Kenton GS-8 User Manual

KENTON

electronics

GS-8

MIDI Guitar Effects Switcher

User Instructions

Introduction By Arthur Dick, session guitarist.

At last, an affordable unit which enables you to control all your effects (pedals and MIDI) as well as
amplifier switches (channel/overdrive/graphic etc.) without having to do a tap-dancing routine each
time a new sound is required. The GS-8 is wonderfully flexible, allowing you to tailor make your
own system - it is the key to managing your guitar sounds. No more signal loss either; when a
circuit is not enabled, the signal path is clear. For playing live or in a studio, the GS-8 makes your
set-up work for you freeing you to get on with your playing.
If this was a household appliance, every home should have one!

Setting Up

MIDI Connections

The GS-8 must be connected to your MIDI set-up. Using a standard MIDI cable, connect one end
into the MIDI Out of your MIDI effects processor or other MIDI device, and plug the other end into
the MIDI In of the GS-8. Connect the MIDI Thru on the GS-8 to the MIDI In of any other MIDI
device if necessary.

Pedal Loop Connections

Connecting your guitar and amplifier;

Connect the output from your guitar to the input `FROM GUITAR` on the GS-8.
Connect the output `AUDIO TO AMP` on the GS-8 to your amplifier or mixer.

To connect each pedal to the GS-8;

Connect the pedal output to the input `FROM PEDAL #1` on the GS-8, and connect the pedal input
to the output `TO PEDAL #1` on the GS-8.
Do the same for each of your other pedals, to each pair of pedal connections on the GS-8.

To connect the GS-8 to the foot-switch inputs;

Connect the outputs `TO AMP A (/B)` to the foot-switch inputs on your amplifiers or A/B amp­switcher box.

If pedal loops 5 or 6 have been configured as foot-switch controls, use the `TO PED #5 (6) / AMP D
(C)` output to control the foot-switch input.

The Three Edit Modes

Switching On

When you first switch on the GS-8, it will momentarily display the software version number, then
revert to Patch Edit Mode, displaying the current patch number (default patch 1).

Loading factory defaults;

If the unit is switched on whilst holding down both the `+` and `-` keys, the display will read `Fd`
indicating that the GS-8 has been reset and the factory defaults loaded into the memories.

The GS-8 has two edit modes as indicated by the LED bars `PATCH/CHANnel`;
When the green LED next to `PATched` is on, the GS-8 is in patch edit mode.
When the yellow LED next to `CHannel` is on, it is in Channel/System edit mode.

There is a third special edit mode called Controller Assignment Mode which is described later in the
manual.

A red dot will flash on the right of the display to indicate when the GS-8 is receiving MIDI data
(except MIDI clock messages).

1, Channel and System Settings

To be in Channel edit mode, the yellow `CHannel` LED must be lit. If the `PATch` LED is lit, press
the `PATCH/CHAN` key.

The display will now show the current MIDI channel number 1 to 16.

The system settings consist of;

MIDI channel
Whether foot-switch control AMP A is a normal or momentary type control
Whether foot-switch control AMP B is a normal or momentary type control
Whether Pedal Loop #5 is configured as a foot-switch control
Whether Pedal Loop #6 is configured as a foot-switch control

Editing the MIDI channel;

To edit the MIDI receive channel number, use the `+` and `-` keys.
If you press and hold the `+` key, then also hold the `-` key, the channel number will increase
faster. If you press and hold the `-` key then also hold the `+` key, the channel number will
decrease faster.

If you try to go past 16, the channel number will `wrap-round` back to channel 1. The opposite also
applies.

Changing foot-switches from normal to momentary type;

To change the foot-switch outputs `AMP A` and `AMP B` from normal to momentary, press and
hold the AMP A/B keys till the orange LED by `MOMentary` lights. To change to output back to a
normal foot-switch control, again, press and hold the AMP A/B key till the LED is off.

Changing pedal loops 5 or 6 to foot-switch controls;

To change pedal loop number 5 and 6 to act as foot-switch controls, press and hold the
PED#5(6)/AMP C(D) keys till the yellow LED by `AMP` lights. To change back to pedal loopers,
again, press and hold the key till the LED is off.

If you change any of the system settings, you will see a red dot appear in the centre of the display.
This shows that one or more of the settings has been edited and not yet stored. If you revert which
ever setting/s changed back to their original value, the dot will disappear.

Storing system settings;
To store the system settings, press and hold the `PATCH/CHAN` key till the display reads `st`.

Sticky keys;

If a channel or system setting has been changed (and the red dot in the centre of the display is lit),
you will notice it will take two presses of the `PATCH/CHAN` key to change back to patch edit
mode. This `sticky key` function is so that the GS-8 remains in Channel/System edit mode if the
`PATCH/CHAN` key is pressed and held to store the channel or system settings.

2, Patch Edit Mode

Selecting patches;

To be in patch edit mode, the green `PATch` LED must be lit. If the `CH` LED is lit, press the
`PATCH/CHAN` key.
The display will now show the current patch number 1 to 128.

As the GS-8 only has a two digit display, a special method is employed to display numbers larger
than 99. When displaying numbers above 99, the following format is used :-

a dash " - " at the bottom of the left-hand display = 100+
a dash " - " in the middle of the left-hand display = 110+
a dash " - " at the top of the left-hand display = 120+

For example, supposing the display reads " - 7 "
if the dash is at the bottom, this means 107
if the dash is in the middle, this means 117
if the dash is at the top, this means 127

Note, that no values above 128 are used.
Select a patch number from 1 to 128 by pressing the `+` and `-` keys.

If you press and hold the `+` key, then also hold the `-` key, the patch number will increase faster. If
you press and hold the `-` key then also hold the `+` key, the patch number will decrease faster.

If you try to go past 128, the patch number will `wrap-round` back to patch 1. The opposite also
applies.

As you change patches you will see the orange LEDs turn on or off indicating which effects pedals
or foot-switches are active.

The relays will not actually switch (i.e. the patch will not physical change your set-up) till you
release the `+` or `-` key. This is to stop the relays from frantically trying to switch as you scroll
through patches to get to the one you need.
When you release either the `+` or `-` key, you will hear the relays click, changing your set-up.

Editing patches;

You can manually switch on or off any of the pedal loopers or foot-switches by pressing the
relevant keys.

If you change any of the patch settings, you will see a red dot appear in the centre of the display.
This shows that one or more of the settings has been edited and not yet stored. By changing the
settings back to their original values, the dot will disappear (now indicating the patch is unaltered).

Storing patches;

To store the patch settings, press and hold the `PATCH/CHAN` key till the display reads `st`. The
yellow `PAT` LED will be lit.

Sticky keys;

If a patch has been changed (and the red dot in the centre of the display is lit), you will notice it will
take two presses of the `PATCH/CHAN` key to change to Channel/System Settings Mode. This
`sticky key` function is so that the GS-8 remains in Patch Edit Mode if the `PATCH/CHAN` key is
pressed and held to store the edited patch settings.

The pedal loopers 5 and 6 can be configured to be foot-switchers in this mode as previously
described, although this should not be necessary once you have configured your set-up. The foot­switchers A and B can be changed from normal to momentary foot-switch configuration as
previously described, but once again, this should not be necessary once you have configured your
set-up. These settings are not stored when an edited patch is stored. As these are system settings,
you must be in Channel/System edit mode (orange `CH` LED lit) to store the changes.

3, Controller Assignment Mode

This is an `advanced` programming mode is for those who wish to control each of the pedal loops
and amplifier foot-switches individually (as opposed to all at once within a patch) from their
sequencer or other MIDI device. Each device can be activated by its own MIDI controller (or
several MIDI controllers at once).

This mode is not likely to be used live by a guitarist, but used within a studio or home set-up being
controlled by a computer sequencer.

To enter this mode, you must press and hold the `PATCH/CHAN` key whilst switching on the GS-8.
The display will then read `Cn` letting you know you are in Controller Assignment Mode.
The orange LED’s for each pedal or amp control will let you know if any of them have a MIDI

controller assigned to them.
At this point, the controllers can be de-activated (but not activated) from the loops/switches by

pressing the relevant key for that loop/switch.

Assigning MIDI controllers to each of the Loop/Switches;

There are 121 (0 to 120) MIDI controllers to choose from in MIDI.
Press the `+` or `-` keys to select a controller from 0 to 120. Numbers above 99 are displayed in the
same ways as patch numbers, previously described.

If you press and hold the `+` key, then also hold the `-` key, the controller number will increase
faster. If you press and hold the `-` key then also hold the `+` key, the controller number will
decrease faster.

If you try to go past 120, the controller number will `wrap-round` back to controller 0. The opposite
also applies.

A quick way to call up the controller you wish to assign is to move that controller on your synth (or
send controller data from your sequencer). The GS-8 will then display that controller number, and
then assignments can be made as described below.

Once a controller has been selected, press any of the pedal or amp Switch keys to assign the
selected MIDI controller to that Loop/Switch. More than one controller at a time can be assigned to
any number of pedal or amp Switches.

Storing Controller Assignments;

If you change any of the controller assignments, you will see a red dot appear in the display. This
shows that a setting has been edited and not yet stored. If a device has a controller assigned to it,
any new assignment will cancel the original controller.

To store the controller assignments, press and hold the `PATCH/CHAN` key till the display reads
`st`. The GS-8 will now go to normal Patch mode.

Using MIDI controllers to activate Loops and Switches;

To activate a Loop or Switch, a MIDI controller message must be sent to the GS-8. The controller
must be sent on the same MIDI channel as the GS-8 is set to, and be the correct controller number
assigned to the Loop/Switch. A controller value over 65 activates the Loop/Switch, and a value
below de-activates it. See `Controller Numbers` section (later in manual) for a list of controller use.