BOSS Introduces Vocoder VO-1 Guitar Pedal

BOSS VO-1 Vocoder featuring Kai Smith

Published on Jan 19, 2016 BOSSchannel

"When you plug into the VO-1, you can literally talk, sing, and cry with your axe, taking your playing to places you never dreamed of before."

"The VO-1 Vocoder is a unique and innovative stompbox that puts the massive expressive range of the human voice in the hands of every guitarist and bassist. By vocalizing into a connected mic as you play, it’s easy to transform your tone with electronic voices, classic talk box sounds, and tons of all-new colors that are perfect for modern music styles. It’s even possible to create impressive ensemble vocal sounds without the need to connect an external mic. When you plug into the VO-1, you can literally talk, sing, and cry with your axe, taking your playing to places you never dreamed of before.

- Innovative, easy-to-use vocoder pedal powered by BOSS’ famous guitar synth technology
- Use your voice to dramatically extend the expressive range of your instrument in countless ways
- Vintage mode for classic electronic synth-voice sounds and Advanced mode for all-new vocoder tones with enhanced clarity
- Talk Box mode enables “talking lead guitar” tones without the hassles of a traditional talk box setup
- Choir mode for achieving rich vocal sounds with no mic connected
- Effect loop for sound enhancement and easy integration with existing pedals
- Works with guitar, bass, or any instrument with a 1/4-inch output
- BOSS five-year warranty

Powerful Vocal Expression for Guitar and Bass

Without a doubt, the human voice is the most expressive instrument there is, capable of producing a massive range of sounds. Vocoder technology lets you harness this power and control the tone of your instrument in endless ways via real-time vocal manipulation, achieving speech-like sounds, infinitely controllable wah, and much more. For decades, keyboardists have used vocoders to create electronic vocal tones and other voice-like textures with synthesizers. Now, the VO-1 makes it simple for guitarists and bassists to use this inspiring creative tool with their music.

Cutting-Edge Vocoder Technology in a Compact Stompbox

Driven by BOSS’ famous guitar synth technology, the VO-1 delivers power and versatility that goes well beyond other vocoders. Vintage mode produces the familiar synthesized voice sounds heard on numerous pop and electronic music records through the years, while Advanced mode utilizes new BOSS tech to translate speech and other vocalizations to your axe with unprecedented definition and clarity. Talk Box mode recreates classic 'talking lead guitar' tones without having to use a traditional talk box rig and mouth tube, making these cool sounds much more accessible and convenient. Finally, Choir mode produces rich, impressive vocal textures from a direct input, with no mic needed.

Infinite Possibilities Made Easy

With the VO-1, BOSS has made the vocoder straightforward and incredibly simple to use. First off, it connects to your rig like any other pedal. The only additional connection needed is a microphone, which you’ll use to drive the VO-1’s vocoder engine when using the first three modes. After that, just turn on the effect, tweak the knobs, and vocalize into the mic as you play. Don’t worry—you don’t even need to be able to sing in tune. You handle all the pitch control with your hands as normal, while the VO-1 applies the complex formant characteristics of your voice to the tone in real time. The VO-1 also features an effect loop for patching in external effects, plus a Blend knob for mixing vocoder and straight tones together."

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New Erica Synths Acidbox II

Erica Synths ACIDBOX II demo

Published on Dec 18, 2015 Erica Synths

"Erica Synths ACIDBOX II sound circuit is built around rare Russian ICs, that were used in the original Polivoks synthesizer back in 80-ties, therefore you get that famous analogue sound, insane resonance sweeps and straight forward, hands on control."

via Erica Synths:

"This is second edition of Erica Synths ACIDBOX that brings you emulation of widely recognized classical Russian synthesizer Polivoks Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF), packed in small desktop unit and enhanced with features for contemporary electronic music performances.

Erica Synths ACIDBOX II sound circuit is built around rare Russian ICs, that were used in the original Polivoks synthesizer back in 80-ties, therefore you get that famous analogue sound, insane resonance sweeps and straight forward, hands on control. ACIDBOX II has significant improvements compared to the first version: redesigned LFO with the new waveforms and audio rate modulation capabilities, built in analogue noise generator, balanced output and many others.

LIMITED OFFER PRE-SALE PRICE TILL DECEMBER 31 - 200EUR

Final price when presale ends - 250EUR

+21% VAT for individual customers in EU without EU VAT registration number
Shipping in EU - 10EUR, elsewhere in the world - 15EUR


Features:

Voltage Controlled Filter inspired by Polivoks VCF architecture
Integrated circuits used in the original Polivoks
Balanced output
Internal white noise generator of unique design
Internal LFO - 6 waveforms and inverted waveforms
Audio rate modulation
TAP tempo
External sync for LFO frequency
Divide and multiply LFO frequency (can multiply/divide ext. sync too!)
Tap tempo and LFO output indication LEDs
Universal power supply included

Technical specs:

Input signal level…………………20V ptp
External CV level………………….20V ptp
LFO frequency…………………..0,1Hz – 60Hz
Audio modulation frequency…….20Hz – 620Hz
Power supply: 110 – 220V
Mass: 0,7kg
Dimensions: 185x140x55mm"

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Electro Lobotomy Particle Smasher

bass guitar + particle smasher Published on Dec 9, 2015 electro lobotomy

"The Particle Smasher is a sound generator and signal processor.
It will soon be listed in my etsy shop...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElectroLobo..."

clean triangle wave + particle smasher

Published on Dec 9, 2015 electro lobotomy

"The Particle Smasher receives a Pittsburgh Modular triangle wave and destroys it..."

Recovery Effects "Dead Session" Filterbank Demo

Published on Mar 26, 2015 recoverysounds

"Demo of the Dead Session filterbank from Recovery Effects"

DUB-SIREN and Prototype Analogue DUBSTA Delay

Published on Nov 23, 2015 Space Cat Audio Technologies

"Recorded straight to camera mic, sorry about the rattling. The delay is being driven quite hard again in this demo video. Mainly demonstrating the repeat capabilities here and towards the end you can hear the delay rate being manipulated. We are just about ready for board version 2"

Two New Cards for the Tiptop Audio Z-DSP

Grain de Filie - The seeds of madness, grain synthesis engine for the Z-DSP.

Tim Fabric - Rotating tape head pitch shifting delay lines for the Z-DSP.

http://www.tiptopaudio.com

Stand Alone Hardware Coming from Audio Damage

via Analog Industries (Chris Randall of Audio Damage's blog):

"Next up, it's been no particular secret that we're working on non-Euro hardware. This turned out to be surprisingly difficult. Euro has a pretty set-in-stone standard for look and construction, and known suppliers, and you work within those parameters. When we started examining stand-alone products, well, things got hairy quick. But this summer's labor is beginning to bear fruit, and we will definitely be showing our new line of Audio Damage pedals at NAMM in January. We hope to show three different pedals, but that might be optimistic. This has proven to be a surprisingly difficult and time-consuming operation.

Interestingly, most of the difficulty and time consumption resulted from the fact that I just can't stand those Hammond boxes that most boutique pedals come in, and wanted our own folded steel chassis. It turns out that you need to know quite a bit of mechanical engineering to cause such a thing to be created, and since I had two years of mechanical engineering classes in high school in the 80s, of course I was up to the task. But lo, and furthermore hark! My brother-in-law works at Baer, which is (literally) right up the street from us, and he loaned me one of their engineers. Then the fine folks at Cutting Edge Manufacturing here in Phoenix took those drawings and tuned them up a bit, and then BLASTED SHEETS OF STEEL WITH A 4000 WATT LASER! (This shit is so fucking cool, I don't even.)

The first article is pictured above. These things are so tough you could drive a tank over them. I don't know about the rest of the thing, but the chassis will definitely survive the holocaust. The guts are digital, of course, but feature true bypass (done with relays), assignable expression pedal destinations, and true stereo where appropriate. I think the non-Euro folks are gonna be very pleased with these, and as we get a WORKFLOW in place to build stand-alone products, you'll start to see some more sophisticated shit, in addition to our ever-expanding Euro line."

The Triko Analog Tri-Chorus by Baloran Demo

The Triko by Baloran Part I Published on Oct 11, 2015 Pulsophonic

"The test of the analog tri-chorus The Triko by Baloran."

Googlish from French:

"Based on discrete analog components, The Triko brings the characteristic sound of vintage overall effects in the conciliatory modern digital world. The result, in addition to high sound quality found, briefs and Midi controls in real time ... the best of both worlds!

Specifications:
 
- Three chorus circuits made entirely of high quality discrete components (Maxim Dallas, Texas, Wima, Nichicon, That ...)
- Modulation and settings for each independent circuit or related
- Feedback circuit on the central chorus to turn it into Flanger
- High-quality audio from A to Z, with final mixing stage (level and pan "Effect" and "Dry")
- Exemplary ergonomics, with a control panel designed for quick access to all parameters (8 illuminated buttons, screen 2x16 characters, 3 encoders)
- 8 banks of 16 slots to store all settings, including 8 favorites directly accessible
- Bypass function by key combination or Midi CC
- Professional Connections: balanced stereo XLR, unbalanced stereo output jack 6.35, 8 pre-mixer line-level input jack 6.35, with individual levels and panning, Midi In and Out / Thru
- Full implementation via Midi CC, NRPN and Program Change: The Triko is fully controllable by STAN or hardware controllers
- Dynamic control parameters by the level of the sound signal or via Midi (wheel, velocity, aftertouch)
- Internal slot for daughter card to add additional insert effects (delay / echo, reverb)
- Solidly built, with universal internal power
- Designed and assembled in France
- Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz + - 2db
- Rack 19 "- 1U, depth 350 mm
- Weight: 4 kg - 8.8 lbs

Map FV-1
VF-1 card is the first card girl for The Triko. It brings the echo and reverb effects. Mixing a digital heart very musical and analog routing, it provides even greater dimension Triko.

Echo: Compared with a venerable tape echo (Space Echo), we have successfully implemented in the VF-1 algorithms and modulations that bring us close to his model: the modulation Tape recording is a real wow his model. Thanks to the adjustment of the amplitude modulation and speed, you can simulate tape echoes in perfect condition as copies at very tired capstan: D. Reinjection allows up to self-oscillation and even beyond. In mode 0, filtering occurs on repetition to approach the changes of timbre obtained on his illustrious model. A second virtual playhead whose period is half that of the main head ends enrich this emulation. A "Ping Pong" mode and a "Clean" mode are also available.

The reverberations: Our objective was not to offer the finest and most complex reverb sets. We're not able;) But we worked on ergonomics, musicality and originality of the reverberations produced: filtering, modulation, pre-delay feedback and allow visitors to explore the original reverberation universe with simplified settings .
FV-1 does not allow to have both features simultaneously."

New Ubu Noir Mu-Tron clone with Acidlab Drumatix

Published on Sep 16, 2015 ] Duplan [

"This is a pedal made by my neighbour who... makes pedals under the name of UBU NOIR
It's a Mu-Tron III clone and it sounds real good !"

Note this is the first UBU NOIR post on the site. Great name!

EHX KEY9 Electric Piano Machine

Published on Sep 8, 2015 EHX

See how many of the tunes you can recognize.

"Completing the powerful trilogy forged by the B9 and C9 Organ Machines, the new KEY9 emulates the world’s most coveted electric pianos and more. With 9 presets, you can transform your axe and lay down a cool “Riders on the Storm” style groove or some hot funk ala 'What’d I Say!'

Take it from Mike Matthews who says: 'You’ll dig the way the KEY9 turns you into a Rhodes Scholar!'

Watch effects guru, Bill Ruppert, demonstrate the KEY9.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ehx.com/products/key9"

Little Green Echo by S-CAT. Circuit bent lo-fi filtered delay (prototype test)

Published on Sep 8, 2015 Space Cat Audio Technologies

"Here is a quick demo of our new Circuit Bent Digital Delay and a Roland TR-909 Drum Machine"

S-CAT on eBay

the SPACE CASE tape echo

Playlist:
1. SPACE CASE Tape Echo Demo Series - 3 - SYNTHS - Arpeggiation Character and Oscillation (Roland SH-101)
2. SPACE CASE Tape Echo Demo Series - 2 - DRUM MACHINES - Feedback Rhythms from Spaced Hits (brand new 808 and 909 samples by the venerable Samples from Mars in Brooklyn NY)
3. SPACE CASE Tape Echo Demo Series - 1 - VOCALS - Traditional Use and Explorations (Bob Marley solo vocal)

"The Space Case is a new tape echo for the modern vintage workflow. Each is hand made in limited batches in New York at The Center for Memory and Control. The machine operates at line level, and the sound can be described as being a combination between the original slap machines hooked up to consoles in the 50's (the original echo invention) and the classic Hi-Z devices from the 60's and 70's. It is inherently well suited for things like synthesizers, drum machines, and other unbalanced line level musical instruments and equipment. Hi-Z/Guitar and Balanced Line connectivity can be added (see features).

- Six time ranges
- a line level insert TRS jack for adding external processing of the echo/feedback path (i.e. using a synth or any other device to add resonance, more eq, and any other shaping you want)
- A time adjust knob for a wide sweep within each range
- Powerful feedback with plenty of self oscillation
- Echo tone
- Independent echo and dry output level
- Opamp overdrive at the output stage that can be applied to dry, echo, or any blend of both. (you can use the machine as a distortion unit with no tape/echo involved)
- Classic "playback and record" operation with speed differences. The machine is designed to be able to go down to near dead stop, so one can create extreme changes in analog tape fidelity and timing by recording at one speed and playing back in another. Feedback, tone, and speed/time can be performed live and recorded/played back with further tone and speed changes.
- A small loud speaker that is driven by the same opamp overdrive, effectively giving you a small but saturated and strong sounding "guitar amp" with whatever signal you're using
- A VU meter!
- 1/4" TS in and out
- Optional HI-Z/Guitar/Instr breakout pedal with a Crimson transformer, true bypass footswitch and a bonus DI function
- Optional transformer balanced XLR Line I/O with two Crimson transformers

www.spacecasetapeecho.com"

MWFX Big Metal Judder

Published on Sep 3, 2015 mCKENIC

"1st test with the MWFX Big Metal Judder. I can see this getting a LOT of use as a Eurorack and drum processor. I think an expression pedal will add a whole new dimension too!"

Not sure when this pedal came out, but I believe this is the first time it's been featured here on MATRIXSYNTH. I usually skip effects as they would take over the site, but when I see a good synth demo with one, I'll post it. Here's some info from MWFX on the pedal for those interested:

"The Judder is an analogue sampler/repeater effect for creating impromptu and quickly renewable sound loops and echoes.

This is the enhanced metal version of the original pedal first made in 2009 and available here. Extra switches and mods have been added to this design to increase the sample length and vary the functionality.

Whilst it was originally intended just as a momentary 'tapped' effect, it can now be controlled by an automatic switching system, meaning the repeat can be triggered/ducked by the sound of your guitar or repeatedly sampled by a pulsing LFO. This system can then also be assigned to modulate the sample length, providing envelope/LFO controlled pitch variation. These features make it possible to achieve noise gating, tremolo, momentary boosts/mutes, sample/hold and reverse reverb type effects.

The repeat regeneration can also now be adjusted and accurately set. Providing single 'one shot' echoes at one end, constant holds in the 12 o'clock position, and variable amounts of self oscillation when turned up. This is particularly useful with the layering mode switched on, allowing for doubling/chorus effects or reverse type swells of echo feedback.

A final addition was the dual footswitch design. One being a soft touch momentary and the other a latching type for holding the effect on and inverting the momentary action. This method is particularly useful when using the expression pedal input (standard, nominal 25k) to alter the sample length.

CLICK FOR MORE »

New Basestar FV-1: POT3 control & LFO

Published on Aug 16, 2015 pz314

"Basestar FV1 is a part of my new modular DSP development system. Built around the Spinsemi FV-1 and Cypress PSOC4 (Cortex M0) MCU.
It uses a trick to get one more control input on the FV1 at the price of one audio channel. Here i'm testing it with a short loop processed with peaking lowpass filter program."

WMD Protostar - Interstellar Filter Pedal - FIRST LISTEN

Published on Jul 27, 2015 William Mathewson

"Our newest pedal, the Protostar, is a continuation of the Super Fatman Envelope Filter. Features include CV Patch bay, dry/wet mix, post filter compression, multiple filter modes, internal LFO, variable envelope control and more!

This is a first listen video. The Protostar is close to being in production and will be available Fall/Winter 2015.

Excuse the inverted color scheme, this was video of a prototype without our final artwork. More videos to come soon!"

Dreadbox semi-modular effects on BASS

Published on Jul 18, 2015 Dreadbox

"Epsilon 0:21
Omikron 1:47
Omikron+Kappa 2:18
Lamda 3:10
Taff 4:47
All together 5:51

on bass
Petros Lamprides

basses used
Custom 5-string Fretless Odyssey
Custom 4-string Fender Jazz

recorded directly through a Focusrite soundcard
no internal or external effects used other than the semi-modular series."

Electro Lobotomy Distortion Wave Shaper + Casio

Published on May 26, 2015 electro lobotomy

"Quick demo vid of the Distortion / Wave Shaper pedal processing a
Casio MT400V.. Peep it:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/23458199..."

Update:

Distortion Wave Shaper + Bass


"The Distortion Wave Shaper pedal is listed in my etsy shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/23458199..."

SirenAudio Wash (Free M4L Audio Device)

Published on May 23, 2015 SirenAudio

"Wash is a Max Audio Effect that uses comb filters to create a reverb style effect. The aim of the device is to create dense washes of sound (akin to a watercolour wash).

You can read more about Wash here:

http://sirenaudio.co.uk/blogs/sirenau..."

"Parameters

del fb (delay feedback) : determines the amount of feedback, with higher values producing longer sustains.
del time (delay time): changes the length of time of the delay.
mod freq (modulation frequency): controls the frequency of the sine wave modulation oscillator.
mod depth (modulation depth): changes the depth or amount of the modulation.
jitter var (jitter variation): This modulation stage uses low pass filtered white noise, and the variation sets the cutoff frequency of the lowpass filter, with higher values producing more erratic variation.
jitter depth: This parameter controls how much jitter is added to the delay time.
low cut: attenuates low frequencies from the effect
damping : attenuates high frequencies from the effect.
dry wet : fades between the dry and effected audio signals.
ef. gain (effect gain): scales the gain of the effect. This parameter is useful when the effect has high feedback settings as the volume can build up quickly.
clear button : In between the final two parameters is a button that will clear audio from the delays.

Note that changing the delay time, jitter, and modulation parameters will affect the pitch of the effected audio."

New Strymon DIG - Dual Digital Delay Synth Demo with Peter Dyer on Prophet-6, Voyager & More

Published on May 19, 2015

"Peter Dyer (keyboardist for Aloe Blacc, St. Vincent, Quadron) recently joined us at the Strymon shop and recorded several DIG Dual Digital Delay / synth audio clips. Join us on our little dual delay journey. Thanks again Peter for hanging out with us for the day. :)

Learn more about DIG: http://strymon.net/dig
Follow Peter: http://twitter.com/peterkeys88
Peter's website: http://peterdyer.net

Table of Contents:

00:11 -- ADM, Golden Ratio -- Sequential Prophet 6
00:43 -- ADM, Eighth Note -- Sequential Prophet 6
01:09 -- 12 Bit, Golden Ratio -- Sequential Prophet 6
01:45 -- ADM, Dotted Eighth -- Sequential Prophet 6
02:10 -- 24/96, Dotted Quarter -- MiniMoog Voyager
02:46 -- 24/96, Eighth Note -- MiniMoog Voyager
03:09 -- ADM, Free Mode -- MiniMoog Voyager
03:38 -- 12 Bit, Dotted Eighth -- Pete's Modular Rig
04:51 -- 12 Bit, Dotted Eighth -- Pete's Modular Rig
06:15 -- 24/96 Dotted Eighth -- Critter & Guitari Pocket Piano
07:13 -- 12 Bit, Dotted Eighth -- Critter & Guitari Pocket Piano
08:00 -- 24/96, Dotted Eighth -- Nord Stage 2
08:34 -- ADM, Golden Ratio -- Nord Stage 2
09:10 -- 12 Bit, Dotted Eighth -- Nord Stage 2

Pete's Modular Rig:
• Oscillators: Make Noise DPO, Intellijel Dixie II, Pittsburgh Osc
• Filters: DSI Curtis filter, Intellijel uVCF
• VCAs: Malekko VCA, Make Noise Optomix
• FX: DSI Character"

Malekko SCRUTATOR bit & sample rate reducer pedal teaser

Published on May 12, 2015 Malekko HeavyIndustry

https://malekkoheavyindustry.com

"Teaser vid of Elijah Boland playing through the new Scrutator pedal!
Controls: sample rate, bit rate, filter (selectable band pass or low pass), filter resonance, pre amp, mix (100% dry to 100% wet), assignable expression pedal/cv control. The expression pedal can be assigned to any combination of these controls: sample rate, bit rate, filter frequency, filter resonance, and the assignment is both positive or negative throw! So, of course, assign the sample rate to +100% and the bit to -100% and rock the expression pedal back and forth to sweep between sample rate reduction and bit rate reduction! This pedal loves cv! Sounds incredible with synths! Available soon!! I know, not soon enough..."