Could you go footswitchless?

[CakeEater]

Just something I've been thinking about recently. I have a a habit of making 10 stomp Helix presets, but once I do I find myself using the same settings for most of my playing. With new products like the Pod Express and Tonex One, it seems like we could soon get to the point where you could integrate a modelling signal chain and wireless transmitter into a single pack or dongle. It would be like the ultimate minimalist rig where you literally go from guitar straight to desk/house/PA, and maybe have an app for editing if need be etc. Even now you could go wireless straight to an off-stage rig. Could you do it? Or do you need the board?

 

[ragingplatypi]

Option 2 should say “I could make it work and be miserable”

 

[sleewell]

yes as long as i had a way to mute and tune. it'd be kinda boring though but i could manage. the momentary octave ups and down are a hoot lol.

 

[Jarick]

No, I need at least some level of control. I could possibly make three switches work.

The only way switchless works in my mind is if you're doing the thing with a computer switching everything via MIDI.

 

[dk_ace]

I need an option for: I could, but I don’t want to…

Give me a preset with enough gain to play a lead that reacts to my volume knob and playing well enough to get to a “clean enough” type clean with a touch or reverb and a do-it-all delay, and I can make it work for just about any rock/blues/pop thing with no footswitches just the guitar controls.

There’s a huge chasm between what I could make work and what I want in a live rig though… I could make zero footswitches work. I want 12+ footswitches with hold functions though…

D

 

[CakeEater]

Give me a preset with enough gain to play a lead that reacts to my volume knob and playing well enough to get to a “clean enough” type clean with a touch or reverb and a do-it-all delay, and I can make it work for just about any rock/blues/pop thing with no footswitches just the guitar controls.

Yep, this is exactly how I've configured presets when I'm using plugins and don't have access to footswitching. I fully understand not wanting to, but I do enjoy the freedom of not having to think about switching and just focusing on the playing.

 

[dk_ace]

Yep, this is exactly how I've configured presets when I'm using plugins and don't have access to footswitching. I fully understand not wanting to, but I do enjoy the freedom of not having to think about switching and just focusing on the playing.

For playing at home, this is what I do more often than not just selecting a base sound that’s in the middle of what I need and taking it from there with my hands and the guitar without a lot of wet effects.

For live playing, totally different approach. I also don’t like tap dancing live so I’ll program the switching ahead of time. In that case I don’t have much to think about, one switch for the verse, another for the chorus, then a lead switch, etc. I don’t want to do tap dancing but I do want access to the full range of sounds I think are needed. Sometimes I’ll just use the kitchen sink preset and do the switching manually if the material isn’t very rehearsed, I didn’t have time to preprogram things, or it’s just simple material and isn’t a big deal.

I couldn’t see myself going switch less as an intentional choice for my live rig for any sustained period of time though.

D

 

[CakeEater]

For playing at home, this is what I do more often than not just selecting a base sound that’s in the middle of what I need and taking it from there with my hands and the guitar without a lot of wet effects.

For live playing, totally different approach. I also don’t like tap dancing live so I’ll program the switching ahead of time. In that case I don’t have much to think about, one switch for the verse, another for the chorus, then a lead switch, etc. I don’t want to do tap dancing but I do want access to the full range of sounds I think are needed. Sometimes I’ll just use the kitchen sink preset and do the switching manually if the material isn’t very rehearsed, I didn’t have time to preprogram things, or it’s just simple material and isn’t a big deal.

I couldn’t see myself going switch less as an intentional choice for my live rig for any sustained period of time though.

D

I don't gig very often, but when I do I set-up 8 snapshots for each song, 4 of which are probably superfluous but are nice to have, the tempo and configurations are also song specific, and the snapshots follow the below pattern, plus just meaning a bit of extra something:

Outro	Verse+	Chorus+	Break+
Intro	Verse	Chorus	Break

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Depends. Simple jams, a mildly dirty tone, hands and guitar controls could get me through.

I could set up an HX Dynamic Split and use volume adjustments on the guitar to switch signal chains.

Or a show on rails where it's all controlled by preprogrammed incoming MIDI.

I have a wireless MIDI controller too, so I could cheat that way, since we're talking about wireless this-and-that

 

[metropolis_4]

Not even close. But I’m envious of gigs with simple enough tone requirements that it is possible

 

[Baba]

Not even close. But I’m envious of gigs with simple enough tone requirements that it is possible

This. It all depends on the gig/situation, so, this question is a bit flawed from the jump.

If I'm sitting in for a set with a Blues or R&B band, sure. Playing covers from 60's to today? HAIL naw.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Sure!

The cheat code to end all pipe dream cheat codes

 

[dean701]

we are getting close with this 2" x 2" wireless midi controller. attach one to your pants or your guitar.

That Luminite one looks very cool too.

 

[quadgear]

we are getting close with this 2" x 2" wireless midi controller. attach one to your pants or your guitar.

View attachment 26564



That Luminite one looks very cool too.

Want! That's an encoder and a slider for expression? Can the buttons change the CC assigned to the encoder and slider?

 

[newpedals]

Hopefully the footswitch on my tuner pedal doesn't count.

I have cast my vote (option no.2)

But I kind of cheat, because I use a volume pedal for some songs.

 

[Orvillain]

For me half the point of playing guitar is to do spontaneous and interesting things with my effects, so no. I couldn't go footswitchless, and wouldn't want to.

 

[OneEng]

I could "make it work" as in "I could complete the gig, but things would be seriously impaired".

I wouldn't plan on doing it that way, or practice it that way. There is no point.