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Fractal Audio's new VP4 Virtual Pedalboard Multi-FX Processor goes head-to-head with Line 6's Helix HX Effects and Eventide's H90

Big Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoCompressorDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDown-TunerEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQExpressionFlangerFractal Audio SystemsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHot Cake Style OverdriveKlone and Transparent OverdriveModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXNoise GateOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball ModulationOverdrivePhaserPitch-ShiftingReverb WorkstationRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSlicer and StutterSwellTimmyTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeWah and Fixed Wah+-
2024-GPX-Fractal-VPX-Multi-FX-Processor-700.jpg

So Fractal Audio Systems has thrown its hat in the ring with its first non-modelling device / unit - the VP4 Virtual Pedalboard Multi-FX Processor - which is quite a departure for the brand.

 

It’s obviously gunning for Line 6 and Eventide in particular, but also looking to knock out Boss and Strymon Workstation pedals. It has several of its own advantages, but with a number of caveats too. Overall it’s well priced for what it delivers - but for my own preferences it’s still somewhat over-...

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Electro-Harmonix's POG III massively expands its capabilities, and levels up to full Multi-FX Workstation territory

Bitcrushing and Lo-FiDown-TunerElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahExpressionHarmonizerModulationMulti-FXOctaverPitchPitch-ShiftingSwellWah and Fixed Wah+-
2024-GPX-EHX-POGIII-700.jpg

Electro-Harmonix often does superb introductory demos for its new pedals, and I must admit I was totally blown away by the vast Multi-FX territory covered by this launch. This POG III takes the Polyphonic Octave Generator circuit into entirely new territory - and has you covered for all kinds of other advanced effects.

 

Watching the demo, the following key territories are touched on :

  • Slow Polyphonic Attack - backwards octave blend, somewhat Attack Decay -like
  • 12 String sound with Chorus
...
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9 Favourite Mainline Compact DigiTech Pedals

Beat MachineBest of BrandsBoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDigiTechDistortionDown-TunerDriveFlangerGuitar Synth and SequencerMetal DistortionModulationOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationRotary SpeakerTubescreamer Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeUtility+-
2021GPX9DigiTech700.jpg

I’ve long been a fan of DigiTech in all its guises - Mainline, DOD, and HardWire editions. Since a number of these are now discontinued I thought it a good time to review some of my favourites and nearly-weres.

 

In fact from this selection of 9, I own 4 - Dirty Robot, The Drop, Ventura Vibe, and Whammy Ricochet - all of which have seen fairly regular use in the pedal-chain. The Dirty Robot was my favourite Synth pedal pretty much before the Boss SY-1 and SY-200 materialised. And the Whammy ...

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Preferred Pitch-Shifter, Octaver and Harmonizer Pedal Selection

BossCooper FXCoppersoundDigiTechDown-TunerElectro-HarmonixFree The ToneHarmonizerMeris EffectsMu-TronOctaverPitchPitch-ShiftingTC Electronic+-
2021GPXOctaverPitchHarmonizer700V2.jpg

Sparked by a few recent acquisitions, this seems the perfect time to round up the best of Pitch-Shifter, Octaver and Harmonizer Pedals. I most recently secured a Boss PS-6, EHX Pitch Fork, and CopperSound Triplegraph.

 

The Triplegraph was acquired from Martel Music - I’m just waiting for CopperSound to hand-deliver stock there next week, which means I should get mine early April.

 

There’s two fairly recent arrivals here I have yet to snap up - the Pitch Fork+ and ...

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Boss Shrinks Down its GT-1000 Guitar Effects Processor to a more handy-sized but still Full-Featured GT-1000 CORE Stomp Box

Big Muff Style FuzzBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionCompressorDelayDelay WorkstationDistortionDown-TunerDual-DriveEQFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHarmonizerKlone and Transparent OverdriveLooperMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOctaverOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingPreAmpRat Style FuzzReverbReverb WorkstationTubescreamer Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed Wah+-
2020GPXBossGT1000Core700.jpg

I’ll jump straight to the obvious here in calling this Boss’s contender to go against current category leader and long-term reigning champ - the Line 6 Helix HX STOMP Multi Effects Processor and Amp Modeller - which interestingly retails for $599 in the USA, but only around £399 on this side of the pond. While starting RRP tag for the GT-1000 CORE will be £615 (vs GT-1000 currently retailing at £799UK/$999USA). In fact prices are weirdly quite disparate between UK,...

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Mikey Demus's Pedalboard Dynamics and Essential Tone Components

ArtistArrayBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionCaroline Guitar CompanyDelayDigital DelayDigiTechDistortionDouble TrackingDown-TunerDriveDunlop EffectsEchoverbFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHarmonizerKlone and Transparent OverdriveLo-Fi DelayLoop-SwitcherMetal DistortionMikey DemusMXRNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingRedbeard EffectsStrymonTape DelayThorpyFXToneQuestTunersUtilityWah and Fixed Wah+-
2020GPXMikeyDemusBoard700V3.jpg

Readers of this blog should be well aware by now of Skindred’s Lead Guitarist and Redbeard Effects Head Honcho Mikey Demus. And while I had been very familiar with his band Skindred for a number of years - my focus didn’t shift fully to Mikey himself until he got into partnership with Adrian Thorpe and started producing his own range of signature pedals.

 

The first release was an exceptional take on Mikey’s core signature Orange Rockerverb 100 Amp sound - the Red Mist MKIV Distortion. Mikey ...

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TC Electronic Finally Reveals Details for its much teased Plethora X5 TonePrint Pedalboard Multi-FX Unit

Chorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDown-TunerFlangerHarmonizerLooperModulationModulation WorkstationNoise GateOctaverPedalboard and Pedal-ChainPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationRotary SpeakerTC ElectronicTremoloUni-Vibe and VibeUtility+-
2020GPXTCElectronicPlethoraX5700.jpg

We’ve been waiting for the full reveal on this one for a while as the first teaser image for this was Insta’d on the 14th of September last year. There were some expectations that this might feature at Winter NAMM, but it seems it’s only now fully formed.

 

What we have here then is all of TC Electronic’s TonePrint-enabled pedals in a single unit and available across 5 any way configurable slots. This means you get all the different variations of effects from the ...

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The Empress Zoia Lands April 15th! - or rather starts shipping then actually

BoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDown-TunerDriveEmpress EffectsEQFlangerFuzzGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerLooperModulationModulation WorkstationNoise GateOctaverOddball FuzzOddball ModulationOverdrivePhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingPlate ReverbReverbRing ModulationTremoloUtilityVolumeWah and Fixed Wah+-
2019GPXEmpressZoiaFinal700-min.jpg

Now definitively defined as a Pedal-format Modular Synthesizer, Sequencer and Multi-Effects unit. The control interface consists of a small OLED screen accompanied by a grid of 40 (5x8) 7-coloured LED backlit soft-touch buttons, 4 further control buttons for Secondary Functions, and a large Menu scroll dial. There are 3 footswitches to activate live playback and scroll through presets.

 

Essentially you have a building-block interface-led hybrid-modular-synthesiser where you chain ...

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Electric Guitar Tuning Essentials - Tools and Tips

D'AddarioDigiTechDown-TunerGuitar AccessoriesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Pedal 101PitchRoadie TunerStretchaTC ElectronicTunersUtility+-
2018AfBlgTuningEssentials700

There’s both more and less to guitar tuning than most people might consider. At its most basic, guitar tuning can be done by ear - if you’re blessed to have perfect pitch you can hum to yourself the lower E and then tune the other strings relative to that - fretting each preceding string on the 5 or 4th(G) Fret. I have a pitch pipe for such a process - no electronics involved - simple but not particularly quick or efficient.

 

Then there is the various guitar tuners - which I would say were ...

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Pedal Mania III - Pedal Chain State of the Union, February 2018

Bearfoot FXBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCryBabyDelayDelay WorkstationDiezelDigital DelayDigital ReverbDigiTechDistortionDouble TrackingDown-TunerDr ScientistDriveDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveDunlop EffectsEmpress EffectsEQFlangerFoxpedalFriedman EffectsFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGuitar Synth and SequencerHamstead SoundworksJackson AudioKlone and Transparent OverdriveLooperMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMI EffectsModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveNoise GateOCD Style OverdriveOverdrivePedal ChainPedalboard and Pedal-ChainPhaserPitchProAnalog DevicesRat Style FuzzReverbReverb WorkstationRotary SpeakerSinvertekStrymonTC ElectronicTech 21 NYCTone Bender Style FuzzToneQuestTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersUtilityVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed WahWamplerXotic Effects+-
2018AfBlgSKSignalChainMkPAR700

It’s always amusing to set your pedal goals and targets right at the start of the year, and then have to amend them right after the various Winter NAMM announcements. In fact I did a status update at the end of last year, and at the start of this one - which is not a whole lot of days really, but so much as happened in the interim!

 

I kind of got inspired by heavier tones over Christmas - which prompted me to acquire another heavy distortion pedal - in the shape of the MI Audio Megalith ...

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