TC Play Acoustic

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by HeyMikey

Ok, doable but a little kludgy.

What I would love is to be able to assign a button for verse, one for chorus, one for bridge, maybe one for solo, etc. when you go to each next song those assignments flow with it to the next verse, chorus, bridge settings.

I'd love to have a date with Audrey Hepburn in her heyday, but that's not going to happen either.....

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by HeyMikey

Ok, doable but a little kludgy.

What I would love is to be able to assign a button for verse, one for chorus, one for bridge, maybe one for solo, etc. when you go to each next song those assignments flow with it to the next verse, chorus, bridge settings.

That is easy as Andy C mentioned. Song one would include patches 1-4. Song two would include patches 5-8. One button changed for each part of the song.

What actually would you like different for verse, chorus, bridge and solo? Might be as Foss38 mentioned. Better and more easily done by Voicelive 3.

[HeyMikey]

Interesting. That could work. So can/would you assign the switch 3/6 buttons to be the next X number of patches in sequence on you PA?

Say I’m on patch 1 on the PA... then can Switch button 1 = patch 1, button 2 = patch 2, button 3 = patch 3. Move to patch 10 on the PA... button 1 = patch 10, button 2 = patch 11, button 3 = patch 12, etc?

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by HeyMikey

Interesting. That could work. So can/would you assign the switch 3/6 buttons to be the next X number of patches in sequence on you PA?

Say I’m on patch 1 on the PA... then can Switch button 1 = patch 1, button 2 = patch 2, button 3 = patch 3. Move to patch 10 on the PA... button 1 = patch 10, button 2 = patch 11, button 3 = patch 12, etc?

No. You would just use the patch up / down switches as previously described. You can only scroll through them sequentially when using footswitches - either the footswitches built into the unit itself or the switch 3/6.

[HeyMikey]

I don’t like the sound of that. To go from verse to chorus I’d have to click up 1 then back down 1, then up 2 to bridge then back down 2, or up 3 to solo then back down 2 to chorus. I’d never be able to keep track of where I was and it would be different sequences for every song.

No, I need simple - Same v/c/b/s, etc buttons for every song. The software needs to store these as sub-patches s1,s2,s3,s4 per song which can be assigned to individual buttons. Is there any harmonizer effects box that can do that?

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by HeyMikey

I don’t like the sound of that. To go from verse to chorus I’d have to click up 1 then back down 1, then up 2 to bridge then back down 2, or up 3 to solo then back down 2 to chorus. I’d never be able to keep track of where I was and it would be different sequences for every song.

No, I need simple - Same v/c/b/s, etc buttons for every song. The software needs to store these as sub-patches s1,s2,s3,s4 per song which can be assigned to individual buttons. Is there any harmonizer effects box that can do that?

No there isn't.

[Kindness]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Too many options...
Can you just get a great vocal without harmony and a nice guitar setting...
How come they have to make it so complicated?

Does any know of a pedal for vocals and guitar...all-in-one that doesn't have so much stuff in it that I'll have to go to night classes?
Plug in Play...

I am looking to get the simple TC Helicon H1 for harmonizing. Simple and easy and I don't have to go to school to learn how to use it. They have a lot of very simple individual pedals that are straight forward.

[JackB1]

The TC Helicon Perform VG. Exactly what you are after.

Originally Posted by CASD57

Too many options...
Can you just get a great vocal without harmony and a nice guitar setting...
How come they have to make it so complicated?

Does any know of a pedal for vocals and guitar...all-in-one that doesn't have so much stuff in it that I'll have to go to night classes?
Plug in Play...

[JackB1]

Thread revival!!!

I find it odd that there still isn't a better "all in one" solution to vocals and guitar effects than the TCH Play Acoustic. I mean, how old is this tech? This and the Boss VE8 are pretty much your only choices and there hasn't been any successors to challenge them. Wonder why?

[Marty C]

Probably because TC Helicon was purchased by Behringer. They got really quite after that and nothing new. Before that, they had new, innovative products every six months. I know because I kept buying them and the next, new toy was always great.

[leew3]

While there is a learning curve to any gear, the Play Acoustic can be relatively simple to use. There are indeed many options to tweak if you'd like, but it can also just as easily be 'set it and forget it' as others have noted. I think of it as an all you can eat buffet. You can have everything on the menu, but if all you really want is the roast beef, you can do that as well. Keep at it as it's a fun piece of gear.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Thread revival!!!

I find it odd that there still isn't a better "all in one" solution to vocals and guitar effects than the TCH Play Acoustic. I mean, how old is this tech? This and the Boss VE8 are pretty much your only choices and there hasn't been any successors to challenge them. Wonder why?

This is a really good point, and the info about Behringer must explain it.

I love my (Boss) VE-8 and it would still be part of my regular kit except for the dang foot buttons requiring so much force to engage--and adding an external foot pedal for that purpose defeats its setup simplicity. That plus a more accessible EQ factor and I'd be set for years.

Ok who's kidding who but still.

I bet more research or engineering could also improve the realism of the harmonies. They're usable and fun with just a touch, but turn them up and the robot voice is too obvious to ignore.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

The TC Play Acoustic is a great unit in my opinion. There are others on the market that do similar things. But, several of my fellow singers and I agree that TC Helicon makes the best sounding vocal gear. The company has been devoted to singers for many years. As such, they really know vocal processing better than the guitar effects companies. So, what you're paying for is software and processing experience.

The guitar processing is also quite good in my estimation. Arguably, some people think the guitar effects company Boss does a better job with the guitar side of their unit. I'll leave that to others to comment on.

The downside to this TC Helicon unit is the menu driven interface. Some people struggle with the learning curve. That said, fewer physical controls also make this unit lighter and smaller, so there is a trade off.

If you're mostly worried about guitar, and you prefer physical controls, the Boss VE-8 is probably a better choice. If you primarily care about the clarity of vocals (I do), then you should try and invest the time to learn to use the Play Acoustic.

+1 for TC Helicon for vocals. I have a VoiceLive 2 that sounds great for harmonies but like most effects, whether for vocals or guitar, I'd rather play with as few effects in my signal chains as necessary. Basically, for me, a little reverb on vocals (only noticeable on moderate to louder vocal passages) and none on guitar is my modus operandi.

[CASD57]

I've pretty much dumped my voice mechanic about a year or more ago and move on to just using the reverb/EQ in my EAE M2-6 acoustic amp..
When I started this thread I was using a FRFR Speaker and needed some reverb and EQ'ing but not anymore.

So now its just me and my amp and guitar..

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by CASD57

So now its just me and my amp and guitar..

+1. For me, even as a solo act, playing "naked" is where it's at for the better clarity of tone for vocals and guitar offered to the audience.