Digitech Trio + question

[Carbonius]

Hi there, I am looking at getting one of these. I would buy the FS3X foot-switch for quicker/easier access to features. I have read the manual and watched some videos, but I am still unclear about some things. Here is what I am looking to use it for;

I sometimes lead a small group in about 30 minutes of singing. Having just an acoustic guitar can be fine, but I miss the bass and drums. I especially miss them for more lively songs. For the most part I just need 2 parts, a verse and a chorus. However I would sometimes need a 3rd part (a bridge). I would like some way to toggle back and forth between 2 parts. The manual shows a way to move forward to a part, but not backwards. You can move back to a style, but that doesn't help me. They have done some firmware upgrades, so maybe this has changed.

Is there any way to GO BACK to a prior part, or do you just go forward until you get to the next part?

Is that going to make a whole bunch of annoying part changes live, or does it just cue them up?

Thanks!

[JMFingerstyle]

I don't have the FS3X footswitch, so I can't really say whether there's any way to back up through the parts using it.

I can tell you that you can program up to five parts, and then set those parts to play back in any sequence. So for example, you can record 5 parts, then put them together in sequence as 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 4, 3, 5. I don't know if there's a limit to the complexity of the sequence, but each part can be around 3 minutes long.

Each set of sequences can be stored into a "song" slot, and you have 12 of those on a micro SD.

If you do the sequencing, you avoid having to manually toggle the parts, but of course, you have to stick to the plan.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Carbonius

They have done some firmware upgrades, so maybe this has changed.

I own both the trio+ and the FS3X pedal and I don't see how to do that without drilling a hole and bypassing the switches with an arduino.

Here is the new firmware pedal options:


If you really want to use a drummachine live, I suggest to try the beatbudddy. I use its midi input and a custom midi-map arduino pedal. If you are not a DIY guy there are plenty of programmable midi pedals on the market that would work with the beatbuddy.

However I am sure Digitech will make a trio+2 in one or two years, they made many variation of the RC looper pedals, I will probably do the same for the trio.

Cuki

[Carbonius]

Thanks guys. Sequencing ahead of time doesn't work for me. I need the freedom to repeat a part multiple times, or not. I may want to go back to the bridge again, or verse 1 again, just depends on how things are flowing.

I don't want to do any crazy mods, but I may have figured it out. I just need to keep it really simple. Would the following 2 methods work??

1. I would typically have 2 parts to a song; Part 1 - Verse, Part 2 - Chorus. Starting from the verse, I would advance once to part 2 (chorus). If I understand things correctly, when I advance again I am back to part 1. It effectively acts like a toggle. Is this correct??

2. For 3 parts, I just need to always keep the lights in the same order and do the same thing I did above. Part 1 - Verse, Part2 - Chorus, Part 3 - Bridge. At the most, I am looking at 2 presses of a button to get to the part I need. That's not bad at all. Is this correct??

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Carbonius

1. I would typically have 2 parts to a song; Part 1 - Verse, Part 2 - Chorus. Starting from the verse, I would advance once to part 2 (chorus). If I understand things correctly, when I advance again I am back to part 1. It effectively acts like a toggle. Is this correct??

2. For 3 parts, I just need to always keep the lights in the same order and do the same thing I did above. Part 1 - Verse, Part2 - Chorus, Part 3 - Bridge. At the most, I am looking at 2 presses of a button to get to the part I need. That's not bad at all. Is this correct??

Just tested both and they work.
Method 1:
a) I started the drum loop with Part 1
b) I pushed "down" on the FS3x. Part 2 started to blink. When part 1 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 2.
c) I pushed "down" on teh FS3x. Part 1 started to blink. When part 2 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 1.


Method 2:
I've first recorded a part 3 (with drum and loop)
a) I started the drum loop with Part 1 (also work if you start in part 2 or 3)
b) I pushed "down" on the FS3x. Part 2 started to blink. When part 1 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 2.
c) I pushed "down" on the FS3x. Part 3 started to blink. When part 2 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 3.
d) I pushed twice "down" on FS3x. When I first pushed, Part 1 started to blink. After the second push, Part 2 started to blink. When Part 3 loop was finished, it went straight to Part 2 without playing part 1.

So it works. If your loop is long enough and includes the rythm guitar you can actually go from part 5 to 4 with no stress, since there is still music playing...

[Carbonius]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Just tested both and they work.
Method 1:
a) I started the drum loop with Part 1
b) I pushed "down" on the FS3x. Part 2 started to blink. When part 1 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 2.
c) I pushed "down" on teh FS3x. Part 1 started to blink. When part 2 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 1.


Method 2:
I've first recorded a part 3 (with drum and loop)
a) I started the drum loop with Part 1 (also work if you start in part 2 or 3)
b) I pushed "down" on the FS3x. Part 2 started to blink. When part 1 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 2.
c) I pushed "down" on the FS3x. Part 3 started to blink. When part 2 Loop finished. The Trio went to part 3.
d) I pushed twice "down" on FS3x. When I first pushed, Part 1 started to blink. After the second push, Part 2 started to blink. When Part 3 loop was finished, it went straight to Part 2 without playing part 1.

So it works. If your loop is long enough and includes the rythm guitar you can actually go from part 5 to 4 with no stress, since there is still music playing...

Wow! Thank you so much. Where I live, I can't get my hands on any unique gear like this. As a result I have to mail order everything and take a hit on shipping if I don't like it. I am very happy to hear that this works so easily.

With this I could actually spend some time and get a whole bunch of songs ready to go and transfer them to my computer. Then I just load the songs that I need that day on to the card and I'm ready to go. I see you can only fit 12 songs on a card, but I never need more than 6 on a given day.

Thanks again for all your help!

[Cuki79]

I still think you should check out the beatbuddy. (at least on youtube)

It needs more work but it sounds also much better.

my 2cents,
Cuki

[Carbonius]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

I still think you should check out the beatbuddy. (at least on youtube)

It needs more work but it sounds also much better.

my 2cents,
Cuki

I will look into it before parting with my cash. Thanks again.