------------------------------ Loopers-Delight-d Digest Volume 97 : Issue 87 Today's Topics: Re: symetrix delay PLEASE READ [ rick canton ] Symetrix 606 [ "T.W. Hartnett" ] Administrivia: Looper's Delight **************** Please send posts to: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Don't send them to the digest! To subscribe/unsubscribe to the Loopers-Delight digest version, send email with "subscribe" (or "unsubscribe") in both the subject and the body, with no signature files, to: Loopers-Delight-d-request@annihilist.com To subscribe/unsubscribe to the real Loopers-Delight list, send email with "subscribe" (or "unsubscribe") in both the subject and the body, with no signature files, to: Loopers-Delight-request@annihilist.com Check the web page for archives and lots of other goodies! http://www.annihilist.com/loop/loop.html Your humble list maintainer, Kim Flint kflint@annihilist.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 12:42:36 -0700 From: rick canton To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: symetrix delay PLEASE READ Message-ID: <339EFFAC.66BD@cyberportal.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit James E Williamson wrote: > > mathias wrote: > > Memory is cheap, what are they thinking? > > > >Not every delay is a loop machine. In fact all delay machines only > serve > >for looping in a limited way. Tempo tap helps but does not resolve. > > > > I talked to one of the designers of this delay on the phone a month > ago for about two hours about this delay. I'd like to address a few > things. > first, the impetus for releasing this delay was that the used > prices of low-res old delays (pcm-42, timeline, etc) are reaching > ridiculous points in big markets. Believe it or not, the pcm42 is > widely used in movie post-production, and the hands-on control is the > main reason. > Second, the reason there is so little memory in this delay is not > because Symetrix are stingy, but the DSP which they are using is only > capable of addressing a limited amount of memory. In fact, some > features had to be taken out to get as much delay time as there is. (in > the original sofware, the bit resolution could be set anywhere between > 1 and 24!) > If the 606 sells well, which it is, Symetrix will (or may already > have) start work on a 606 on steroids, to be ready to ship by the end > of the year(!). This new machine will posess all the features of the > 606 and more. The memory will be upgradeable, there will be a digital > output, there will be more parameters. I have recomended that > plex/rang features such as undo, multiply, and reverse (the three most > important) be implemented, and they have taken me seriously. > The list on the 707(?) will be $200 more than the 606. Think: the > power of a vortex and two echoplexes with full midi control, full > programmability, and 24-bit processing for less than the cost of ONE of > Obie's Echoplexes. > This is what the looping community has been waiting for. It will > not happen, however, unless we go out and buy the 606. If you have a > suggestion as far as features of the 707 go, please give Symetrix a > call. You will be connected to somebody who knows whats up. > As far as I go, I'm still going to buy my two Echoplexes, but > salivate over the quadruple loops I could make with two plexes AND a > 707. > > Thanks... > > ps.If anybody's interested, I put together a tape compilation of local > bands which have played at my shows (I put on underground music shows) > in May. I have continously mixed my own ambient loops in between each > act. The tape (96min long) was professionally duplicated with a > full-colour j-card. If anybody wants to buy one they're available for > $6 postpaid. > -- > James Eric Williamson - erwill@ix.netcom.com - erwill@heartland.bradley.edu > One of Peoria's most obscure ambient blues musicians yeah , if the *707* will be a reality , that would be beautiful, i have 2 plexes & checked out the 606 for chorusing purposes only . to me , it sounded exactly like a tc 2290 or 1210 spatial expander`s chorus,a chorus i dislike....call me insane right now. but the delays were incredable. i returned it that day. rick ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 97 13:45:58 -0000 From: "T.W. Hartnett" To: "Looper's Delight" Subject: Symetrix 606 Message-Id: <199706111845.LAA14886@scv1.apple.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Indeed, the spec sheet for the 606 looks very interesting (available on their web-site at symetrixaudio.com), basically like a MIDIfied, more tweakable, programmable Vortex. Only 2.6 seconds of delay on each of the two delay lines at low-res (16-bit), 1.3 at high-res (24-bit). Many more features than the beloved Vortex (and no wall-wart), and surprise, surprise, it lists for $649. I called Symetrix, and although the manual isn't available on-line, they agreed to mail me a copy, which I'll report on once I've received and digested. It looks like a groovy piece of gear, with a proportional price-tag. How much support it will receive from the looping community at three times the going rate for Vortex (what did we decide the plural form of "Vortex" was? Vortices?) remains to be seen, but I'm very interested based on first impressions. Travis Hartnett ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 14:43:28 -0400 From: Michael Peters To: "'INTERNET:Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com'" Subject: anyone from Phoenix listening? Message-ID: <199706111443_MC2-184B-7207@compuserve.com> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Disposition: inline hi all, if there's anyone from the Phoenix area listening - you could do me a very big favor by buying something (small) and sending it to me. I'd offer money and/or a set of my own looping cassettes in exchange. (Please reply via private email.) ___________ Michael Peters http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mpeters HOP - Fractals in Motion ..."the only screen saver you'll ever want" http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mpeters/hop.htm Support the Warr Guitar Defense Fund http://home.earthlink.net/~greendog/warrfund.html ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 20:13:28 +0100 (BST) From: Michael Hughes To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: symetrix delay PLEASE READ Message-Id: <1965.199706111913@ussl2-serv.elec.gla.ac.uk> James: > This is what the looping community has been waiting for. It will > not happen, however, unless we go out and buy the 606. If you have a > suggestion as far as features of the 707 go, please give Symetrix a > call. You will be connected to somebody who knows whats up. This might be a stupid question, but... why would I buy a 606 when I could wait for the far superior 707? ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:21:50 -0300 From: matthias@bahianet.com.br (Matthias Grob) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: RE: Non-Guitar Looping Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I had asked: >>How did you use the voice, and what was the experience? >>With lyrics, only refrain, only background sound? John experienced: > 1. Harmony for layering Do you use it on stage, or intend to? Publics reaction (I imagine two voices coming from one person are noticed)? Is it usefull to save time in the studio, or just for the experience? When recorded this way, you think the musical quality increases (because its done in one go) or decreases? Sure, for serious recording, you might want each voice on a track... with two loop units in stereo, a live stereo mix could be done... > 2. Voice as a percussive/rhythmic effect. Oh, yeah, thats a great field. Some guys sound better with their voice than a percussionist, but noone wants to play mouth percussion as a full job, so the loop might bring this new color into music! > 3. Sampled talking > > Many things are possible. That was point. >The voice is an expressive instrument, >as is a guitar or synth. Anything I put in the >Mixer (mackie 1202vlz) is fair game for the Jamman. >I haven't tried my trombone yet. (spit valve busted) > >I had some friends in my studio, I opened up a mic and >setup a 5 sec loop on the Jamman. They started to interact >with there voices once they realized what was happening. Great >fun (wish I had recorded it) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:22:06 -0300 From: matthias@bahianet.com.br (Matthias Grob) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: Sustainer Update Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Pycrafts sustainer crafting: >on the sustainer front, I'm trying to find a 100V ac generator to try... ... with an ordinary high Z pickup? Interesting solution... high tension in the guitar, though... the higher the impedance and voltage, the better the shielding to the normal pickups and wiring needs to be. the lower the impedance and voltage, the higher the current and fater the ground wire of the supply to avoid interference of the supply (and its modulation due to variations in current draw) to the normal sound output. Matthias ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:22:11 -0300 From: matthias@bahianet.com.br (Matthias Grob) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: Sustainer Update Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >> on the sustainer front, I'm trying to find a 100V ac generator to try... >> >> Michael >> > >Hi, > > I'm new to the list so I hope you'll forgive me if this has been >mentioned before, but I assume you're investigating electromagnetic >methods of producing infinite sustain on guitar notes, well I recall an >old roland guitar synth that used a hexaphonic pickup, fed boosted and >current limited versions of the signal from each string down that string >(the bridge was insulated) and then had a powerful magnet in one of the >pickup positions. >Have you considered that approach? Never heard of this version!... was it the same time the blue synth came up? Are you sure it was Roland? (I thought I kept track then...) And to for the current return, you use the truss rod (hows that screw in the neck called really?) or a separate wire in the neck? And this string current does not interfere in the other magnetic pickups? Interesting... but I cannot figure the advantage of this system. You need an aditional magnet anyway... sure, you can select the string you want to feed back, but is this handy while playing? Once you have a polyphonic pickup, you might better select the string there... ok, having both, you can feed back each string to itself only, but it means six amplifiers and I do not see the advantage right now... Matthias ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:22:01 -0300 From: matthias@bahianet.com.br (Matthias Grob) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: volumepedal Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Rick explains: >the pedal is called visual volume , it`s a passive stereo volume pedal >w/, i think ,10 LED`S on the top left side , that shows you where the >pedal is -visually- in its throw , i.e. 3/4`s down , 1/2 way, full , >none,etc. to see the LED`S you plug in the wall wart adaptor.*the reason >i got this pedal is b/c it was the clearest one i`ve hearrd & i`ve had >the BOSS pedals & the earnie ball etc , etc...the adaptor isn`t plugged >in when i use it , but if you`re on a dark stage or in a dark room ,it >would be a great map.... >they also make distortion & other type of pedals too....... Interesting idea. Really we do not have a very acurate feeling for the angle of the ancle. For volume I do not think its very important, because you imediately hear what you do, but as a FeedBack for looping it might be the solution: The result of the feedback reduction is only audible after a whole loop goes by. So with some experiece, you can determine how much you want to reduce the feedback and control with the LEDs whether your foot acts right. My personal solution was to use a fader instead of a pedal to get the visual control. But I have to take my shoes of to control it, which makes me famous here, but is not everyones thing... Do you have some more indications about the visual volume? Is that the brand? Price? WWW page? Thank you Matthias ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:21:56 -0300 From: matthias@bahianet.com.br (Matthias Grob) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: fun with retriggering and anti-guitar diatribes Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >BlkSwan03@aol.com wrote: >> >> Geez Kim, is that Klein already old hat? I was just getting very interested! >> But yes, this is true about the almost 100% nature of guitar talk here. ( >> Altho, I love them too) I'm just kind of wondering, where are all the >> synth and sampler characters? Looping on midi instruments using the loop >> function on the sequencer is quite the experience. You don't have to worry >> about length at all and the fidelity is extraordinary. Stereo is a given. >> Set your synth or sampler to multimode and roll. Just change midi channels >> for desired sounds and..........well, there it is. I always find >> interesting places this way. Volume, panning, and even sounds can be changed >> at any time. For those who haven't experienced this, go commandeer a synth >> with the aforementioned sequencer option and >> go mad. Also, what about vocal compositions? Chants and all, with lots of >> effects? >> >> Jim > Ahh, but try and play that passage in reverse. The envelopes don't >reverse even if you can. >Motley Yes, and how about fading out the theme slightly to put a variation on top? Can you record short and multiple phrases and let them loop simultaneously? Matthias ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 22:33:11 -0300 From: matthias@bahianet.com.br (Matthias Grob) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: Improving looper interfaces Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Jeff was happy about his long memory: >-instead of building ambient textures etc, my instinct is to lay >down a 8 or 12 bar chord pattern and play leads in a pretty traditional way. this is the main thing that will be done with loopers, nothing wrong! >I love the design of my Digitech PDS 1002 2 second delay (which I used as >my >only looper for 5 years before buying the JM). ... >The first time I tried this box it made sense and I understood how to use >it as a looper. probably because it starts repeating at some rate as soon as you switch it on. >I guess what I'm trying to get to is my feeling that a lot of the things I >want >gear to do are not things that can be presented in something like a >DOD >overdrive or a Fender Princeton amp, which can be operated without >reading >the directions by anyone who's not a complete pinhead. Because you have been born close to some volume knobs and learned as 2 year old that sound gets louder when turned clockwise. >If the JM didn't come with directions I'm pretty sure I'd have >no idea what to do with it (the same way I felt trying to use the 'rang at >>McGuitar Center relying only on my experience of other delay devices and >a >vague recollection of a Guitar Player review. When you switch on the Plex, there is only one LED lit, next to the Record key. I hoped that this animates to press that key. Then, since it turns red (while recording), someone might intuitively press it again. If so, he hears his recording and certainly starts using the machine and probably will discover about 20% of the functionality just by trying (beeing that those 20% are more than 100% of your old Digitech!). If not, you are right and its not intuitive :-) >So, there's stuff which is intuitive (fuzzbox) and stuff which is not >(JamMan), and >then there's stuff which, once somebody tells you how it >works, is logical to >operate (most looping devices) and stuff that is not >(bassoon). hmm... nice aproach... where does the intuition come from... why is something intuitive... Although mankind developed the drivers controls during half a century to become the most intuitive possible, it still takes many hours to learn to drive. Certainly, the automatic transmission turns it a lot easier --> intuitive? Automation = Intuitivisation ? The aceleration pedal is intuitive. If you had to lift the foot to accelerate, you could learn to use the pedal, but it would be against your intuition forever. The same for a steering wheel that goes the other way round. But which is the intuitive position of the gear if you want to go backwards? Up to day, there is no norm for it. So we inventors will have to care in the first place to implement all functions in this intuitive way. Then we have to set up the limits. The less (new) functions the machine has, the quicker it can be understood. We have to find a balance, because the user is happy about a thing he dominates quickly AND about having many functions to select from. I tried to make the fundamental functions as obvious as possible and hide the specialities so as not to interfere. But please you guys, go ahead and critisize if you think that something in my construction is against your intuition (mine might be different)! Thank you Matthias ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 10:05:24 +0200 (MET DST) From: Olivier Malhomme To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: E-bow Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I don't for Engla,d, paolo, but in France I paid the equivalent of 150 bucks. Street price. I don't even want to tell you the price of a plex'. Olivier malhomme ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:34:35 -0400 From: David Kirkdorffer To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: New Ideas for Loop-boxes: Wishes and Dreams Department. Message-ID: <30C4F9E5EBE1D0118B760000C0DD100F10C7@mail.exapps.com> Content-Type: text/plain >And as technology allows us more possibilites, the interface design becomes >even more challenging. Many ideas for what the next generation of loopers >should do have been proposed here. How will the musician control these >features? What will make them intuitive and easy to use expressively, like >guitars and pianos and saxophones? >kim Kim & Loop-Folk Picking up on the idea -- how about adding a special page to the LOOPERS-DELIGHT Web-page capturing these ideas in an ongoing basis? In the meantime here are a few ideas I have for improving the ergonomics / usability of looping devices to add to your files... Comments anyone? 1. Visual reference points for where one is in a loop. a) a waveshape would be an excelent visual representation b) a kind of LCD "time-o-meter" spining one revolution/loop (like divers' watches with all those fancy dials) - sometimes it can be quite difficult to know where one is in a long loop. - it would help time placement of "new additions" and multiples...and general "situational -- "where am I?"" needs... - and maybe with two colours: Red for "that which has RECENTLY been added" and Green for "that which has already been added" 2. Manipulation of end-to-end connect points... Open Loop / Close Loop - imagne a 10 second loop. Then imagine connecting two points within that 10 seconds to create a newer shorter loop. 10 sec. loop: aa(start)> bb> cc> dd> ee> ff> gg> hh> ii> jj> kk(end)> --->> aa> bb> etc new shorter loop: dd(newstart)> ee> ff> gg(newend)> --> dd> ee> ff> etc. and then connecting from cc> to hh>... etc. I'm half sure someone will tell me this is already available -- if only I knew how.... 3. Computer interface/controlability... - seems like a good idea 4 Tie-ins with all new the hard-disk recording gear - may be helpful for loop-"boxes" to stay in the market... - to create "an Easy Sample-Builder" capability for studios and midi minded folk. 5. Return&send ins/outs 6. Stereo in ONE box 7. More versatile input sensitivity 8. Knobs and Pots that are securred to the boxes chasis -- not just attached to the circuit boards... -For $500+ I expect some element of "robustness." 9. Variable Pitch - Imagine taking a loop and changing its pitch by turning a wheel/knob. +/- One Octave would be fab. 10. Leds/lights on the Oberheim foot-controller - For live performance, I'm not always close enough to my rack to see what's lit-up. But I am close to the foot controller. David Kirkdorffer ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 10:37:56 -0400 From: David Kirkdorffer To: "Sellon, Bob" , Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: RE: Improving LEXICON interfaces Message-ID: <30C4F9E5EBE1D0118B760000C0DD100F1116@mail.exapps.com> Content-Type: text/plain WARNING -- Exclusely GEAR (- not music -) oriented message (with "rant" content)! Bob -- You mention: >One of the things we have >been looking very closely at is the reuse of buttons for different >functions depending on the state of the machine (JamMan in this case). While the idea may indeed be valid and useful, it's well thought-out execution is most critical. Bob you go on to add: > I must admit that I have been very frustrated with the limited user interface of the > JamMan, particularly the display. Bob -- GOD BLESS YOU!!! Let me offer these thoughts. In June 1995 I bought a JamMan. I was looking forward to lots of fun. Instead, I found: - the interface confusing, - the manual somewhat high on what one could do but very low on how one does it - the little peddles somewhat cheap for a (then) $400 unit. (and why supply only one when TWO are needed for full functionality?) Specifically I was disappointed in the interface. The little "window" with LEDS and numbers was -- in my personal -- were poorly conceived. I felt cost cutting concerns (from Alex & Vortex sharing the same knob & "window" placement) had possibly gone too far and impared JamMan's usability. Unfortunately, knowing the mode I'm in by checking which of three tiny LEDS stacked one atop the other is not a good enough indicator for me. What if the unit is 10 feet away? What if the unit is low in a rack so from an angle it's hard to see which light is lit? I returned the unit after three frustrating weeks to get my money back. I was greatly disappointed. In June 1996 I discovered and bought an Oberheim Echoplex. I was looking forward to lots of fun. Indeed, I found: the interface easy understand -- the well conceived footcontroller making the biggest impact! the manual clear enough I could understand and feet comfortable Clearly, I'm just one guy. Many hundreds of people are Very Happy with their JamDudes. Obviously, JamMan can be used succesfully by a great number of people. I may have just not "gotten into the head" of the thing. The interface was the stumbling block. Let me offer this. I have done market research for software companies for a while now. They will often do a series of FOCUS GROUPS -- where a groups of 6-12 individuals fitting a "likely buyer" profile are brought in and asked in a loose yet structured dialog to use a product. Their experiences are recorded. They are sometimes filmed. Problems they encounter are looked at. Improvements are made. And there are companies that SPECIALIZE in user interface testing and design. When I bought my JamMan I contacted Lexicon marketing and offered to conduct soem FOCUS groups. Clearly it was too late. But I wanted to do something. I suggest looking at TCElectronics products and Baybank terminals for ideas. It seems to LCD screens on LEXICON devices would be a great "palette" to display info. I'll be quiet now and wait for the flames to roar. David Kirkdorffer > -----Original Message----- > From: Sellon, Bob [SMTP:bsellon@lexicon.com] > Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 1997 9:22 AM > To: Loopers-Delight > Subject: RE: Improving looper interfaces > > One point to keep in mind is that refining a user interface does not > > always mean modifying the physical controls. One of the things we have > > been looking very closely at is the reuse of buttons for different > functions depending on the state of the machine (JamMan in this case). > > For us, this started with Tap which, on the first prototype (a > modified > PCM 42) was two separate buttons: Start and End. The thinking is that > it > is easier to have one control that you must manipulate a certain way > than > to have a separate control for each function. With a growing feature > set, > the separate control approach will leave little room on stage for the > > performers. The trick is finding the right combination of functions > for a > particular control (aftertouch, etc..) so that functions are still > easy > to get to. This is a lot harder than it seems and I've/we've certainly > > made some mistakes but I do believe this is fertile ground. One of the > > reasons the guitar is such a popular instrument is that it provides a > > relatively simple interface with an incredibly wide degree of control. > > Travis mentioned that he would rather see money spent on the feature > set > than on the interface. While I agree with the sentiment, I must admit > > that I have been very frustrated with the limited user interface of > the > JamMan, particularly the display. We've had tons of feature > suggestions > but getting advanced features into the box usually means you have > parameters to tweek. How do you display BPM on a box like the JamMan. > > Good luck. The bottom line is, you don't want to blow the budget on > the > user interface but you have to be not careful to put in too little. > > Bob Sellon > Lexicon/Stec > > ---------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 20:09:49 -0400 From: David Kirkdorffer To: loopers-delight@annihilist.com Subject: Some companies REALLY work on the user interface.... Message-ID: <30C4F9E5EBE1D0118B760000C0DD100F015784@mail.exapps.com> Content-Type: text/plain At the risk of flogging the "user-interface" horse quite beyond dead, here's something I bumped into quite by accident today. Employment Opportunities at TC Electronic: May 8th, 1997  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ User Interface Designer Location: Aarhus, Denmark. Experienced product designer for our product front ends. Extensive background as Sound Engineer is a must. Contact: Kim Rishøj. KimR@ tcelectronic.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 08:37:14 -0700 From: rick canton To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: volumepedal Message-ID: <33A017AA.44FE@cyberportal.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Matthias Grob wrote: > > Rick explains: > > >the pedal is called visual volume , it`s a passive stereo volume pedal > >w/, i think ,10 LED`S on the top left side , that shows you where the > >pedal is -visually- in its throw , i.e. 3/4`s down , 1/2 way, full , > >none,etc. to see the LED`S you plug in the wall wart adaptor.*the reason > >i got this pedal is b/c it was the clearest one i`ve hearrd & i`ve had > >the BOSS pedals & the earnie ball etc , etc...the adaptor isn`t plugged > >in when i use it , but if you`re on a dark stage or in a dark room ,it > >would be a great map.... > >they also make distortion & other type of pedals too....... > > Interesting idea. Really we do not have a very acurate feeling for the > angle of the ancle. For volume I do not think its very important, because > you imediately hear what you do, but as a FeedBack for looping it might be > the solution: > The result of the feedback reduction is only audible after a whole loop > goes by. So with some experiece, you can determine how much you want to > reduce the feedback and control with the LEDs whether your foot acts right. > > My personal solution was to use a fader instead of a pedal to get the > visual control. But I have to take my shoes of to control it, which makes > me famous here, but is not everyones thing... > > Do you have some more indications about the visual volume? Is that the > brand? Price? WWW page? > > Thank you > Matthias the company`s name is Visual Sound , check out the marck/97 guitar player mag on p. 119 for a review of their Visual Metal pedal . "powered by a 9-volt AC adaptor , the Visual Metal also fetures 11 LEDs that track pedal movement to visually indicate how much mayhem you`re about to unleash. A companion Visual Volume pedal is offered for $130." i got mine at guitar center for around $80. Visual Sound , in CT , 1-800-686-3317 again the main reason i got this was for its clarity , it`s not a chepo volume pedal w/ a smart option on it.... rick --------------------------------