Double tracking pedals,anyone use them in live performance?

[voerking]

i've used a Mimiq with the effect set at it's lowest point, running into two amps. i just left it on all the time for a wider stereo spread. it worked well for that use. dialing the effect in to be more noticeable always sounds a bit too "effected" to me, like sort of a lame chorus. used subtly, it can sound good.

[chromandre]

This is just my experience, your mileage may vary obviously but I found when you have 2 separate amps, the stereo dry/wet short delay trick doesn't actually do anything at live volumes! short delay sounds much more convincing for double tracked to me as a mono effect for any time you are going to bend the strings it makes lovely phasey dips but I would turn it off for rhythm/chords. I also found if you get a subtle bouncy PN2 style stereo trem going, it produces the illusion that your left/right amps 2 people playing with slightly different picking technique random fluctuation.

and then I did try using a stereo effect return on a single JC120 amp, basically no stereo effects were heard at all, I suppose if you mic them up and split it that way it becomes stereo but the speakers of a single cab are so close together that the only stereo effect you can really get in my opinion is the dry/wet chorus.

[omarwhite]

i've used a Mimiq with the effect set at it's lowest point, running into two amps. i just left it on all the time for a wider stereo spread. it worked well for that use. dialing the effect in to be more noticeable always sounds a bit too "effected" to me, like sort of a lame chorus. used subtly, it can sound good.

I used to have the stereo Mimiq and also felt like things sounded a bit to processed/digital/effected. didn't run it at a low point however. initially bought one because I heard Aaron Turner uses a Deco, and figured I could get similar results with a Mimiq. I was wrong.

I would like to revisit the pedal now, however, and run it at it's minimum setting and see what results.

[voerking]

Do you like the mimiq?

it's fine. the way i use it, it's barely noticeable...
listen to this track:
https://terms.bandcamp.com/track/heal-my-borings-2
the guitar until 0:45, and from 2:33 until the end is just one pass of guitar running into two amps via the Mimiq set at minimum.
it's subtle, but it adds *something*

[oscillofuzz]

Yeah I love this amp and it's ability to split the signal to each speaker but I wonder if having two amps to successfully utilize this live will likely be necessary since trying to mic both speakers is likely to cause phase issues at the very least.

What kind of issues are you afraid might happen? When close mic'ing in similar positions and also panning through the PA I don't foresee an unworkable outcome. I work monitors semi-regularly at this venue where the FoH engineers insists on mic'ing up two adjacent speakers per 4x12 cab, usually with an SM57 and e906 on the edge of dustcap and cone, and then pans them on the desk. It's mostly a metal/punk venue and often there are 2 guitarists, so each PA channel ends up receiving output from both an SM57 and an e906, both not from the same cab. We have had at least one notable band come in before with a single guitarist playing through 2 amps/cabs with a doubler pedal (either a Mimiq or the Keeley, I can't remember, but definitely not the Strymon), where we applied the same mic and panning techniques and there were no issues with sound quality through the FoH, it just sounded like more guitar than one person would normally produce. Through monitors however it was better to use just the dry signal to give everyone the most accurate representation of the guitarist's timing.

Do you like the mimiq?

it's fine. the way i use it, it's barely noticeable...
listen to this track:
https://terms.bandcamp.com/track/heal-my-borings-2
the guitar until 0:45, and from 2:33 until the end is just one pass of guitar running into two amps via the Mimiq set at minimum.
it's subtle, but it adds *something*

I'm not sure if I can tell the difference between doubler on and off in those sections through my macbook's speakers, but I do really like the track!

[qersty]

Yeah I love this amp and it's ability to split the signal to each speaker but I wonder if having two amps to successfully utilize this live will likely be necessary since trying to mic both speakers is likely to cause phase issues at the very least.

What kind of issues are you afraid might happen? When close mic'ing in similar positions and also panning through the PA I don't foresee an unworkable outcome. I work monitors semi-regularly at this venue where the FoH engineers insists on mic'ing up two adjacent speakers per 4x12 cab, usually with an SM57 and e906 on the edge of dustcap and cone, and then pans them on the desk. It's mostly a metal/punk venue and often there are 2 guitarists, so each PA channel ends up receiving output from both an SM57 and an e906, both not from the same cab. We have had at least one notable band come in before with a single guitarist playing through 2 amps/cabs with a doubler pedal (either a Mimiq or the Keeley, I can't remember, but definitely not the Strymon), where we applied the same mic and panning techniques and there were no issues with sound quality through the FoH, it just sounded like more guitar than one person would normally produce. Through monitors however it was better to use just the dry signal to give everyone the most accurate representation of the guitarist's timing.

Do you like the mimiq?

it's fine. the way i use it, it's barely noticeable...
listen to this track:
https://terms.bandcamp.com/track/heal-my-borings-2
the guitar until 0:45, and from 2:33 until the end is just one pass of guitar running into two amps via the Mimiq set at minimum.
it's subtle, but it adds *something*

I'm not sure if I can tell the difference between doubler on and off in those sections through my macbook's speakers, but I do really like the track!

Sure I understand what you are saying but that is using two cans, this is what can where I can separate the speakers, having two mics, one on each speaker with the speakers and mics so close together, you wouldn't see any potential phase issues with that?

Unless you have two identical rigs with identical microphones there will be phase misalignment. The solution is simply to try to adjust the microphones and check the polarity, this will be extra work for your sound person. However the double tracking effect in itself is caused by phase shift and it's not linear nonetheless. If you are going to have the effect on all the time the phase shift may benefit the widening. Phase "issues" hasn't got to be bad and alot of sounds is based on it.

I use an eventide pitchfactor (micro pitch algo) or simply a short stereo delay for stereo widening and it's very apparent, I like to turn it back alot. I only do it at home though with cans on so it may be different coming out of a PA in a busy live mix. I know however that Matt Weed used a DD7 for doubling live when Rosetta had only one guitar and he tends not to be a snake-oil guys

[alexsga]

ive had good results from Zoom's Detune algorithm with my band

[voerking]

I'm not sure if I can tell the difference between doubler on and off in those sections through my macbook's speakers, but I do really like the track!

thanks! just to clarify, the stereo Mimiq tracks are throughout the entire song. it's the basic guitar track(s) of the song, but there are some overdubs that come in on top of it, as well (during the time period between the two sections i mentioned).

[oscillofuzz]

I'm not sure if I can tell the difference between doubler on and off in those sections through my macbook's speakers, but I do really like the track!

thanks! just to clarify, the stereo Mimiq tracks are throughout the entire song. it's the basic guitar track(s) of the song, but there are some overdubs that come in on top of it, as well (during the time period between the two sections i mentioned).

Well in that case the Mimiq certainly did it's job well because the base guitar track sounded like it was double tracked to me. Very convincing effect.

Aside from that, I'd say just try it live once in the set up you envision and evaluate with the sound engineer afterwards how workable it was or wasn't after the gig. I'm pretty sure it won't cause any problems; worst case scenario it won't be as epic as hoped?