BOSS MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher (MS3)

Watch: Review of the BOSS MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher. Video Transcript Hey Steve here from Mega Music with my good friend Geoff and we are showing you an exciting bit of kit from Boss, the MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher. At first glance it looks a bit like the Boss ES-5 or switchers that I might have seen before but I'm gathering there is a whole lot more to it, yes? (G) Yes, Steve there is a whole lot more. It's actually a fully functional multi-effects processor as well as having external loops and effects switching. It's also got MIDI control capabilities so you can control MIDI effects as well. What it means is you can use effects like a Ring Modulator, Overdrive, Compressor, Delay, Distortion, pretty much everything you would get in GT Series Effects Unit. Also, you can plug in your favourite guitar pedals and control those, and any MIDI pedals. So the MS-3 pretty much gives you full control over anything you would want in a guitar rig. So Steve you can see that the MS3 is quite compact but we've mounted it on this custom pedal board to show you the kind of things that you can do with it in a real life situation. So I have got the Expression Pedal on the end, this is great if you wanted to control one of the wah-wah effects in the MS3, or even things like controlling the level of an effect or your volume or even things like changing the speed of a rotary speaker. We've also got the Boss FS-7 Footswitch there which has two footswitches on it. That can be used for things like tapping delay tempos, switching individual effects on an off and so these external controls add a lot of features and power to the unit. Also you can see we have got those three pedals there which can be plugged in and switched in and out with the loops. (S) Alright, let's have a closer look at what's inside the MS-3. (G) So as you can see Steve there are a row of LEDs on the front here. Now these LEDs represent a block of effects inside the unit that we can use to build our sounds. I will go into edit mode and we can have a closer look at what this means. So our first Block is FX1, and inside this we have a whole bunch of effects that we can choose and build into this spot. Moving along, the next one is MOD1, a dedicated modulation section and this has a whole bunch of modulation style effects built in. So next in the chain is where we can move our external guitar effects pedals in and out of the signal path. So L2, for example is where my Way Huge Saucy pedal is connected. I can switch this on, and this pedal is now inserted into the signal path for this preset at that point. Moving along from there we have a Noise Reduction section, after that a Foot Volume Controller section, and then there is another effects section which has the same great range of effects as the first one and also another dedicated modulation section which once again has that same range of effects. So all of this allows us to build quite a complex signal chain and use multiple effects on top of each other. After that we have a dedicated Delay Section which has a whole range of delay effects from Single Delay to Panning, Stereo, Multi-Tap and a lot of control over them. Finally, we have a Reverb Section, which has a good choice of reverb effects that we can incorporate. So when we've got a Block selected, we have the ability to go in there and edit the settings in it. If we hit the Enter Key, you'll see there are three rotary dials which correspond with the three dials on the front of the MS-3 and you can actually adjust the settings, such as the Time, Feedback and Effects Level in this case. If you see that 1 in the corner, it means that there are more parameters that you can change. Once I am happy with my settings, I can hit the Exit Key. One of the handy features of the MS-3 is that in any chain, you can move the order of the Blocks to suit the sound you are looking for. So Steve, let's have a shot at building a sound. I thought we might use a Chorus, a Morning Glory Pedal and a Delay. Nice simple sound, but we'll be able to see how the MS-3 works. So we'll select the internal Chorus in the MS-3, but first have a listen to the dry guitar sound (plays). If I switch this Block on you'll hear the Chorus effect comes in. Now I will go to the External Loop Section and activate Loop 1, which is my Morning Glory Pedal (plays). Now I might want to move the Chorus after the Morning Glory so I can go back, select the Chorus Block and move it after the External Loop (plays). So let's add some delay, go to the Delay Section, switch it on (plays). Now I might want a bit more level there, so I can hit Enter and go in and edit that and turn my Effects Level up (plays). (S) So Geoff, we spoke earlier about there being the Expression Pedal and the Footswitch connected to the MS3, can you show us a bit about how you might use that? (G) Yeah sure Steve there are a heap of options, you can pretty much program them to control any parameters of the effects but we've got some patches set up here to show you the kind of things you can do. The first demonstration will show how we can use the Expression Pedal on the end to change the sound of a rotary speaker from slow to fast. So we'll start with it slow (plays) and you can hear that as I push the pedal forward it finishes nice and fast at the end. On the next patch we have set up a Dual Delay. The Expression Pedal is assigned to control the volume of the delay echoes, and the FS-7 is used to set up the tap tempo of the delay (plays). On this next patch, we've got the Expression Pedal set to control the Gain on the Distortion sound (plays). (S) And you mentioned that the MS-3 has MIDI control capabilities too, yeah? (G) Yeah Steve, it does. I don't have any MIDI effects at the moment but the MS3 is actually full featured so you can control patch changes, control changes so you can incorporate any MIDI controllable unit as part of your rig and control it from the MS3. There are also a lot of other things the MS-3 can do - it has some great effects for acoustic guitar and bass guitar as well. (S) OK, so we've seen that the Boss MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher is a dedicated multi effects unit, you can use your own pedals with it, which I think is fantastic, and also fully controllable with footswitches. Anything else you'd like to add? (G) Yeah look, we've hardly touched the surface as to what this can do. It is incredibly versatile and flexible. But probably my favourite thing is that ability to add your own pedals. Boss multi effects units are incredible. They've got fantastic effects built in, but quite often there's that one thing you want to add in and now you can do it, you can actually incorporate it into the patches. To me, that's killer. (S) So that's the Boss MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher. If you're interested in learning more about it, come and talk to us at a Mega Music store, or you can pick one up with us online. Take care guys. You wanted legendary Boss guitar effects like chorus and delay. THEN you wanted to be able to create patches using your favourite pedals (like distortion) and the Boss effects. AND ALL OF THIS to be programmable, controllable and footswitchable in one compact unit. Boss listened, and now give you the Boss MS3 Multi Effects Switcher. The MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher is a new-concept pedalboard solution that takes guitar effects and pedal boards to a whole new level by merging a world-class multi-effects engine and multi-pedal switcher into one small, dedicated unit. Now you can compile your own unique sounds using a system that is compact, light and versatile enough to make almost any sound that your ears want to hear when you play your electric guitar, bass or acoustic guitar. With the MS-3 you can run six internal 'pedals' full of legendary Boss effects AND three of your own guitar effects pedals - seamlessly. And control? Ultimate. You can assign your volume pedals and footswitches to change amp channels, modulate effects, increase gain, work in MIDI - anything you have in mind. Creating a portable board is simple with the MS-3 and it's so well integrated that what used to be kind of complicated becomes so easy to do. Pedalboard integration evolved. •              Powerful integrated solution for creating a compact professional pedalboard •              Unlimited sound creation with six simultaneous pedal effects and audio loops for connecting three external pedals •              112 built-in effects types for guitar and bass, including delays, reverbs, mod/pitch effects, overdrives, distortions and more •              Intuitive user interface for easy patch creation •              Backlit LCD, editing knobs, and panel LEDs for on/off status of loops and effects  •              Control assign, wave pedal, and other functions for deep real-time expression •              Equipped with numerous jacks for amp channel switching, effects control, and more •              MIDI output for working with MIDI-enabled effects •              Built-in tuner, noise suppressor, and global EQ •              USB for patch creation and backup via free MS-3 Editor/Librarian software As Versatile As You Need to Be The MS-3’s highly flexible design gives you the freedom to create any kind of effects system, from simple to complex. It can serve as a general-purpose effects unit to augment core tone from three stompboxes, or function as the central hub of an advanced hybrid rig with MIDI gear and channel-switching amps. It even works as a standalone effects processor, making it perfect for fly dates and other times you need to travel light. And if you’re just starting out, the MS-3 provides a solid effects foundation that can be expanded as your experience grows. Three Loops for Your Choice of Effects Via the MS-3’s audio loops, you can connect three different effects devices to the system. You’ll probably want to hook up your favorite drive and booster pedals to the loops, but you can use any effects you like. Once your pedals are connected, you’re able to switch the loops on/off individually, and position the MS-3’s onboard effects around them any way you want. World-Class BOSS Effects Engine To complement the three external loops, the MS-3 is equipped 112 effects types to choose from. They’re organised in six categories, which are available simultaneously: FX1, FX2, Mod1, Mod2, Delay, and Reverb. FX1 and FX2 contain many different types, from overdrives and distortions to compressors, pitch shifters, Slow Gear, and many others. Mod1 and Mod2 offer the famous BOSS chorus and vibrato effects, plus tremolo, flanger, phaser, and more. All the effects are fantastic for guitar, and there’s also a large selection specially optimized for bass. Big Creativity in a Tiny Package The MS-3 is packed with decades of BOSS compact pedal and multi-effects know-how, and offers an ultra-efficient design that lets you dial in inspiring sounds right away. There’s a backlit LCD that clearly shows patch/bank numbers and parameters, plus quick-access knobs for editing and status indicators for all loops and effects. And with 200 patch locations, you have ample memory for storing effects and control setups for instant recall. Complete Foot Control The MS-3’s heavy-duty footswitches give you easy command of the entire system. In Memory mode, the footswitches allow you to select patches and banks. Changing to Manual mode lets you switch loops and effects on/off, and even control multiple effects parameters for intense real-time expression. Your Manual mode assignments can be stored in patches, letting you create dynamic custom setups for different songs and styles. Pro Essentials Going well beyond the basics, the MS-3 provides tons of options for expanded control. You’re able to connect external footswitches for tap tempo, effects on/off, and parameter adjustment, plus expression pedals for volume, wah, pitch shift, and more. Control out jacks are available for switching amp channels and controlling effects that support external input. And there’s even MIDI for sending tempo, PC, and CC information to MIDI-enabled pedals, whether they’re connected to loops or not. In addition, the MS-3’s two audio outputs can be set for full stereo or selectable mono operation per patch, providing great flexibility with dual amp rigs. USB and Remote Editing The MS-3 supports USB for accessing the free MS-3 Editor/Librarian software on a Mac or Windows computer. This lets you edit effects, assign control parameters, set tempos, and more via a convenient graphic interface. You can also back up and restore individual patches, and organise groups of patches into Live Sets for various gigs.