Gapless Audio Preset Switching in Multi-Effects Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Guitarists face challenges with multiple discrete pedals, including cumbersome travel, time-consuming tone changes, and audible gaps when switching presets on multi-effects units due to the need for reconfiguring signal chains and processing delays.
Innovation Solution
A multi-effects unit with integrated effects, a touchscreen display, and a 'tail' feature for gapless audio preset switching, allowing simultaneous processing of signals using both current and new presets, and enabling continuous playback without audible gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple discrete pedals are used to provide multiple effects, then the versatility of guitar effects is improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to the need to manage multiple separate units and reconfigure signal chains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple discrete guitar effect pedals into a single multi-effects unit that houses multiple effect circuits within one device. This allows guitarists to access diverse effects (distortion, compression, chorus, delay, etc.) without managing separate pedals, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-effects unit is designed to provide multiple guitar effects functions within a single device, allowing one unit to replace multiple discrete pedals. The device can switch between different effect types and configurations, making it a universal solution for guitar tone shaping.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple discrete pedals are used to provide multiple effects, then the versatility of guitar effects is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the time required to change tones and reconfigure pedals
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-effects unit allows guitarists to pre-configure different effect combinations and signal chain arrangements within the single device. Presets can be stored and recalled instantly, eliminating the need to physically reconfigure multiple pedals during performance. The system prepares multiple effect configurations in advance, accessible through simple controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic preset switching capability that allows instant transitions between different effect configurations. The footswitches and controls enable real-time changes to effect parameters and signal routing without requiring physical reconfiguration, making the system adaptable and easy to operate during live performance.
3Ease of operation
If preset switching is implemented on a multi_effects unit, then the ease of operation is improved, but audible gaps occur during preset transitions due to signal chain reconfiguration delays
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-effects unit maintains continuous audio output during preset transitions by keeping the signal chain actively processing. The system avoids complete signal interruption by maintaining power and processing continuity, ensuring that audio output remains uninterrupted even when effect configurations change. This preserves audio continuity while enabling easy preset switching.
Data Source
AI summary
A guitar multi-effects pedalboard is provided. The pedalboard has footswitches and a memory storing guitar-effect presets for processing an inputted guitar signal when the processing is triggered by pressing a footswitch. The pedalboard has one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to process a first portion of an inputted guitar signal on a first audio-engine thread with a first guitar-effect preset when processing the first portion is triggered by pressing a footswitch. The one or more processors also process a second portion of the inputted guitar signal on a second audio-engine thread with a second guitar-effect preset while simultaneously processing the first portion of the inputted guitar signal on the first audio-engine thread with the first guitar-effect preset when processing the second portion is triggered by pressing a footswitch. The one or more processors simultaneously output the processed first portion and the processed second portion.