All in one mixer for solo performers or DJ Behringer Xenyx 1002FX

I bought this Behringer Xenyx 1002FX on ebay and it was a total bargain. Comes in with the original box, manual, power supply and functioning rather well.  Really 100% clean and seems like brand new.  Anyways so much for that.  I bought this because I needed a mixer that got a builtin FX for my mini PA, which is ION centre stage because it doesn't have any FX on mic input.  This is a big help also when I am performing with just guitar, mic and backing tracks via laptop, this Xenyx 1002FX is just the answer to it.  It really serves the purpose.

Also it is worth mentioning that I also got a home recording studio and doing some experimental stuff and this one is a big contribution in terms of FX and mixing my recording plus additional inputs.  Also when I plugged in my guitar, the sound that's coming out is very warm, clean and just nice..... only to find out that Behringer mic preamps are designed and comparable to stand-alone Boutique Amplifier, which is very nice with guitar.

Lastly, for aspiring DJ like myself, this Behringer Xenyx is perfect because not only it is small just the size of a netbook..... well, I am using a netbook case actually for this Xenyx 1002, meaning it is so portable and it can fit in your backpack along side with your laptop or netbook plus the inputs and outputs you needed are all there.  No problem with the FX because you got builtin FX from simple reverb to delays and chorus, phaser and flanger.  You can even monitor your sound via headphone with an independent volume control.

Thanks ebay for this total bargain that I bought.  This is trully a value for money experience for me.

Generic Expression Pedal converted to a Wah Wah pedal.

My Digitech RP55 got a Whammy and Wah option with foot pedal switch input, so I decided to buy a generic expression pedal and try to use it as a wah wah pedal for my Digitech RP55 multi effects processor.  Good news/Bad news, it works but not quite as it should be.  There is sort of a polarity issue because the way the pedal function is the exact opposite of how it is intended to be if it was a proper wah pedal.  When you try to release meaning moving your foot upward, that’s where the wah goes on and then when you press your foot forward or down then it goes off so instead of pressing your foot downward to create the wah effect your doing the reverse.

Solutions:  First, I tried reversing the polarity by inverting the jack’s wire.  Nothing happened it was still the same.  Then, I found this sort of rotor inside and it came to my mind what if I reverse the polarity here but the question is which wire is it going to be coz there are three wires.  I just tried my luck and messed the wirings.  I did it, I managed to reverse the polarity.  I have the desired effect now for a proper wah. 

Lesson learned.  It’s better to buy the right one even though it is a bit expensive than the cheap ones and it doesn’t work properly and improvise or mess about the settings of wiring because what if it didn’t work at all or even if it did work, I can’t sell this one anymore or even the warranty because I already opened the pedal.  Buy the right stuff even though it goes with a price.

stomp box or multi effects processor?

There's always a battle between individual stomp box guitar effects or the multi effects processor in terms of sound quality, price, durability, etc.  When I started playing in a band, I use to borrow effects because first of all I can't afford one and second it's very rare in my province (Capiz) in the Philippines to buy guitar gear or accessories such as stomp boxes.  I was using a Boss Distortion during those years and just that one single pedal until my good mate Louie asked his parents to buy him an electric guitar with effects pedal and that's where I came across the Boss Super Overdrive and Ibanez Flanger.  I love these two pedals in terms of their sound quality as well as durability coz until now they are all right apart from the Ibanez Flanger which my Mate said he couldn't find it so may be the lucky borrower who didn't return it became the new owner now.  Also I have tried a couple more stomp boxes like the DOD Metal Maniac which is a good supplementary effects to any distortion pedal to give more sustain, gain and crunch.  For me the two Boss best and versatile pedal are the Hypermetal and Metal Zone.  If you want a clean lead, with nice sustain, you'll go for these two pedals.  Either of the two will give you the versatility you need albeit rock, funk, jazz, almost anything meaning if you are in a show band most probably you will be needing either of these pedals.

So much for the stomp boxes coz there are a lot of them like the famous Tube Screamer, Stereo Chorus, Auto Wah, Compressor, Phaser, etc. etc. then there came the multi effects pedal.  After collecting all these stomp boxes, you'll be surprised they put it in just one digitally assembled gadget.  So the first difference among the two would be Analog versus Digital.  A lot would say analog is the best.  I won't argue, yes analogue is the best because it all started with analogue anyways, however, there are now alot of very good digital effects pedals in the market.  It was just that when it started, the transition from analogue to digital wasn't that great yet.  Like for example, I kind of use my mate Ritchie Hoo's Zoom 1010 before and I kind of like the sound of it during solitary practise with mini amp or earphones coz it was so versatile and everything's in there already from reverb, modulation to dist/drive to noise gate, compression and delay.  Some of the presets are very good as well and you can customize it to your liking.  Also Korg's Toneworks is such an amazing effects pedal far more better than ZOOM.  Have tried AX1500 and it's really awesome much better than the newer AX3000.

Right now I own a Digitech RP55, and as they say this is a small pedal with such a great punch.  I bought this one two years ago coz I needed an effects pedal badly because I joined a band here in England and I need to buy my own gear.  So, after buying my very first owned electric guitar coz again I use to borrow back home and have not owned a single electric guitar before, I needed to pair this with an effects pedal.  The dilemma of either buying a single pedal or the multi effects having in mind cost and quality.  If I were to buy single stomp boxes then I should collect minimum of three to create the sound I like, which is a bit of a bluesy, rocky and jazzy sound, I need to have overdrive, flanger, reverb/delay.  But if I were to buy a multi effects, then almost all of the effects I needed should be there.  Then having to consider cost, it is more expensive to buy stomp boxes and collect all three rather than buy a cheap multieffects, which I got right now the Digitech RP55.  Indeed, I am very satisfied with what I got at the moment, this Digitech RP55 the sound is just brilliant from metal to reggae to clean sounds to funky and jazz.

Digitech RP55

Digitech RP55 Modeling Guitar Processor

Such a great multi effects processor.  It is small that it can even fit in a gig bag and the good news about this one is that it can run with 6 AA batteries and can last for 15 hours with continuous usage.  This one already got a drum machine so you can jam by yourself, practise your guitar phrasing and timing with this drum machine or you can perform all by yourself like a one man band.  40 user presets and another 40 factory presets which are:

1) Stacked                                                                  21) Bad Dog
2) Recto Delay                                                            22) Steely Phase
3) Clean Chorus                                                          23) Rhythm Crunch
4) Octave Drive                                                          24) Metal Scoop
5) Classic Blackface                                                    25) Slap Rhythm
6) Crunchy Phase                                                        26) 20 Fathoms
7) Fuzz Church                                                           27) Electro-Sitar
8) Grindy Detune                                                        28) Smooth Drive
9) Big Boutique                                                          29) Fuzz Boy
10) Acoustic Chorus                                                  30) Surfin'
11) Sustainium                                                            31) Clean Flange
12) Rotary Blues                                                        32) Thickerer
13) Wahtch It                                                             33) Pedal Steel
14) Power Flange                                                       34) Short Stack
15) Campfire Tremolo                                                35) Dirt Combo
16) Detune Tube                                                         36) Triplet Chunk
17) Whammy Time                                                      37) Roto Jazz
18) Mr. Guts                                                               38) Acoustic 5ths
19) Ottowah                                                               39) Yaya Sure
20) Volume Swell                                                        40) Octavian

Effects:  Pickup Simulator, Wah, Compressor, Amp Models, Acoustic Guitar Simulator, 3 band EQ, Noise Gate, Cabinet Modelling, Chorus, Flange, Phaser, Tremolo, Panner, Vibrato, Rotary Speaker, Auto Ya, Envelope Filter, Pitch Shift, Detune, Whammy, Delay and Reverb.


Amp Model Equivalent Sound:
b - Blackface  =  Fender Twin
o - Boutique  =  Matchless
r - Rectifier  =  Mesa Boogie
H - Hot Rod = Hot Rodded Marshall
t - Tweed =  Fender Tweed
C - British Combo  =  Vox
c - Clean Tube  =  Tube Amp
S - British Stack  =  Marshall JCM800
U - Crunchy Tube =  Marshall Master
G - High Gain  =  Marshall JCM900
F - Vintage Fuzz  =  Arbiter Fuzz Face

how important USB audio interface is in home recording?

This gadget is super versatile, lightweight, portable, all-in-one, heaven sent...... etc. etc. all the nice things I could think of.  The famous Native Instrument's Guitar Rig Session I/O.  After I failed with the USB guitar lead, I bought the right one the perfect one and was also lucky to buy a bundle set to start my planned home recording using laptop.

Opened the box, and these were the content of santa's gift to me last 2009 xmas.... the Guitar Rig Session I/O.  Included inside are the hardware itself, the USB lead, CD installer for Guitar Session plus bonus Guitar Rig 4, Pop Drums and KORE player and especially added software Cubase LE4, which until now I haven't used coz apart from I don't know how to use it, this one is sort of a demo version so there's nothing much in it but just a taste of what is Cubase.

Key Features:  The hardware got 2 mono line/mic inputs with two separate volume control which also can be customized as stereo for left and right channels plus a line/instrument switch or commonly known now as Hi-Z or Low-Z button.  Monitor/earphone output with independent volume control and balance knob for L/R or 1/2 channel. Optional 48V Phantom power for mic input, the switch or button is located at the back of the hardware.   Stereo output, left and right channel also located at the back.

I have installed all the softwares but as I've said the Cubase LE4 didn't work for me.  Guitar Rig 4 is awesome couldn't say much but try and buy and explore, sound quality is as good as it gets. Real amp sound as well as effects.  Kore Player, I don't have the controller for this one but I got a MIDI keyboard and have tried this one, excellent.  Again sound quality is superb.  Pop Drums, also great but not impressive, I can say helpful for what I needed at the moment.  Native Instrument...... Well done.