Kemper stage with Voodoo Labs pedal switcher

    The Profiler Model referred to in this thread is ...
    ☑️ Profiler Stage

    Hello all,

    I've been thinking lately that I would like to run some of my analog stomp boxes with the Kemper stage. Mainly overdrives and boost pedals, I'm mostly happy with the other effects for the meantime. Might add more later as I experiment. I have my old pedal board setup which has what I need, also have two Voodoo labs pedal switchers and a Voodoo labs midi controller. It's the older style ones but they still work fine. I'm wondering if there's a way to have the Kemper stage turn on/off the patches on the pedal switcher like the Voodoo labs midi controller does. The idea is that I don't want the pedals in my chain when they are not being used. Also, not sure if I should go in to the input of the pedal switcher and output from pedal switcher to input of Kemper or should I just use one of the effect loops on the stage? With a traditional amp setup I know you would want to hit the input of the amp with overdrives and boosts and NOT put them into an effects loop but I saw a video with Michael Britt where he's using a Voodoo Labs hex in the effects loop of the Kemper so that's why I'm questioning it now. Anybody here have any experience with using the Voodoo Labs product with the Kemper? Any advice or tips?

    TIA

    Main Kemper Stage pedalboard demo (youtube.com)

    This is the pedal switcher I have.

    Voodoo Lab Pedal Switcher - Eastgate Music

  • sdeyoung May 10, 2024 at 8:22 PM

    Changed the title of the thread from “Kemper stage with voodoo labs pedal looper” to “Kemper stage with Voodoo Labs pedal switcher”.

    I use a Disaster Area Designs DMC.micro (3 loop MIDI controllable) to bring my favorite dirt pedals in and out. You have to use Performance mode for this to work....

    Use the effects loop on the profiler and use the loop distortion stomp to place it where ever you want it in the chain. MIDI out from the Profiler, in on the switcher. Program each slot to activate the pedals you want.

    Works great for me.

    Quote from Ruefus

    I use a Disaster Area Designs DMC.micro (3 loop MIDI controllable) to bring my favorite dirt pedals in and out. You have to use Performance mode for this to work....

    Use the effects loop on the profiler and use the loop distortion stomp to place it where ever you want it in the chain. MIDI out from the Profiler, in on the switcher. Program each slot to activate the pedals you want.

    Works great for me.

    Oh awesome! I figured there was a way. So using the effects loop, is it like hitting the front of an input on an amp? Not sure what you mean about the "loop distortion stomp".

    When you go to choose adding an effect in front of the stack (amp/cab), you can choose compressor, Kemper Drive/Fuzz, modulation etc.

    Loop Distortion is one of those choices. It's meant specifically for placing dirt pedals in line. if you place it right before the amp/cab, it's like smacking the front end of a tube amp.

    Looks like this on the unit:

    Quote from Ruefus

    When you go to choose adding an effect in front of the stack (amp/cab), you can choose compressor, Kemper Drive/Fuzz, modulation etc.

    Loop Distortion is one of those choices. It's meant specifically for placing dirt pedals in line. if you place it right before the amp/cab, it's like smacking the front end of a tube amp.

    Looks like this on the unit:

    Oh I see! So it’s pretty much the same as plugging my pedals straight in to the input of the Kemper?

    Hey! I have been wanting to run overdrive stomps in front of my kemper too, since I'm not really impressed by the drive stomps inside the kemper.

    How are you handling powering the kemper and the power brick for pedals? I was thinking of one of those bricks that have an in-line AC output, like below examples.

    Voodoo 2 power +

    Furman

    Post

    RE: Kemper Stage Power Supply

    […]

    It would work but I recommend you have it connected to a surge protector.

    Note that you can daisey chain some pedal power supplies inputs. So, instead of having just one pedal powered by one input on the supply, you could have 3 or 4 similar rated pedals into one input. You might negate the benefit of having an isolated supply but that topic is beyond my current knowledge.
    BayouTexan
    September 2, 2022 at 8:45 PM

    Basically, I want to avoid having 2 AC power cords from my setup to the wall outlet, if that makes sense.

    Quote from Ruefus

    Kind of - but you can turn it on or off like any other stomp and remove the entire works from the signal chance, as well as place other before or after effects around it etc.

    Is there any difference placing my overdrives in to the input? Could I still control my pedal switcher using midi to turn on/off loops?

    Quote from sdeyoung

    Oh so I would need to know what midi channel my pedal switcher uses?

    Yep - unless the Profiler can be set to omni, which I don’t think it can. It’s easy, but takes a minute to figure.

    Once you know the channel the switcher listens on, set the slot to whatever MIDI number (1-128) activates the loop(s) you want. Set the slot for that.

    It’ll take some trial and error, but once you sort it out it’s easy.

    Can't seem to get the pedal switchers to respond to anything sent from the Kemper. I'm not sure this switcher is going to work.. Unless I'm doing something wrong and the Kemper isn't sending any midi to the pedal switchers

    So, I decided to see if I could capture what the commander sends to those pedal switchers. I downloaded a program called midi view and plugged the out from the pedal switcher into my midi in on my computer. This is what is send from the commander to allow the pedal switcher to change patches. Not sure if this is why the Kemper can't change the patches on the switcher? It looks like it's sending on channel 0. Anybody have any experience with this and might be able to help?