Using Internal Effects

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Roland provides a wide range of effects via its VS8F-1 and VS8F-2 Effect Expansion Boards. The ways in which you use effects is up to you. However, when you use any of the internal effects on a VS workstation, it is important to understand how they work within the VS architecture.

Algorithms and Effect Blocks

Roland provides 36 unique effects processing routines, called algorithms. Each algorithm contains one or more effect blocks. For example, there is an algorithm called Delay, and it contains two effect blocks: Delay and EQ. Each effect block contains one or more settings. The Delay effect block has 12 settings, and the EQ effect block has 13 settings. The combination of an algorithm, effect blocks, and effect block settings is called an effect patch. Roland provides over 200 preset effect patches, and you can create and save your own custom effect patches.

The relationship between algorithms and effect blocks is fixed. You cannot change the order of effect blocks within an algorithm. In the Delay algorithm, the Delay effect block is first, and the EQ effect block is second. There is no option to have the EQ effect block first, followed by the "Delay" effect block. Likewise, you cannot change the order of individual settings within an effect block.

Types of Effects

Effects can be configured as either send/return effects or insert effects. There are a number of differences between these two types of effects, so let's look at each in detail.

Send/Return Effects

You typically use effects in a send/return setup when you want the effect blended with the original signal. These types of effects are also called loop effects, as the effected signal is looped back in with the original signal. Effects commonly used in a send/return setup are effects like reverb, echo, delay, chorus, and so forth.

When you configure an effect as a send/return effect, it will use one stereo effect processor. A send/return effect can be used by one or more tracks, and it can be applied in the Input Mixer and/or the Track Mixer. When you route a track to a send/return effect, you designate where in the signal path the routing occurs. When you route the signal PreFader, the level of the signal sent to the effect is not affected by the track fader. If you route the signal PostFader, then the level of the signal sent to the effect is determined by the position of the track fader. However, since the fader is the last component within a channel strip, the signal sent to the effect will have already passed through all the other components of the channel strip, regardless of whether it is sent PreFader or PostFader.

Insert Effects

You typically use effects in an insert setup when you want only the processed signal and none of the original signal. These types of effects are also known as processors, as they process the entire signal. Effects commonly used in an insert setup are effects like compression, EQ, microphone simulators, amplifier simulators, and so on.

Two Simple Rules

People will ask me, "What are the rules for determining whether an effect is an insert effect or a send/return effect?" I have two simple rules:

Rule #1: There are no rules.

Rule #2: There are no rules other than Rule #1.

There are certainly recommendations on how to use effects, but there are no hard and fast rules. Many people have gotten interesting results by using effects in a non-conventional manner. Experiment, and if you like it, use it.


Insert effects also use one stereo effect processor, but they work differently than send/return effects. Insert effects can be used on tracks in the Input Mixer, Track Mixer, or across the entire mix. Once you insert the effect into a given track or across the entire mix, that effect cannot be used on any other tracks. However, most algorithms designed to work as insert effects can run in a mono mode, thereby allowing the insert effect to be used on two different tracks. When you use an insert effect on a track, you have four different insert options. Let's look at an example of these four options when using the four- band graphic equalizer effect.

Insert

The Insert setting routes the signal to both sides of the stereo effect. If you use this setting on a single track, you get a single four-band equalizer. If you use this setting on a stereo track or across the entire mix, the four-band equalizer is applied to both signals, but the same EQ settings apply to both signals.

Insert-L/Insert-R

Use Insert-L and Insert-R when you are using the insert on two different tracks and want to have different EQ settings for each signal. The effect acts as a dual-mono effect, and you would set one track for Insert-L (left) and the other for Insert-R (right). Each track now has its own four-band equalizer with its own EQ settings.

Insert-S

This setting configures the effect as a dual-mono effect, and it allows a single track to run through both mono effects serially . Using Insert-S allows a single track to use the four-band equalizer as an eight-band equalizer.

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Roland VS Recorder Power.
Roland VS Recorder Power.
ISBN: 1592008364
EAN: N/A
Year: 2005
Pages: 202

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