Hello there and sorry for a newbie question. I hope this is a relevant forum. I have a G5n and GuitarLab, they work just fine. I haven't tried ToneLib-Zoom freeware yet - I've just discovered it. I want to try some of the patches from this official update (looking on "Unchained" preset, for one). Can I somehow run them on G5n? I don't have my device handy at the moment and it seems that both Zoom official software and ToneLib-Zoom require it to display and manage patches, so I can only fiddle with it tomorrow. I understand that G6 and G5n might have different effects available, different processing power, and probably the patches might be programmed in different ways so G6 patch just won't upload into G5n device. I'd be happy even if I could just take a peek at G6 patches setup - the effects' names, order and each effect's knobs setup, so that I could replicate it on G5n (possibly replacing any effects unavailable there). Opening patch files in Windows Notepad results in a mess - and I don't have any better ideas now. Unless, of course, simply plugging G5n into computer will cut it and make me see the G6 patches setup as I want it. Related question. Can I run B3n patches on B1x Four, or at least see their setup? There's four updates on them on ZOOM website (#1, #2, #3, #4). Does ToneLib prove any more functional about this than generic ZOOM soft? Thanks for any help! Cheers, Yngvard
No, you cannot run G6 patches directly on G5n -- format may be similar (PTCF) but not compatible. I'm not sure if the GuitarLab could load them without actual device. Looking at "8 - Unchain .zptc", it's a PTCF file, similar to ZOOM G Series (G1 FOUR, G5n etc) format, though it's shorter (only 460 bytes). The trailing patch-wide parameters PRM2 section is more compact. Briefly, the patch chain is: Unchain:"This flanger sound combines KRAMPUS and KickFLNG." ZNR:{Off, 0,100,70,35} GoldDrive:{Off,40,50,61,43} KRAMPUS:{On,77,78,47,65,65,70} IR:{On,40,64,200,225} Kick FLNG:{On,4,61,41,73,63,50,0} Delay:{Off,370,19,27,0} PDL Vol:{On,100,0,100,0} The effect parameter values above are raw, that is not mapped onto the displayed values... Mostly it's the same, but some may be off by one, offsetted (like IR.Balance:[-100:100], so raw 100 likely means 0), or labeled as listed in the FX list pdf. G6 effects are mostly named the same as for G5n, though the actual ZD2 modules may be different; also G5n does not support IR. You can try to build up this chain on your G5n and just tweak it. As for running B3n patches on B1X FOUR, the general answer is No, the patch files are not directly compatible, also B1X FOUR only supports 5 effects. However it's mostly mappable. ToneLib uses its proprietary format for managing patches and needs an actual device; G5n is supported, G6 is not (yet?).
Thank you for your explanations and the Unchained patch! One more question, how do you unpack the patch file into raw readable data? When I open ZOOM GuitarLab, right-click a patch and go to properties, all I see is patch name, description and chain effects' names, but not the values. (I can download and see updates and patch chains to all the GuitarLab-related devices, BTW). Opening a patch file in Windows Notepad is no good either as I've mentioned before.
The patchfiles are not text but binary data, that is you can't read these in a text editor. I dumped that patch using custom tools and power of my curiosity, mostly the latter I helped you out as you said you were interested in trying that patch out.
The main G6 feature is the IR module, not some additional effects (mostly they are the same set as supported by G5n). Using IR allows more choices at further modeling the sound. In my opinion, most of the patches across the ZOOM multieffects are very much similar, just repackaged for a given model with some tweaks, as older models supported more parameters. So there is little value in chasing the patches, the "Unchain" patch is another example of this. It's basically DRIVE>AMP>MODULATION>DELAY, just with some flavors for each of modules, well, IR peppers it somewhat. In fact, by default it's even the simpler AMP>MODULATION, since the other modules seem to be set to Off. I didn't try to listen to how the "Unchain" sounds... Not sure if you did. The main strength of ZOOM multieffects is that it allows the player to experiment with various ways of combining the effects without a need to purchase the real gear or fiddling in DAW. Basically, it's a modular synth! So it makes more sense to me to first try and figure out what the effect modules already on your pedal can do to sound. Then just juggle them to possibly find some interesting interactions, create your own patches. Of course, the G5n can also help players sound like Metallica, almost.
For anyone else curious about what G6 "Unchain" (preset 019 in old set, 248 in new) sounds like (scroll to 4:08), thanks to Takahiko Nankou: Sounds like it may have all modules On, as obviously there's some Delay there. EDIT: Well, turns out, above is the old preset 019 which used VinFLNGR for flanger and placed it before the KRAMPUS, the new preset 248 uses "Kick FLNG" after KRAMPUS+IR. There will be some subtle differences. Again, experiment!
Digging further, there seems to be even simpler way to oversee the patch data of the G6 presets in their entirety ... surprise!! ... by checking out the ZOOM G6 support page. File "G6_PatchMemoryList_v1.1_E2.pdf" lists all of the presets with effect module chains and parameter values. By the way, there is a very similar list for G11. Thanks, ZOOM! Indeed, "Unchain" is listed as the following: 008: Unchain - Combining KRAMPUS and KickFLNG, this flanger sound is good for backing parts using the bridge humbucker." ZNR:{Off,DETCT:GTRIN,Depth:100,THRSH:70,Decay:35} "GOLD DRIVE":{Off,Gain:40,Bass:50,Treble:61,VOL:43} KRAMPUS:{On,GAIN:77,BASS:78,MIDDLE:47,TREBLE:65,PRESENCE:65,VOLUME:70} IR:{On,LO:40,HI:64,BAL:100,VOL:-22.5} "KICK FLANGER":{On,PreD:4,Depth:64,Rate:41,ON/OFF:LATCH,RESO:73,Mix:63,RST-F:50} DELAY:{Off,Time:371,F.B:19,Mix:27,Tail:OFF} "PEDAL VOL":{On,P-VOL:100,Min:0,Max:100,Curve:A} Well, not too far off from the earlier attempt... The earlier dump references the effect names as named on G5n; use CABINET effect instead of IR. Have fun! Power of curiously it a real thing!
Hai. G3n patch is not directly compatible with G5n patch. Effects should be compatible. If you trying to deal with ToneLib G3n user-submitted patch file that you found here, then you can usually see the actual patch parameters on the page and just replicate the whole chain manually on G5n. That's the easiest.