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Hello Music Lovers, :0)

I'm now playing a very strange gear on stage. Not everytime, but mainly.

Well, when I say "very strange", it's more like uncommon. And where I am in France, people don't use this kind of things yet. Seems like weird futurist for them, haha. But I always been a geek, and very curious about technology and possibilities. So, I'm still experimenting.

My guitars goes on external USB Soundcard (a very affordable Lexicon Alpha, small and just what you need to go on stage) plugged on a Laptop. On this Laptop I control an Ik Multimedia Fender Gear with an old ART X-15 Ultrafoot Midi Pedalboard (The Vintage Thing!!). The Midi interface between the Pedal Board and the Ik Multimedia Fender on the Laptop is a Yamaha. And it's working great! Never had a problem with it on stage.

Here you can see the Chorus Unit I use, but also the Compressor, the Tape Echo and 63' Reverb On/Off with the ART X-15 Ultrafoot) All are Fender Licensed stuff..
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The Overdrive section, I use mainly the 808 clone (green) and the Fulltone OCD as Boost. I also use the Blender with an Opto Tremolo on a couple of songs. The T-REX Mudhoney is an incredible Drive too, also can be boosted by the Pedalboard!! And the Fender Wah controled with one of the expression Pedal on the ART X-15 Ultrafoot.
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As the ART X-15 Ultrafoot have 2 Expression Pedals on it, I have one for volume control and another one controling the Fender Wah.

It's very easy to set the pedalboard on the Laptop: Plug it, put it on, press "Mode" one time, and just do a "midi learn" on IK Multimedia Fender effects pedals (on/off) with the switch wanted on the ART X-15 Ultrafoot, etc. And that's all!! Then save the IK Patch. Done!

Notes: I used the ASIO4ALL drivers without any latence. I can also use the Alpha ASIO drivers. The Yamaha Midi Interface needs his drivers too.

I usually play on Kustom Tube Amps (https://www.kustom.com/guitar-amps.html), but since one year with Alchemic Journey I play on a Fender Deluxe. Sometimes on a small Fender Champ. More rarely on a Vox.

The benefits are many:

First, you have "all in one". All the preamps, effects pedals and effects racks are on the Laptop. Very convenient. Easy transport. Easy Plug.
Secondly, as the patches are carefully worked and saved, you always have a high quality sound.
Last, you can experiment alternative patchs solutions, and save it in one click. Near endless possibilities..

The Lexicon Alpha Soundcard
https://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-Desktop-Recording-Studio-Alpha/dp/B000HVXMNE
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The Ik Multimedia Fender
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/fender/

The Gear
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/fender/index.php?p=gear

Live at Ali Baba Tavern on February 16, 2019. On this shot, you can see the laptop, the soundcard and the ART X-15 Ultrafoot on the ground.
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