VoiceLive 3 Extreme Guitar and Vocal Effects Processor Pedal Review

It’s the best….

I had been using a Voicelive 2 for 10 years, first as solo, then in a duo with a bass player. It was mounted on my board with a Ditto X2 Looper & an old Ice Box Chorus. My Mic is a Sennheiser E945. My guitars are a Taylor 816 with an Expression 2 pickup & a Breedlove C25/CRE all run through a Bose L1 Model 2, (upgraded to a Bose L1 Pro 32). Even though I only used a small percentage… read more of its features, it enhanced my shows tremendously. I only used 2-3 settings, & people came up after our gigs & often remarked how well we harmonized. I was pretty pleased with our sound. But after hundreds of shows, my VL2 started malfunctioning from time to time. It was purchased used, so it had to to be 15 years old. When I couldn't find a VL2 replacement, I upgraded to a Voicelive 3 Extreme. I'm glad I did!!! The VL3X does so much more! It's an amazing machine. As a vocal processor, it delivers a clean, crisp sound straight out of the box, but can be customized any way you want with its endless array of options. As a harmonizer, the same holds true. I can't list everything it does here, but you can define any sound you want. In fact, with more than 250 presets, what you want is already there. The biggest surprise is the guitar effects. Getting the right sound from an acoustic guitar from stage has been a lifetime pursuit. The Bose system got me 75% of the way there. The VL3X takes my guitar sound to another level. Needless to say, I love this pedal. And I haven't even touch on the Looper end of things. I have not been this excited about a piece of equipment in years. The downside (if there is one)is the learning curve. You have to read the manual & watch YouTube to unlock all its features. But if you do , I am sure you will be as pleased with it as I am. My thanks to Mike Winebrenner and Sweetwater for getting it to me in record time. They are the best!!

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THE BEST VOCAL PEDAL AVAILABLE

I used a Digitech Voice-live 4 for thirteen years and I loved it. It finally died on me and I set out to fing another vocal pedal. Alas, Digitech no longer made vocal pedals. I tried several other pedals, including all of the boss line. Nothing was working, until I ordered a TC Helicon Voice-Live 3 extreme. This pedal is absolutely fantastic. The harmonies can be tweaked… read more a thousand ways. The possibilities are endless and the quality of the sound is fantastic. There is a learning curve with this vocal pedal, but the end results are far worth it. I cannot say enough good things about my sales engineer Aaron Regenold and Sweetwater. They let me try a pedal and when it did not work out, they took it back and sent me the TC Helicon VLX3 TO TRY. Aarons advice on this pedal was right. The guitar effects aren't the best, but good enough for most situations. The acoustic guitar effects are really pretty good, especially since they have 5 acoustic rez settings, as well as an overall acoustic setting. Once again, Sweetwater and Aaron regenold saved the day!

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TC Helicon Voicelive 3 Extream

I have been using this amazing processor for a few weeks and have already set up a few presets to use during Worship Services. I have downloaded and mixed in some backing tracks and applied automation so I can have smooth flowing music without worrying about foot triggers. The sound is great and I am really pleased with the vocal effects. I play an acoustic guitar and use the… read more global settings so my guitar stays constant as I move from preset to preset. I also play an electric guitar and can easily turn on and off those effects. Over the next few weeks I plan to bring my Keyboard and Electric Drums into the mix. There is a lot of online support thru Sweetwater, TC-Helicon and the general public. So far, this has been a great addition to my equipment list. I am planning to start using the VL3 live next month.

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Wonderful...eventually.

I have been sparring with my VL3X for two years now...and finally I am winning! It does what I tell it, when I tell it...and it does it amazingly well. I am now at a point where I have my iPad (using Onsong) on my music stand with all my songs on it. Touch a song from the list on the iPad and automatically (by midi) the VL3X jumps to all the right settings for guitar rhythm and… read more lead, and voice lead and harmonies. Loops or backing tracks are also automatically set up ready to go at the touch of a footswitch. I love it! BUT...there are a couple of things you should know before taking on this project: The TC Helicon VL3X is very complicated, and by extension of that, it is a bit delicate...and it has a couple of issues that (hope not, but may) happen in the early going. This is a good point to say GET IT FROM SWEETWATER. If any of these issues happen they WILL look after you till all is well. My first unit was DOA. Unboxed, plugged in...white screen. No boot up. Went to the internet and found that this is "an issue". Apparently the is a little card inside that has an "iffy" seating arrangement and if it is not right the machine cannot start. I had already done a LOT of study of the manual and did not want to waste all that effort...and I really wanted the promised results. Sweetwater replaced the unit in short order. The second unit arrived, booted up, and I went to work. More on the "work" later. Six months in, turned her on and...white screen...no boot up. Considered suicide. Sweetwater, bless them, sent me unit number 3. The good news is that I had my programming backed up on computer and was able to hook unit 3 up by USB and using TC Helicon"s excellent VOICESUPPORT2 program, was able to pour my previous work into the new unit. Unit #3 has been behaving for almost a year now. Must admit that I always say a little prayer when I hit the on button. I am careful with it. Transport in a padded bag. Wipe it down after every trip with a "Swiffer" pad (great by the way for dusting all your gear, don"t know how I managed before Swiffer!). So...POSSIBLE hardware teething problems. Glad I soldiered through it. Now. If you are not tech savvy. If computers are a mystery to you. If layers of menus, USB sticks, midi, DAWs are a mystery to you...you probably don"t want a VL3X...unless you are prepared to devote a LOT of time to your education. A VL3X is like a whole pedal board of equipment...mixer, very fancy guitar processor, looper, audio recorder and player, vocal harmony and effects unit, even the crude beginnings of a Digital Audio Workstation all hooked together behind the scenes by midi, and all jammed into one box! You better be serious! If not, frankly, you might be happier with a simple guitar processor and a TC Helicon Harmony Singer 2. OK. Now as a somewhat seasoned (and very happy) VL3X user...my one major issue with the VL3X. I really wish that TC Helicon had, or will?, expand the unit"s midi capabilities. With my iPad I can send any number of midi messages to the VL3X, but as far as I can figure, it only recognizes a few. For instance: When I start a song by tapping the iPad the iPad begins non-linear scrolling...highlighting and centering each section of my lyrics as I get to them. The iPad can send a midi message triggered by that same tap that could simultaneously start my loops or backing track on the VL3X...but although it has "midi in" the VL3X has no way to process and execute that start command (as far as I can tell). Maybe with the next software update? So I have to balance on one foot, touch the iPad screen just right and simultaneously hit a programmed pedal on the VL3X. A balancing act! So, summing up: The VL3X is an amazing but delicate piece of gear which is pure magic for those prepared to put in a lot of training both of it and themselves. From this side of the process...5 stars.

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Great

I never tough that something like tis exist , great for my live shows thank you sweetwater.

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