In the search fieldI typed “Hyperspace preset” and this topic comes up, don’t know if anyone here can help me; what I am looking for is, if anyone have figured out a preset where I can get Tom Scholtz’s Hyperspace pedal effect, and if it can be controlled with the exp. pedal as he does …
I can probably hook you up. We need to figure out a few things first on how you want this to work for you:
- The algorithm that sounds best to you.
- How (historically) accurate you want the effect to be.
- The direction of the expression pedal control.
- What you plan on using to control the effect.
Many of the delay algorithms crossfade between delay times. Others will ‘bend’ the apparent pitch. The algos that do ‘pitch shift’ use different methods, with varying results. Vintage Delay didn’t cut it for you (wide, ‘electronic’ shifting). Mod Delay is a little more controllable, for my personal tastes. But we’re emulating an EchoPlex (probably an EP-3), so Tape Echo would be the logical place to start.
If you want to do the entire effect with an expression pedal, you’ll need to control wet/dry mix, delay time(s), and feedback; all at the same time. (Not my first choice).
- Expression Pedal Heel: WET MIX 0
- Expression Pedal Heel: DELAY A & DELAY B 400 mS
- Expression Pedal Heel: FEEDBACK A & FEEDBACK B 50
- Expression Pedal Toe: WET MIX 75
- Expression Pedal Toe: DELAY A & DELAY B 40 ms.
- Expression Pedal Toe: FEEDBACK A & FEEDBACK B 105
Delay times reduce, so the ‘pitch’ goes up with positive pedal travel. Feedback goes from a healthy amount (but still inaudible), to medium oscillation. While the wet mix kicks in the effect, it does so with unintended consequences (more on that below).
I believe that the Scholz Mod ‘pitched’ upwards, but you can choose to shift it downward, with positive pedal travel. Just swap the Heel and Toe values for DELAY A & DELAY B [40ms to 400 mS]. The problem with both of these approaches is the WET MIX. The fade in / fadeout times (caused by the expression pedal) place an emphasis on either the upward, or downward ‘pitches’. Neither one allows for fine control over both directions.
- Expression Pedal Heel: DELAY A & DELAY B 750 ms.
- Expression Pedal Heel: FEEDBACK A & FEEDBACK B 75
- Expression Pedal Toe: DELAY A & DELAY B 50 mS
- Expression Pedal Toe: FEEDBACK A & FEEDBACK B 100
For better results, you’ll need BYPASS set to DRY + FX, or an expression pedal + Aux Switch Y-cable setup. (Let’s leave MIDI out of this, for the time being.) With DSP + FX, the effect starts ‘recording’ when you hit ACTIVE, but continues after you press BYPASS. That solves the fade in/out problem. Unmap the WET MIX from the expression pedal, and set it to a heavier effect level [50-75, or even 100].
Now it’s the delay time & feedback on expression pedal, and on/off via ACTIVE / BYPASS. If you want to substitute an Aux switch here, bind that to Parameter 1 [KB 0], with a latching action. While we’re at it … the REPEAT (Performance) switch can capture a segment of ‘HyperDrive’ (200 ms., I believe). That small loop can still be ‘pitch-bent’ by the expression pedal. And it fades back smoothly to ‘live control’ when unlatched. It’s a cool effect to have in your bag of tricks.
I widened the range of DELAY here, to push the ‘pitches’ further downward. If you want to closely emulate an EP, you don’t want to go too short or too long with DELAY times. I tightened up the FEEDBACK range, with less concern over runaway oscillation. There’s a little SATURATION, WOW, FLUTTER, and FILTER darkening added. Again, no need to go crazy here with that 2nd row of controls. There’s already a lot of saturated modulation under foot control.
No matter how responsive your expression pedal is, it’s going to take a little practice to get this effect under smooth control. If you can give me some guidance on exactly what you’re after – and how you intend to control it – then we can tweak the settings here to match.
