English 13
TAP and Echo Rhythms
Tempo and Rhythm
Vortex has two independent delay lines
(ECHO1andECHO2),whichareconfigured
inavarietyofwaystocreaterhythmiceffects.
The configuration and extent of control over
these echoes is one of the things that gives
Vortex effects their exciting rhythmic pat-
terns, and their dimensional quality. The
otherunique componentincreating Vortex's
echo effects is
you
.
Other effects processors require you to
slaveyour tempo to their presetdelay times,
or to calculate and set an absolute tempo in
milliseconds, then use that number to calcu-
late delay times for appropriate rhythms,
then to enter those delay times into the box.
Changing tempo requires repeating the en-
tire process.
Vortex will slave echo rhythms to any
tempoyouwant.Setting tempoisas easyas
tappingyourfoot,andyoucanchangetempo
as often as you like —even on the fly.
In Vortex, tempois set simplyby pressing
TAPtwice.Becauseeveryeffectintheboxis
synchronizedtothecurrenttempo,alleffects
arealwaysrhythmicallycompatible.Youcan
tap with a footswitch, or with the front panel
PEDAL/TAPbutton. (If youhave a footpedal
connected to Vortex, you must select one of
the ECHO÷parameters in order for the but-
ton to function as TAP. See
Pedal Control.
)
The ECHO 1÷and ECHO 2÷controls
allow you to easily set up extraordinary
polyrhythms within any effect. These rhyth-
mic divisions are automatically stored with
the effect .
Tapping in a Tempo
Setting the tempo for Vortex couldn't be
easier—simplypressTAPtwiceinrhythmto
establish the tempo you want. The front
panelLEDwilllightonyourfirstpressofTAP
to indicate a tap interval is being calculated.
Your second TAP defines the tap interval
and turns off the LED. Now, any effect you
selectwillbesynchronizedtoyourtempo.To
select a new tempo at any time, just TAP
twice. Vortex will update the tempo through-
out the box on receipt of the second TAP. (If
asecondTAP isnotreceived withinapproxi-
mately 30 seconds, Vortex will remain at the
current tempo and turn the LED off.)
Thissimplemethodofsettingtemporeally
freesyoutoexperiment.Tryrunningthrough
the presets and simply tapping different in-
tervals. Some effects will sound markedly
differentwiththetempoaltered.—Trylisten-
ing to an effect, then TAP in a whole note
intervalandlistenagain.TAPin3beats,then
4 beats, to get an idea of the changes that
can be made to a single effect.