Ping Pong echo effect

[Bobby Lee]

I set up one of the user patches in my MPX-100 to do the ping pong echo effect, figuring that I'd mainly use it to test the speakers. It works real well for that. Sometimes I use 4 cabinets and after the rig is all wired up I set it on ping pong, turn Mix all the way up and hit a chord to compare the sound of the two channels.

Anyway, yesterday I actually used ping pong in a song. The tune was sort of a psychedelic folk-rock number. I tapped in the tempo, switched to the distortion channel in the preamp and jammed. It was a very cool sound. Afterwards, a few people commented on my "Pink Floyd" effect, "You sounded just like Gilmore on that one" etc.

If you have ping pong in your bag of tricks, try it sometime. It's a lot of fun.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

[Dave Van Allen]

A multi-tapped ping pong delay is one of my fave settings in my Digitech Studio Quad... I mainly use it in the "studio" rack at home, but am considering hauling it out for dual amp gigs again.

I have been loving my minimalist "live" setup (ZumSteel -> vol ped -> one or two amps, no FX 'cept Fender on board 'verb) "getting back" to a sound I never had previously. My right hand technique has improved dramatically as far as balance between plucked strings and "smoothness", unassisted by compression, which I regarded as an evil necessity for many years with my MSA.

But I am hankering to apply that improved technique to some heavily effected steel. I have had lots of experience and fun with FX in the past, and expect to be able to use them more judiciously and to "better effect" now (pun intended but the meaning is exact) <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 23 May 2001 at 11:22 AM.]</p></FONT>

[Jack Stoner]

I've got a program for that in my Transtube Fex. I've tried it but didn't really hear anything. Do you have to have the speakers separated a certain distance to hear it? My speakers were about a foot apart when I tried it.

[Bobby Lee]

Speaker separation is a factor, yes.

Adding to the effect on the Sebastopol gazebo, I angled my speakers out so that the open backs were pointed directly at the round concrete gazebo columns. The stereo enhancement from the speaker placement was astounding.

When testing my setup with the ping pong effect, I noticed that one stack didn't sound as rich as the other. The richer one was bouncing off that column. I angled the other one to hit the column too, and bingo!

Like I said, I mainly use ping pong to verify that my speakers are working properly. The Pink Floyd effect is a bonus.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

[Len Amaral]

I have a Roland GP-100 that has the ping pong effect. Try setting the ping pong very slow and use it with a touch of chorus on a slow song. It adds a 3D dimension to the overall sound.

[Bobby Lee]

Actually, Len, what I'm talking about is a ping-pong echo. The original sound stays centered, but the odd numbered echoes are in one speaker and the even numbered ones are in the other.

I think the effect you're talking about is usually called "auto pan". Unless I misunderstood your post.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)