If you're a gigging musician or part of a tight-knit live band, you're probably always on the lookout for ways to streamline your rig without compromising tone. Enter the Neural DSP Quad Cortex—a powerhouse multi-effects processor that’s more than just a guitar modeler. Believe it or not, you can run two guitars and a bass through a single Quad Cortex, with independent control over tone, routing, and output. Here’s how we did it—and how you can too.
The Concept: One Quad Cortex, Full Band Control
Jasiu from our pedals and effects team breaks it down simply: you can treat the Quad Cortex as the nerve center of your entire band’s live rig. Using multiple inputs, return loops, scene changes, and clever output routing, it's possible to deliver a fully processed front-of-house mix and send separate amp-stage feeds to real cabinets for live monitoring or blended mic’d tone.
The Setup: Inputs, Chains, and Routing
🎸 Input 1 – Guitar 1
- The signal runs through a classic chain of effects: overdrives, amp sim, and modulation.
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Signal Split:
- Output 1 (XLR): Full processed tone, including cab IR (in this case, an Orange 4x12), sent to FOH.
- Output 3 (¼” jack): Taps before the cab block, perfect for feeding the FX return of a physical amp (like a 5150 combo) for stage monitoring or mic'ing.
🎸 Input 2 – Guitar 2
- Similar signal path, with its own choice of effects and amp sim.
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FX Loop Block Used for Splitting:
- Send 1: Goes out to another amp’s effects return.
- Output 2 (XLR): Delivers the full, cab-processed signal to FOH.
🎸🔊 Return 1 – Bass
- Uses Return 1 as a third instrument input.
- The bass signal is processed through its own effects and amp block.
- Send 2: Outputs the signal pre-cab to a physical bass amp.
- DI Output: For FOH, a Walrus Canvas Line Isolator handles clean mic-level signal conversion.
Scene Changes = Real-Time Control
One of the Quad Cortex’s most powerful features is scene control. With just a footswitch tap, you can:
- Adjust volumes for solo sections
- Mute an instrument
- Toggle effects across one or all instruments
This means your entire setlist could live inside a single preset, or you can copy the core layout to multiple presets and tweak for each song. Setup takes mere minutes and delivers a studio-level polish to your live tone.
Why This Rig Works
This configuration isn’t just cool—it’s practical:
- Minimal gear on stage
- Independent routing and control for each player
- Front-of-house ready without external pedals, mics, or amps
- Cab flexibility for real amp feel or blended mic + DI tones
Final Thoughts
Running a full band through the Quad Cortex proves that modern digital gear can do more than just emulate vintage tones—it can replace half your touring rig while giving you better control, consistency, and flexibility.
So whether you're playing a bar gig, headlining a club, or prepping for a tour, the Quad Cortex might just be the most powerful member of your band.
Want help setting this up for your band? Visit the team at Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center or drop into your local gear hub. Happy gigging!