Pedal Phreakery Vol.1

PEDAL PHREAKERY VOL.
1
Inside the complex world of analog delays, creating
live loops, and chaotic effects like pitch shifters, synth
pedals, and ring modulators.
Sponsored by
Digital Press
EBAY AMAZON REVERB
5/5 4.9/5 5/5
Lifetime avg. 12 mo. avg. Lifetime avg.
100% Positive 100% Positive
Holeyboard™ Dragonfly 2.0
The Holeyboard Dragonfly pedalboard is whatever you need it to be.

It expands and contracts to fit your mood into 11 sizes and configurations
with no additional parts. Every little thing it does is magic.
Proudly built in Minneapolis wth a lifetime warrenty.
www.chemistrydesignwerks.com
Mark the
center and
edge of your
speaker
with bits of
painter’s tape.
Everything You Need to Know About the Analog Effect

Chips of Yesterday and Today
BY MARK HAMMER
I
s there a 15-year-old out there who’s never the future—but they still existed in the form of
dreamed of having a time machine—a hi-tech delay/echo units. The first such “time machines,”
contraption that’d take you back in time 10 at least in terms of mainstream availability
minutes to avoid the botched joke that ruined your and affordability, came out back during the
chances with so-and-so, or maybe to think twice bell-bottom decade—and they were powered
about that failed guitar twirl that obliterated mom’s by another hyphenated double-B technology:
favorite lamp? Or, even better, beam you into the “bucket-brigade” chips.
future, Biff Tannen-style, so you can ferret-out If you’ve been playing guitar for a while, you’ve
bankable sports bets—or just skip the rest of high no doubt heard a lot of hoodoo and voodoo about
school altogether! It’s a silly fantasy, yet one we never expensive vintage bucket-brigade effects pedals and
completely outgrow over the post-teen decades. processors over the years, but even players with
The funny thing is, in a sense, time machines fewer axe-wielding years under their belts have likely
have existed since the early 1970s. They may not seen and heard a fair amount about devices powered
have had all the bells and whistles we dream of, by modern renditions of this once-dead, now-
they may not have come with a clever talking resurrected circuitry. Which is why we’re offering
dog who explained all the new sci-fi awesomeness this handy-dandy guide to help you understand
for us—and heck, they didn’t even take you into bucket-brigade devices (BBDs) from then and now.
premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 1

Before BBD
chips, time-
staggered
effects like
flanging,
chorus, echo,
and double-
tracking were
only possible
with magnetic-
tape-driven
units such as
the Echoplex
EP-3 (left) and
Roland Space
Echo RE-201,
while rotary-
speaker effects
required a
literal rotating-
speaker array
like the Leslie
setup shown
here in a So What Exactly Are BBDs? replaced by digital units, largely because of the
transparent
acrylic cabinet.
Bucket-brigade devices were the first wholly latter’s greater delay capacity. But the demise
electronic devices for producing time-delay of of original BBD effects was also due to the fact
electronic signals. Prior to their development, that the principal manufacturers—Matsushita
most effects that time-staggered an audio signal (now known as Panasonic), Reticon, and Philips
relied on magnetic tape and manipulation of tape Research Laboratories—eventually ceased
speed. (Examples include the various iterations of production. Even so, musicians’ affection for
the Echoplex and Roland’s Space Echo.) BBDs analog BBDs never really went away. Despite
permitted easier production of echo and effects the fact that both entry-level and high-end
like flanging, chorus, and double-tracking from digital multi-effect units became all the rage
a much smaller device. Further, BBD effectors during the ’80s (with players like U2’s the Edge,
enabled flanging to be produced onstage without Steve Vai, and Eddie Van Halen becoming
the prior need for two tape decks, and rotary- notorious for their “refrigerator stacks” full of
speaker-like effects were possible without lugging rackmounted digital gear), a small segment of
around a massive Leslie setup. devoted players never gave up on the “warm,”
Between the late 1970s and mid 1980s, classic sound of analog gear. As the 1990s wore
many classic BBD-based effects were issued, on, new boutique pedals powered by new-old-
including the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and stock (NOS) BBD components (for example,
CE-2 Chorus; flangers like those from Electro- Moogerfooger’s MF-104M Analog Delay) started
Harmonix, A/DA, and MXR; and delays like the to build the buzz anew—although at a premium
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man and Boss price, and often in very limited runs. Beginning
DM-2—not to mention desktop and rackmount slowly in the early 2000s, and picking up the
Photo by Tom Hughes
delays and multi-effectors like the Ibanez AD-230 pace considerably in 2015, a new generation of
and MXR Flanger/Doubler. BBDs would also much more affordable BBD-driven pedals has
find their way into synthesizers, mixers, and even been made possible thanks to companies like
karaoke machines. Eventually, many of these Coolaudio, Belling, and Xvive Audio producing
effects—particularly the delays—would become accurate replicas of original BBD chips.
premierguitar.com
II PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS PEDAL PHREAKERY
EBAY AMAZON REVERB
5/5 4.9/5 5/5

“I wired up my Holeyboard and took it out for a test drive this weekend and
it is, as promised, a fantastic invention. Using zip ties make it so easy
to put together and reconfigure. And it is rock solid. I love it.” - Warren P
“Great product. Well designed. Easy to assemble. Love the two layers
for stacking my pedals and the curved shape that's
easy to work with.” - Anders J
“It’s like the iPhone of pedalboards, beautiful and it just works, well!” -Tom J
“Best pedalboard I have ever owned.” - Jason W
“Great, innovative design! Fast shipping.” - Mark R
“Had it put together without the use of any tools other than my hands
within 30 minutes on my lunch hour. It’s an awesome board. - Dave J
Chris, thank you for this fabulous board! The marriage of form, function,
and minimialist design is truly inspiring.” - Greg P
“I’m loving’ this thing! Light and tight!” - Johan S

®
The original holding a sampled voltage (i.e., the “analog” part)
Boss CE-1
Chorus
and passing (or “shifting”) those sampled voltages
Ensemble along in a first-in, first-out fashion. Like a film
was a classic that creates the illusion of continuous motion
early BBD-
driven chorus
using 24 frames per second, BBDs create the
stompbox. illusion of continuous sound by capturing and
spitting out samples. The sampled voltages (or
sounds) can seem to occur more slowly by setting
the device to spit them out slower than they came
in, or by simply holding onto them for a wee bit.
Because the innards of these IC chips acquire
and pass along the samples continuously, from
input to output, in a manner similar to a line of
firefighters passing along buckets of water from
one to the other, they are referred to as “bucket
Manufacturers such as Coolaudio (whose new brigade” devices. And just as with motion pictures,
1024-stage V3207 BBD is shown here), Xvive, and the more samples (or frames, in the case of a film)
Belling are now manufacturing accurate replicas of taken in within a set period of time, the smoother
classic analog chips of yore. the apparent transition between samples.
Much like classic three-tube amplifiers of When most people hear the word “sample” in
yore—amps like the Fender Champ, with its a context such as this, they immediately think of
basic preamp-tube, power-tube, and rectifier-tube digital samples. How are analog BBD samples
circuit—there are common design aspects and different from digital samples? In a number of
ways. First, they aren’t transformed or encoded,
Boss photo courtesy of Spaghetti Vintage; MXR photo courtesy of Vintage and Rare/Soundgas
considerations for nearly all effects that use BBDs.
So let’s take a closer look at the nuts and bolts of as digital signals must be. They are a literal
how these magical chips work and how they’re snapshot of whatever the signal voltage is at the
used. moment the snapshot is taken. One could argue
that analog BBD devices have infinite resolution,
Would You Care to Try a Sample? because unlike with the analog-to-digital (and
BBDs—or analog shift registers, as they are properly then digital-to-analog) conversion required in
called (or sometimes charge-coupled devices)—were digital processors, there’s no rounding off of
first developed in 1969 as integrated-circuit (IC) signal information to the nearest coded value. In
chips containing a large number of storage cells fact, back in the early digital days when the best
(tiny capacitors, actually) and switching transistors. signal resolution one could hope for was 12-bit
The “register” part of a BBD chip is capable of resolution, the analog sampling of a BBD circuit
But MXR’s
Flanger/
Doubler
was an BBD
processor
found in
studios during
the early ’80s.
premierguitar.com
4 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS PEDAL PHREAKERY
made for higher audio fidelity. With 24-bit digital Manufacturers
such as
encoding being common these days, the difference Coolaudio
in audio quality between an encoded digital (whose new
snapshot, and a literal analog snapshot, is largely 1024-stage
V3207 BBD
unnoticeable to most players. is shown
A second way in which analog samples are here), Xvive,
different from digital samples is that, unlike and Belling
are now
digital code’s ability to be retained in memory manufacturing
for as long as one wishes, analog samples have accurate
a limited lifespan. The capacitors storing them replicas of
classic analog
leak, so each sample has to get moved along to chips of yore.
the output quickly enough. Otherwise there
won’t be much left in the “bucket” to pass along.
At the exact moment a sample is taken, it may
have been 250 millivolts (mV), but eventually the realism of the construction depends on how
declines to 247 mV, then 243 mV, etc., if it’s not many bricks are used to make it—the more bricks
passed along right away. This signal loss is less of there are, the more nuance there is in the final
a problem when the delays are very short and the image. The same is true of audio sampling. Basic
samples get passed along quickly, as in flanging. depiction of a sound at any given frequency can be
But when samples get passed along very slowly accomplished with two samples: one representing
(for example, to achieve a long echo), they pass the positive half-cycle of the sound wave, and one
through all those leaky stages again and again for representing the negative half-cycle. But that turns
additional repeats. If you set an analog delay to the signal into a series of square waves, and does
its maximum delay setting, you can often hear that really convey the complexities of the original,
a substantial loss in fidelity. Given this reality, it or are we building something with two bricks that
goes without saying that no matter how much really needs many more to look and sound like
you may like analog delays, the very idea of an the real thing? A sound wave might have a gradual
analog looper pedal is a nonstarter. ascent and descent, so describing it as one step up
Another thing to remember is that the sample and another step down just doesn’t cut it.
that gets passed along is a snapshot of something The general principle with digital audio
that already happened. It may not have happened sampling is that the sample rate should be
very long ago, but it still already happened. So, three to four times the highest frequency to be
while BBDs can almost catch up to real time reproduced, if not more. So, if a signal processor
in some instances, in general they will always is intended to process and output a signal whose
lag behind by some small amount of time. The content goes as high as 5 kHz, it should not
various musical applications of BBD chips vary sample the audio signal fewer than 20,000 times
how much they lag, and how closely they nearly per second (20 kHz). That will do a bare-bones
catch up to a nondelayed version of the signal. job of accurately representing a 5 kHz signal, and
a better job at representing lower frequencies. At
Audio Legos a 20 kHz sampling rate, a single cycle of a 1 kHz
Year after year, a group of local enthusiasts shows signal would be portrayed with 20 samples—
off fantastic dioramas made entirely out of Lego better than four, but still somewhat block-y
bricks at the annual Maker Faire in my area. and definitely not hi-fi. Think Commodore 64
One of the things I’m always struck by is that graphics rather than 1080p.

The more Considering this, the amount of delay time complementary tick and tock to pins on the BBD
Legos you
use, the more
one can expect to get out of a BBD depends on chip at varying speeds, which in turn help dictate
realistic- how wide a bandwidth you want to reproduce the fidelity and bandwidth of the signal. Internally,
looking your with it. If you want more frequency content to be the chips themselves are essentially divided up
sculpture.
Same goes
included in the time-shifted signal, you’ll need to into two parallel sets of stages—two lines of little
for audio sample more of the signal and do it faster. But the people passing buckets, if you will. And just as
sampling. trade-off is that, even though sampling faster yields with a real bucket brigade made up of people
better sound quality, it also yields less time from passing pails of water, each pin in the BBD can
the BBD. Which brings us to…. hand off or take a bucket—but it can’t do both
at once. Consequently, the two parallel sets of
Time to Move stages take turns. When the clock ticks, one set
Just as a movie projector and tape recorder of stages is passing off a sample to the next stage
require a motor to pour out their content, a in line, and the other set of stages is receiving
BBD requires something to move the samples a sample. When the clock goes tock, the reverse
along. That something is a clock that puts out a happens. The two paths work in complementary
manner so that there is always one sample
Fig. 1 available in interleaved fashion, each arriving
at a separate output pin. Figure 1 is a pin-out
In this pin
diagram for
diagram of a Matsushita MN3005, the chip
a Matsushita used in many analog delays from the late ’70s to
MN3005 BBD the early ’80s. As you can see, there is only one
chip, pin 7
is where the
input pin (7) but two output pins (3 and 4).
signal enters The tick and tock pins are 6 and 2.
the chip, pins When these alternating interleaved samples
3 and 4 are the
Photo by Shawn Hammond
output, and
reach the output of their respective path, they
6 and 2 are are combined to provide a continuous, seamless
the tick and stream of samples (see Figure 2). Some pedals
tock pins.
(such as the Boss BF-2 Flanger) simply link
the two output pins together directly, while
others (like Electro-Harmonix’s Deluxe Electric
premierguitar.com
The input
signal is
sampled, with
a tick and tock
from the BBD’s
clock assigning
each sample to
its respective
path. The
alternating
samples are
interpolated
and “stitched”
together at
the output.
Mistress) use a pair of equal-value resistors to and 4,096 stages. The latter is the largest capacity
electronically mix the two paths together. Still available on a single chip. With some exceptions,
others (like the old A/DA Flanger) use a trimpot BBDs with 1,024 or fewer stages are generally
to perfectly balance the two outputs. In the used for short-delay applications like chorus,
latter example, not only does the more precise flanging, vibrato, and occasionally slapback, while
balancing yield a more faithful representation of those with 2,048 or 4,096 stages get used for
the input signal, but it also serves to better cancel delays and double-tracking. There are exceptions,
out artifactual noise from the clock—kind of like however. Sometimes reduced BBD availability
a humbucker in a chip! and cost resulted in products such as Ibanez’s
AD-230—which used 16 512-stage BBDs for
How Much Time You Got? longer delay (plus two more for flanging)—or the
Many tube-amp fans can calculate roughly how more recent Maxon AD-999 analog delay, which
much power an amp will deliver based on the uses eight 1,024-stage chips.
number and types of output tubes it uses. For The maximum time delay available from any
example, we don’t expect more than 5 to 10 watts single BBD is a joint function of the number
from a single-ended amp using one power tube, of stages, the clock (i.e., sampling rate), and the
12 to 25 watts from a pair of 6V6GT tubes, and desired bandwidth. So, a 1,024-stage chip can
so on. Similarly, we wouldn’t expect a builder to provide twice as much delay time as a 512-stage
design a 100-watt amp based on a dozen EL84s, chip if it runs at the same clock rate, and the same
because a quartet of EL34 will yield that kind amount of delay if clocked twice as fast in order to
of power in a smaller, more affordable, easier-to- give the signal a little more bandwidth and fidelity.
maintain package. It works the same in reverse: An effect designer
Similarly, BBDs come in different capacities, as could squeeze a full second out of a 4,096-stage
indicated by the number of stages they have. Just BBD chip (which is normally not used for more
as with power tubes, stages can be coaxed to yield than maybe 350–400 milliseconds), but doing
a little more or a little less, depending on the rest so would require a very slow clock rate—which
of the circuit. For audio purposes, BBDs begin would seriously limit bandwidth and fidelity. (It
at 256 stages, with each unit higher in the series would sound like something happening in the
generally doubling in capacity: 512, 1,024, 2,048, apartment next door, and lose considerable fidelity

A vintage ad Memory Man pedals, as well as the MXR Analog
for SWTPC’s
Ambience
Delay and the Southwest Technology Products
Synthesizer, Corporation (SWTPC) Ambience Synthesizer,
which used a trio of 1,024-stage chips in series. More
used three
1,024-stage
recently (but still before 4,096-stage chips were
BBDs in series. back in production), Electro-Harmonix used
four 2,048-stage Panasonic MN3008 chips for its
Table 1:
Delay times Deluxe Memory Man reissue.
available from Table 1 shows how much delay time can be
512-, 1,024-, expected from the various Panasonic/Matsushita
2,048-, and
4,096-stage chips at different sampling frequencies. A pair of
Panasonic 4,096-stage chips in series can produce around
BBD chips at 500 ms with respectable bandwidth. A number of
various clock
frequencies commercial delays have gone this route, often with
and sampling a switch to select between the outputs of the first
rates. or second BBD. (It should be noted that, though
there are two chips in these designs, both chips are
driven by a single clock.)
Table 1
after two or three repeats through the chip.) The

old Boss DM-1 used a now out-of-production
Reticon chip with 2,000 stages and claimed a
maximum delay time of 500 ms, but at that delay
setting there was a steep roll-off of the signal above
1 kHz. The next Boss analog delay, the DM-2,
used a 4,096-stage chip to generate a maximum
delay time of 300 ms at greater bandwidth. All the Trimmings
Cascading multiple BBDs yields the sum of All BBD chips require what is referred to as a bias
their individual delays—although each handoff voltage. If the audio signal does not come riding
between BBDs does pose small possible risks into the chip sitting on top of a particular DC
to audio quality. But careful circuit design can voltage, it won’t make it to the other side. As a
mitigate these risks. There have been some consequence, nearly all pedals that use BBDs,
interesting products over the years that used this regardless of effect type, will have a small bias
cascading BBD approach. Before 4,096-stage trimpot (separate from the one used for balancing
units became available, the earliest EHX Deluxe output signals). Some pedals with cascaded
premierguitar.com
BBDs may have a single trimpot providing the housing, these trimpots can appear in duplicate Even simple
effects with
same correct bias for all BBDs used, but the or triplicate. For example, as noted earlier, the BBD chips
effectiveness of such a setup would be due more much-coveted Maxon AD-999 delay eschews high- typically
to a lucky guess than anything. Optimal audio capacity chips in favor of eight 1,024-stage chips, have one to
four internal
quality occurs when every BBD in the circuit has resulting in 25 total trimpots! Meanwhile, Electro- trimpots for
its own trimpot for custom-tailoring its bias. It’s Harmonix’s most recent reissue of the Deluxe adjusting
more work and increases production costs, but it Memory Man has a bias trimmer for each of its things like bias
voltage, output
makes for a better transfer between chips and is two 4,096-stage BBDs, and an output balance on balance,
worth the additional labor, parts, and space. the second one, but it also includes a small gain maximum
The trimpot for adjusting a chip’s DC bias stage for each BBD to compensate for potential delay time, and
feedback. As
voltage is usually located somewhere near the delay signal loss (all BBDs lose a tiny bit of signal in you can see
chip’s input pin. If that bias voltage is too high comparison to the dry path), which means there’s from the guts
or too low, you won’t hear any signal from the a trimpot for each gain stage, too. Needless to of this Maxon
AD-999 analog
BBD. If it is just a little high or low, you’ll hear say, when it comes to repairing or recalibrating a delay, each
output, but it will be distorted. So if you have an BBD-based effect, it pays to know where all the BBD chip can
old BBD device that doesn’t seem to be working specific trimmers are and what they do! To aid exponentially
increase the
(or sounding quite right), it’s worth opening it up in the process, track down a schematic and—if number of
and fiddling with this trimpot to see if that fixes possible—a service manual for your pedal’s circuit. trimpots.
things. There’s no risk of damaging the BBD or
overall circuit if you simply let your ear guide you
as you adjust it to restore audio quality. But when
there’s more than one BBD in series and you can’t
hear the impact of each separate adjustment, it’s
handy to have an oscilloscope so you can measure
each chip’s output for minimum distortion as you
adjust its bias trimmer.
Typical BBD-based effects have anywhere
from one to four trimpots on the circuit board.
As previously noted, some designs also have a
trimpot for balancing output between two BBD
outputs—and this is also found very close to the
chip. Further, BBD effects in which feedback is
used (like flangers and echoes), often have another
trimpot for adjusting maximum feedback before
howling or oscillation set in. This is usually found
close to where the feedback is returned. Finally,
there may also be a trimpot for adjusting the
maximum delay time. This is useful for when,
between like-valued BBD chips, there’s variation
in where the clock-noise filtering begins to roll off
top end and, consequently, the clock speed has
gone low enough to be audible.
As you’ve probably gathered by now, when
there’s more than one BBD chip in an effect

Whoa, Slow Down! want a chip that is tolerant of very high clock
As mentioned earlier (and as revealed in Table frequencies (remember, faster clocking results
1), shorter and longer delays can be produced in shorter delay time). The Matsushita chips
by clocking a chip faster or slower. But there are weren’t comfortable being clocked much faster
limits. You can’t transfer the samples inside the than 100 kHz, while the Reticons were good up
chip too slowly (which is why Table 1 doesn’t go to 1.5 MHz. If you ever wondered why that A/
below 10 kHz), but you also can’t clock them too DA Flanger or Boss BF-1 sounded so much better
fast either—otherwise the sample-transfer process than your Boss BF-2, it’s because your Matsushita
gets corrupted. MN3207-based BF-2 couldn’t delay any shorter
A BBD chip’s clock input pins have what is than 1 ms, while Reticon-based pedals could zip
referred to as input capacitance. For our purposes, well below 1 ms with ease.
we’ll simply say that this capacitance can “dull” But don’t blame the Matsushita BBDs too
the clock pulse and turn it from square-ish to much. They were limited by their companion
more triangular. When the clock frequency is clock generators: the MN3101 (for MN30xx
low enough, the capacitance has no effect and chips) and MN3102 (for low-voltage chips).
the clock pulses are able to instantly switch the These provided an inexpensive, simple, compact
transistors in the chip that feed the samples to solution for directly driving Matsushita’s BBDs,
the next. But as the clock frequency increases, but they couldn’t adequately overcome that
that input capacitance begins to add some lag clock-pin capacitance. They were great for chorus
and to turn what started out as a pretty square or medium-delay echo, but you couldn’t get
(i.e., either on or off ) clock pulse into something them to clock fast enough for great flanging,
more triangular. The near-instant switching and they couldn’t handle the total capacitance
action that normally yields seamless taking and of more than 8,192 stages (i.e., from a pair of
passing of samples now begins to have a gap, as 4,096-stage chips) needed for longer delay times.
it takes longer for the transistors to be switched However, when properly buffered to overcome
on. The gap itself is not directly audible since that capacitance, Matsushita BBDs can be pushed
it is on the order of microseconds. But imagine much higher—just like a buffered guitar signal
a movie with a blank frame inserted between can travel long cable distances and still retain
each successive image. It simply won’t look the treble. I’ve witnessed MN3207s pushed to 1.5
same—the seamlessness of the flow of samples MHz clock rates without difficulty.
matters. Consequently, data sheets for many BBDs Can it work the opposite way? That is, can
indicate a maximum clock frequency, beyond you buffer a clock chip to drive, say, four
which performance will suffer. Table 1 shows that MN3005s (for a total of 16,384 stages, and
many common Matsushita chips can’t normally be 11,200 pF of clock capacitance)? It’s a bit
clocked faster than 100 kHz. like our earlier example of a 100-watt, EL84-
Second-generation Matsushita chips had about powered amp: In theory, it could be done—but
700 pF of capacitance for each 1,024 stages on why not simply go digital?
the chip. For example, a 4,096-stage MN3005
or MN3205 would have an input capacitance of Cut out That Racket!
2800 pF. In contrast, Reticon chips only had 110 BBD-based designs are susceptible to noise.
pF for the same pins. Why does this matter? For The chips themselves differ in their individual
long delay, it doesn’t. For flanging, where the most noisiness, but the necessary inclusion of a clock
dramatic effects are produced by shortening the only makes matters worse. There are two basic
time delay to something almost negligible, you sources of noise to contend with in normal use.
premierguitar.com
One is the sometimes-audible whine of the high- Output balancing. As noted earlier, a trimpot
frequency clock that’s always running. If a 10 kHz is used to balance BBD levels in an effort to
clock pulse is required to achieve the desired delay cancel out clock noise.
time, there’s a chance you might hear that clock
leaking through to other parts of the circuit, and Ironically, a great deal of the “warmth” that
eventually coming out your speakers. players are referring to when discussing analog
Now let’s talk about the second kind of noise. delays is actually a result of the low-pass-filtering
We may think of BBDs as providing a seamless, strategy for eliminating clock noise. The thing is,
continuous representation of the input signal, if you use the same sort of filtering in a digital
but in actuality there are teensy-weensy steps delay circuit, it can sound remarkably similar to
between each successive sample, and those can analog!
create the illusion of high-frequency content
riding on top of the actual signal. This is Grading BBD Chips
referred to as aliasing noise. For the longest time, there were effectively three
Historically, these two noise sources have manufacturers of BBDs: Reticon, Panasonic/
been addressed using some combination of the Matsushita, and Philips. I’m not sure about
following five strategies: Philips, but Reticon stopped making BBDs in
the early ’80s, so anyone trying to repair or clone
Low-pass filtering. A low-pass filter is a Reticon-based pedal has to pay astronomical
placed before and after the BBD in an effort prices for NOS replacements. Panasonic (formerly
to eliminate everything above the highest Matsushita) stopped production in the late ’90s,
frequency that’s intended to be audible. This but since there was demand for them, several
approach is used in virtually all BBD-based companies resurrected clones of the old Matsushita
effect devices. chips. In the late 1990s, Belling began reissuing
Gating. A noise gate is applied at the BBD copies of Matsushita’s MN3208 and MN3207
output, so that any remaining BBD noise is with the designation BL3208 and BL3207, and
killed when you stop playing. This approach is more recently Coolaudio started producing clones
used in the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and of the MN3207, MN3208, and MN3205. Even
A/DA Flanger. more recently, China-based Xvive Audio (which,
Treble manipulation. Treble is emphasized not so coincidentally, has its own line of very
at the input and then de-emphasized in affordable stompboxes) began making replicas
complementary fashion at the output. This of Matsushita’s venerable MN3005. The chip is
restores normal tone to the dry signal, but cuts available for sale separately, but is also used in
any hiss or clock whine added by the BBD to the company’s higher-end W3 Memory pedal—
the delayed signal. This approach is used in the which was designed by Howard Davis, manager
Boss CE-2 Chorus and BF-2 Flanger. of analog circuit design at Electro-Harmonix from
Companding. Companding—compressing and 1976–1981. The chip itself isn’t cheap, but it’s not
expanding—keeps the audio input to the BBD prohibitively priced, either. Sadly, new Reticon
at an optimal level, well above the noise floor, chip clones don’t seem to be on the horizon.
and restores dynamics after the delay is created. As with seemingly everything else in guitar gear,
This approach is used in the Electro-Harmonix there are many legends attached to different BBD
Deluxe Memory Man and Boss DM-2 chips. One is that there’s a difference between
generations of Matsushita chips—particularly
between the MN30xx series and the lower-voltage

A vintage ad MN32xx series. Certainly the earliest Matsushita this technology.
for SWTPC’s
Ambience
chips (like the MN3001 and MN3002 used in the That said, there
Synthesizer, Boss CE-1, and the MN3010 used in the A/DA were a lot more
which Flanger) were quieter and could be clocked faster BBD types and
used three
1,024-stage
(because they had a lower clock-pin capacitance). configurations
BBDs in series. But the quality of the signal in any of the various available 30
issues is still very much a matter for debate. I’m years ago,
not so sure specs and data sheets capture the and I do wish
differences people think they hear. someone would
With regard to the difference between the reissue certain
MN30xx and 32xx generations, recall that BBDs models—like
can’t pass an audio signal unless it’s sitting atop a the Reticon
DC bias voltage (derived from the power supply). SAD-1024
In the 1980s, the power supply for the bias voltage used in great
would’ve usually been a battery. As the battery old flangers from Boss, A/DA, EHX, and MXR
aged and the voltage dropped, dividing down that (as well as in the ADR S24 Scamp), and the
voltage could result in the “wrong” bias voltage, multitap Matsushita MN3011, which powered
and sound quality would suffer. It seems a silly the legendary A/DA STD-1 Stereo Tapped Delay
consideration now, in an era of plentiful power exploited to such great effect by Allan Holdsworth.
supplies, but back then there were no pedalboard But that hasn’t stopped current designers from
power bricks, and you couldn’t expect musicians coming up with feature-rich pedals yielding
to keep changing the battery or opening up a remarkable sounds and options that nobody
pedal to twiddle the bias trimmer. So Matsushita dreamed of in 1979—including things like tap
designed the MN32xx series to operate off of 5 tempo and digital control.
volts, and the bias would be derived from that 5 Although many stompbox companies are
volts. The pedal’s 9-volt battery would then be migrating to the digital domain, I find it both
down-regulated to provide a stable 5 volts for interesting and heartening that new BBD pedals
the BBD and its bias until the battery dropped are unveiled quite often these days. Which
below around 7 volts—at which point it wouldn’t prompts the question, is there anything about
have enough juice to power the pedal anyway. using BBDs that’s somehow inherently better than
The redesign allowed the MN32xx series to work state-of-the-art digital circuitry? Probably not.
flawlessly without any drift in the bias as the And certainly, back in the day when all effects
battery aged. But with contemporary powered were analog, there were both stellar and ho-hum
pedalboards, concerns about supply-voltage drift products. But the reason many BBDs have been
are history. reissued in recent years is not simply due to
romanticized notions about the good ol’ days.
Tying It All Together When all is said and done, it’s because both the
Happily, in comparison to modern production of established old-school BBD know-how and newly
vacuum tubes, the quality of BBDs currently in discovered circuit-engineering tricks—and yes,
production is generally no different from those even the things that have to be done to keep noise
made in bygone days. A new MN3205 is the equal down—simply sound great when done well.
of a NOS version from 1981. Further, many of
today’s effect designers have mined the rich vein of Special thanks to Joel Korte at Chase Bliss Audio, Steve
tricks and strategies for extracting the best out of Daniels at Small Bear Electronics, and Mike Irwin.
premierguitar.com
EBAY AMAZON REVERB
5/5 4.9/5 5/5
We create tools to help musicians be more creative.

Try something different and make your tomorrow
better than today.
4 Unconventional
Effects and How
to Use Them
BY LYLE ZAEHRINGER
Y
ou know how a three-knob overdrive works. for the next three weeks. Let us know in the
And a single-knob boost isn’t gonna throw comments how you use these effects, and what
you for a loop. But double the knobs and pedals are your favorites.
add parameters with names like Crash, Warp, and
Glide, and things can get murky fast. This is the
world of bizarre effects, and if you’re confused
by stompboxes with more than a few knobs and
switches, you’re certainly not alone.
Innovations in manufacturing techniques,
inexpensive microprocessors, and computer
connectivity help designers push the limits of what
is possible within the finite space of an effects
pedal. And it can seem like the road to interesting
and inspiring guitar tones is sometimes paved by
equipment that appears built for obsessive geeks
only. Here, we’ll try to demystify some of the most
mystifying gadgets by breaking them into some
loose categories—Pitch, Synth, Destruction, and
Ring Mod—and providing some guidance in how
to access the tones hidden inside and implement
them in your own pursuit of musical majesty. Pitch Shifters
The categories we investigate here typically
cover a single device type. Some effects may History
fall into several categories and some will defy Pitch shifters go back to the earliest days of sound
categories entirely. But as we’ll see, the surface processing. Electronic pitch shifting started as
complexity of many of these effects often comes a studio technique with the reel-to-reel tape
with amazing musical potential that can change machine. Psychedelic giants like the Beatles and
the way you approach the guitar. Jimi Hendrix toyed with speeding up or slowing
We’re kicking things off with pitch shifters, down reels to change the pitch of a musical
and will be adding a new effect each week passage. The inherent limitation with the tape
premierguitar.com
manipulation approach was that you could not classic Octavia tone including Dunlop’s Octavio
shift the pitch without changing the speed. Also, and Demeter’s Fuzzy Octavulator.
pitch shifting on tape could not be used on the fly. Harmonize - For some guitarists, harmonizing
One of the earliest stompbox attempts at pitch shifters are the way to go. To achieve a
pitch shift was Roger Mayer’s Octavia for Jimi more harmonically rich tone there are just as
Hendrix—a simple octave interval with a fuzz many options, from the relatively straightforward
circuit. In subsequent years the complexity and Boss PS-6 Harmonist, to the nearly boundless
number of simultaneous intervals that a pitch shift PitchFactor by Eventide. Whatever the tool, the
unit can reproduce has grown substantially. harmonizing effect adds flavor to your riffs and
can give an ordinary melody a unique twist. With
Where You’ve Heard It a harmonizing stompbox like the Boss PS-6 you
Ever wonder how Dimebag Darrell achieved can blend in any common interval. Harmony
those 2-octave bends to accent his frenetic and is most commonly employed vocally, so to get
brilliant solos? It wasn’t some space age strings started with a harmonizer, think of your guitar
that could withstand a wicked tugging. He used like a single voice in a duet, or a small choir.
a DigiTech Whammy pedal. Take another listen The harmonizer gives you that backup melody
to “Becoming” on the Far Beyond Driven album. that helps to richen your musical expression. In
DigiTech’s Whammy is perhaps the most prolific “Hotel California’s” climactic and final solo a
pitch-shifting mechanism of relatively recent time pair of simple solo riffs are used in harmony to
and can be heard on recordings by the Smashing achieve an iconic passage that is un-mistakable.
Pumpkins, Radiohead, Joe Satriani, Tom Morello, A primary usage of the harmony pedal for most
and Jack White, just to name a few. guitarists is to easily achieve this type of duet
effect with one guitar.
How to Use It But these passages would begin to sound stale
Blend - Typically the first control you’re going to if only a single interval were used. Consequently,
find on a pitch-shifting pedal is a blend control. most modern pitch shifters including the
With this control you mix the amount of pitch- PS-6, DigiTech’s HarmonyMan, and Eventide’s
shifted signal with your dry signal, pairing your PitchFactor are able to pitch shift diatonically, that
original note with a harmonic counterpart to is, according to a predetermined scale. These units
create a more lush effect. select the pitch-shifted notes from a list defined by
Octave - Though numerous intervals such as the selected scale.
3rd, 4th, and 5th are common on pitch shifting Bend - One of the greatest things about stringed
stompboxes, the most common interval is the instruments is the ability to create vibrato by
octave. Adding an octave down to your signal can bending the strings rhythmically while a note
beef up a solo, giving the notes additional punch sings out. But strings only bend so far before
and presence in the mix. they snap, and the solution DigiTech posed in
Its counterpart, the octave up, can add a the early 1990s—for players who wanted to go
singing, shimmering element to notes—not beyond the tensile strength of their instrument—
unlike those on a 12-string acoustic. Hendrix put was the Whammy pedal. The effect found itself
his signature fuzzy octave shift to work in loads on the pedal boards of a handful of iconic players
of material— “Purple Haze” is exemplary in its in the ’90s including The Smashing Pumpkins’
layered use of fat, octave-down fuzz rhythms and James Iha and, most famously (and perhaps most
flying octave-up solos. There are several octave impressively), Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell. With the
fuzz pedals on the market that shoot for Mayers’ capability of multi-octave bends at the dip of a

the twist is that the delays are pitch shifted by an
amount that can be determined by your playing
dynamics. The result can be anything from a
delicious, analog chorus, to a seasick wash of
warbled delays.
Pedals We Tested
Boss PS-6 – The Boss PS-6 Harmonist is a

good starting point. The four rotary controls
may seem like a lot to digest at first glance, like
most other Boss stompboxes, it covers the basics
rocker pedal, the Whammy was hugely successful effectively in a way that is straightforward and
in enabling guitarists to extend a solo into a easy to implement. With a simple understanding
sonic range well beyond the limits ever previously of major/minor keys the effect is fairly simple to
thought possible. tap into quickly. The PS-6 includes an expression
Dimebag’s use of the Whammy pedal on pedal input to facilitate pitch bends, which works
“The Becoming” and in numerous solos added in tandem with the pedal’s Super Bend setting.
a terrifying banshee squeal to his already colossal The PS-6 is also capable of multi-voice harmonies,
control of the floating tremolo bridge. standard pitch/octave shift, chorus, and stereo
Pitch Explosion - Some of the more modern output. Some of the harmonic intervals on the
pitch shifting units allows you to get some PS-6 suffer from digital pitch shifting artifacts while
very unique results. For example, the Eventide the rest track quickly, without latency or artifacts.
PitchFactor has an internal sequencer capable
of selecting from a few dozen preset musical
sequences. As you play a single note, the
sequencer pitch shifts the note to the current
note in the sequence.
The result harkens to the arpeggiated synth
runs found on ’80s records by Duran Duran and
synth pop pioneer Gary Numan. With full MIDI
connectivity, the Digitech’s Whammy can achieve
similar results. Pedal maker Molten Voltage created
the Molten MIDI, which stores MIDI sequences
and is specifically designed to interface with the
DigiTech Whammy to produce wild pitch shifting
arpeggios. While this may sound like a feat for the
experienced, these are all preset, out-of-the-box
settings that any player can tap easily.
Makers of pitch shifting devices are constantly
expanding their horizons and the capabilities of
their products. One maker, Snazzy FX, turned
back the clock in a more unique way. Their Wow
& Flutter device is essentially a delay pedal, but
premierguitar.com
DigiTech Whammy DT - DigiTech has always
been an innovator in the realm of pitch shifting.
Their aforementioned Ferrari red Whammy pedal
practically set the standard and has gone through
numerous iterations while staying relevant to
the musical needs of the time. The latest model,
the Whammy DT contains a few new features
including an array of pitch shift presets, improved
pitch shifting algorithms (for pristine pitch shifting,
free of digital artifacts), true-bypass switching, and
a slightly modified layout. The Whammy line, like
its name suggests, has typically focused on pitch
bending rather than shifting between set intervals.
In addition to bending your original signal, the
Whammy DT can produce a harmonic signal and
allow you to bend that signal alone! This a fantastic concert with the Clean Input, the Distortion Send/
tool for creating subtle musical bends that can Return can be used if you want to apply distortion
add a touch of harmonic richness to your chord before the harmonizing effect without confusing the
progressions. The new “drop tune” settings allow HarmonyMan’s stellar pitch tracking capabilities.
you to make a blanket pitch shift to your entire Eventide PitchFactor - All of the units in
signal at any half-step interval from plus 7 to minus Eventide’s Factor line pack an unprecedented
7, as well as octave-up and octave down. This new amount of versatility and control into a relatively
feature on the Whammy allows you to change the small package. With 11 knobs, 9 in/out jacks,
range of your instrument while staying in familiar MIDI capability, and 3 footswitches, the
fretboard territory. PitchFactor embodies the idea of an intimidating
DigiTech HarmonyMan - DigiTech’s latest effects unit. But the PitchFactor’s interface relies on
foray into the world of pitch modifying effects knobs more than menus and is therefore intuitive
pedals is the HarmonyMan. As its name suggests, and surprisingly user friendly. The PitchFactor has
the HarmonyMan focuses on all things harmony. the basics covered, including multi-voice (up to four
Its subtitle—Intelligent Pitch Shifter—suggests a voices) harmony, expression pedal control of pitch
unit that can detect key and adapt according to bends, and intelligent key detection. Additional
that information. The HarmonyMan does just features that set the PitchFactor apart includethe
that using its new musIQ mode to automatically unit’s 10 effects modes, send/return loop, user
detect a harmonic key. There are also two knobs preset storage, detailed mix control, extensive MIDI
(Voice1 & Voice2) that allow you to set the interval controllability, USB connectivity, a built-in tuner
of the voices independently. These knobs can be (strange that most other pitch-based effects don’t
used to control minor detuning, manual chromatic include this!), delay effects, and so much more.
intervals, and varying intervals that work with the Eventide has taken their top 10 pitch tools, new
pedal’s intelligent key detection. A cool feature in and old, and packed them into the PitchFactor
the HarmonyMan is the Sidechain input. If you as “effects.” This includes legendary harmonizing
plug a second guitar into this input, the internal giants H910 & H949. Other included settings
key detection will read from it. This is particularly enable chromatic pitch shifts in an astounding six-
awesome for duos where one guitarist plays rhythm octave range, arpeggiator sequencing, classic octave/
while the other solos over the top. Working in fuzz effects and numerous synthesizer tones.

Snazzy FX Wow & Flutter - Snazzy FX builds Synthesizers
totally analog, big, beautiful, hand-crafted pedals
that focus on doing something really cool, really History
well, while looking totally awesome in the process. The marriage of synthesizer and guitar is a
The Wow & Flutter is no exception. It is a delay decades-old relationship. And it’s been marked
pedal that pitch bends the delays with an intensity by a few blockbuster hits and some spectacular
that can be controlled by your playing dynamics. misses. Influential synth builder ARP created
The unit harkens to reel-to-reel units and other the Avatar in 1977, which required a special hex
tape machines where both delay and pitch can pickup and used pitch-to-voltage technology.
be modified by tinkering with the speed of the So few were actually sold that the company,
reels and the path of the tape. Imagine having which had previously produced such massively
a whammy bar that processes only your delays. influential synths as the 2600 and the Odyssey,
When used subtly, the Wow & Flutter can create nearly tanked.
a beautiful cloud of meandering delays that is Roland attempted the synth effect in the same
stunning. There are tons of usages for this pedal year as ARP with their GR-500. But though
using the nine controls knobs and I would strongly both companies faced similar challenges, Roland
suggest checking out this or any of the units in the experienced much greater success—most notably
Snazzy FX line. They’re all straightforward with the analog GR-700 in 1984 and the later digital
totally analog controls allowing you to sit back, spin GR-33. The GR-33 was a floor-based synth
some knobs, and zone out with your tone out. unit with the synth brain from their acclaimed
JV-1080 keyboard line and the company’s special
GK-2A pickup. The result was a wealth of synth
presets that widened guitarist’s palates like few
processors before it.
Many guitar synth pedals today do not require
a special pickup. Instead they use pitch tracking
to detect the pitch of your input signal and use
that information to tune and activate an internal
oscillator. In other words, the synth tone comes
directly from an actual synthesizer circuit, not
a modified version of your guitar signal. It’s a
much simpler approach that streamlines hardware,
simplifies the interface, and can transport your
guitar to new dimensions of tone possibilities.
Where You’ve Heard It

You certainly can’t talk about guitar synthesizers
without mentioning prog-rocker and studio
extraordinaire Adrian Belew. Though his primary
project is King Crimson, his unorthodox
virtuosity has been a highlight of records by art-
rock acts including Frank Zappa, David Bowie,
Talking Heads, and Nine Inch Nails. On the
King Crimson track “The Sheltering Sky” you
premierguitar.com
EBAY AMAZON REVERB
5/5 4.9/5 5/5

“Thanks for a super cool product! Love the look and the ease of setup
with this board. I was able to show it off this past weekend at a local
jam session. Thanks again!“ - Jay
“Man do I LOVE this thing. Everything is neat and totally secure!

I will definitely recommendthe Holeyboard to every guitar friend I have.
Thanks for such a great product!! Keep thinking differently.” - George L
“The Dragonfly is working great, easy to take anywhere.

And btw, the soft case is great. Rigid!” - Joakim B
“Thanks so much for taking care of me. Got the board in today
and it was perfect. I've got it set up. Thanks again!” - Adam W
“Hey man, just wanted to say I'm really loving the Dragonfly! Two thumbs up!”
- Jeremy W
“Best board in the business!” - Paul K
“Hey Chris, just wanted to let ya know I received the Holeyboard

about an hour ago and assembled it. Job well done man!
This board is bitchin! - Phil ®
can hear his synthesized lead work, which, like so a slap bass. A short sustain will whip the filter back
much of his work, blurs the line between guitar after the attack, again contributing to a percussive
and synthesizer. synth sound. The proper speed of the filter settings
Another more recent prog-rocker who utilizes depends on the speed of your riff, so plunk away
guitar synthesis as a regular feature of his playing and adjust accordingly.
is Omar Rodriquez-Lopez of The Mars Volta. On Creating a lush pad is a bit more work and may
their fantastic De-Loused In The Comatorium require some additional processing such as chorus,
album you can hear Rodriguez-Lopez’ infectious reverb, and delay, but the results can be stunning.
and energetic hard-rock playing style paired with The basic idea is that you want a darker tone,
long, avant garde-influenced noise sections which, a slower attack, and a harmonically rich mix
like Belew, blur the guitar/synth divide. In the of oscillators. For a darker tone, set the filter
track “Cicatriz E.S.P.,” filtered synth guitars subtly cutoff much lower so that high frequencies are
punctuate the transitions between brilliantly suppressed. Set the filter so that the attack sweeps
crafted song structures. are very slow, like an orchestral swell. Then add
some harmonic content like a major or minor 3rd,
How to Use It depending on your composition. More harmonic
The first step to tapping into a guitar synth content will help you to achieve a lush, rich
pedal is setting the input sensitivity so that the sounding synth pad.
pedal has enough signal to detect the pitch and
intensity of your playing. Typically there will be Controls
a dedicated control for this. It is often beneficial Wave - Depending on the unit, there may be
to roll your guitar’s tone knob to zero and use numerous voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)
the bridge pickup. This will eliminate excessive wave options. Some of the more common VCO
harmonic content that can confuse the pitch types include Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Ramp,
tracking mechanism. From this point you can start and Square. Sine is the simplest waveform
sculpting your synth tone. and produces the purest tone, generally free of
A basic synth lead is one of the simplest tones harmonic overtones and perfect for pads. Triangle
and easy to dial in quickly. Simply select an sounds like a brighter Sine wave. Sawtooth and
oscillator, disengage any filters, and let if fly. Ramp are inverted versions of the same waveform
The resulting sound has a bright, quick attack— and have a bit more upper harmonic content
like a guitar, but you can sustain steadily as long as that translates to a buzzing tone, rich in high
the unit detects your input signal, like a keyboard. frequencies, and perfect for cutting leads. Square
Many synth pedals also have harmonizing waves have a big bold melodic voice that is great
capabilities, which further contributes to a classic, for driving melodic lines, but also have a fair
emotive lead sound. amount of high frequency content. Pure square
For a synth bass tone, take the simple lead line wave evoke a vintage video game tone to most that
described above, lower the pitch of the synth can sound dated to some ears, but is perfect for
down one octave, and add a filter. The lower funky and unmistakably synthy sounds when you
octave fattens up the sound and the filter can be need them.
set to add a percussive element by setting it for a Filter – Because a single VCO can only
fast-but-not-too-fast attack and short sustain (or produce a single waveform, its frequency spectrum
decay, depending on the unit). The filter will open will remain steady without any shifts in tone
quickly as it detects a note creating a percussive characteristics (imagine the sound of a flat-line
sweep on the attack to roughly mimic the spank of heart monitor). This is why most synth pedals
premierguitar.com
run the oscillators through a voltage-controlled
filter (VCF). The filter allows you to change the
frequency spectrum of an oscillator over time,
producing a more natural note response. The
classic filter has four basic controls—Attack,
Decay, Sustain, Release. These controls determine
how fast or slow the filter responds to a note.
A quick attack will open the filter immediately
producing a bright blast, like a brass instrument. A
slow attack will produce a long swell from dark to
bright, like a rising orchestra.
Envelope - Another common element of
synthesizers is the envelope. Think of the envelope
like a VCF that reacts to the loudness of an
oscillator rather than frequency. In synth pedals
that are made for guitar, envelope controls are
less common because the unit uses your playing
dynamics to directly control the envelope, which
makes perfect sense for guitarists and makes the octaves. A Clean/Dirty switch adds a slight bit of
guitar a uniquely expressive interface for a synth. overdrive grit to the signal.
With the Sustain/Gate switch in Gate position
Pedals We Tested the synth signal will stop when the pedal stops
In terms of ease for achieving basic synth tones, detecting a signal. With the switch in Sustain
Subdecay’s Octasynth and Electro-Harmonix’s position, the synth signal will continue to oscillate
Micro Synthesizer are great for beginners looking until the pedal detects a new note. This is great
to get their synth on. We also tested some wilder for creating impossibly long sustaining notes. The
options for more adventurous players. multi-position Magical Selector is, not surprisingly,
Snazzy FX Mini-Ark - When it comes to an the most interesting control on the Mini-Ark. The
analog guitar synth you can’t get much more pure first position is the straightforward synth pitch-
and straightforward than the Mini-Ark. Not only shifting mode. The other settings modulate the
does it use playing dynamics and pitch to control oscillators in ways that vary from slight vibrato to
an internal analog VCO synthesizer, it also features unpredictable bends with crazy bursts of noise.
control voltage (CV) connectivity, making it as The Mini-Ark sounds thick and beautiful, is
much a guitar/modular synth interface as it is a extremely simple to use, and has some unusual
standalone synth pedal. capabilities that will keep things interesting. And
The Mini-Ark’s interval VCO is a square wave guitarists who work with modular synths are going
oscillator that has a distinct video-gamey type to dig this unit for its ability to interface with other
of sound that is full of high and low frequency CV capable gear.
content, making it great for cutting through a Pigtronix Mothership - Like the Mini-Ark, the
mix. In addition to the root note oscillator you Pigtronix Mothership is a monophonic analog guitar
have a multi-position Octave selector and a multi- synthesizer—it reads a single incoming note and
position Interval selector each with associated level responds with a variety of synth tones. Pigtronix
controls. There is an array of preset intervals that is one of those pedal makers that loves to give you
can be selected including thirds, fourths, fifths, and control of every aspect of the effect. And for some

players, just the sight of one of these beautifully
comprehensive units can boggle the mind. For
others, the sheer volume of controls and features pipes on the organ. The Pog 2 allows you to
adds substantial value and room to grow and learn. independently control the levels of octaves from
That’s exactly what you get with the Mothership. two octaves up to two octaves down. You’re also
With ten knobs, six switches, and five in/out jacks, able to control the attack of the octaves, detune
the Mohership might seem perplexing at first glance. higher octaves, and process the overall sound of
But the features make perfect sense with practice the unit with a completely adjustable low pass
in practical applications. One advantage to the resonant filter. The Pog 2 also enables presets to be
Mothership is that you can select between square saved for performance. That’s a lot of control and
wave and triangle wave oscillation. The triangle a ton of performance parameters. But the slider
waveform has a much smoother, less abrasive, interface makes tweaking absolutely intuitive.
and less distinctive sound than the square wave, Without the filter the Pog 2 produces a wide
which is great for creating softer synth sounds. The variety of convincing organ sounds, and can also
Mothership has a glide control for portamento be used subtly to thicken up your tone. You can
effects. You can also plug in an expression pedal to use the Pog 2 in the same way you would use any
control the Mothership’s whammy setting and the standard octave pedal too. Using the filter gives
pedal has a ring modulation circuit. It all adds up to you the ability to produce some more unique
a ridiculous amount of sonic possibilities. synthetic sounds and wah-wah-like tones.
Electro-Harmonix Pog 2 and Electro-Harmonix
HOG - These two well-known effects from EHX
could conceivably be discussed in either the synth
or pitch shifter category, but because you can range
from simple pitch shifting to thick organ-like walls of
sound they’re very synthy in terms of capabilities.
The second incarnation of the Polyphonic
Octave Generator (Pog 2) is the latest version of
EHX’s legendary Pog from 2005. This unit reads
your signal and produces numerous octave signals
that can be blended independently using sliders.
This sort of design takes its cue from the stop
controls on pipe organs where you adjust sliders
to control the amount of air sent to the various
premierguitar.com
The Harmonic Octave Generator (HOG) builds Dwarfcraft Devices Satan Oscillate My
on the basic idea behind the Pog but includes even Metallic Sonatas (SOMMS) - Dwarfcraft
more controls that allow you to shape your tone is probably best known for their utterly
even further. To start, the HOG gives you four destructive fuzz pedals, but they also have
octaves up, as well as three additional fifth interval a handful of completely oddball units that
sliders to add a bit more harmonic richness to defy categorization. The SOMMS is just one
your tone, creating an even more brilliant and such unit, and its capable of creating walls of
convincing organ tone. The HOG also allows you harmonically twisted synth tones that you can
to adjust the envelope of the lower pitch shifted blend with your dry guitar signal. The SOMMS
signals separately from the envelope on the higher has an input and an output, though it does not
pitch shifted signals. For instance, you can have modify your guitar signal in any way, nor are
the beefier low octaves start immediately while the oscillators within the unit controlled by the
shimmering higher octaves and fifths fade in guitar signal. A blend control determines the
slowly. The results are unique to the HOG—you balance of dry guitar versus internal synth in
can’t find these types of tones in any other unit. the output.
The HOG gives you expression pedal control The SOMMS has four independent square
over the octaves and/or filter if you opt for it, wave oscillators with controls to set the tuning
as well as MIDI connectivity and an optional and the level of each. The most interesting
performance footswitch used for storing and control is an ultra-cool joystick that is large and
recalling presets. And there are several functional rugged enough to be controlled with your foot.
modes that enable bends, filter modulation, and The SOMMS is most effective at creating a huge
freezing. You may have heard of the recent Freeze wall of unholy synth droning as a backdrop to
pedal from Electro-Harmonix. The functionality your guitar signal.
of that unit was pulled directly from the HOG’s
Freeze-Gliss setting. The basic idea behind the Ring Modulators
Freeze-Gliss setting is that you can capture a
moment in sound and let it sustain indefinitely History
while you play over the top. Fans of this mode Ring modulation first starting appearing in
liked it so much that EHX gave it its own pedal. modern and experimental music in the early
The possibilities are nearly endless with the HOG ’50s, though it has a parallel history in the radio
but, like the Pog 2, the intuitive slider interface industry, where it was used to enable stereo
eliminates confusion. broadcast of FM signal from radio waves. While
ring modulators have a practical function,
musicians and instrument builders alike were
intrigued by the radical musical potential of the
technology. Pioneer synth builder Don Buchla
incorporated a simple ring-mod circuit into his
groundbreaking Buchla 100 Modular Synthesizer
in 1963. At about the same time, revolutionary
composer Karlheinz Stockhausen began scoring
music that called for numerous ring modulators
to be used to process pianos, trumpets, and
flutes in a live performance setting.

Where You’ve Heard It and timbres that are impossible to achieve
During the solo of Black Sabbath’s heavy metal using any other means. Most of the difficulty in
super-hit “Paranoid,” guitarist Tony Iommi makes controlling the effect stems from controlling the
use of a ring modulator to add a fuzzy, stuttering pitch of the carrier wave. A little experience and
element to his already fuzzy tone. But its most trial-and-error experimentation with the ring
recognizable uses are often in soundtrack work, mod can go a long way, and place a wealth of
where they lend a sci-fi aura. timbres is at your fingertips.
Some ring mod circuits like the Pigtronix
How to Use It Mothership with its “Intelligent Ring Mod”
At its core, ring modulation is an amplitude function, can read your guitar’s pitch and use that
modulation effect. Without getting too technical, to tune the carrier wave. Most ring mod pedals
your input signal is essentially joined with an purposefully do not have this ability as the ring
oscillator signal known as a carrier wave. When the mod effect produces its most interesting results
signals interact some are canceled and others are when the carrier wave and your incoming signal
enhanced. The carrier wave is generated by the ring are harmonically dissimilar. On the majority
mod effect and most ring mods have a control to of ring mods, a pitch knob or expression pedal
set the pitch of the carrier wave. If the carrier wave control bends the carrier wave on a continuous
pitch is lowered below the level of human hearing plain from low to high frequencies. In other
(~20hZ) then the resulting ring mod will produce words, the possibilities are nearly endless.
the stuttering effect described above in “Paranoid.”
Higher pitched settings of the carrier wave Pedals We Tested
produce audible resonant frequencies, like those Way Huge Ringworm - Way Huge is one
inherent to tuned percussion instruments like of those pedal builders that seems to just get
bells, chimes, and pipes. everything right. Their well-built pedals marry
simple layouts with excellent tones, and their
Controls Ringworm ring modulator is no exception. The
Blend - The ring mod effect is similar to pitch five relatively straightforward controls enable you
shifters, delay and reverb effects in the sense that to get you up-and-running in no time and yet
the effect is enhanced by having the dry signal the pedal has enough depth to keep you coming
present. For this reason it would be challenging to back for more. The Ringworm has all of the
use a ring mod pedal without a blend control. standard controls including Blend and Frequency
Waveform - Many ring mod pedals, such as (also controllable via expression pedal input), but
the Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing and the Way it also has selectable waveform modes, among
Huge Ringworm, will allow you to determine the other controls. The waveform modes add an extra
waveform shape of the carrier wave. This may be level of tone shaping capability to an otherwise
sine, triangle, sawtooth, square, ramp, or others. pristine-sounding ring mod circuit. These modes
Changing the carrier waveform will allow you a include square-wave modulation (for 1950s
greater ability to shape your tone. In the same way flying saucer sound), random (for 1950s flying-
that a sine wave has a softer sound than a sawtooth saucer-on-drugs sound), envelope follower (for
wave, so will a sine carrier wave in a ring mod laser blasts), and standard triangle & sine waves
pedal produce a softer overall tone than a sawtooth modes. The Ringworm is capable of going totally
carrier wave. far-out but it also handles standard bell-like ring
Pitch - The ring mod effect can be difficult mod timbres and swimming psychedelic tones
to grasp and master, but it can produce tones with ease.
premierguitar.com
Each of these modes enables you to modulate
frequencies via the unit’s range of multi-function
knobs. The Ring Thing can do 8-bit style video
game tones, vintage sci-fi tones, rich harmonic
ring mod timbres, trippy filter tremolos, and sub-
octave pitch shifting, among other sounds.
Dwarfcraft Hax - When Dwarfcraft sits
down to make a pedal that does X, they’ll
inevitably wind up with something that does
X8*#jfi%a))@7wwwWWW1. That goes for their
entry into the ring mod world, the Hax. The Hax is
a blistering ring mod pedal with a huge pitch range
made possible by a footswitch that selects between
HI frequency range and LOW frequency range.
The unit also includes a tasty fuzz circuit with a
voltage starve control called CRASH for creating
phenomenal gated fuzz tones that clash gloriously
with the ring mod tones. Control of the carrier
wave frequency is made possible via control knob or
Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing - EHX has expression pedal. The minimal controls on the Hax
a long history in many worlds of guitar effects, make it very easy to get cool sounds without endless
including ring modulation. In 1978 they release tweaking. The interaction of the ring mod circuit
their first ring mod pedal dubbed the Frequency with the distortion circuit is phenomenal. You can
Analyzer. Like the Analyzer, the Ring Thing is a use the ring mod subtly to create a unique and
ring mod, but it’s also a pitch shifter, a tremolo, slightly off-kilter fuzz tone that sounds quite unlike
a rotary-speaker emulator, and more. The Ring any other pedal. On the other hand, you can crank
Thing packs tons of features including numerous the ring mod and blast the fuzz circuit to create
expression pedal inputs, preset storage, waveform strange sounds and textures that are completely
selection, multi-function knob controls, and a filter. outside known solar systems.
Four operating modes set the Ring Thing Moog Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator
even further apart and include ring mod, upper - One ring to rule them all. One Moog to find
sideband modulation (processes only the high them. It’s hard to imagine modern music without
frequencies), lower sideband modulation (processes Robert Moog’s legendary sonic inventions. For one
on the low frequencies), and pitch shift settings. thing, it would be a lot less weird.
Moog’s MF-102 Ring Modulator is essentially
a modular synth section in a stompbox with some
built-in connectivity for guitarists. The layout is
very guitarist-friendly, and cool effects like bell-
like tones, tremolo, spacey swirls, alien space
vehicles, and beyond, are attainable through just
a few intuitive knob twists. An internal LFO can
be used to add movement to the carrier wave,
which really opens up more swirling and bending
possibilities. A drive control is also included so you

warm, well-defined tones that are studio worthy.
The MF-102, like its modular forebearers, is
built with interconnectivity in mind. Nearly all
parameters are controllable via control voltage
(CV), which enables you to wire the unit to
a wide range of other gear, including other
Moogerfoogers. When it comes to sonic clarity
and definition, Moogerfoogers are king.
Z.Vex Ringtone - Z Vex’s Ringtone is one
of the most unique entries in the ring mod
stompbox world. It’s built around an eight-step
sequencer that makes it possible to adjust the
carrier pitch independently at each step. The
sequencer scans across eight LEDs that represent
each step and a tiny potentiometer under each
LED to adjust the pitch of that step. You can
also set the speed of the sequencer either via tap-
tempo or potentiometer. A three-position switch
allows you to shorten the sequence to 4 steps or
completely randomize the sequencer.
The sequencer produces rhythmic changes to
the ring mod setting, producing a range of sounds
from telephone auto-dialer to jumbled robot
can overdrive the unit introduce a bit of warm, babble. By turning down the ring mod mix and
analog distortion. throwing a reverb in the chain you can use the
Moog’s wares are typically top-of-the-line Ringtone to create some subtle, shifting textures,
quality, bordering on luxurious, and this particular perfect for that extra flavor to set your tone apart.
Moogerfooger is no exception. The 100 percent The wet/dry mix, meanwhile can be set via a
analog circuitry delivers superb sound quality and control inside the unit, which may be the only
premierguitar.com
drawback of the small enclosure, but it’s a more instrument. On their second major album release,
than fair trade given how many unique sounds Broken—which Reznor once referred to as a
there are within. “blast of sonic destruction”—you can hear the
grinding guitar tones on the song “Wish.”
The Melvins are another frequent user of
Destruction extreme distortion. Their drop-tuned guitars and
driving bass lines are both typically saturated
History
to an ultra high gain tone that makes up their
It’s inevitable that musicians will tear apart their
sludgy sound. Guitarist Buzz Osborne achieves
instruments and tools in ways that will anger
his tone by slamming high gain amps including
traditionalists. Studio engineers have taken knives
classic Marshall and Sunn amps with distortion
to speaker cones, guitarists have driven their
stompboxes such as the Pro Co Rat.
amplifiers well beyond their intended capacity,
Noise pioneers Sonic Youth even explored
and yet the results of such seemingly insane
the use of real destruction to capture broken
activities have become cornerstones of guitar tone
sounds—recording the sound of Thurston
for generations of rockers to come. You’re going
Moore’s amp as it perished from a choked
to be hard pressed to find a guitarist who doesn’t
cooling amp in the studio to create “Scooter
use overdrive or distortion in some capacity, even
and Jinx” from Goo.
though distortion was considered an undesirable
condition for years. What lies at the heart of
How to Use It
these tonal exploits is the usage of noise as an
A minimal level of experience with distortion
attractive and desirable element of music, and
pedals is all you need to get rolling with some
that drive is as old as the electric guitar itself.
of the more recent entries into the world of all-
Consider these classic cases. On Link Wray’s
out sonic assault. Typically the controls on these
classic instrumental “Rumble” he pushed his
sonic beasts are going to be similar to an average
Premier amp beyond its intended capabilities to
distortion stompbox—they just have a greater
reach a warm distorted sound. A few years later,
capacity for gain, and a few bells and whistles to
on The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” lead guitarist
make them wail. The basic idea behind distortion
Dave Davies took a razorblade to his speaker
is that you’re turning up the signal so high
cones to achieve a gritty, brittle overdrive. Those
that you cross the circuit’s clean threshold. The
experiments helped facilitate the development and
resulting decapitated waveforms can have a noisier,
demand for early fuzz circuits. And it was only a
harmonically richer content than their source.
short time before amp makers such as Marshall
A spongy, grainy tone likely calls for a fuzz
were designing their gear with controls capable
pedal such as the EHX Big Muff. A punchy, mid-
of intentional distortion. Now that distortion is
rangy tone may call for a classic tube modeler
commonplace in the electric guitar’s vocabulary, a
like the Ibanez Tube Screamer. For a snappy,
number of pedal builders have taken up the torch
razor sharp tone, digital distortion may be just
in developing tools that will destroy guitar signal
the ticket. Most of the uber-destructive pedals
in new and exciting ways.
we tested, like most distortion pedals, have
Where You’ve Heard It a lot in common with one these three tonal
You can’t talk about all-out sonic destruction buckets. Because the results are so wide-ranging,
without talking about Nine Inch Nails. Trent most of this section will focus on the seven
Reznor’s guitar- and synth-driven brand of effects we tested as a jump-off point for your
industrial rock utilizes noise as if it were its own experimentation.

Controls to achieve tones that range from Big Muff-style
Gain - As with every distortion stompbox, the gated fuzz to all-out vintage arcade noise.
higher the gain, the greater the clipping within the The 124 wavetables, selectable with a
circuit. Like the gas control on your stove, a higher dedicated knob, allow you to further shape
setting means more heat and sizzle. In this section the sound using a range of preset sonic flavors
we take the gain way beyond 11. that enhance different frequency spectrums.
Tone - Most distortion pedals have some sort of The Geiger Counter’s versatility in the realm of
equalization control that allows you to tweak the digital distortion is truly unprecedented. Tasting
frequency response of your tone. Results may vary the flavors of the Geiger Counter is often akin
from throaty distortion to sparkling fuzz. touching your tongue to a 9-volt battery.
Pedals We Tested
WMD Geiger Counter - WMD has developed
one of the most destructive distortion circuits in
their Geiger Counter. A combination of digital
and analog signal processing married to an
astounding 124 wavetables gives the unit nearly
limitless power to shape your tone. Controls
include Gain, Tone, Bit Rate, Sample Depth,
and many others. The atypical features and
layout may seem confusing at first blush, but
they’re simply different flavors of distortion.
These distortion tones have an unapologetically
digital sound to them owing to the micro-
processor within, but these can be the ticket to Dwarfcraft The Great Destroyer -
some of the most demented distortion of all. Dwarfcraft’s The Great Destroyer shares a name
with a Nine Inch Nails song, and it also aptly
describes the primary usage of the unit. With
controls like Volume, Tone, Gain, and Starve it
can operate within the scope of your average fuzz
pedal. And yet, like other Dwarfcraft stompboxes,
it goes beyond the typical characteristics of
similar pedals and into the range of all-out sonic
assault that typifies a Nine Inch Nails track.
At higher gain settings the GD barfs out
squealing self-oscillation. Using its Starve control
you can achieve such noisy, sputtering, gated fuzz
Bit Rate and Sample Depth dictate how fast that your audience will be convinced that your
this processor analyzes your signal. Low Bit rig is meeting its end before their ears.
Rate and Sample Depth settings will simulate The sonic possibilities are wide and you’ll be
the sound of old video game consoles like the surprised at how truly versatile this unit can
Atari 2600 and Nintendo Entertainment System be. Top it off with a huge output boost and the
(NES). And depending on the range of the Bit Great Destroyer is a titan among destructive
Rate and Sample Depth controls you’ll be able stompboxes.
premierguitar.com
Death By Audio Total Sonic Annihilation, control that allows you to adjust the frequency
Apocalypse, and Robot - With a company name response to your liking. Their next stompbox in
like Death By Audio, how could you not have our list and their most recent, the Apocalypse,
a unit or two in this category of devastators? has a control called the Sweepable Frequency
In fact, I’ll mention three of them: Total Sonic Equalizer to color your tone. The Apocalypse
Annihilation (TSA), Apocalypse, and Robot. is a five-channel sonic fuzz beast with some
First, TSA has a single control knob making it simple controls and a brilliantly versatile array
a fairly straightforward unit to operate, however of ear-splittingly delicious fuzz circuits. It’s that
its capabilities are beyond the limits of your simplistic versatility that makes it one of my
average distortion pedal because it is made to favorite fuzz pedals to come out in recent years.
work with other pedals. The pedal’s send/return With its five-position control knob you can select
loop is used to take the signal from other pedal between scooped fuzz, harmonic fuzz, JFET fuzz,
and utterly demolish it. Delay, reverb, even other octave fuzz, and all-out splatter barf fuzz.
distortion pedals can be placed in the loop and The next pedal from DBA is the Robot. In
the resulting ultra-saturation will breathe new some ways a synth/pitch pedal, the Robot uses a
life into them. The single control knob sets the lo-fi 8-bit micro-processor to make your guitar
amount of internal gain. Oh, and there’s also a sound like a cold, synthetic…robot! The Robot
skillet of hot bacon grease somewhere inside this starts with four modes: normal (hardly!), Octave
unit because even when you back off your guitar’s Up, Octave Down, and Arpeggiator. Essentially,
volume control your tone is still going to sound these are all bit-destructive pitch shifting modes.
like sizzling meat. DBA’s advice with the TSA is The pitch-shifted signal has an unapologetically
“Stomp on the switch and destroy the world!” vintage digital sound and can be shifted using a
Intermodulating fuzz tones are utilized heavily large control knob.
in DBA’s sonic weapons which makes for a lot In Arpeggiator mode, the control knob adjusts
of buzzing, high frequency content and the the speed of the random arpeggiator. This makes
bubbling, out-of-control sustain that sounds like your guitar sound like an unfortunate robot with
notes are folding over upon themselves. In an frayed circuits, taking its last robotic breath. For
attempt to wrangle in such a beastly concept, its faltering mechanical tone, I’ve placed it here
DBA sometimes includes some sort of tone with DBA’s other sonic destroyers.

tremolo, vibrato, and filter sweeps. Pulse width
controls for the fundamental and sub-octave
signals provide further tonal flexibility. There are
numerous possibilities with the Pulsemonger but
what it really excels at is fiery, gated synth fuzz.
Z.Vex Machine - Part of what has garnered
Z.Vex pedals a lot of space on the pedalboards of
guitarists is their creative and sometimes totally
off-the-wall circuits. The Machine definitely falls
in both of those categories. A typical distortion
pedal achieves its tone by pushing a circuit beyond
its limit, consequently hacking off the top and
bottom of the waveform. The Machine is the exact
Synthmonger Pulsemonger MKI - Sonically opposite—it distorts the signal during its quieter
similar to the DBA Robot, but much more tonally moments. On its own, the result is what you might
versatile—the Pulsemonger is Synthmonger’s expect—the dry signal somewhat preserved with an
entry in the destruct sweeps. The Pulsemonger’s ungodly, noisy distortion sustaining throughout.
unpainted plain-text box, CV inputs, and controls This may sound absolutely disgusting—and in
like Pulse Width, give it an experts-only, industrial some ways it is—but, on the other hand, you retain
feel. Its fairly simple to grasp, however. The pedal a lot of dynamic expressiveness while your overall
uses low-frequency oscillators (LFOs) to hack tone has the impression of total raunch. Input
up your guitar’s incoming signal and spit it back level, output level and a Limit control round out
out with blistering ferocity. There are two output the control set.
controls governing the level of the fundamental Though the Machine sounds wild on its own,
frequency (tuned to the note you’re playing)— it also sounds great when chained with other
exactly like your average octave pedal. distortion pedals. With your choice of distortion
Make no mistake, though, this is no average clipping the signal peaks and the Machine
octave pedal. An LFO shape control allows you adding distortion everywhere in-between, the
to give the overall tone crispy definition on one resulting tone has a truly combined coloration
hand, or the smear of molten metal on the other. of two different drive tones, rather than an over-
LFO modulation has many different uses including compressed sludge.
premierguitar.com
Read PG's enhanced
digital magazine online!
A Live
Looping Lesson
Whether you use a simple one-shot looper or
a complex multitrack model, these tips can
enliven your loop-based performances.
BY JOE GORE
TC Electronic
L
ooping means many things to many players.
had an instant
hit with Ditto, For some, a looper is simply a handy
a one-shot composition tool, great for devising parts
looper with that work well together. Others use looper pedals
minimal
controls. for textural variation in an otherwise non-looped
The recently performance. And some ambitious players create
introduced entire concerts from loops.
Ditto X2 adds
reverse and Today’s looping devices reflect this range
half-speed of applications. On the simple side, there are
modes plus compact one-shot, single-track loopers such
the ability to
export your as TC Electronic’s Ditto and Hotone’s Wally.
creations. Single-track looping also appears on digital
multi-effectors such as Line 6’s DL4 and TC
Electronic’s Flashback 4. On the opposite end
of the spectrum are elaborate multitrack loopers
such as Boomerang III, Electro-Harmonix’s
45000, and Boss’s RC-300. Checking in between
those extremes are such gizmos as Pigtronix’s
Infinity Looper and Vox’s Lil’ Looper, both of
which offer two tracks of looping for not much
more than you’d spend on a single-track model.
There’s much variation from model to model. consider your needs in advance and research each
Some loopers remember your recordings from looper’s features.
previous sessions, while others forget everything (I use “one-shot” to refer to loopers that store
the instant you unplug. Some include built-in only a single loop, though you can overdub onto
modeling or effects. Others, like Line 6’s JM4 with that loop as much as you like. Other models let
its prerecorded rhythm-section tracks, emphasize you record and play back many loops, but I don’t
jamming and practicing. It definitely pays to call them “multitrack” unless they let you combine
premierguitar.com
“Some photographers recommend snapping the shutter on
the exhale for increased camera stability, and the technique
often works when setting loop points. Our bodies just seem
to flail a bit less when we breathe out.”
multiple loops, or toggle between them to create Our focus is spontaneous, realtime looping.
multi-section compositions.) This lesson doesn’t cover such topics as integrating
While I hope you find useful info here, not prerecorded loops into your performances, syncing
everything will be relevant to your gear, needs, your looper with other musicians’ time-based
and tastes. So first, a word about how this lesson devices, or using your looper as a practicing tool.
is organized:
PART 1: LOOPING BASICS
• Looping Basics covers tips and techniques Get on the good foot. Do you have trouble
valid for all looping devices, even the simplest consistently creating tight, rhythmically accurate
single-shot/single-track models. loops? It could be simple performance anxiety.
• Multitrack Techniques focuses on arranging Many of us tend to speed up—and tense up—as
and performing with advanced loopers, with an we approach a loop point. If we accelerate at the
emphasis on breaking out of predictable looping. end of a phrase, the loop feels wobbly. If we strike
• Digital Possibilities explores the mischief you the note immediately following the loop point
can make when looping within a digital system, a bit early, we get a glitch when the premature
be it laptop-based or a standalone hardware rig. attack collides with the loop’s start point.
With hundreds
of prerecorded
backing tracks,
Line 6’s JM4
emphasizes
practicing and
jamming. It’s
a single-track
model, yet
it’s packed
with features,
including XLR
input, amp
modeling,
effects, tone
controls, and
a tuner.

Boss’ RC-300
is a 3-track
looper with
dedicated
transport
controls for
each loop and
an integrated
expression
pedal. Also
onboard: built-
in effects, XLR
mic input, and
track faders.
If these are problems for you, make a point to Also, be aware that the “touch” varies from
relax your body and breathe fully before you click looper to looper. Some use hard-clicking
record. Some photographers recommend snapping mechanical switches, while others employ soft-
the shutter on the exhale for increased camera touch relays. Some have small switches, others
stability, and the technique often works when larger pads. Less obvious is the fact that loopers
setting loop points. Our bodies just seem to flail a use varying crossfade techniques to smooth loop
bit less when we breathe out. points, and one pedal’s algorithm may simply
For all our digital dexterity, we guitarists can be feel more natural than another’s. Yeah, only poor
terribly clumsy. This may sound silly, but can you craftspeople blame their tools, but it helps to have
consistently tap your foot in time while playing, the tools that best suit you. If all else fails, try
even when your part doesn’t fall on the downbeat? another device.
Can you do the same with your non-dominant Spatial smarts. The orchestration techniques
foot? Practicing this may help. required when arranging and mixing songs apply
If your looper lives on a pedalboard, make here. For parts to have impact, you must clear
sure it occupies an ergonomic position. The less away other parts that compete sonically. Try
distance your foot must travel, the tighter your leaving rhythmic “holes” in your loops, places
loops are likely to be. The same goes for altitude: where other parts can peek through. (Think “call
The closer the switch is to the ground, the better and response.”) Before adding a new layer, pause
your odds of nailing a perfect loop. Is your looper to determine the spots in the phrase that haven’t
on the raised rear section of a multi-tier board? been filled yet. Avoid the automatic tendency
Try moving it to the front row, nearest your foot. to strike a strong downbeat precisely at the loop
“Loopers use varying crossfade techniques to

smooth loop points, and one pedal’s algorithm
may simply feel more natural than another’s.”
premierguitar.com
point. If you’re accustomed to playing solo or in
a small band, it may feel strange to leave so many
gaps. But once your looper starts rolling, you’re
not really a soloist anymore.
The same applies to your note choices: It’s often
good when layers occupy distinct registers. If, for
example, you’ve just laid down a darkly thudding
sixth-string bass line and are moving on to chords, tone chain.) You may find yourself using stompbox
it may be more effective to voice them delicately controls in new ways. Extreme tone settings
on the upper strings than to pound out fat barre you’d normally avoid might fit as perfectly as the
chords whose low notes may obscure the bass last jigsaw puzzle piece. Careful, though, about
line. If you concoct a cool part that doesn’t fit slathering on too much distortion, which can
the emerging texture, consider transposing it up muddy the waters. So too can delay effects that
or down an octave. Also try leaving space within trail on after you stop playing, or heavy-feedback
chords. For example, instead of strumming across phaser and flanger whose sweep points don’t align
all six strings, just pluck selected ones. between loop phrases. Tap-tempo effects can
Ex. 1 features a loop whose rhythmic gaps and smooth the process.
contrasting registers help each layer speak clearly. Double trouble. Unless you play with panning
(discussed below in the digital section), literally
doubling a part can be a bad idea. Because both
parts get bounced to a single digital track, strict
doubling is less likely to increase mass and impact
than to produce an unattractively thick and blurry
texture. On the other hand, doubling at the
octave or harmonizing at other intervals can be
High-contrast tones. We tend to like our very effective. Ex. 3 features a brutal bit-crushed
guitar tones as fat and rich as possible, but that’s riff. Instead of doubling it exactly with another
not always the best approach for looping. It’s distorted sound, I mirror it an octave above.
usually more important to distinguish each tone,
which can mean using tones you might normally
avoid. It’s not so much a case of thinking small
as thinking focused. Even if you seldom use your
tone controls, try rolling off all the treble for
that bass line. It may seem dark and dull at first,
but it provides sonic space for parts residing in
other registers. Likewise, the shrieking sound of Be odd. The advanced section below focuses
a single-coil bridge pickup through a wah might on making loops less predictable via multiple
be unbearable on its own, but a perfect choice tracks. But here’s a rhythmic variation trick you
for, say, a syncopated accent on a fourth overdub. can perform even on the simplest looper: Create a
In Ex. 2, a disparate set of tones creates a rich loop with an odd number of bars, and then play
composite texture. against it in phrases with an even bar count. In
Your other pedals can help individual parts Ex. 4, I loop a three-bar pattern with a rhythmic
stand out. (This is one of many reasons that variation in the third bar, and then play against
loopers usually reside at or near the end of your it in four-bar phrases. The alternate rhythm falls

Boomerang
III (seen here
on my digital
pedalboard)
boasts four
independent
tracks. The
optional Side
Car (sold
separately) lets on bar three of the first four-bar phrase, bar two Explore the space. Another way to differentiate
you access most of the second phrase, and bar one of the third. parts is to mix dry, present sounds with distant,
of the device’s
functions Voila! Even though it’s a static loop, it feels like ambient ones. Think in terms of a three-
without it’s shifting. dimensional soundstage, with some parts
reprogramming Get off the one. Sometimes it’s effective to seemingly close to the listener’s ear and other
buttons on
the main unit. build from a loop that doesn’t start with a strong further away, as in Ex. 7.
It’s a powerful downbeat accent. That’s especially true if you can
and ergonomic fake out listeners about the true location of the
looper, but
its memory downbeat. In Ex. 5, for example, I commence
is strictly with an offbeat reggae-style skank, which we tend
volatile—once to hear as a downbeat until the groove materializes
you power
down, your to set us straight.
recordings
are gone.
If your looper lives on a

pedalboard, make sure it
occupies an ergonomic
Alter the attack. You can add variety and help position. The less distance your
looped layers gel by varying your note attack. For foot must travel, the tighter
example, try fading in a chord with your guitar’s
volume knob or a volume pedal, or using an EBow your loops are likely to be.
for sustained, string-like textures, as in Ex. 6.
premierguitar.com
Stop the damn looper. Sometimes the most Electro-
Harmonix’s
effective looping technique is to turn everything 45000 is a full-
off and play in real time for a bit, which can featured 4-track
provide desperately needed dynamics. For looper with
faders for each
example, construct a huge loop, and then pause track and the
suddenly for a quiet, clean-toned improv that ability to store
gradually builds before climaxing with the return all your work. Its
tabletop format
of the big loop, as in Ex. 8. makes it a
favorite among
vocalists and
DJs, but when
you add the
optional foot
controller (sold
separately),
it becomes a
brilliant tool for
Or think shorter: Simply click off the loop on guitarists
And that’s not the only predictability problem in as well.
the last beat or two of a section, aerating the texture looped music. Looped performances tend to fall
before the loop kicks back in (Ex. 9). Extra credit if into a uniform structure:
you fill the gap with an unexpected new sound.
1. Play awesome part.
2. Stack another awesome part.
(Repeat as desired.)
3. Marvel at your glorious sound tapestry.
4. End.
Nothing wrong with that—it’s a dramatic and

Another fun trick: If your loop starts with a compelling form. But an entire set like that, with
powerful attack, try turning off the loops, playing every piece steadily ramping up to maximum
solo, and then quickly flicking the loop on and density before a slow fade or a hard stop? Every
off for a surprising “stab” chord, as in Ex. 10. song shaped like an isosceles triangle tipped onto
It’s especially startling when you drop an accent its longest side? That’s the opposite of dramatic
somewhere other than on the downbeat. and compelling.
The good news is, once you move up to a
looper with two, three, or four tracks, you have far
more ways to defy listener expectations. That’s our
focus here.
Dub-wise. If your looper lets you play multiple
tracks simultaneously, you can add variation
by combining interlocking parts in varying
configurations. On my 4-track Boomerang III,
PART 2: MULTITRACK TECHNIQUES for example, I can use one channel as the master,
The predictability problem. The problem with and combine it with one other channel. In other
loops is … they’re loops! Once they’ve cycled words, I can have Loop A play along with Loop
around a few times, listeners know what to expect. B or Loop C, but not all three together, and not

B plus C. Still, that’s seven possible permutations:
A alone, B alone, C alone, D alone, A + B, A
+ C, and A + D. A four-layer loop on a single-
track sampler may sound great, but it’s static.
On a multitrack, you can practically create an
arrangement just by combining those four parts in
shifting configurations, dub-style, as in Ex. 11.
transitioning to a new section. Say you’ve built up
a fabulous four-layer A section, and now you’re
ready to build the big chorus: How do you avoid
a massive energy drop when you must start with a
single part? Easy—start the B section with a loud,
aggressive new tone with so much impact that
listeners don’t realize you’re downsizing from four
layers to one (Ex. 14).
Undo me, baby. Multitrack loopers are
likelier than single-track ones to have an undo
function. With undo, you can create “two loops
in one” by working the undo/redo switch. You
might, for example, build up a layered loop, and
then switch to the stripped-down version behind
a solo, as in Ex. 12.
Erase while you riff. This technique requires
coordination, but when it works, it’s great: If you run
out of tracks mid-arrangement, but you no longer
need one of your parts, try erasing it while playing
over another section, freeing it for a new part.
Faded glory. If your looper has a fade function,
you can create beautifully trippy endings and
Copy and paste. A fancier variation on the
transitions by ducking down your loops while
undo/redo trick above: While building a layered
playing over them in real time. Having one part
texture, pause early in the process to copy the
fade while another holds steady adds cool variation
loop-in-progress to a second track, and then finish
and complexity, as in Ex. 15.
creating the texture on the original track. Then
you can toggle between a complex version of the
section and a simpler one.
Rip your riff in two. Sometimes it works to
split a part across two tracks—say, the first two
bars of an eight-bar phrase on one track, and the
other six bars on another. If the first two bars
work on their own as a vamp, you can hang out
PART 3: DIGITAL POSSIBILITIES
on them for a solo section or breakdown before
What? Isn’t all looping digital? Nowadays, pretty
returning to the full eight-bar phrase, as in Ex. 13.
much, though the technique was born in the
Big bang B sections. The biggest hurdle
1950s with the tape loop experiments of the
when playing song-like structures with loops is
premierguitar.com
so-called musique concrète composers, whose the software realm, such as impulse-response
techniques were later adopted by such rock avant- reverbs, granular delays, bit crushers, and beat
gardists as the Beatles, Zappa, and Brian Eno. slicers. Nowadays you sometimes find such
But I refer here to using looping within digital effects in stompbox form, but still, migrating to
guitar setups, be they laptop rigs or hardware digital opens the door to many mind-blowing
digital amp/effectors. Working in that realm opens software processors. Ex. 16 features a few
up even more possibilities—including replacing cool oddballs that, as far as I know, are only
your hardware looper with a looping plug-in such accessible in software.
as Expert Sleepers’ Augustus Loop, the freeware
SooperLooper, or Loopback, which is included in
Apple’s MainStage software.
Quick-change tones. When you create tones
in software, it’s usually easy to switch between
preset patches, making it easier to generate high-
contrast, quick-change tones. You can switch
virtual amps and effects with a single click, Sampled underfoot. Oh jeez, the trouble you
as opposed to attempting balletic pedalboard can get into if you add a MIDI pickup such as
moves. In MainStage (my performing software of Fishman’s TriplePlay. That provides access to
choice, though I rely on a hardware looper), you hundreds, if not thousands, of virtual instruments
can create unlimited sound snapshots and step and sample libraries—including drums.
between them using a MIDI controller pedal. Drums for days. Triggering drums via MIDI
That syncing feeling. In digital rigs, it’s easy to guitar can be tricky. Timing inaccuracies you’d
set a global tempo for all delay and modulation never noticed while playing guitar can become
effects, as opposed to adjusting multiple glaringly obvious. Attempting this technique
stompboxes from song to song. Just assign a MIDI can do wonders for your sense of rhythm,
footswitch (such as Logidy’s UMI3) as a tap-tempo though you may find yourself making fewer
control. That way, everything can wobble and drummer jokes after walking a mile or two in
echo in time, even when you change patches. those big clown shoes.
Panorama-O-Rama. If you’re recording or Some tips:
performing through a stereo rig and have a stereo • Set your software’s latency as low as possible
sampler, panning can lend spaciousness to dense (the fastest setting before you encounter audio
textures. I often assign a MIDI controller pedal to glitches). The exact setting depends on your
a pan pot so I can position parts within the “mix.” computer’s processor speed. On a recent model
Exclusively software effects. Not long ago, Mac Pro, for example, I can run sessions at a swift
there were many cool effects available only in 64 samples. At that speed, you can’t really hear a

delay between string and sound, though you can
often feel it, especially at faster tempos. Getting
solid drum grooves requires practice.
• Most MIDI drum kits follow a standard note
assignment, with kick assigned to MIDI note C1,
snare to C2, hat to F#1/A#1, and so on. However,
the lowest note on a standard-tuned guitar is
E1, so you must transpose. Most samplers and
virtual drum kits let you reassign drum voices
to different note triggers, but instead of moving
sounds individually, I recommend transposing
everything up two octaves so the kick falls on C3
(equivalent to your second string, first fret), snare
on D3, etc. DAWs perform this feat in varying
ways. In Logic and MainStage, for example, Back it up. While some loopers let you create
you change the input channel’s MIDI transpose backward loops, the forward/backward status is
parameter from zero to -24, representing two usually global for all tracks. For example, in order
octaves. That way, when you finger the note C3, to add a reverse solo to a running loop, you must
the sampler plays the kick assigned to C1, and so reverse all the loops, play the solo forward, and
on. Now you can play most software drum kits then reverse the direction again for all parts. It
using the same positions and fingerings. Bonus may be more efficient to use a reverse-delay plug-
benefit: MIDI pickups tend to track faster on in, such as Tru-Tape Delay in Apple’s Logic and
high strings because skinny wires settle into a MainStage, or Psychedelay in Native Instruments’
definitive pitch more quickly than fat strings. Guitar Rig. A backward Tru-Tape Delay solo
• YouTube videos prove that some keyboardists appears 45 seconds into Ex. 19
and guitarists have developed amazing “fake
drum” skills. But beware of the “uncanny
valley”—a term used in robotics to describe the
revulsion we instinctively feel when artificial
human features are almost, but not quite,
accurate. Most of us would rather interact with
a robot that has stylized features than a super-
realistic one that’s still clearly a robot. When Steal from EDM. Try integrating electronic
mimicking a drum kit, sometimes it’s better dance music techniques, like using synth swells,
to simplify—or even just imply—drum parts, risers, and stingers to add motion and momentum
rather than attempting to mimic every nuance to otherwise static loops. For example, inserting
of a human performance. Not-quite humans a synth crescendo a bar or two before switching
are creepy. So are some not-quite-human MIDI tracks can make transitions more exciting, as in
drum performances. Ex. 20 at the 01:20 mark.
Loopaholics, unite! I hope you find some of
The pseudo-drums in Ex. 17 and Ex. 18 aren’t these ideas useful. And if you’ve developed cool
prefab loops—they’re all performed note-for-note looping techniques of your own, please share them
in real time and then looped, using the two-octave with your fellow loopaholics in the comments
transposition trick. section. Happy looping … looping … looping …
premierguitar.com
Three Lilliputian Loopers Reviewed minutes worth of captured sound). The record level
The rise of the compact, entry-level looper is one function lets you track layers of varying volume
of the most exciting pedal trends in recent memory. when stacking loops, and if you’re clever, this layering
Increasingly plentiful in the last two years, these flexibility lets you really control the complexity of a
devices not only make looping more accessible from loop composition. But the most interesting function
a budgetary standpoint, but they’ve demystified on the Wally is the tempo control, which will slow
a tool and process that has probably looked a bit and lower the pitch of your loop or speed it up and
geeky to a lot of casual and traditional players. raise the pitch. While its practical applications may
The entry-level loopers showcased here are a be limited, the tempo control lends a cool dose of
little like economy cars. They’re simple, they’re freaky potential to a looper that’s super-practical in
cheap, and in many fundamental ways they’re very terms of size and function, and uncommonly potent
similar. Still, each has its merits that will appeal if you’re an experimentalist on a budget.
to different kinds of players. These aren’t the only —Charles Saufley
compact loopers out there. Electro-Harmonix
recently released the 360 Nano looper, and we’ve
reviewed both of TC Electronic’s excellent Ditto
loopers. Here’s what’s most appealing about all
these units: They don’t require a 30-page manual. Hotone Wally
And despite their simplicity, they can deliver a $89 street
wealth of real musical surprises. hotoneaudio.com
HOTONE WALLY Ease of Use

Build/Design
Throw any of Hotone’s tiny Value
stompboxes in a roundup and it
will probably take the prize for
cutest pedal in the mix. That’s PROS Super small. Super simple. Built
certainly the case with the Wally like a little rock.
looper. You could easily mistake
this little yellow dude for a CONS Might be so small you lose it in
your gig bag. Hard to adjust looper level
Matchbox car and toss it into on the fly.
your kid’s toy bin if you weren’t
careful. But you’d be quick to miss
the simple functionality of the microscopic looper DIGITECH JAMMAN EXPRESS XT
if you did. The Wally is a breeze to use, relying on The name JamMan is synonymous with looping, so
conventional one-step-to-record, one-step-to-play, DigiTech’s contribution to this compact category—
one-step-to-overdub, two-step-to-stop functionality. the JamMan Express XT—is no real surprise. The
The only operating challenge intrinsic to the Hotone original JamMan was a hit, in part, for the quality
comes from the top-mount placement of the loop with which it recorded and played back loops. The
level control, which makes adjustments with your Express XT makes no concessions on this front. It
sneaker more difficult. converts audio at 24 bit and samples at 44.1 kHz,
Switching is immediate and easy to time just which means that unless you have the ears of some
right, and you can overdub limitlessly right up to hyper-auditory alien race, you won’t be griping
the memory capacity (which tops out at about 15 about fidelity. You won’t complain about operating

the Express XT either. Recording, The newest and simplest and
overdubbing, stopping a loop, and most affordable is the RC-1.
clearing a loop are all controlled via Like most Boss pedals, it feels
the same one-tap, two-tap, and hold stout, sturdy, and destined to
actions that have become a standard live on your pedalboard until
for simple loopers. it’s a filthy beer-and-dust-
The Express XT is clearly encrusted vintage specimen.
designed with stage use in mind. The RC-1 uses Boss’ classic
The loop level knob is big enough switching mechanism, which
to adjust with your foot and offset for easy access. can feel just a hair less precise
The individual colored LEDs that indicate record, and immediate than other looper switches, though it
overdub, and play modes are bright and logically almost never translates to an ill-timed loop maneuver.
arrayed. Other features geared to more experienced A lot of players love the touch of the Boss switch for
loop aficionados include the JamSync function, looping, and it pays to try one out to see how it suits
which lets you sync loops of different lengths from your own sense of touch.
two Express XTs or other JamMan loopers. The Elsewhere the Boss is brimming with
stereo I/Os help make the Express XT capable of performance-oriented features. The loop level
huge soundscapes—especially when you add a second knob is offset so you can make quick adjustments
instrument and amplifier. with your foot. And the unique LED light wheel
—Charles Saufley is a clever tool that’s illuminating in two ways:
Not only does it indicate mode, but it also offers
a visual representation of loop length and start
point. The latter function can be a valuable asset
when stacking loops amid the cacophony of a
DigiTech JamMan Express XT band. —Charles Saufley
$89 street
digitech.com
Ease of Use
Build/Design Boss RC-1 Loop Station
Value $129 street
bossus.com
PROS Stage- and performance-friendly Ease of Use

controls and I/O features. High fidelity.
Can run on 9V battery. Build/Design
Value
CONS Short battery life.
PROS Sturdy enclosure. Practical and
BOSS RC-1 LOOP STATION clever status/loop time light wheel.
Like DigiTech, Boss is a venerable player in the
looping universe. The original LoopStation is CONS Some players might find the
among the standard bearers in the category, and it switching a bit vague.
has spawned smaller and simpler cousins of late.
premierguitar.com
EBAY AMAZON REVERB
5/5 4.9/5 5/5
Digital Press
premierguitar.com

Pedal Phreakery Vol.1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pedal Phreakery Vol.1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

PEDAL PHREAKERY VOL.

Holeyboard™ Dragonfly 2.0

The Holeyboard Dragonfly pedalboard is whatever you need it to be.

Proudly built in Minneapolis wth a lifetime warrenty.

Everything You Need to Know About the Analog Effect

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 1

Holeyboard™ Dragonfly 2.0

“Best pedalboard I have ever owned.” - Jason W

“Great, innovative design! Fast shipping.” - Mark R

“I’m loving’ this thing! Light and tight!” - Johan S

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 5

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 7

after two or three repeats through the chip.) The

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 9

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 11

Holeyboard™ Dragonfly 2.0

We create tools to help musicians be more creative.

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 15

Boss PS-6 – The Boss PS-6 Harmonist is a

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 17

Where You’ve Heard It

Holeyboard™ Dragonfly 2.0

“Man do I LOVE this thing. Everything is neat and totally secure!

“The Dragonfly is working great, easy to take anywhere.

“Best board in the business!” - Paul K

“Hey Chris, just wanted to let ya know I received the Holeyboard

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 21

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 23

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 25

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 27

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 29

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 33

“Loopers use varying crossfade techniques to

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 35

If your looper lives on a

Nothing wrong with that—it’s a dramatic and

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 37

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 39

HOTONE WALLY Ease of Use

premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS RPEDAL PHREAKERY 41

PROS Stage- and performance-friendly Ease of Use

Holeyboard™ Dragonfly 2.0

You might also like