THE Rockman thread

[Dave L]

Hi to everybody,
I need some help and I hope this is the right place for my problem:
I have a (glorious) rockman xpr rack unit. I always had it, and I used to use it with a simple footswitch. Now I bought a behringer fob 1010, I don't know why, probably it's the midlife crisis, so I am looking for more toys
I was wondering if I can program the expression pedals with the xpr, let's say the volume and the distortion values.... is it possible? can I really do it? and if yes, how? Is there any resource on the net for this? (I searched but didn't find anything).

thanks, best.

ginuz.

No, the XPR doesn´t receive any MIDI CC messages, it can only switch programs.

 

[Shark Diver]

FREE if you pay shipping. My Octopus.

 

[rbc]

No, the XPR doesn´t receive any MIDI CC messages, it can only switch programs.

I'll add that the Rockman Sustainor and Distortion Generator both have what's called the "Auto Clean" circuit. You could use a volume pedal with the auto clean circuit engaged to get expression pedal control over distortion. The auto clean circuit compensates for both level and treble. They are not MIDI however.

The Sustainor and Distortion Generator are amplifier simulators in the same way as the XPR. They have a speaker cabinet simulation, so you don't need to run them into a guitar amp. You can run them straight to the board, via effects if you desire.

The manuals tell the story better than I do. Here's a link to the Sustainor manual:

http://www.tom-scholz.com/Manuals/SP.pdf

And the Distortion Generator Manual:

http://www.tom-scholz.com/Manuals/DG.pdf

 

[ginuz]

No, the XPR doesn´t receive any MIDI CC messages, it can only switch programs.

Oh, big delusion... so If I understand (something, I don't know how much) I can only switch between patches. But If I have (another prehistoric machine) an Intellifex attached to the xpr I could open the return effect channel and control volume through the Intellifex output, right? or Does it destroy in some way the sound? I am just wondering if I can use the behringer in some way as I just bought it
Of course I know I can use expression pedals with the intellifex parameters. So it's not a total useless buy. I'd really like to avoid to attach too many pedals, I mean, the footboard has two expression pedals, I have a crybaby wha and I'd like not to use an extra volume pedal.



thanks, I told you this was the right place ;D

 

[Dave L]

The Intellifex is a lot less prehistoric than the Rockman stuff, and luckily it has a very rare feature in rack FX; analog dry-through. So as long you don´t engage the Hush on it (which sends the whole thing through the wonky AD/DA conversions) it won´t mess up the dry tone coming from the Rockman and can definitely be used as a master volume control via MIDI CC message from the expression pedal on your Behringer.

 

[ginuz]

oh, that's nice. So, we can say, I can leave open the return effect channel in every patch I don't want intellifex effects in and in the intellifex I use a program with nothing than the dry-thorugh so I can use it only for volume. This for the patches I don't want to touch but for which I want volume control. For the rest of the effects the only ones I can control with expression pedals are the intellifex ones (so maybe the only desire left suspended in my list is the control of the overdrive).
Could be a good starting point. thanks.

 

[Dave L]

I´m not sure how your set-up looks, is the return effect channel the aux loop on a mixer? To control the volume from the Rockman you need to have the Intellifex (which also needs to run 100% wet in a typical aux loop) in series right after, or - if the aux send is post-fader - turn down the fader on the channel input from the Intellifex and run a wet and dry mix in the Intellifex in the aux.

Like RBC said, you can apparently control the amount of overdrive via a simple volume pedal. Seems like it would be worth it to stick an extra pedal in there if you really want that control.

 

[ginuz]

no no no, there's a misunderstanding (my fault as I am totally un-technical about all this). I have the guitar into a rockman xpr, the intellifex is in the effects send/return of the xpr. then I output the xpr to my peavey preamp in.

 

[rbc]

Like RBC said, you can apparently control the amount of overdrive via a simple volume pedal. Seems like it would be worth it to stick an extra pedal in there if you really want that control.

Unfortunately, only the Sustainor and Distortion Generator have the auto clean circuit. The XPR doesn't have auto clean, though you can program different distortion levels.

I mentioned the the Sustainor and Distortion Generator, in case ginuz has one of those. I don't know that he does.

 

[ginuz]

Unfortunately, only the Sustainor and Distortion Generator have the auto clean circuit. The XPR doesn't have auto clean, though you can program different distortion levels.

I mentioned the the Sustainor and Distortion Generator, in case ginuz has one of those. I don't know that he does.

thanks, no, I have only an XPR, an Intellifex blackface, a behringer fcb 1010. That's all. (before buying the behringer pedalboard I used a zoom 9030 with it's footswitch. Then I sold the zoom and bught the intellifex, so I came into the behringer thinking of buying a complete universal pedalboard the could live up all future changes).

 

[Dave L]

no no no, there's a misunderstanding (my fault as I am totally un-technical about all this). I have the guitar into a rockman xpr, the intellifex is in the effects send/return of the xpr. then I output the xpr to my peavey preamp in.

OK, then it´s very straight-forward controlling the output volume via expression MIDI and the Intellifex.

I apparently was a bit misleading about controlling the overdrive there, sorry, didn´t read RBC´s post closely enough.

 

[rbc]

thanks, no, I have only an XPR, an Intellifex blackface, a behringer fcb 1010. That's all. (before buying the behringer pedalboard I used a zoom 9030 with it's footswitch. Then I sold the zoom and bught the intellifex, so I came into the behringer thinking of buying a complete universal pedalboard the could live up all future changes).

The Intellifex blackface and behringer fcb 1010 look like pretty good companions for the XPR. The XPR effects loops is after the post distortion EQ, so having the Intellifex blackface in the XPR effects loop makes sense to me. Just know that the XPR chorus and echo/reverb come after the loop.

I haven't tried it before, but putting the volume pedal in the effects loops is post distortion, so you would only control the overall level going back to the XPR. The volume pedal might be better placed before the input of the XPR, so you can change the distortion drive level and have some influence on the distortion level. You still won't get the level/treble compensation like the auto clean circuit from the Sustainor and Distortion Generator though.

 

[jerrydyer]

I don't have a rockman, but I do love the stories in this thread. I was wondering, is this a rockman in this video? There is a rack in the back in some of the shots that looks like a rockman and it would make sense that given the year, a guy on the guitar seminar circuit might have a rack based around one. Jump to around 5:00 minutes.

i shared rehearsal space with Joey when he was borrowing a couple guys from the band Gunner to do gigs and vids. he didnt have any rockman stuff at that time that i saw. He was one of those guys who could make a Carvin X 100 sound kiler.

 

[rbc]

no no no, there's a misunderstanding (my fault as I am totally un-technical about all this). I have the guitar into a rockman xpr, the intellifex is in the effects send/return of the xpr. then I output the xpr to my peavey preamp in.

Hey, a suggestion. You might want to try running the XPR directly to the board and have it come back to you in the monitor mix. I'm guessing that the Peavey preamp in you mentioned is to a guitar amp, though I'm not sure of that. The XPR has a cabinet simulation in it.

I'm also curious how you like the Intellifex chorus/delay compared to the XPR chorus/delay? The XPR has pretty basic chorus/delay capabilities. A lot of Rockman Fans use the Rockman Chorus/Delay, Stereo Chorus or Stereo Echo instead.

 

[ginuz]

Hey, a suggestion. You might want to try running the XPR directly to the board and have it come back to you in the monitor mix. I'm guessing that the Peavey preamp in you mentioned is to a guitar amp, though I'm not sure of that. The XPR has a cabinet simulation in it.

I'm also curious how you like the Intellifex chorus/delay compared to the XPR chorus/delay? The XPR has pretty basic chorus/delay capabilities. A lot of Rockman Fans use the Rockman Chorus/Delay, Stereo Chorus or Stereo Echo instead.

Yes, the Peavey is an old Bandit 112, a 100W guitar amp. USA model, transtube with scorpion cone 12''.
I bought the Intellifex a few weeks ago so I didn't have the right time to explore it full. I have a very few time actually between job and family. But I can tell you that XPR Chorus is real magic. So I still have to learn how to match all the machine togheter actually.

 

[rbc]

Yes, the Peavey is an old Bandit 112, a 100W guitar amp. USA model, transtube with scorpion cone 12''.
I bought the Intellifex a few weeks ago so I didn't have the right time to explore it full. I have a very few time actually between job and family. But I can tell you that XPR Chorus is real magic. So I still have to learn how to match all the machine togheter actually.

The Bandit is a nice guitar amp. I've tried it before. I went the tube route with Peavey. I have a Delta Blues 115. It's not as flexible as the Bandit, but I love its sound. If you get the chance, let us know how the XPR/Intellifex combination goes.

Thanks in advance,

--Bruce

 

[rbc]

I thought I'd offer an update. My Rockman rig has been coming along. I'm just starting to mess with EQ's.

 

[rbc]

I thought I'd offer an update. My Rockman rig has been coming along. I'm just starting to mess with EQ's.

I made a signal diagram as well.

 

[lll]

Love the Rockman gear (have Sustainor, DG, SC, SE, MO).

Speaking of Boston tone, here's my version of "Don't Look Back" with backing track (needs polishing

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12869149

(although the amp was a Marshall, I did use SC and SE modules)

I also highly recommend rockman-gearup.com

 

[Senor Cleavage]

This guy gets really close with a Zoom G3. Yes, a Zoom.