Re: The Slicer pedal?

[Mech <mech@m3ch.net>]

At 7:32 PM -0400 5/28/08, Chris Sewell wrote:
>Isn't it just a tempo synced filter? Thats what it sounds like.

Actually, to be pedantic, it's more like a stereo LFO-driven VCA 
(which, in a much more crude form, is also known as your basic 
Tremolo unit).  The hook here is merely that the LFO is on steroids, 
with multiple waveforms and the ability to generate patterns, in 
addition to tempo sync.  There is some filtering/crossover which 
happens for one of the algorithms (in order to have the 
upper-frequency content pulsing in a different pattern than the lower 
frequency content) as well as some panning functions to force the 
pulses to ping-pong between channels.

And then there's the single-layer Hold-mode (aka Phrase Sampling) 
Looper, which can be used to capture up to 40 seconds of audio, 
either with or without the slicer effect.

You can also get the same sorts of effects (sans Looper) from some of 
the current stock of boutique tremolo units.  In particular, the 
Lightfoot Labs Goatkeeper could do similar functions, as could the 
ZVex Tremorama.  And I believe there's a unit from Empress that 
treads similar territory as well.  Or, you might as well take 
Rainer's advice from a few months ago and get a used Nord 
MicroModular, which could do all this (and more) in its sleep.

The Boss unit might be a cool toy; I've been watching it for a bit. 
I'm definitely intrigued but, like Ted, I've got a lot of that same 
functionality built into my VG-99.  I should probably be programming 
for that rather than feeding an ever-present case of GAS.  ;)

        --m.
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