Dan Explains It All - Dweller Phase Repeater

Summary

In this episode of 'Dan Explains It All,' Dan introduces the Dweller Phase Repeater, an innovative pedal combining a phaser with an internal delay. He explains its unique feature: the ability to add delay to each stage of the phaser, controlled by a 'stretch' knob. The Dweller offers a mix control, rate and depth control, regeneration control, two toggle switches for voice and wave type, and standard in and out jacks. Dan demonstrates various sound effects, from traditional phaser sounds to complex, oscillating echoes. He highlights the pedal’s versatility with its four and eight stage settings, different waveforms, and the impact of the regeneration control. Additionally, the Dweller features an expression jack for foot control, offering dynamic real-time manipulation. Priced at $199, the Dweller is presented as a novel, flexible tool for musicians.

Takeaways

• 📢 Dweller is a unique pedal that combines a phaser with a delay to create a 'phase repeater'.
• 🔊 The pedal features two toggle switches and five knobs to control various aspects of the sound, including mix, rate, depth, regeneration, and stretch.
• 🔧 It allows users to add delay inside each stage of the phaser, offering a knob to adjust this effect.
• 💧 The mix control ranges from fully dry to fully wet signal, affecting the balance between the original and affected sound.
• 🔄 The rate and depth controls function similarly to those on a traditional phaser, adjusting the speed and intensity of the effect.
• 🔥 The regeneration control intensifies the phasing sound, making it more extreme and resonant.
• 🔢 Voice and wave toggles offer further sound customization, allowing selection between different phaser stages and waveforms.
• 📌 The stretch control introduces a delay to each phaser stage, significantly altering the sound character.
• 📹 An expression jack is available for external foot control, providing dynamic real-time manipulation of the stretch effect.
• 💻 The Dweller is compatible with standard pedal power supplies and features soft touch switching for noiseless operation.

Q & A

What is a phase repeater?

A phase repeater is a phaser effect with delay added inside each phaser stage.

What are the main controls on the Dweller pedal?

The Dweller pedal has two toggle switches (for voice and wave shape), five knobs (mix, rate, depth, regen, and stretch), an expression jack, and standard input/output jacks.

How does the mix control work?

The mix control blends between the dry signal and the fully wet, phased signal.

What is the purpose of the rate and depth controls?

The rate and depth controls work similarly to a regular phaser, controlling the speed and intensity of the phasing effect.

What does the regen control do?

The regen control increases the intensity and resonance of the phaser effect, making it sound more extreme and accentuated.

What is the difference between the four-stage and eight-stage phaser modes?

The four-stage phaser has a more familiar, old-school phaser sound, while the eight-stage phaser has more frequency notches and a more intense effect.

What are the different wave shapes available on the Dweller?

The Dweller offers three wave shapes: sine wave, triangle wave, and a pseudo-random step function.

How does the stretch control affect the sound?

The stretch control delays each phaser stage, creating a washed-out, time-stretched effect that blends the phaser and delay characteristics.

What is the purpose of the expression jack?

The expression jack allows you to connect an external foot controller to control the stretch parameter, enabling real-time manipulation of the time-stretching effect.

Can the Dweller function as a standalone delay pedal?

Yes, by bringing the depth control down to zero, the Dweller can act as a regular analog-style delay pedal with control over feedback and time.

Outlines

00:00

🎛 Introduction to Dweller: The Phase Repeater

This section introduces the Dweller, a unique phase repeater that incorporates a delay within its phaser stages, offering a novel sound manipulation device. Unlike traditional phasers with fixed stages and no delay, the Dweller allows users to insert delay into each stage via a control knob. It features two toggle switches and five knobs, including mix, rate, depth, and regeneration controls, which adjust the blend of dry and wet signals, speed and intensity of the effect, and the extremeness of the phasing sound, respectively. The toggle switches offer options between four and eight stage phasers and different waveforms (sine, triangle, and pseudo-random step function) for varied sonic textures. The 'stretch' control introduces the delay effect to the phaser stages, and the device includes standard in/out jacks, an expression control, and operates on 9V DC power with soft touch switching for quiet operation. The narrator demonstrates these features using a Fender Jaguar guitar through an Otis Trudeau amplifier, starting with basic phaser sounds and progressively introducing more complex settings.

05:01

🌀 Exploring Phaser Sounds and Repeats with Dweller

The second paragraph delves deeper into the sonic capabilities of the Dweller, focusing on the phaser sounds and the unique 'repeats' feature enabled by the stretch control. By adjusting the stretch, users can add an echo-like effect to the phaser, creating sounds that range from subtle echoes to intensely washed-out effects. The section highlights the difference between four and eight stage phasers, with the latter offering a more intense effect, and explores the sonic variations produced by different waveform settings, including sine, triangle, and random. The random setting, in particular, is noted for its ability to generate unusual and bubbly sounds by randomly sampling points based on the rate knob's setting. This segment underscores the versatility of the Dweller as both a phaser and a delay, capable of producing a wide array of sounds from classic phaser tones to innovative, time-stretched textures.

10:02

🎸 Expression Control and Versatility of Dweller

In the final paragraph, the focus shifts to the Dweller's expression jack, which allows for external foot control over the stretch parameter, effectively taking the place of the knob and offering real-time manipulation of the effect. The narrator demonstrates how varying the regeneration, depth, and rate settings, combined with the expression control, can produce a range of sounds from subtle pitch shifts to expansive sweeps that transform the sound from a phaser into a long-form phase repeater and back. This section illustrates the Dweller's capacity for creative expression and its unique place as a phase repeater, highlighting its innovative design that merges delay and phaser effects into a single, exploratory device. The Dweller is praised for its simplicity and potential for sound experimentation, available from Old Blood Noise Endeavors at a retail price of $199.

Keywords

💡Dweller

Dweller refers to a unique audio effect pedal designed by Old Blood Noise Endeavors, characterized as a 'phase repeater.' This device blends the functionalities of a phaser and a delay effect, providing musicians with a novel sound-shaping tool. The concept is innovative because it incorporates delay into the phaser's stages, offering users the ability to manipulate time within the phaser effect itself. Throughout the video, Dweller is demonstrated and discussed, showcasing its versatility and the variety of sounds it can produce.

💡Phase Repeater

A Phase Repeater, as explained in the video, is an effect that combines a phaser with an embedded delay function. This innovative concept allows for the creation of complex, textured sounds that are not achievable with traditional phasers or delays alone. By introducing delay into the phasing process, the Phase Repeater can produce effects that have depth, resonance, and a unique time-stretched quality, significantly expanding the creative possibilities for musicians.

💡Phaser Stages

Phaser Stages refer to the number of phase-shifting circuits within a phaser effect pedal. Common configurations include four, eight, or ten stages, with each stage adding more notches to the phaser's sound, thereby creating a more complex and intense effect. The video mentions Dweller's ability to switch between four and eight-stage phasing, demonstrating how different stage settings can alter the sound's character, from a classic, subtle phase to a more pronounced and dense effect.

💡Mix Control

Mix Control on an effect pedal like Dweller adjusts the balance between the dry (unaltered) and wet (effected) signals. This control allows musicians to blend the original sound with the effect to their preference, ranging from fully dry to fully wet. In the context of Dweller, adjusting the mix control enables users to subtly enhance their sound with phasing or to transform it completely for a more pronounced effect, illustrating the pedal's flexibility.

💡Rate and Depth

Rate and Depth are common controls on modulation effects like phasers and flangers. The 'rate' adjusts the speed at which the modulation cycles occur, while 'depth' controls the extent of the modulation's impact on the signal, affecting how pronounced the effect is. In the video, these controls are used to demonstrate how they modify Dweller's phasing effect, from slow, sweeping phases to fast, intense modulations, highlighting the pedal's ability to create a wide range of sounds.

💡Regen (Regeneration)

Regeneration, often abbreviated as 'Regen,' on effects pedals like Dweller, controls the intensity of the effect by feeding part of the output signal back into the input. This creates a more intense, resonant sound by emphasizing the effect's frequency notches. In the context of the video, adjusting the Regen control on Dweller enhances the phasing effect, making it more pronounced and adding a unique resonance that can range from subtle to extreme.

💡Toggle Switches

Toggle Switches on Dweller are used to select between different modes of operation, specifically the phase voice (four-stage or eight-stage phaser) and wave shape (sine wave, triangle wave, or pseudo-random step function). These switches allow the user to drastically change the character of the effect, demonstrating the pedal's versatility and the variety of sounds it can produce, from smooth, undulating waves to more abrupt and random patterns.

💡Stretch Control

Stretch Control on Dweller is a unique feature that delays the signal within each phase of the phaser stages, effectively 'stretching' the sound. This control allows for the creation of spacious, washed-out sounds that blend the characteristics of delay and phaser effects. By manipulating the Stretch control, users can explore a vast sonic landscape, from subtle echoes to extended, ambient textures, showcasing the innovative nature of the Dweller pedal.

💡Expression Control

Expression Control refers to an input on some effects pedals that allows for external control over specific parameters using an expression pedal. In the case of Dweller, the expression control can take over the stretch function, providing real-time foot control over this parameter. This feature offers musicians the ability to dynamically alter the effect's intensity and character during a performance, adding a layer of expressiveness and interactivity to the pedal's use.

💡Analog Voice

Analog Voice in the context of Dweller refers to the tonal character imparted by the pedal, especially when used as a delay. This term signifies the warmth and slight imperfections associated with analog circuitry, as opposed to the pristine clarity of digital effects. By mentioning that Dweller has an analog voice with some filtering, the video highlights the pedal's ability to produce echoes that are not only delayed but also colored in a way that adds depth and warmth to the sound.

Highlights

Introduction to Dweller, a unique phase repeater pedal.

Explanation of a phase repeater: a phaser with an internal delay.

Dweller's control features: two toggle switches and five knobs.

The mix control allows blending from fully dry to fully wet signal.

Rate and depth controls act like those on a traditional phaser.

Regen control intensifies the phasing effect.

Voice toggle switch for selecting four or eight stage phaser.

Wave toggle switch offers sine, triangle, or pseudo-random step function.

Stretch control adds delay to phaser stages, creating the phase repeater effect.

Expression control for real-time manipulation of the stretch effect.

Demonstration of the phaser sounds with the stretch control minimized.

Exploration of the difference between four stage and eight stage phasers.

Introduction to different wave shapes and their effects on the sound.

Demonstration of the phase repeater's ability to mimic a delay effect.

Use of the expression jack for external foot control of the stretch effect.

Conclusion: Dweller as a novel phase repeater available from Old Blood Noise Endeavors.

Transcripts

Hello.

Welcome.

To Dan Explains It All.

Today we're talking about Dweller

Dweller

Is a phase repeater

What is a phase repeater?

Well, if you take a phaser

and you put a delay inside of it, that's a phase repeater.

So you've probably heard of four stage eight, stage ten stage phasers.

You might not know what those stages are.

You don’t really need to know what those stages are.

And normally there's no delay inside of them.

What we did, we gave you a knob to put delay inside of each of those stages.

So that's that's a phase repeater

and that's Dweller

Let’s talk about some of the controls on Dweller.

It's got two toggle switches and five knobs.

There's a mix control.

And let's go from fully dry signal to fully wet signal.

There's a rate and depth control.

Those act just like they would on normal phaser.

They make you go faster or slower, shallower, deeper.

And there's a regen control that makes your phasing sound

more intense and kind of extreme in a way, will walk through that later.

And then there's two toggle switches, one of them controls the voice.

There's a four stage or eight stage phaser

The other one controls the wave, which is either a sine wave triangle

wave or a pseudo random step function for the phase itself.

And then we've got a stretched control, and that's when you delay to

each of those phaser stages.

So that's when the fun happens.

And then standard in jack out jack.

There's an expression control we'll talk about later.

Nine volt

center negative DC standard pedal power.

I think it's 46

milliamps something like that.

And soft touch really switching. So

real quiet when you turn it on and off.

here's my clean signal.

Running a fender Jaguar

through an Otis Trudeau, Otis Trudeau is that what it is called?

Yeah.

Cool.

So let's bring the stretch control all the way down and listen

to some of the phaser sounds

Gonna start

with the four stage sine wave .

bringing the depth all the way down,

it stops moving.

It's basically just your dry signal at that point.

As you bring

the depth up you get more seasick.

wobbly sounds.

And you can bring the rate all the way down.

So it stops moving.

Or bring it up.

So you get real slow, deep phase.

Or crank it till it's just ridiculous.

And we're going to bring the rate back a little bit, start bringing up the regen

to show how that affects the phaser sound.

You're going to hear that it's just as deep,

but it's like on all those frequency notches that it's

creating as it sweeps through. They just get a little more intense,

and it gets super resonant and gets more intense at its edges.

Let’s Scale that back.

Go back to knobs at noon setting and if you.

This is one of my favorite things on a phaser if you give all wet signal,

so you max out your mix control turns into kind of a vibrato pedal.

Instead of that phaser sound it has kind of a

pitchshifty vibey, vibe.

Let’s talk about the difference between four stage and eight stage phaser.

Basically four stages like a kind of familiar old school phaser sound.

Eight stage has a little more something to it's got more notches technically.

You don't need to worry about that that's what you're hearing.

So it's just a little more intense of an effect.

Now let's check out the different wave shapes.

So we're on sine wave right now.

There is triangle wave pretty similar, just slightly different voices,

a little different shape to how it's moving.

Now let's go random.

And so random is where things can get kind of weird.

I like to max out the regeneration,

so each movement gets really accentuated

and max out the

depth so it can move through its full range

and then just set the rate to taste.

So in this setting, you don't get the smooth wave of a sine

wave or triangle.

Essentially, it's randomly sampling at different points

and where you set your rate knob is going to decide how often it samples.

So you can

sample a lot and get super bubbly, weird sounds

or sample

every once in a while and just have these resonance skips

as you go through.

So those are the phaser sounds of the Dweller Phase Repeater.

So now let’s check out the repeats.

So in this setting I'm just going to bring up the stretch

just slightly and you'll hear that at each of those skips, to different

different settings.

There is going going to be almost like an extra touch

of echo around them.

That's my favorite setting

It’s a fun one.

Now if move back to a sine wave,

will stick to the eight stage phaser.

You hear how it’s

still washing through and getting really wavy,

but it's like it's getting confused.

It's having memories of its former life.

And as we bring the stretch up even further.,

let's go ahead and just max out all the way

you get these incredibly washed out

sounds that aren't a delay into a phaser or a phaser, into a delay.

But there what happens when you actually time stretch

with in that phaser sound.

If you bring up your regen, it's acting kind of like a feedback control now.

Now how feedback control would work,

on a delay

You get longer trails just basically the signal that comes out

at the end gets added back in at the start again.

And so it's getting more intense, more washed out, longer trails

and you'll get very close to oscillating

and then it'll never quite get there.

So thats what it means to be a phaser repeater.

Part of being a phase repeater

is that the Dweller can actually act as a

kind of bummed

they missed it that time.

So part of being a phase repeater means that it can actually become a delay

if you bring the depth of the phaser all the way down.

So if we bring our stretch up to about middle again,

we hear this very

washed out phase repeater sounds.

And if we just bring the depth

all the way down, it's just like a normal delay.

So it got a bit of an analog voice.

There's some filtering on it.

So it's not a super pristine digital delay, just a bit of extra

warmth to it.

So again, that regen controller acts as a feedback

you hear those super long trails,

but it dies off just enough to not oscillate.

And you can get those pitch shifts when you move this stretch control

because it's acting like a time control in a delay, now.

That's what happens on the delay side of a phase repeater.

And I'll go ahead and bring the depth control up,

just to show how those interact again

from the other side.

You start to hear

how there's still a sense of the timing you had earlier.

But it is starting to wash, starting to get a little bit confused,

sample signals

out of phase with each other now.

I will bring the regen down

and now it's

just that perfect in-between of a delay and a phaser.

Dweller Phase Repeater

So another feature of the Dweller is its expression jack.

You can use this to plug in an external foot control

that takes over for this

stretch control so the knob won't do anything anymore.

You get to control the whole thing with your foot.

If we bring up our regeneration and depth a little bit.

Bring the rate down a touch, Let’s do eight stage.

Triangle wave

and just walk through some different times so you can do little shifts,

To get that kind of pitch shifting light light glitchyness.

You can do huge sweeps, you can rock it all the way back

to turn on the new phaser and max it out to just stretch it out,

into this long form phase repeater.

And then right back to phaser.

it's a lot of fun stuff you can do with your foot.

So that's the overall idea of the Dweller.

It's a phase repeater.

it's kind of a new thing.

It's a delay inside of a phaser.

It's simple,

as long as you spend some time with it.

it's available

now from Old Blood Noise Endeavors

for 199 all over the place.

That’s it.

Brady you wanna take us out?

That’s some good Dweller.

I said that's some good Dweller.