass, 
and maybe only sampling the echoes of a reverb for the next pass, it then 
becomes something that's got some real value behind it.

Matt, I'm going to assume that for you it definitely is worth it, because 
it sounds as if you're even willing to give up some of your instrument's 
fullness of tone in order to gain this sort of flexibility.  Would I be 
correct in that assumption?  And John, do you ever feel as if you're 
bogged 
down in patching configurations to the point that you'd just as soon chuck 
the unit, wire everything up once then be done with it?

Thanks again, guys!!!

         -c-

_____
"i want to reach my hand into the dark and *feel* what reaches back"
                                                 -recoil