MIDI, Parallel Effects, and the Parallelarator

Why the Parallelarator Is the Missing Link in a Modern MIDI Pedalboard

Modern guitar pedalboards are no longer just rows of stompboxes. With the rise of MIDI-controlled effects, guitarists now expect instant preset recall, scene-based switching, and repeatable results night after night. Yet many MIDI pedalboards still struggle with clarity, consistency, and signal integrity.

At Cosmic Loop FX, the Parallelarator was designed to solve the part of the problem MIDI alone cannot: how the signal is routed, preserved, and mixed.

This article explains how MIDI and parallel effects mixing work together—and why the Parallelarator sits at the centre of a truly professional pedalboard.

Why MIDI Changed Guitar Pedalboards

A MIDI controller allows a guitarist to control an entire rig from a single footswitch press. Instead of switching pedals individually, MIDI can:

• Recall presets on multiple effects simultaneously

• Change delay times, subdivisions, and feedback together

• Adjust modulation depth or reverb size per song section

• Control loop switchers and routing devices

• Synchronise tempo across all time-based effects

  
  

In practical terms, MIDI replaces tap-dancing with scene-based control. One switch can recall a complete “verse,” “chorus,” or “solo” sound instantly and reliably.

However, MIDI only controls what pedals do. It does not control how the signal flows between them.

That is where most rigs fall short.

The Problem with Serial Pedalboards

Most pedalboards are wired in series: the guitar signal passes through one pedal after another. This approach works, but it has clear limitations:

• Heavy effects smear pick attack

• Delay and reverb stack unpredictably

• Changing mix levels alters the dry tone

• MIDI presets can cause unwanted volume and tone shifts

  
  

Studio engineers solved this decades ago with parallel processing. The Parallelarator brings that same approach to the pedalboard.

What the Parallelarator Does Differently

The Parallelarator is a dedicated parallel effects mixer. Instead of forcing all effects into a single serial chain, it:

• Preserves a pure, uninterrupted dry signal

• Splits signal into multiple parallel effects paths

• Recombines those paths with precise level control

• Supports mono, stereo, and wet/dry/wet rigs automatically

In a Parallelarator-based rig, effects behave like studio aux returns, not tone-altering inserts. This is the foundation that allows MIDI-controlled pedals to behave predictably and musically.

Why Parallel Mixing Matters for MIDI

When MIDI presets change, you want the character of the effects to change—not the integrity of your core tone.

With the Parallelarator:

• MIDI controls presets and parameters

• The Parallelarator controls dry/wet balance

• Your dry tone remains constant across every scene

  
  

This separation of responsibilities is critical. MIDI handles automation. The Parallelarator handles signal discipline.

Dry Kill: Essential for Parallel Effects

Many modern delay, reverb, and modulation pedals include a Dry Kill, Kill Dry, or 100% Wet option. In a parallel rig, this is not optional—it is essential.

What Dry Kill Does

Normally, a pedal outputs a mix of dry and wet signal. In a Parallelarator loop, the dry signal already exists on its own path.

Dry Kill:

• Removes dry signal from the pedal’s output

• Ensures the loop return is wet-only

• Prevents phase issues and tone loss

• Keeps the dry signal pristine and coherent

  
  

Whenever Dry Kill is available, it should always be enabled when using the Parallelarator.

Mix Controls and 100% Wet Operation

If a pedal does not offer Dry Kill but has a genuine Mix control:

• Set Mix to 100% wet

• Perform all blending at the Parallelarator

  
  

This achieves the same result, provided the pedal truly removes dry signal at maximum mix. Pedals that cannot do this are less suitable for precision parallel use.

Why Bypass Is the Wrong Tool

Most pedals, when bypassed, simply route input directly to output. In a serial chain this is fine. In a parallel loop, it is a problem.

Without Dry Kill:

• Bypass passes dry signal into the loop

• The dry path is duplicated when summed

• Tone, phase, and level subtly change

  
  

In a Parallelarator-based rig, bypass is not a valid “off” state unless Dry Kill is active.

How Dry Kill Fixes Bypass Behaviour

With Dry Kill (or true 100% wet operation) enabled:

• Bypassing the pedal does not pass dry signal

• The pedal output is effectively muted

• The loop behaves like a studio effect return

  
  

This is exactly how parallel effects are meant to behave.

Using MIDI to Mute Effects Instead of Bypassing Them

Many MIDI-enabled pedals do not support Dry Kill but do allow MIDI control of output or wet level. In these cases:

• Leave the pedal permanently enabled

• Use MIDI to set level = 0 when the effect should be off

• Restore the desired level when the effect should be on

  
  

From the Parallelarator’s perspective, the loop is silent when muted and active when unmuted—with no dry signal leakage.

Mute Presets via MIDI Program Change

If a pedal supports preset recall but does not expose level control via MIDI CC, a mute preset is often the cleanest solution.

A mute preset:

• Leaves the effect fully engaged

• Sets output or wet level to 0

  
  

MIDI Program Change messages switch between:

• Active presets (effect audible)

• The mute preset (effect silent)

  
  

This works exceptionally well in scene-based MIDI rigs.

Integrating Non-MIDI and Legacy Pedals

Some pedals:

• Are not MIDI-enabled

• Cannot kill dry

• Cannot be muted internally

  
  

The Parallelarator supports these pedals directly, without forcing compromises.

Loop 3 Footswitch Control (Send Switching)

On the Parallelarator, the built-in footswitch controls the send to Loop 3, not the return.

In practice:

• Footswitch on → signal is sent to the Loop 3 effects

• Footswitch off → no signal is sent to the effects

• The loop return remains connected at all times

  
  

Pedals in Loop 3 should remain permanently enabled. Their own bypass switches are not used during performance.

Why the Footswitch Switches the Send (Not the Return)

This design choice exists for one reason: to preserve trails.

If the return were switched instead:

• Delay repeats and reverb tails would be cut off abruptly

• Effects would stop unnaturally when disengaged

  
  

By switching the send:

• No new signal enters the effect when the footswitch is off

• Audio already inside the effect continues to decay naturally

• Delay and reverb trails fade out smoothly

  
  

This mirrors professional studio behaviour and allows non-MIDI and legacy pedals to behave musically inside a parallel system, even if they do not support trails on bypass.

Using External MIDI Loop Switchers

For larger MIDI rigs or pedals that need full automation, external MIDI loop switchers can also be placed inside Parallelarator loops. A common example is the Morningstar ML5.

In this case:

• Pedals remain permanently enabled

• The loop switcher controls whether signal reaches them

• MIDI scenes can combine Parallelarator mixing with loop switching

  
  

This allows legacy and non-MIDI pedals to coexist cleanly within fully automated MIDI systems.

Need More Than Three Parallel Loops?

While the Parallelarator provides three fully featured parallel effects loops in a single unit, some rigs demand more—particularly large MIDI-controlled boards or complex ambient systems.

The Parallelarator is designed to scale.

Expanding with the Parallel Link Port

Each Parallelarator includes a Parallel Link port, allowing multiple units to be connected together as part of the same parallel mixing system.

By linking Parallelarators:

• The dry signal remains singular and phase-coherent

• Additional units function as extra parallel returns

• Loop behaviour remains identical across all units

  
  

This allows you to expand from three loops to six, nine, or more—without redesigning your signal flow or changing how your MIDI controller operates.

Why This Matters in MIDI Rigs

As MIDI pedalboards grow, so does the need for additional parallel effects:

• Multiple stereo delays with different roles

• Separate reverbs for space, ambience, and texture

• Parallel modulation chains

• Dedicated experimental or momentary effects

  
  

Linked Parallelarators preserve the same disciplined parallel architecture regardless of system size. From the MIDI controller’s perspective, nothing changes—you simply gain more returns.

Why the Parallelarator Is the Centre of the System

In a MIDI-enabled pedalboard:

• MIDI controllers decide when effects change

• MIDI pedals decide how they sound

• The Parallelarator decides how signals are combined

  
  

By keeping the dry signal intact and treating effects as returns, the Parallelarator allows:

• Consistent tone across all presets

• Seamless mono, stereo, and wet/dry/wet operation

• Predictable MIDI scene changes

• Studio-grade clarity on stage

  
  

Final Thoughts

MIDI does not replace good signal architecture—it depends on it.

The Parallelarator was designed to be the fixed analog backbone of a modern pedalboard, allowing MIDI-controlled pedals to operate exactly as intended: as recallable, controllable processors layered on top of an uncompromised dry signal.

When MIDI automation and disciplined parallel routing come together, the pedalboard stops behaving like a chain of compromises and starts behaving like a mixing desk—controlled from the floor.

That is the philosophy behind the Parallelarator, and why it sits at the heart of the Cosmic Loop FX approach to pedalboard design.