Controlling a 2-in-1 pedal with one switch

[Brynngar]

Hi folks,
I want to build myself a double RAT pedal, which is basically a rather large enclosure with 2 proco RATs inside, seperated from each other;
Both have their own in and out jack.
What I want to do is turning both on and off by just pressing one, and not 2 switches. What I came up with is this, but I'm not sure at all
if it would work:


http://s10.postimg.org/w0jyn7ue1/PCB_shit.png


So basically: Only switch the input signal between PCB and output jack, while the PCB output signal is always connected to the output jack.
Would that work? And if not (what I kinda expect), how else could I accomplish this?

[Ryder17]

Nope! That wouldn't work very well at all.

What is it that you're trying to achieve by having two separate ins/outs? Perhaps there's a better way.

[Brynngar]

  Yeah, already thought that it wouldn't work...

The reason is that I play two amps live, one of same has a looper in it's signal chain. I want to have both amps set to their clean channel and
switch between distortion and clean sound by just pressing one button, while still having seperate signal paths, so the looper can continue
doing it's job.

It would be an option to just install 2 normal 3dpts very close to each other so you can press both simultaniously, but I was hoping for something more elegant 

[Ryder17]

So would it's to have two channels rather than two different rat sounds? Perhaps a better solution would be to have a buffer/splitter circuit to separate your input signal to go to the rat and a direct out. That way, you could use a 3pdt to flip the outputs?

[blackieNYC]

You would need some supplemental switching, like the CMOS switching at geofex or the monomonster relay module available thru smallbear.
Or a 4p2t switch, which could do exactly what you want by itself. But with no LED indicator unless you make use of some supplemental switching method. Also at small bear

Rats on, rats off. Maybe you don't need an indicator.

No rat/fuzz? Or Rat/Dist+? Nothing wrong with a rat, just saying. If you go really really stereo you can kick out that other guitarist.

[stallik]

I have a 2 amp setup with a looper but it's not in an effects loop on one amp as you appear to be using. Instead, it's at the end of my pedal chain. I then have a/b/y switch to both amps. Place the looper before the aby to send the loop to both amps, after it to send to only one. Any or all effects on the board will be heard on both amps but the looper will still play the sound it was recorded with without the currently selected effect.

No need for duplicate effects unless you want 2 different sounds at the same time. I'm currently getting away with a passive aby but use RG's hum free aby if necessary.

Finally, watch it if you are using different effects pedals for different amps. Some circuits can invert the phase leading to phase cancellation only when using that effect. You don't hear this in a single amp setup

[Brynngar]

No, it's not in the effect loop, sorry if I wrote than unclearly. It's like this:

Git -> y/a/b - splitter -> RatA -> Amp1
                                   -> Looper -> RatB -> Amp2

[GGBB]

No, it's not in the effect loop, sorry if I wrote than unclearly. It's like this:

Git -> y/a/b - splitter -> RatA -> Amp1
                                   -> Looper -> RatB -> Amp2

It's not clear to me why you need separate rats. What about

Git -> rat -> y/a/b - splitter -> Amp1
                                                -> Looper  -> Amp2

Otherwise, the previously mentioned  4pdt or CMOS switching would be required.

[stallik]

Hardwire a splitter. Out from pedalboard,into 2 jack in parallel . Run cables to each amp. Try it.

[Brynngar]

I need 2 RATs for a simple reason:

Scenario: I start playing a song, select only amp 2 (which has the looper in front). I play a loop and let the loop run. Afterwards, I switch to amp1 and continue playing over that amp while the loop keeps on looping (for quite a while). Now I need seperate signal paths, because I want my loop amp only to play the loop signal, not my guitar signal. If I now come to a part in the song where both a) the loop ends and b) the guitar switches to clean, I want both amps to switch to clean at the same moment. And that is why I need 2 seperate paths but one switch 

The 4p2t switch sounds like what I need, is there maybe a version with or 6 pin rows as well? Otherwise 4 will do, don't really need the LED anyway for a distortion pedal. The Monomonster is sold out right now and I couldn't find a CMOS switching 

PS:
If anyone is interested, that's how I use it live. The song starts, I play the loop and then keep on playing over the other amp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GR3ZwSqljM

So far I have used the amp distortion and their respective footswitches, but hitting 2 switches at the same moment + operating the y splitter and looper while singing gets a bit.. complex

[dbp512]

If you run the rat before the splitter, then the looper would record the rat sound, so wouldn't it continue to play a distorted sound even if you turn the rat off? In that case you wouldn't need two. But I could be missing something. If you wanted spend a few extra bucks to avoid a second switch, then you could use a 4pdt and wire it into 2 optical bypass boards. That gives true bypass and indicator LEDs. Or maybe a relay bypass board and use a momentary (not clicky) switch.

[Brynngar]

If you run the rat before the splitter, then the looper would record the rat sound, so wouldn't it continue to play a distorted sound even if you turn the rat off? In that case you wouldn't need two. But I could be missing something. If you wanted spend a few extra bucks to avoid a second switch, then you could use a 4pdt and wire it into 2 optical bypass boards. That gives true bypass and indicator LEDs. Or maybe a relay bypass board and use a momentary (not clicky) switch.

.....
Yeahno, you don't miss anything, I guess that was just too obvious.
If the ditto will not affect the distortion sound (have not tried that out yet), that would be the best solution I suppose.

Has anyone any experience with playing an already distorted signal into a looper and looping it?

[GGBB]

I don't follow your reasoning. The only reason you might need two rats is if you need two different rat sounds or if you need to have the loop change sound after being recorded. But it doesn't sound like you need either. Assuming you just use one rat tone and one loop tone, if you put the rat before the looper the loop will record the rat so it doesn't need a rat to play a rat loop. When the loop is playing, the rat is free to be used or not in the other amp. When you are recording the loop, the other amp can only be silent or the same anyway, so still only one rat is needed. Or am I missing something?

[stallik]

The Ditto sounds great looping distorted sounds. To my ears. Only you can judge so you'll have to try it out.
Seems you haven't yet tried all the possibilities of looper placement. I'd really recommend that you do as each one comes with its own benefits, drawbacks and opportunities. When you've done so, you may feel that you don't need the 2 rats.

[Brynngar]

Yes, for whatever reason I just forgot to consider playing the distorted signal into the looper.
Thanks guys, seems my brain just went a bit slow here... Case closed I guess!