boss ve 20 user manual

The BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer is an essential tool for vocalists, offering a wide array of high-quality effects. This robust pedal empowers singers with studio-grade processing in a live performance setting, enhancing vocal expression and creativity on stage or in practice sessions.

1.1 What is the VE-20 Vocal Performer?

The BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer is a dedicated, user-friendly effects pedal specifically engineered for singers who demand professional-grade vocal processing. Designed to elevate live performances and studio recordings, it consolidates a comprehensive suite of vocal tools into a robust, floor-based unit. Unlike general multi-effects processors, the VE-20 focuses exclusively on enhancing the human voice, providing intuitive controls for immediate sonic manipulation. Its core function is to allow vocalists to shape their sound with a variety of effects, from subtle enhancements to dramatic transformations, all accessible via footswitches. This innovative device empowers artists to add harmonies, apply pitch correction, create loops, and integrate spatial effects like reverb and delay, effectively transforming their vocal output. It acts as a complete vocal studio at your feet, enabling expressive control over every nuance of your singing. The VE-20 is built for durability and ease of use, making it a reliable companion for any vocalist looking to expand their sonic palette and deliver polished, professional performances without complex external setups.

1.2 Key Features Overview

The BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer is packed with an impressive suite of features designed to empower vocalists. At its core, it offers high-quality vocal effects including lush Reverb and Delay, essential for adding space and depth to any performance. Singers can instantly generate realistic harmonies and double-tracking effects, richly enriching their vocal presence without additional vocalists. A standout feature is the integrated Phrase Looper, allowing users to record and layer vocal phrases in real-time, perfect for creative practice or live improvisation. The VE-20 also incorporates professional dynamics processing, such as a Compressor and Enhancer, ensuring a polished and controlled sound. Furthermore, it provides Pitch Correction capabilities, ranging from subtle intonation adjustments to more dramatic auto-tune effects. A variety of special effects like Distortion, Radio, and Strobe are available for unique vocal textures. With a robust memory for saving user presets, artists can recall their favorite effect combinations instantly. The unit also supports phantom power for condenser microphones and offers flexible power options, making it versatile for any setup. Its intuitive footswitch control allows seamless effect switching during live acts.

Getting Started

To begin using your BOSS VE-20, familiarize yourself with its physical connections. This includes properly connecting your microphone, amplifier, or PA system. Ensure all cables are secure before powering on. Understanding basic power procedures is crucial for safe operation and optimal performance from the outset.

2.1 Connecting Your Gear

To begin, ensure your BOSS VE-20 is powered off before making any connections. First, connect your vocal microphone to the XLR microphone input on the rear panel. While dynamic microphones are common, condenser microphones can also be used if they have an independent power source, as the VE-20 does not supply phantom power. Next, connect the VE-20’s outputs to your mixer, PA system, or amplifier. It provides both balanced XLR and unbalanced 1/4-inch output jacks. For professional PA systems or mixers, use the XLR outputs for a clean, interference-free signal over longer distances. For guitar amplifiers or personal monitors, the 1/4-inch outputs are suitable. You can configure the outputs for either mono or stereo operation, matching your specific audio setup. An AUX IN stereo mini-jack allows you to connect external music players (like smartphones or MP3 players) to practice along with backing tracks. Finally, for enhanced control during live performances or practice, connect an optional footswitch or expression pedal to the designated jacks. Always use high-quality, shielded cables to ensure optimal signal integrity and minimize any unwanted noise in your vocal chain.

2.2 Powering On and Off

To power on your BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer, first ensure all audio connections are securely made. The VE-20 offers two power methods: the included AC adapter or six AA batteries. For AC power, connect the adapter to the DC IN jack on the rear panel, then plug it into an electrical outlet. For battery operation, open the compartment, insert six fresh AA batteries, observing polarity. Once power is connected, locate the POWER switch on the rear panel and slide it to “ON.” The display will illuminate, and the unit will complete a brief startup sequence, ready for operation.

To power off the BOSS VE-20, simply slide the POWER switch on the rear panel back to the “OFF” position. It is crucial to power off using this switch, not by unplugging the adapter or removing batteries, especially after changing settings. This proper shutdown ensures unsaved user settings and modifications are correctly stored in internal memory, preventing data loss. If using batteries, remove them if the unit will be stored for extended periods to prevent leakage and damage. Always ensure the unit is fully powered down before disconnecting cables to avoid audio pops.

2.3 Initial Setup and Input Levels

Once powered, connect your microphone to the XLR INPUT. The VE-20 suits dynamic mics. For condenser mics needing phantom power, an external preamp or mixer is essential, as the VE-20 lacks direct supply. Secure mic connection before adjusting levels.

Locate the INPUT SENS knob. Turn it fully counter-clockwise. While performing at typical volume, slowly rotate the knob clockwise. Observe INPUT LEVEL LEDs. Aim for green to light consistently, amber flashing occasionally. Crucially, prevent the red PEAK LED illuminating.

Red PEAK LED indicates overloaded input, causing clipping and distortion. If it lights, immediately reduce INPUT SENS until off. Optimal levels ensure a clean vocal signal, forming the foundation for VE-20 effects. This setup is paramount for clear, impactful performances.

Basic Operations

Once connected and levels set, the VE-20 offers intuitive basic operations. Navigate through its functions using the straightforward interface. Engage core vocal enhancements and control your sound with ease, preparing for more advanced customization.

3.1 Selecting Presets

The BOSS VE-20 simplifies vocal effect management through its pre-loaded presets. Users select these by rotating the ‘PATCH/VALUE’ knob or pressing the ‘UP/DOWN’ footswitches. The knob allows precise selection; footswitches enable quick, hands-free cycling for live performance. The bright LCD screen immediately displays the chosen preset number and name, offering clear visual feedback on the active effect chain.

Each preset is a crafted combination of vocal effects: reverbs, delays, harmonies, and dynamics, tailored for musical contexts. These factory settings provide an excellent foundation for immediate use, letting singers instantly access professional vocal enhancements without extensive manual configuration. Exploring factory presets is crucial for understanding the device’s capabilities and discovering sounds for your style. This intuitive selection ensures vocalists efficiently switch between diverse sonic textures, adapting their sound to different song sections or performance needs with ease, making the VE-20 highly versatile.

3.2 Using the Phrase Looper

The BOSS VE-20 features an integrated phrase looper, allowing vocalists to record and layer their voice in real-time. This powerful tool is invaluable for practice, creative songwriting, and enhancing live performances. To begin, press the ‘REC/PLAY’ footswitch to start recording your vocal phrase. The LED indicator will illuminate, signifying recording is active. Once your phrase is complete, press ‘REC/PLAY’ again to stop recording and immediately play back the loop.

For layering, press the ‘REC/PLAY’ footswitch during playback to enter overdub mode. You can then sing new parts over your existing loop, creating harmonies or rhythmic textures. Press ‘REC/PLAY’ a third time to exit overdub mode and continue playback with all layered parts. The looper offers up to 38 seconds of mono recording time, providing ample space for complex vocal arrangements. To stop the loop and clear its contents, hold down the ‘REC/PLAY’ footswitch for two seconds. This intuitive looper functionality expands creative possibilities, enabling solo performers to build rich, multi-layered vocal soundscapes on the fly.

3.3 Adjusting Output Volume

The overall output volume of your BOSS VE-20 is primarily controlled by the large ‘OUTPUT LEVEL’ knob located on the top panel. This knob adjusts the master volume for both the main output jacks and the headphone output. To set your desired volume, turn the knob clockwise to increase the level and counter-clockwise to decrease it. It’s crucial to find a balance where your vocals are clear and prominent without clipping or distorting, either from the VE-20 itself or the connected sound system.

Beyond the master output knob, each individual user patch or preset also has its own adjustable volume setting. This allows you to fine-tune the relative loudness of different effects or song sections, ensuring smooth transitions between patches during a performance. To adjust the patch volume, navigate to the patch edit mode and locate the volume parameter, typically found within the general settings for that specific patch. After making adjustments, remember to save the patch to retain your changes.

When connecting the VE-20 to a PA system or mixer, it’s recommended to start with the VE-20’s ‘OUTPUT LEVEL’ knob at a moderate position (e.g., 12 o’clock) and then make finer adjustments on the mixer. This ensures optimal gain staging and prevents overloading the input of your external equipment, contributing to a clean and professional sound. Always monitor your sound carefully.

Customizing Vocal Effects

Unlock your vocal potential by delving into the BOSS VE-20’s extensive customization options. Tailor each effect precisely to your unique style, creating personalized sounds that elevate your performance. Explore a world of sonic possibilities and make your voice truly shine;

4.1 Editing Reverb and Delay

The BOSS VE-20 offers comprehensive controls for sculpting your vocal sound with reverb and delay, two fundamental effects for adding depth and space. To begin editing, navigate to the desired patch and access the dedicated effect blocks. For reverb, you can select from various types such as Hall, Room, Plate, or Spring, each imparting a distinct atmospheric quality. Adjust the ‘Time’ parameter to control the decay length, from a subtle shimmer to a vast, echoing expanse. The ‘Pre-Delay’ setting allows you to define the time before the reverb effect begins, helping to maintain vocal clarity. Finally, the ‘Level’ knob dictates the overall wetness of the effect, blending it seamlessly with your dry vocal.

Similarly, the delay section provides options like Analog, Digital, and Reverse delays. The ‘Time’ parameter sets the interval between delay repetitions, crucial for rhythmic synchronization. ‘Feedback’ determines the number of repeats, creating anything from a single slap-back echo to an infinite, swirling loop. Adjusting the ‘Level’ controls the volume of the delayed signal. Experimenting with these parameters allows for precise tailoring of your vocal environment. Combining subtle reverb with a short, rhythmic delay can add professional polish, making your voice sit perfectly in any mix, whether for live performance or recording. Mastering these controls empowers you to create lush soundscapes or tight, impactful vocal effects, enhancing every word you sing.

4.2 Harmony and Double Tracking

The BOSS VE-20 excels at enriching vocal performances through its powerful Harmony and Double Tracking features. The Harmony function allows you to generate up to two additional vocal lines in real-time, creating lush, multi-part harmonies that follow your lead vocal. You can select various intervals, such as a third above or below, a fifth, or an octave, to perfectly complement your melody. The VE-20 offers different harmony modes, including a fixed interval mode for consistent harmonies or intelligent harmony that can adapt to a specific musical key, ensuring the generated voices remain musically correct and pleasing. This capability is invaluable for singers performing without backup vocalists or for adding a rich, choir-like texture to their sound.

In addition to harmonies, the VE-20 provides a robust Double Tracking effect, designed to thicken and add presence to your lead vocal. This effect simulates the sound of multiple vocalists singing the same part, making your voice sound larger and more prominent. You can adjust parameters like detune and slight delay to enhance the realism of the double track, preventing it from sounding artificial. Combining double tracking with a subtle harmony can create an incredibly full and professional vocal sound, giving solo artists the vocal power of an entire ensemble. Mastering these features allows for significant creative exploration and vocal enhancement, making your performances stand out with professional depth and polish.

4.3 Dynamics and Pitch Correction

The BOSS VE-20 offers crucial tools for refining vocal dynamics and ensuring pitch accuracy, elevating your performance significantly. The dynamics section typically includes a compressor and a noise gate. The compressor helps to even out your vocal levels, making quiet passages louder and loud passages softer, resulting in a more consistent and present vocal sound in the mix. This is vital for maintaining clarity and impact, especially in live settings where vocal intensity can vary. The noise gate, on the other hand, effectively eliminates unwanted background noise when you are not singing, ensuring a clean and professional vocal signal.

For pitch accuracy, the VE-20 incorporates a powerful pitch correction feature. This function can subtly or dramatically correct your vocal pitch in real-time, helping to keep your notes perfectly in tune. You can adjust the intensity of the correction, from a gentle nudge to a more robotic T-Pain-like effect, depending on your artistic preference and the song’s style. It allows you to select the key of the song, ensuring that any corrections snap to the correct musical scale. These combined dynamics and pitch correction capabilities provide singers with confidence and control, delivering polished, professional-sounding vocals for any application.

4.4 Special Effects

The BOSS VE-20 boasts a range of special effects, allowing vocalists to craft unique sonic textures. These tools extend beyond conventional processing, transforming your voice creatively. Key effects include distortion and overdrive, adding an aggressive, edgy quality suitable for rock or electronic styles. The “Radio” and “Megaphone” effects simulate classic lo-fi broadcasts, perfect for vintage or distant vocal feels.

Other creative options encompass the “Strobe” effect, introducing rhythmic, choppy modulation for avant-garde textures. The “Robot” effect delivers a distinct, synthesized, monophonic vocal, ideal for experimental or electronic music. Additionally, the “Lo-Fi” effect intentionally degrades audio, yielding a warm, gritty, or aged sound. These specialized tools offer immense potential for artistic differentiation. Mastering them imbues vocals with unique personality. Ensure your sound is distinctive and memorable across contexts. Experiment to find your signature style.

4.5 Saving User Patches

Once you’ve meticulously crafted a unique vocal sound using the various effects and parameters, saving your work as a user patch is crucial. The BOSS VE-20 allows you to store these customized settings, ensuring that your personalized vocal effects are readily available for future performances or practice sessions. This eliminates the need to re-create complex configurations from scratch every time you power on the unit.

To save a user patch, typically you would first edit the desired parameters for reverb, delay, harmony, dynamics, or special effects. After achieving your ideal sound, locate the “WRITE” or “SAVE” button on the unit. Pressing this button usually initiates the saving process, prompting you to select a memory location where your patch will be stored. The VE-20 offers several user memory slots, allowing for a diverse library of custom sounds. Confirm your selection, and your unique vocal setting will be permanently saved. This capability is fundamental for live performers and studio vocalists alike, ensuring consistency and quick access to a signature sound.

Remember to choose an empty slot or intentionally overwrite an existing one you no longer need. Always double-check your selection before confirming to avoid accidentally deleting a valuable patch.

System and Advanced Settings

This section explores the BOSS VE-20’s system and advanced settings. Learn to configure global parameters affecting the entire unit. Discover how to integrate external footswitches, providing expanded control and enhancing your live performance capabilities.

5.1 Global Parameters

Global parameters define the BOSS VE-20’s overarching operational behavior, affecting all patches and user memories. These settings establish a consistent foundation for your vocal setup, ensuring seamless integration and optimal performance. Accessing these critical adjustments is done via a dedicated system menu. Key configurations include setting the master output level, vital for matching the VE-20’s signal with your mixer or amplifier. Adjusting microphone input sensitivity is equally crucial for proper gain staging, preventing distortion, and ensuring vocal clarity before effects. Other important global settings involve selecting mono or stereo output modes, adaptable for various environments, and fine-tuning display contrast. Advanced options may encompass MIDI assignments for external control or synchronization, and activation of phantom power for condenser microphones. Properly configuring these global parameters is essential for maximizing the VE-20’s potential and maintaining a stable, high-quality vocal signal throughout all performances.

5.2 External Footswitch Control

The BOSS VE-20 significantly enhances live performance flexibility through its support for external footswitches. Connecting an optional footswitch, such as the Roland FS-5U, FS-6, or FS-7, allows vocalists to control various functions hands-free, freeing them to focus on their performance. These external controllers plug into the dedicated CONTROL pedal input, expanding the VE-20’s operational capabilities. Users can assign a wide range of functions to these additional pedals, including patch switching (moving up or down through presets), engaging or disengaging specific effects instantly, or controlling the phrase looper’s record, play, and stop functions. This capability is invaluable for singers who require quick, on-the-fly adjustments without needing to bend down or use their hands. Configuring these assignments involves navigating the VE-20’s system menu, where each external switch can be mapped to a desired parameter. Leveraging external footswitches transforms the VE-20 into an even more powerful and intuitive vocal processing hub for dynamic stage presence.

Troubleshooting and Support

Encountering issues with your VE-20? This section provides solutions for common operational problems, guides you through the factory reset procedure, and details technical specifications. Find answers and support here to keep your vocal performance optimal.

6.1 Common Issues and Solutions

Experiencing difficulties with your BOSS VE-20? This section addresses frequently encountered problems and offers practical solutions. If you hear no sound, first verify all cable connections are secure and correctly plugged into the input and output jacks. Ensure the input level knob is adjusted appropriately for your microphone, avoiding clipping, and check the overall output volume. A common issue is distorted audio; this often stems from an input level set too high, overloading the pedal. Reduce your microphone’s gain or the VE-20’s input level until the distortion disappears. If effects aren’t engaging, confirm you’re not in bypass mode and that the selected preset actually contains the desired effect. Sometimes, footswitches may seem unresponsive; ensure the unit is receiving stable power and try pressing firmly. Unwanted hum or noise can often be resolved by using a dedicated power supply rather than shared power with other noisy devices, or by checking for ground loop issues. For phrase looper problems, ensure you understand the recording and playback sequence, and check if the memory is full. Regular maintenance, such as cleaning connections, can prevent many issues. Should problems persist, a factory reset might be necessary, as detailed in the next section, or consult the full manual for advanced diagnostics.

6.2 Factory Reset Procedure

Performing a factory reset on your BOSS VE-20 can be a crucial step for troubleshooting persistent issues or restoring the unit to its original, out-of-the-box state. This process effectively erases all user-saved patches, custom settings, and looper phrases, returning every parameter to its default value. It’s an excellent solution if the device is behaving erratically, if you’ve made extensive changes you wish to undo, or if you’re preparing to sell or transfer ownership of the unit.

To initiate the factory reset, first ensure the VE-20 is completely powered off; Next, simultaneously press and hold down the [MEMORY/EXIT] button and the [PHRASE REC/PLAY/STOP] footswitch. While continuing to hold these two controls, power on the VE-20. Keep them held until the display shows a confirmation message, usually indicating “FACTORY RESET” or “INITIALIZE.” Once this message appears, release the buttons. The unit will then proceed with the reset operation, which may take a few moments. After the reset is complete, the VE-20 will boot up with all its original factory presets and global settings restored. Remember, this action is irreversible for your user data, so back up any critical settings if possible before proceeding.

6.3 Technical Specifications

The BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer offers robust technical specifications. Audio processing includes 24-bit AD/DA conversion and a 44.1 kHz sampling frequency for high-fidelity sound.

Inputs: XLR microphone (balanced, phantom power DC 48V, 10mA max, -40 dBu nominal); AUX IN (stereo miniature phone type, -18 dBu nominal). Outputs: Dual balanced XLR (L/MONO, R, -20 dBu nominal); PHONES/LINE (stereo miniature phone type) for monitoring.

Memory: 30 factory, 30 user patches. Phrase Looper: 38 seconds mono recording. Display: 16-character, 2-line LCD.

Power: DC 9V (AC adaptor, PSA series optional) or six AA batteries. Battery life: approx. 8 hours (alkaline). Dimensions: 173 (W) x 158 (D) x 57 (H) mm. Weight: 1.1 kg (2 lbs 7 oz). These features ensure professional, portable, and durable performance for vocalists in any setting.