If you want to use pedals on the FX loop without algorithms, you cannot bypass the program (P) if you’re working with default system settings.
Default System Settings: You would have to bypass the individual algorithms (A and B) but not the program itself, so you’d set footswitches A and B to bypass the algorithms, but don’t use footswitch P to bypass the program itself. If you use footswitch P, it takes the whole pedal out of your chain, including anything on the insert loop. Leave P active and disable A and/or B with those two particular footswitches.
Changing System Settings: Go to your system settings and set P Bypass Mode to “AB Only”; this will cause P to bypass only algorithms A and B, and should not affect your insert loop. The only caveat is that it is a global setting, so if you don’t want that behavior elsewhere go with option 1, otherwise this’ll get you where you need to be.
Alternative Workarounds: I would also suggest creating a default THRU program you can select if you only ever want to use the pedals on the insert loop, just add A or B as THRU and setup your external insert chain as required but again, you’d have to leave the pedal engaged to use them but you don’t have to worry about enabling or disabling A or B if the default algorithm is THRU.
If you set up A as THRU and B as MUTE and put the insert loop before B to run only your insert loop pedals in isolation, you can engage B to kill the output – very handy if you need to silence your chain between sets.
