Meet Bastl's BASIL - Unique Yet Flexible Stereo Space Delay

video upload by Bastl Instruments

"Basil is a compact, yet flexible, digital stereo delay module built on the Bastl Pizza platform. It offers clean delay, as well as lo-fi flavors, and its Space section opens the doors to exploration far beyond simple delay territory. The Basil delay buffer modulates really well, allowing to recreate most classic time-based effects, such as chorus, flanger, vibrato, pitch shifter, reverb, and stereo widener, among others, and navigate between them with just a few performative gestures."

How to Install Basil FW to PIZZA

"This video will show you how to install an alternative FW to your PIZZA.
This way you can demo our new Basil Flexible Stereo Delay."



We are thrilled to showcase our latest innovation, Basil, at Superbooth 2023 (booth 0400). Basil is a flexible delay module that offers endless possibilities for creative exploration. Additionally, we will be displaying our new 4-channel dynamic VCA mixer, Aikido, and 5-channel desktop stereo mixer, Bestie, both of which were released earlier this year. We will be also featuring the new facelift of our best-seller granular sampler, Microgranny Monolith. If you wish to reserve a slot at our booth for filming/interview/chat, please put your name in this table.

Basil is a compact, yet flexible, digital stereo delay module built on the Bastl Pizza HW platform. It offers clean delay, as well as lo-fi flavors, and its Space section opens the doors for exploration far beyond simple delay territory. The Basil delay buffer modulates really well, allowing to recreate most classic time-based effects, such as chorus, flanger, vibrato, pitch shifter, reverb, and stereo widener, among others, and navigate between them with just a few performative gestures. Basil is ideal for clean effects, ambient washes, glitchy sound design, or distorted drones. With its V/Oct input, fine delay tuning, and filter in the feedback path, it can also be effectively used as part of a Karplus-Strong synthesis voice. Even the feedback amount is compensated with the shortest delay times to maintain constant decay characteristics when changing pitch.

To enhance your experience with the product release, we have produced a mesmerizing short film that dives into the themes of time, transformation, feedback and states of consciousness altered via time-based effects. The animation for this film was crafted by Pipe & Pallet, with an accompanying soundtrack by Oliver Torr.

Since Basil is based on the same 8HP HW platform as the Pizza oscillator, owners of either module can easily interchange their firmware using the simple firmware update procedure. We will not be selling extra faceplates, but we will open-source the production and vector files for all the modules based on the Bastl Pizza platform. After some refinement, we plan to open-source both the code and the schematics of the module so that users can hack their own Pizzas.

Basil is available to order now via our B-Shop or our dealer network. Shipping early-mid June 2023

Priced at 267 Eur excl. VAT

More on Basil

Basil delay time features stereo spread and fine-tune components, and can be synchronized to the clock via the Sync jack. The feedback knob has two sides - simple feedback and ping pong mode, where the Left and Right channels cross-feedback.

The Space section brings a variety of flavors to the table! The Blur function provides two ways to diffuse the delay – either directly or in the feedback path, tilting the Basil delay towards the realm of experimental reverb machines. The feedback Filter offers low-pass and high-pass modes that can make the sound brighter or darker. Taps are multi-taps with either odd or even spacing, adding density to your delays and reverbs.

The assignable CTRL knob and CV allow you to modulate any of the many parameters (time, stereo, fine, dry/wet, feedback, speed, freeze, lo-fi, blur, filter, and taps) and tailor the Basil delay to your preferred use.

The Speed section allows for longer delay times by running the buffer at half speed or – in the extended range – at quarter and eighth speeds. This approach creates octave jumps, ensuring the delays remain in tune with your material. It is also great for creating drone layers. Because the sample rate goes very low at lower speeds, Basil brings in a low-pass anti-aliasing filter that removes high frequencies. However, you can also turn the filter off with the LO-FI setting and enjoy some downsampled goodness at lower speeds.

The Freeze function treats the delay buffer as a read-only sample loop that can be layered with the incoming signal. You can sync it and use all the other modifications with it as well.

Features

- flexible STEREO delay buffer

- stereo inputs (Left normalized to Right) and outputs

- V/OCT DELAY input suitable for Karplus Strong synthesis

- STEREO spread

- FINE tune of delay time (for tonal applications)

- SYNC input for synchronized delays

- HALF SPEED with an extended range of 1⁄4 and 1⁄8 speeds suitable for octave jumps - max sample rate 41.66 kHz, 16-bit

- max delay time in stereo 0.5 s

- max delay time in mono (via ping-pong) 1 s

- max delay time at half speed in stereo 1 s (2 s at quarter and 4 s at eighth)

- LO-FI setting for turning off the anti-aliasing filter for lower sample-rates - DRY/WET mix with a constant power curve

- FEEDBACK knob and CV with normal (right) and ping pong (left) modes - FREEZE function to act as micro looper or for ambient washes

- SPACE section to add more dimension

- BLUR for diffusion (inside or outside feedback) - FILTER in the feedback path

- multi-TAPS for adding density

- assignable CTRL knob and CV (time, stereo, fine, dry/wet, feedback, speed, freeze, lo-fi, blur, filter, taps)

- firmware updates via micro USB

- interchangeable HW with the Pizza Oscillator (just a different panel)

Technical Details:

- 8 HP

- PTC fuse and diode protected 10-pin power connector - 24 mm deep

- current consumption: +12 V: 90 mA; -12 V: 20 mA"