Portraits Studio

The Cave's "Tone" System

The Cave's Recording Chain allows for Eight inputs to be recorded at the same time.

This design creates the ability to chose with Amp, Speaker, and Mic is best suited for the context of the music.

A Direct In for Bass & Guitar is available through the Preamp LIVE.

A front end switchable two channel wet chain feeds the isolated Bigshot for the Stereo Split..

Two channels of "Detuning" pedals, for a natural Chorus, feed the Stereo Delay and Reverb pedals. The stereo out of the Reverb feeds two amps. This creates an amazingly Fat Time-based pedal sound.

This design may seem overly complex but it is actually based on a simple premise: "Maximum Flexibility".

The key is a signal path that understands Gain Staging and Signal Capacitance to minimize noise and prevent "Tone Suck".

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Input Board defines the Wet Tone while the Output Board defines the Dry.

The Pedal Switch Blade #1 on the Output Board is the configured Pedal Board Channel Mixer.

The Pedal Switch Blade #2 on the Output Board is the Triple Amp Dry Mixer.

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Effects, Amps & Modeling Pedals

Overdrive and Distortion Pedals

The Preamp Live is the Premier Amp Modeler for the Pedal System's Channel One. It provides over 100 amp models.

It is driven by the channel's Two Stroke EQ and uses a EQD UniVibe, an EH Canyon Delay and a TCE HOF2 Reverb in its FX Loop.

The Cave Pedal System's only true Stereo feed comes from the ME-80.

This programmable 10 effects system processes its signal into a stereo feed for two Cave amps, the T50 Infinium and the Hartke HD 150 along with DI outs to DAW channels 5 & 6.

The Preamp LIVE is an "In the Box" amp, cab and boost with FX device as part of the Wet/Dry/Wet triple amp setup.

The ME-80 can be a standalone switched multi-effect system or used in the Wet/Dry/Wet five amp setup.

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The Klone by RYRA is an accurate component reproduction of the very rare "Golden Horsey" Klon Centaur Overdrive.

Its role is to act as a "Soft Clipping Overdrive" for enhancing the input tone with beautiful harmonic overtones for its pedalboard channel.

Fulltone Candy Apple Red Custom Shop OCD Overdrive is the latest version of the Iconic pedal.

The OCD's role is to act as a "Hard Clipping Overdrive" for Tone Shaping enhancements for the RYRA Klone final harmonic content shaping.

A Cave guitar tone harmonics is generated by one of three pedal boards collection of Overdrives & Distortion pedals.

These pedal boards feed one of three LPD Marshall Preamps: The Sixty 8 Deluxe, the Seventy 4, & Eighty 7.

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Preamp and Equalizer Pedals

Compressor and Buffer Pedals

The Electro-harmonix Crayon serves a dual role in the "Always On' Core Tone pedal Board.

Its main role is Three-band EQ of the final DRY Guitar Tone.

It can serve as a Finalizing Overdrive / Distortion when needed.

Fishman Pro EQ II is a basic guitar 3 band EQ with a "Brillance" presence control. A very handy phase switching switch.

The Pro EQ II role is to set the guitar's wet signal source gain, tone, & phase for the Wet/Dry/Wet five amp setup.

The Cave uses Pedalboard Tone Channels to feed LPD Marshall Preamps: The 70s Seventy 4 & 80s Eighty 7.

Control of the tones of the Wet/Dry/Wet system uses EQ & Drive pedals

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The two tone pedal boards uses the Orange Two Strokes as their final Tone Shaping & Harmonics Boost.

The ProEQ II sets the Wet guitar source for the Wet/Dry/Wet triple amp setup.

The Output Boards uses the Micro Amps to drive the BlueTube V2. The V1 drives DAW 5 & 6 ins.

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Three LPD SEP Field Generator Compressors were custom made to Muse specifications for the Cave's compressor signal requirements.

Compressor #1's role is to feed dynamic controlled tones to the RYRA Centaur Klone clone as the "Always On" compressor

The Cave's premier compressors are serial # 1, 2 &3, signed and dated, from Lawrence Petross Design.

A parity from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". SEP is "Someones Elses Problem" like most guitarist see compression.

Compressors & Buffers are the most overlooked devices in most guitarist's pedal boards

Guitar "Pick Attack" can be preserved with a great compressor and "Tone Suck" to amps can be eliminated with a good signal buffer.

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Delay Time Pedals

Reverb Time Pedals

The Boss Digital Delay is a Stereo In/Out Guitar Delay with a BOSS DM-2 Analog Emulator with Tap Tempo or Expression.

The role of the DD-7 is to provide Dual Delay Outputs for the Stereo Hall of Fame Reverb for a Wet/Dry/Wet five amp setup.

The Walrus ARP-87 is a Digital and Analog with special effects Delay. With a "Low Fi" and Slapback setting with modulation it couples well with its sibling Fathom for Ambient Guitar.

The ARP-87's role is to supply delay effects for the FX loop in the Mooer Preamp LIVE pedalboard.

Creating a full spacial wrapped sound is the role of Delay pedals.

Mono Delays live in the Wet pedal section of pedal boards.

A Stereo Delay pedal lives in the Wet/Dry/Wet five amp setup.

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Wampler has created a Hybrid Delay/Reverb as the ultimate "Ambiance" pedal. The Delay & Reverb, along with the Tone and Mix controls, are all interactive: They affect each other.

The role of the Ethereal is to add Ambient Guitar space to the final "Always On" Core guitar tone..

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2 Reverb is a stereo delay with a wide selection of reverb settings with "Tone Print" custom room tones.

This role adds stereo reverb to the overdrive tone for the Wet Delay/Reverb in a Wet/Dry/Wet triple amp setup.

Creating an environment for the guitar tone is the role of Reverb pedals.

Mono Reverb pedals live in the dry & wet sections of pedal boards.

A Stereo Reverb is the final pedal in the Wet/Dry/Wet five amp setup.

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Modulation and Volume Pedals

Splitters, Loopers, ABY & Switch Pedals

The ADA PBF Flanger is a multipurpose modulation device from the late 70s reborn in 2019. It can create all classic modulations like Tremolo, Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, and special "SciFi" FXs.

Its role is to supply modulation for the Channel One Pedal board.

Valeton Surge Wah / Volume pedal provides Volume swells and Wah frequency sweeps.

Its role is primarily as a Frontend pedal but can be placed between Tone and Time pedals for dynamic control of Delay and Reverb "Tails".

Guitar tone "Movement" is produced in the ways: Frequency or Volume.

Frequency Modulation is created by mixing out of phase guitar tones for Chorus type FXs.

Volume Modulation is created by Tremolo & Uni-vibe type FXs.

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The Electro-Harmonix Switch Blade Pro is a full-featured FX Loop selection system capable of managing two FX loops and a "Dry" pass through to a single output source.

The role of Switch Blade Pro #1 is to manage loops for three Cave Pedal Platforms.

BOSS FS-5U Unlatched Selector Switch acts a momentary on/off switch.

The role of the FS-5U is for setting the tempo on the Delay pedals that support "Tap Tempo". The Canyon and the ARP-87 support Tap Tempo.

These pedals are for signal routing to tone channels and Wet/Dry/Wet five amp setup.

Guitar performance loops for new ideas use Ditto Loopers.

Pedal external switch control use latching & momentary footswitches.

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Instrumentalist Composer Technologist Producer Engineer

Muse GuitArtist

The Cave's "Tone" System

DAW Assignments

Wet Stereo Board

Cave Tone System

Effects, Amps & Modeling Pedals

Overdrive and Distortion Pedals

Mooer Preamp LIVE

BOSS ME-80

Effects & Amps Collection

Klone Overdrive

OCD Boost / Overdrive

Guitar Tone Collection

Preamp and Equalizer Pedals

Compressor and Buffer Pedals

Crayon EQ & Overdrive

Pro EQ II

Preamps EQ Collection

Compressor #1

LPD SEP Field Generators

Compressor & Buffer Collection

Delay Time Pedals

Reverb Time Pedals

DD7 Digital Delay

The ARP-87 Delay

Delays Collection

Ethereal Reverb/Delay

Hall of Fame 2 Reverb

Reverb Collection

Modulation and Volume Pedals

Splitters, Loopers, ABY & Switch Pedals

PBF Flanger

Surge Wah / Volume Pedal

Modulation Collection

Switch Blade Pro #1

FS-5U Unlatched Switch

Routing, Control & Loopers