# Using guitar pedals with synths



## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

I'm pretty sure this has been done by many people: using overdrive or other effects pedals with synths that were designed with guitars in mind. I'm just wondering: is there any modding/interfacing necessary to do this due to different impedances and such, the same way you need a DI box to plug a guitar or bass straight into a desk, or can they just be connected directly with no effect on the sonics?

On a related point, could I use, say, a guitar reverb pedal on a mixer send/return bus for a vocalist or two? I'm thinking for smaller gigs where all I'll take is an arranger keyboard or something (solo musician accompanying a singer), so I don't want to have to carry more than necessary... will it work ok or will there be an electrical mismatch somethere?


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

I think it would work fine as long as you make sure everything ends up going through a DI in the end just to be on the safe side.


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

Yep... it should work fine with every unbalanced keyboard output. I did it with an old Moog and an Hammond:
Moog-->wha-->overdrive-->phaser-->DIbox-->desk
Hammond-->overdrive-->rotowibe-->DIbox-->desk

Very nasty sounds out of those signal chains!! 

Cheers,
-Marco


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

Putting a pedal on a hammond...haha I bet that sounded nifty .


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## PepAX7 (Mar 11, 2008)

Yea, You can get some really different sounds running pedals in the chain.

You can even run 'em split (like an EFX send) into different amps, pedals, etc. That way you keep the clean Hammond sound if intended and adjust levels.

Sounds like your experimenting and I love that!

Pep


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## tehguit (Jul 19, 2009)

Stevie wonder does it so it HAS to be cool.


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

Thanks for all the replies 

So, a DI box would be necessary, and it's only advisable with unbalanced connectors, right? Next question then: how easy is it to interface balanced connectors to unbalanced ones?

And anything Stevie Wonder does is cool by definition


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

spacedout said:


> Next question then: how easy is it to interface balanced connectors to unbalanced ones?


If you are using jack only cables, it should be quite easy!
One other trick: why don't you connect your keyboard signal chain to an amp (guitar or bass) and mic the amp?:whistling:

Cheers,
-Marco


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

hammond + distortion + leslie...interesting I imagine lol.


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

marco_ktl said:


> If you are using jack only cables, it should be quite easy!
> One other trick: why don't you connect your keyboard signal chain to an amp (guitar or bass) and mic the amp?:whistling:
> 
> Cheers,
> -Marco


You mean I should just be able to use TS cables? I tried using them with my synth and got horrible noise. Or do you mean that it's fine to use TRS cables with pedals?

And now I'm dreaming of a Hammond as well - thanks guys...:foottap: :R


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

spacedout said:


> You mean I should just be able to use TS cables? I tried using them with my synth and got horrible noise. Or do you mean that it's fine to use TRS cables with pedals?


That is strange... have tried playing with the DI switches (ground lift, phase, etc.)? Else, you have some problems with the output of your synth.
Oh... BTW, if you use overdrive or distortion, the noise will be there no matter what!

Cheers,
Marco


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

I'm not using a DI, it's just plugged straight into my interface. TS plugs were noisy, TRS ones are fine :huh:

I'd rather not overdrive a signal that's noisy to begin with


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

spacedout said:


> TS plugs were noisy, TRS ones are fine :huh:


Are you pedal ouputs unbalanced? If yes, that's an example of semi-balanced audio signal working!:dumbcrazy:


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

No, I'm not using any pedals - yet... just plugged synth straight into my Fireface. It seems to prefer balanced cabling :dontknow:


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

What a picky audiocard you have! :joke:


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

I meant the synth - Waldorf Blofeld


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

So, what's the bottom line? Is it likely to be OK to plug a balanced cable into a guitar pedal?

And what about using a pedal as a mixer send? Is a DI still necessary?

Thanks all! :T


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

I think you have to unbalance and rebalance your signal in some way. If you are running effect pedals on a console's send-return path, you should do that no matter what.
I would suggest the Radial Engineering SGI for this.

Cheers,
Marco


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

Not as straightforward as I was hoping then - somehow, nothing ever is... ah well, time to start saving :spend::spend::spend:

Thanks :T


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## Darnstrat (Jan 9, 2010)

spacedout said:


> On a related point, could I use, say, a guitar reverb pedal on a mixer send/return bus for a vocalist or two? will it work ok or will there be an electrical mismatch somethere?


The issue here to think about is that send/return busses on mixers are line level and typically, guitar pedals are "mic" level devices. Keeping that in minding and watching the gain of your sends, they could work out okay, but they'll probably be noisy.
Also, most pro-sumer mixers use unbalanced sends, so TS will more than likely work with no issues on a mixer send/return in terms of balanced lines.

A notable exception to this would be the Behringer V-Amp2, which has balanced outputs available and can handle line level signals. It's cheap and you can do some very interesting things with it with or without the amp/cabinet simulations.


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

Darnstrat said:


> The issue here to think about is that send/return busses on mixers are line level and typically, guitar pedals are "mic" level devices. Keeping that in minding and watching the gain of your sends, they could work out okay, but they'll probably be noisy.


Really? I was always under the impression that guitar signals are closer to line level, but just require a different input impedance? :dontknow:

Good point about the mixer s/r being unbalanced - I'll need to check that. Cheers


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## Darnstrat (Jan 9, 2010)

spacedout said:


> Really? I was always under the impression that guitar signals are closer to line level, but just require a different input impedance? :dontknow:


In reality, depending upon the pickup types/models, electric guitar outputs are somewhere between 100mV and 1 V (in some cases!)... generally a bit higher than microphone outputs, but usually not approaching professional "line level" outputs/inputs.


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

Hmm, good to know - you learn something new every day I guess... thanks :T


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