Digi Tech Live FX Owner's Manual

Owner's

Manual

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING FOR YOUR PROTECTION

READ THE FOLLOWING:

KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS

HEED ALL WARNINGS

FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS

THE APPARATUS SHALL NOT bE ExPOSED TO DRIPPING OR
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AS vASES, SHALL bE PLACED ON THE APPARATUS

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UNPLUG THIS APPARATUS DURING LIGHTNING STORMS OR WHEN
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Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly
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Refer all servicing to to qualified service personnel. Servicing is
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as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled
or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been
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MAINS DISCONNECT: The plug shall remain readily operable. For rack­mount or installation where plug is not accessible, an all-pole mains
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If connected to 240V supply, a suitable CSA/UL certified power cord
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that warn of potential hazards with electrical products. The
lightning flash with arrowpoint in an equilateral triangle means
that there are dangerous voltages present within the unit. The
exclamation point in an equilateral triangle indicates that it is
necessary for the user to refer to the owner’s manual.

These symbols warn that there are no user serviceable parts
inside the unit. Do not open the unit. Do not attempt to service
the unit yourself. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
Opening the chassis for any reason will void the manufacturer’s
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Disconnect the unit during storms to prevent damage.

The following is indicative of
low altitude use; do not use this
product above 2000m.

ELECTROMAGNETIC

COMPATIBILITY

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules and

the Product Specifications noted on the Declaration of

Conformity. Operation is subject to the following two

conditions:

• this device may not cause harmful interference, and

• this device must accept any interference received,

including interference that may cause undesired

operation.

Operation of this unit within significant electromagnetic

fields should be avoided.

• use only shielded interconnecting cables.

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Manufacturer’s Name: DigiTech
Manufacturer’s Address: 8760 S. Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah 84070, USA

declares that the product:

Product name: Vocalist Live FX

Product option: all (requires Class II power
adapter that conforms to
the requirements
of EN60065, EN60742, or
equivalent.)

conforms to the following Product Specifications:

Safety: IEC 60065 -01+Amd 1

EMC: EN 55022:2006
EN 55024:1998
FCC Part 15

Supplementary Information:

The product herewith complies with the require­ments of the:
Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC
EMC Directive 2004/108/EC.
RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC
WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC
EC Regulation 278/2009

With regard to Directive 2005/32/EC and EC
Regulation 1275/2008 of 17 December 2008,
this product is designed, produced, and classified
as Professional Audio Equipment and thus is
exempt from this Directive.

Rex C. Reed
Director, Engineering
Signal Processing
8760 S. Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah 84070, USA
Date: March 7, 2013

European Contact: Your local DigiTech Sales and Service
Office or

Harman Signal Processing
8760 South Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah
84070 USA
Ph: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

If you want to dispose this product, do not mix it with general househo ld wa ste. There is a
separate collection system for used electronic products in accordance with legislation that
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Warranty & Registration

We at DigiTech® are very proud of our products and back-up each one we sell with the following
warranty:

1. Please register online at www.digitech.com within ten days of purchase to validate this warranty.
This warranty is valid only in the United States.

2. DigiTech warrants this product, when purchased new from an authorized U.S. DigiTech dealer and
used solely within the U.S., to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use
and service. This warranty is valid to the original purchaser only and is non-transferable.

3. DigiTech liability under this warranty is limited to repairing or replacing defective materials
that show evidence of defect, provided the product is returned to DigiTech WITH RETURN
AUTHORIZATION, where all parts and labor will be covered up to a period of one year. A Return
Authorization number may be obtained from DigiTech by telephone. The company shall not be liable
for any consequential damage as a result of the product’s use in any circuit or assembly.

4. Proof-of-purchase is considered to be the responsibility of the consumer. A copy of the original
purchase receipt must be provided for any warranty service.

5. DigiTech reserves the right to make changes in design, or make additions to, or improvements
upon this product without incurring any obligation to install the same on products previously
manufactured.

6. The consumer forfeits the benets of this warranty if the product’s main assembly is opened and

tampered with by anyone other than a certied DigiTech technician or, if the product is used with

AC voltages outside of the range suggested by the manufacturer.

7. The foregoing is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, and DigiTech neither assumes
nor authorizes any person to assume any obligation or liability in connection with the sale of this
product. In no event shall DigiTech or its dealers be liable for special or consequential damages or
from any delay in the performance of this warranty due to causes beyond their control.

NOTE: The information contained in this manual is subject to change at any time without notication.

Some information contained in this manual may also be inaccurate due to undocumented changes in the
product since this version of the manual was completed. The information contained in this version of the
owner’s manual supersedes all previous versions.

Service/Contact Information

If you require technical support, contact DigiTech Technical Support. Be prepared to accurately describe
the problem. Know the serial number of your device–this is printed on a sticker attached to the chassis.

Before you return a product to the factory for service, we recommend you refer to this manual. Make
sure you have correctly followed installation steps and operation procedures. For further technical
assistance or service, please visit our support page at digitech.com. If you need to return a product to the

factory for service, you MUST rst contact Technical Support to obtain a Return Authorization Number.

No returned products will be accepted at the factory without a
Return Authorization Number.

Please refer to the warranty information, which extends to the rst end-user. After expiration of the

warranty, a reasonable charge will be made for parts, labor, and packing if you choose to use the factory
service facility. In all cases, you are responsible for transportation charges to the factory. DigiTech will pay
return shipping if the unit is still under warranty.

Use the original packing material if it is available. Mark the package with the name of the shipper and with
these words in red: DELICATE INSTRUMENT, FRAGILE! Insure the package properly. Ship prepaid, not
collect. Do not ship parcel post.

Owner's Manual

Table of Contents

Overview .................................... 1

Introduction ................................................1

®

musIQ

& Live Adapt ................................1

Features ........................................................2

Included Items.............................................2

User Interface & Connectors . 3

Top Panel ......................................................3

Rear Panel .................................................... 6

Connection Diagrams .............. 7

Cable Diagrams .......................................... 7

Mono Application ....................................... 8

Stereo Application......................................9

Using Aux In Jack w/Live Adapt.............10

Operating The Live FX .......... 11

Gold Channel Effects ..............................11

Vocal Effects ..............................................12

Anti-Feedback (dbx

Sound Check .............................................14

Live Adapt ..................................................15

Looper ........................................................18

Presets ........................................................20

Preset A/B Parts .......................................22

Set Lists ......................................................23

FS3X Footswitch Control ......................25

Volume/Expression Pedal Control .......26

®

AFS) ......................13

De-Esser .....................................................40

Noise Gate ................................................41

Low Cut Filter ..........................................42

Pitch FX ......................................................43

Distortion/Filter .......................................46

Harmony ....................................................48

Double ........................................................50

Modulation ................................................52

Delay ...........................................................54

Reverb ........................................................57

Preset Librarian Software ..... 59

System Requirements .............................59

Firmware Updates ...................................59

Preset List ................................ 60

Technical Information ............ 61

Block Diagram ..........................................61

Specications .............................................62

System Setup ........................... 27

Out Pad ......................................................27

A/B Footswitch Conguration ..............28

48 V Phantom Power ...............................28

Stereo .........................................................29

Preset Load ...............................................29

Loop Undo ................................................30

EP (Expression Pedal) Type ....................31

Aux In Conguration ..............................32

EP Parameter, Min, & Max ......................33

Factory Reset ............................................35

The Effects & Parameters ..... 36

Gold Channel ..........................................36

Warmth ......................................................37

Compressor ..............................................37

Pitch Correction ......................................38

Ambience ...................................................38

EQ ...............................................................39

Owner's Manual

Overview

Introduction

Thank you for choosing the Vocalist® Live FX by DigiTech®. The Live FX is a

feature-packed live vocal effects processor which incorporates the latest musIQ®
technology, studio-grade channel strip and vocal effects processing, Live Adapt,
harmony generation, pitch correction, dbx® Advanced Feedback Suppression, and a
built-in phrase looper. This combination of features provides you with professional,
studio quality vocal effects when performing on-stage.

The Live FX begins with a global channel strip processing chain, referred to as the
“Gold Channel” effects. This global set of 8 effects is used in all presets, providing
the sonic foundation for your vocal sound. The Gold Channel effects comprise:
Warmth, dbx® Compression, Pitch Correction, Lexicon® Ambience, 3-Band EQ,
De-Essing, Noise Gating, and Low Cut.

Next are the “Vocal” effects. From Lexicon reverbs, to distortion and harmony
effects, the Vocal effects are perfect for adding polish, texture, movement, and
excitement to your vocals.

One of the most signicant features of the Live FX is Live Adapt. Live Adapt uses

the built-in analysis microphone or Aux In jack to provide automatic, real-time effect
tempo adjustment, smart gating of non-vocal signals (built-in microphone only), and
intelligent harmony generation using the detected key of the music.

Three rugged footswitches provide preset A/B part selection, preset navigation,
bypassing of the Vocal effects, and hands-free control of the built-in phrase looper.

The rear panel boasts all the necessary connections for the performing singer,

including a USB port for rmware updates and preset management using the free

Vocalist Live Librarian software for Mac and PC.

With a quick-access user interface, a plethora of studio-quality effects, dbx Advanced
Feedback Suppression, and state-of-the-art processing technologies, the Live FX

gives you the tools you need to take center stage with condence.

musIQ® & Live Adapt

musIQ is a revolutionary chord detection technology that analyzes the audio in
real time and determines what notes are being played, while the musIQ harmony
engine is capable of interpreting this note data along with the pitch of the singer to
determine the most musically correct harmony note to generate.

The Live FX’s Live Adapt feature uses this technology to provide even further
functionality by adapting the noise gate threshold, the pitch effect key, and the
modulation and delay effect tempo settings. With musIQ & Live Adapt, the Live FX
can adapt to changes in your music, creating a truly dynamic performance.

Owner's Manual

1

Features

• Studio-Grade Mic Preamp, Vocal Processing, & Effects

• +48V Phantom Power

• dbx® Compression & Advanced Feedback Suppression

• Lexicon® Ambience & Reverb

• Latest musIQ® Technology & Built-In Analysis Mic

• Live Adapt for Real-Time Adaptive Control of Noise Gating, Pitch Effect Key,

Harmony Key, & Effect Tempo

• Sound Check Feature for Auditioning & Quick Setup of Effects

• 70 Second Mono Phrase Looper (35 Seconds w/Undo)

• 99 User & 99 Factory Presets

• 24-bit/44.1kHz Audio Quality

• Easy-To-Read Backlit LCD Display

• USB Port for Firmware Updates & Preset Management

• Vocalist Live Librarian Software for Mac & PC

Included Items

• Vocalist Live FX Processor

• Power Supply

• Quick Start

• Safety/Compliance Information Sheet

The utmost care was taken while manufacturing your Live FX. Everything should
be included and in perfect working order. If anything is missing or damaged, please
contact your dealer at once.

2

Owner's Manual

User Interface & Connectors

1 2

3

Top Panel

16

4

5

15

14
13

6

7
8

9

12

10

11

1. Gold Channel Button

Pressing this button turns the Gold Channel effects on and off. The Gold
Channel effects provide channel strip style processing and are used to
provide the sonic foundation for your vocal sound. Pressing and holding this
button will enter the Gold Channel Edit menu, where the Gold Channel

effects can be modied using the DATA encoder [5] and Edit knobs [9].

2. Vocal Effect Buttons

These 7 buttons turn each Vocal effect on or off when pressed. When each
button is lit, the corresponding effect is enabled. Pressing and holding each of
these buttons will display the corresponding effect’s parameters in the LCD

display, where they can be modied using the DATA encoder [5] and Edit
knobs [9].

3. Live Adapt Mic

This built-in analysis microphone listens to the music being played in the
room and adjusts settings in the Live FX automatically. It is used to adjust
tempo for delay and modulation effects, adjust the key for generated
harmonies and pitch effects, and adjust the noise gate threshold.

Owner's Manual

3

NOTE: Whenever the Aux In jack is connected to an audio source, it will

WARMTH COMP CORRECT AMBNCE

20 15 50 35

Gold Channel

TYPE

1/3 (Push)

Standard

Edit 1
Knob

Edit 2

Knob

Edit 3
Knob

Edit 4
Knob

be used for Live Adapt features instead of the internal microphone. See
"Live Adapt" on page 15

4. Signal LED

This LED lights when the mic input signal is detected. This LED will light
green when a signal is present, yellow when approaching the A/D limiting
point, and red when limiting occurs. Good practice is to set the microphone
Input Gain knob so the Signal LED lights green regularly, lights yellow
occasionally, but never lights red.

NOTE: The Signal LED may also light red if the outputs clip due to
the added gain from multiple enabled effects. If such a condition is
encountered, simply lower the Input Gain knob on the back panel until
the Signal LED no longer indicates clipping.

5. DATA Encoder

This encoder is used to navigate menus and edit certain parameters.
Pressing this encoder selects different pages within the Gold Channel and
System Edit menus.

6. Store Button

When pressed, this button initiates the preset store and copy functions.
When a preset is edited, this button will light, indicating a change has been
made to the currently loaded preset’s stored settings.

7. System Button

This button enters the System Edit menu, where you can edit Live FX global

system parameters for conguring the Live FX for your application.

8. Sound Check Button

This button enables and disables the Sound Check feature. Sound Check
allows you to record a vocal loop which can then be used for auditioning
and editing effect parameters.

9. Edit Knobs

These four knobs are used to edit the
various effect and system parameters. They
correspond to the available on-screen
parameters as shown in the illustration to
the right.

10. A/B Footswitch

The Live FX allows you to store two parts per preset: “A” and “B”. Vocal
effects can be independently enabled or disabled in each part. The A/B
footswitch then allows you to toggle between these A/B parts. This feature
can be helpful for applying dynamic effects within a song without having to
navigate presets, such as enabling delays or distortion effects on certain
words or vocal phrases. This A/B footswitch can be programmed in the
System Edit menu for toggle, momentary, or automatic operation (see "A/B
Footswitch Conguration" on page 28).

4

Owner's Manual

11. UP Footswitch

This footswitch selects the next preset up. Pressing and holding this
footswitch for 2 seconds will bypass all Vocal effects (Gold Channel effects
will not be affected). This "Vocal Effects Bypass" feature allows you to bypass
all Vocal effects quickly, such as when talking to the audience between songs.

12. DOWN Footswitch

This footswitch selects the next preset down. Pressing and holding this
footswitch for 2 seconds enters Loop mode, where you can record loops
using the built-in phrase looper.

13. Anti-Feedback Button

Pressing this button enables and disables dbx Advanced Feedback
Suppression (AFS). When the button is lit, AFS is enabled.

14. Live Adapt Button

Pressing this button globally enables and disables the Live Adapt feature.
When the button is lit, the feature is enabled. Pressing and holding this
button enters the Live Adapt menu, where each of the separate Live Adapt
functions can be enabled or disabled.

15. Set List Button

Pressing this button enters Set List mode. Set Lists create a sequenced list
of up to twenty presets, making it easy to sequence through presets during a
performance. Pressing this button multiple times cycles through the available
Set Lists. When the last Set List is selected, pressing this button again will
exit Set List mode and return to Preset mode.

16. LCD Display

This easy-to-read backlit LCD display provides the visual feedback necessary
for operating the Live FX.

Owner's Manual

5

Rear Panel

Aux

In

1

Mic In

Left Out Right Out

9VDC 800mA

USB

2

Input
Gain

Manufactured under U.S. patent number: 8,168,877 B1

Line Out Footswitch

3 4 5 6

1. Aux In Jack

Connect a portable music player or the outputs of a mixer to this stereo
1/8” jack. Audio from an external device plugged into this jack can be used
either for musIQ analysis or merely mixed in with the vocal signal at the
output stage.

2. Input Gain Knob

This knob controls the input gain of the Mic In jack.

3. Mic In Jack

Connect your microphone to this XLR input jack using a balanced XLR
microphone cable.

4. Left/Right XLR Out Jacks

These balanced outputs carry the stereo signal when congured for stereo
operation. When the outputs are congured for mono operation, both Left

and Right Outputs will carry the same mono-summed signal.

5. Headphone/Line Out Jack

This is an unbalanced, 1/4”, stereo output and can be used for connecting
headphones or connected to the line level inputs of another device. This
output carries the same mix that is presented at the XLR outputs. When the

outputs are congured for mono operation, both left and right channels will

be mono-summed and stereo imaging will be lost.

6. Footswitch Jack

Plug an optional DigiTech FS3X Footswitch to this jack for full-time control
of the Live FX’s built-in phrase looper. You can also connect a volume or
expression pedal to this jack for continuous control of various vocal effect
parameters. For more information, see "FS3X Footswitch Control" on page
25 and "Volume/Expression Pedal Control" on page 26.

7. Power Jack

Connect only the included power supply to this jack. The Live FX can only
be powered using the external adapter.

8. USB Port

Connect a Mini USB cable from this port to your computer to use the
Vocalist Live Librarian software (available for Mac and PC) for preset

management and rmware updates.

6

Owner's Manual

8

7

Connection Diagrams

Cable Diagrams

Stereo Connection to Live FX Aux In

1/8” Stereo Cable

Left +

Ground

Left
Left
Channel (+)

Right
Channel (+)

Ground

Left +

Ground

Right +

Use a cable like this when connecting a stereo 1/4" feed to the Live FX's Aux In jack.

NOTE: You can also use the above cable when connecting a mono signal to the
Aux In jack–such as when connecting an aux send or direct output from the
mixing console. This type of connection could be used to send a "guitar only"
signal to the Live FX for use with Live Adapt. Simply use only one of the 1/4"
plugs and leave the other disconnected.

Stereo Connection from Live FX Line Out

1/4” Stereo Cable

Channel

Right

Channel

Ground

Right +

Left +

Ground

Left

Left
Channel (+)

Right
Channel (+)

Ground

Left +

Ground

Right +

Channel

Right

Channel

Ground

Right +

Use a cable like this to connect the Live FX's 1/4" Headphone/Line Output to the
1/4" line inputs of another device.

NOTE: Connecting a mono TS cable to the 1/4" stereo Headphone/Line Output
jack is not recommended. If you require a single mono feed from the 1/4" stereo
Headphone/Line Output, it is recommended that you use a stereo cable as shown
above and use only one of the TS plugs, leaving the other disconnected. You will
then need to turn STEREO mode off in the System Edit menu (see "Stereo" on
page 29).

Owner's Manual

7

Mono Application

Line Input

Computer w/Vocalist Live

Librarian Software

(optional)

Harman

Power Supply

Portable Music

Player

(optional)

Microphone

Headphones

(optional)

DigiTech FS3X Footswitch or

Volume/Expression Pedal

(optional)

NOTE: This application requires that the Live FX be congured for mono

operation. See "Stereo" on page 29 for further information. Whenever the Aux
In jack is connected to an audio source, it will be used for Live Adapt features
instead of the internal microphone.

8

Owner's Manual

Stereo Application

Line Inputs

Computer w/Vocalist Live

Librarian Software

(optional)

Harman

Power Supply

Portable Music

Player

(optional)

Microphone

Headphones

(optional)

DigiTech FS3X Footswitch or

Volume/Expression Pedal

(optional)

NOTE: This application requires that the Live FX be congured for stereo
operation, which is the default conguration. See "Stereo" on page 29 for

further information. Whenever the Aux In jack is connected to an audio source, it
will be used for Live Adapt features instead of the internal microphone.

Owner's Manual

9

Using Aux In Jack w/Live Adapt

Line Input

Monitor Outputs

Computer w/Vocalist Live

Librarian Software

(optional)

Harman

Power Supply

Microphone

Headphones

(optional)

DigiTech FS3X Footswitch or

Volume/Expression Pedal

(optional)

NOTE: Whenever the Aux In jack is connected to an audio source, it will be used
for Live Adapt features instead of the internal microphone.

10

Owner's Manual

Operating The Live FX

This section of the manual describes how to navigate and use the various features of
the Live FX.

Gold Channel Effects

The "Gold Channel" effect processing section is the rst effect module in the

signal chain and provides channel strip style processing. The Gold Channel effects
comprise the following 8 effects: Warmth, Compressor, Pitch Correction, Ambience,
EQ, De-Esser, Gate, and Low Cut. These effects provide the sonic foundation for
your vocal sound and are used as the front end on all presets.

To globally bypass/enable the Gold Channel effects:

1. Press the <Gold Channel> button. When the Gold Channel button is lit, the
Gold Channel effects are enabled. When the button is not lit, these effects are
bypassed.

To edit Gold Channel settings:

1. Press and hold the <Gold Channel> button. The <Gold Channel> button

will begin ashing and the LCD display will now display the Gold Channel effect

parameters.

2. Start singing into the microphone or use the Sound Check feature (see "Sound
Check" on page 14 for further information). Turn the <DATA> encoder to

select a Gold Channel Type. Think of these "Types" as precongured presets for

the Gold Channel parameters. Once you've selected the Gold Channel Type
which most closely resembles the sound you are after, you can proceed or turn
the corresponding <Edit> knobs to ne tune the various parameters.

3. Press the <DATA> encoder to navigate the various pages within the Gold
Channel Edit menu and use the corresponding <Edit> knobs to make any
further parameter adjustments.

4. When nished, press the <Gold Channel> button to exit.

NOTE: Changes to Gold Channel effect parameters do not need to be stored to
a preset, since these effects are global and independent of presets.

Owner's Manual

11

Vocal Effects

The "Vocal" effects processing section comes after the Gold Channel effects

processing section and comprises the following 7 effect modules: Pitch FX,
Distortion/Filter, Harmony, Double, Modulation, Delay, and Reverb. Unlike the Gold
Channel effects, Vocal effect settings are independently stored to each preset.

To bypass/enable a Vocal effect module:

1. Press the corresponding effect button (e.g., <Pitch FX>, <Dist/Filter>,
etc.). When the effect button is lit, the corresponding effect is enabled. When
the effect button is not lit, the corresponding effect is bypassed.

2. If you wish to store the Vocal effect’s newly enabled or bypassed state, press the
<Store> button and perform the preset storing procedure. See "Presets" on
page 20 for further information on storing user presets.

To edit Vocal effect settings:

1. Press and hold the effect button for the effect which you would like to edit (e.g.,
<Harmony>, <Modulation>, etc.). The effect button will begin ashing and
the LCD display will now display the selected effect’s parameters.

2. Start singing into the microphone or use the Sound Check feature (see "Sound
Check" on page 14 for further information). Turn the corresponding <Edit>
knobs to adjust the various parameters for the effect. Some effects have
multiple effect “Types” to select from (for example, Modulation has chorus,
ange, etc.). For these effects, turn the <DATA> encoder to change the effect
Type.

3. When nished, press the ashing effect button to exit the effect's Edit mode.

4. To store the changes, press the <Store> button and perform the preset
storing procedure. See "Presets" on page 20 for further information on
storing user presets.

Vocal Effects Bypass

The Live FX contains a global Bypass function, which allows you to bypass all Vocal
effects within the currently loaded preset. The Bypass function does not bypass the
Gold Channel effects. This is a useful feature which can be used to bypass the Vocal
effects when speaking to the audience between songs or when you wish to sing only
through the Gold Channel effects.

To bypass/enable all Vocal effects:

1. Press and hold the <Up> footswitch. The LED above this footswitch will light
and “EFFECTS BYPASSED” will appear in the LCD display.

2. Press any footswitch or effect button to exit Vocal Effect Bypass mode and re­enable the Vocal effects.

12

Owner's Manual

Anti-Feedback (dbx® AFS)

The Anti-Feedback feature actively monitors the room using the built-in microphone

and kills feedback before it becomes a problem. In live situations where feedback is
possible, enable dbx® AFS by simply pressing the <Anti-Feedback> button–the
button will turn green, indicating AFS is active. The Anti-Feedback button has three
color coded states to let you know it’s working, they are:

• Green LED
Indicates the AFS feature is enabled.

• Yellow LED
Indicates AFS is actively notching feedback frequencies.

• Red LED
Indicates AFS is attenuating overall gain to eliminate feedback.

Owner's Manual

13

Sound Check

If you've ever tried adjusting vocal effect parameters while singing then you know

that it can be difcult to properly judge the parameter changes due to the fact that

you can hear your own voice inside your head. The Sound Check feature resolves
this issue by allowing you to record a vocal loop (pre-effects) that you can then
playback through the Gold Channel and Vocal effects. This provides an easy way

to audition and ne tune all effect parameters without having to sing into the

microphone while making adjustments.

To use the Sound Check feature:

1. Press the <Sound Check> button. The display will read “RECORD PHRASE”
and the <Down> footswitch LED will begin ashing.

2. Press the <Down> footswitch to begin recording. The display will read
“RECORDING”.

3. When nished, press the <Down> footswitch to stop recording and begin
playback of the Sound Check loop.

4. Enable the effect you wish to edit by pressing the corresponding effect's button
(e.g., <Gold Channel>, <Pitch FX>, etc.). The effect button will light when
enabled. Now Press and hold the same effect button for 2 seconds to enter the
effect's Edit mode.

5. Edit the effect parameters using the <DATA> encoder and <Edit> knobs
until you reach the desired sound.

6. Repeat steps 4-5 to edit additional effects.

7. When done, press the <Sound Check> button to exit and disable the Sound
Check feature.

8. Store any Vocal effect changes you wish to retain. See "Presets" on page 20
for further information on storing user presets.

NOTE: A loop recorded using Sound Check will be retained for as long as the
Sound Check feature is enabled. If the feature is disabled or the device is power
cycled, a new loop will need to be recorded before using the Sound Check
feature again.

14

Owner's Manual

Live Adapt

The Live FX’s Live Adapt feature uses the built-in microphone or Aux In jack

to listen to the music and automatically adjust noise gate threshold (built-in
microphone only), pitch effect key, harmony key, and delay and modulation tempo.
These options can be enabled and disabled independently in the Live Adapt menu
and then turned on and off globally with the Live Adapt button. Following is a
description of each of the options available in the Live Adapt menu.

• GATE

This option has two settings:

Preset
With this option selected, the gate threshold will not adapt and will be
set according to the "GATE" parameter setting in the Gold Channel Edit
menu.

Adapt
With this option selected, the audio analyzed by the built-in microphone
is used in combination with the vocal microphone signal to modify the
gate threshold from its baseline “GATE” parameter setting in the Gold
Channel Edit menu. When adaptive gate is enabled, the Live FX detects
when the dominant sound source is not close to the microphone, and
more aggressively gates the signal to reduce the amount of background
noise leaking through the vocal mic. As soon as the Live FX detects that
someone is singing into the vocal microphone, the gate is moved back to
its baseline level to prevent cutting out lower level vocal sounds.

One common problem with vocal processors occurs when a singer
is playing an acoustic guitar while using vocal effects, such as harmony
or modulation. When the singer stops singing but continues playing,
the sound of the guitar can leak through the vocal mic resulting in an
unintended processed guitar sound. Setting the gate high enough to
prevent this can unfortunately result in lower vocals being cut out. To help
minimize this problem, try setting the gate to the highest setting that still
passes your vocal at low levels, and then enable the adaptive gate. When
you stop singing, the gate threshold will increase, but it will return to your
nominal setting as soon as you resume singing.

NOTE: The adaptive gate sensing algorithm relies on comparing the
vocal microphone signal with the built-in microphone inside the Live
FX case. When a connection is plugged into the Aux In jack, the built-in
microphone is disconnected. As a result, the adaptive gate is disabled
when using the Aux In jack.

• PITCH

This option has two settings:

Preset
With this option selected, the Pitch FX key will not adapt and will be set
according to the "KEY" parameter setting in the Pitch FX Edit menu.

Adapt
With this option selected, the audio analyzed by the built-in microphone
or Aux In jack is used to favor notes that are present in the background

Owner's Manual

15

music. The Pitch FX KEY setting will still provide the baseline information

for the effect, but will be modied to better match the notes being

detected by Live Adapt. If you don’t know the key of the song, you can
choose “Chromatic” for the Pitch FX KEY, and let the Live Adapt feature
choose the most likely notes to output.

• HARMONY

This option has three settings:

Preset

With this option selected, the Harmony key will not adapt and will be set
according to the "KEY" parameter setting in the Harmony Edit menu.

Full Mix

With this option selected, the audio signal from the built-in microphone
or Aux In jack is used to analyze the musical content of the background
music in order to create harmonies that match the overall key of the
song. This option differs from the Preset option in that the harmonies can
change during the course of a song as the adaptation senses changes in
the song structure. It is best suited for situations where the internal mic
or Aux In signal consists of a mix of instruments–for example when the
Live FX is used on stage with a band.

CleanGtr

With this option selected, the audio signal from the built-in microphone
or Aux In jack is analyzed using our guitar chord recognition and harmony
generation algorithms that react in real time to guitar chord changes. This
option uses the classic musIQ harmony algorithm and is best suited for
situations where a clean guitar signal is being sent to the Aux In jack. If you
aren’t using an Aux-In signal but are playing an acoustic guitar close to the
Live FX, you may want to select this Harmony option.

• TEMPO
This option has three settings:

Preset

With this option selected, the tempo will not adapt and will be set
according to the "TEMPO" parameter setting in the Delay/Modulation Edit
menus.

Wide
With this option selected, the audio analyzed by the built-in microphone
or Aux In jack is used to modify the Delay/Modulation "TEMPO"
parameter, within a wide range around the currently set Delay/Modulation
TEMPO setting. With this option selected, the TEMPO will be allowed to
vary between 2/3
example, a TEMPO setting of 120 BPM would be allowed to vary between
80 BPM and 160 BPM.

Narrow
With this option selected, the audio analyzed by the built-in microphone
or Aux In jack is used to modify the Delay/Modulation "TEMPO"
parameter, within a narrow range around the currently set Delay/
Modulation TEMPO setting. The TEMPO will be allowed to vary between
approximately 85% and 115% of the currently set TEMPO–for example, a

16

rds

and 4/3

rds

the rate of the currently set TEMPO–for

Owner's Manual