The Pedalboard is your main workspace — it's where you build, tweak, and manage your effects chain. The app uses a simple 3-tab layout: Pedalboard, Presets, and Settings.
Understanding the 3-Tab Layout
The Chaos Audio app is organized into three main tabs at the bottom of your screen:
- Pedalboard — Build and edit your effects chain (you are here!)
- Presets — Browse and manage your saved presets, including cloud-synced presets
- Settings — Configure Stratus modes, MIDI, and app preferences
Adding Effects to Your Chain
Tap the "Add Effect" button (+ icon) to browse available effects. This opens the effect browser where you can see:
- Effects you own — Ready to add immediately
- Effects available for purchase — Browse the full catalog and try before you buy
Effect Categories include:
- Overdrive/Distortion
- Delay
- Reverb
- Modulation
- Compressor/EQ
- NAM Amp Models (NEW!) — High-fidelity amp captures
- Impulse Responses (NEW!) — Cabinet simulations
- AI-Created Effects
Adjusting Effect Parameters
Tap on any effect to open its exploded view where you can adjust parameters.
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How knobs work: Touch any knob and drag up/down to adjust the value. This gives you more precise control than circular motion.
Tap the stomp switch on any effect to toggle it on/off. Tap "CLOSE" to return to the full pedalboard view.
Drag & Drop Reordering
NEW! You can now reorder effects in two ways:
Method 1: Drag Effects Directly
Touch and hold an effect on your pedalboard, then drag it left or right to reposition it in your chain.
Method 2: Use the Colored Chips
At the top of the Pedalboard screen, you'll see colored "chips" representing each effect in your chain (e.g., "Drive 1 → Compressor → NAM Model → Reverb").
Drag these chips to quickly reorder your signal chain without scrolling through the full pedalboard.
Signal Flow: Your chain always flows left to right (→). Effect order matters — try putting your overdrive before or after delay to hear the difference!
CPU Usage
Stratus has a dynamic effects limit based on CPU usage. The CPU meter at the top shows how much processing power your chain is using.
If the CPU limit is reached, you'll see a warning when trying to add more effects. Either:
- Remove an effect (swipe left to delete)
- Try a less CPU-intensive effect
Tip: NAM Amp Models use ~52.5% CPU, while Impulse Responses use ~19.4% CPU. Plan your chain accordingly!
Saving Your Pedalboard
Tap the ellipses (...) in the top right corner to access the Pedalboard menu:
- Save as preset — Save your current chain as a new preset
- Load preset — Load an existing preset
- Clear pedalboard — Remove all effects
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Quick save: Tap the preset name at the bottom of the screen. When changes are saved, the asterisk (*) disappears and the background changes from gradient to gray.
Need Help?
If you have any questions, email us at support@chaosaudio.com