Re: Snazzy FX
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 6:39 pm
Thanks. I've exchanged a few emails with him, so I am thinking about it.
I don't know if this info was posted anywhere else, but he emailed me this info. Thought it may be helpful to you folks if not already known.
SNAZZY FX :divine hammer
What is it?
Well----
Basically a really far out saturation/harmonic modulation/ tremolo/swell/psychedelic box with tons of controls and 2 cv ins as well as a eurorack /line input
It has lots of range =many many sounds possible -this is a box I sit on the floor with my guitar for a few hours and just turn knobs while I play. (Sounds great through a wow and flutter too
or reverb .From clean (weird ) tremolo to super high gain spacemen 3 type / shoe gazer type swirly fuzz and really nice feedback .., (and including a built in feedback knob to make that easier )
I think it has a very distinct sound and with lo gain and hi gain mode , you basically have two completely different ways to use it
(In the lo gain mode it goes through the harmonic section very differently)
How's it work ?
It does this using a series of different gain stages to create a high gain section (4 different gain stages. ( BJT / FET/ MOSFET with variable bias and multiple opamp gain stages, so that even at high gain the sound doesn't become harsh or overly aggressive , more swirly and sludgey (sabbath meets spiritualized ) than overly hard. and turning the volume knob down a bit on guitar cleans it up a lot.
This gain goes into a
Harmonic modulator stage which can be controlled by lfo or cv.
Creating weird harmonics and swirls in time to the built in triangle lfo Or your own cv Input, cv radio or drum machine.
When putting eurorack signals into the 1/8" line jack , this section acts like a cv or lfo controlled waveshaper. On guitar, it does strange stuff and is highly dependent on the 3 top left knobs (tilt /offset and CV). At times it sounds like a moving fuzz and other times it sounds like a far away phaser (at slow lfo settings)
By the way :
Offset and CV knobs are both ATTENUVERTERS ... What's that mean ? Those pots are at zero in the CENTER. To the left flips the signal polarity and increases gain , to the right is increasing gain in regular polarity . So you can FLIP your lfo for very different effects.
It also has a switch for fixed mosfet bias or cv offset bias.
This parameter does not create CRAZY changes but allows the saturation/fuzz to breakup differently.
In the middle of the SRC switch the mosfet bias is turned to OFF.
Let's see what else
It allows you to plug euro modules straight in
Internally it's at +/-5v headroom so it safely takes any euro cv.
The hi and lo gain modes allow for two completely different types of fx
Little touches:
Like the Snazzy Fx modules, the Divine Hammer is made to help you explore the outer reaches. Many design choices were made to allow WIDE tonal changes and because of that when you first start using it , you might want to write down any tones you really like as there is so much sonic territory available.
Very few knob positions will give you NO SOUND AT ALL , but if this happens the first place to check is your OFFSET KNOB and Cv knob/ Lfo speed. At very slow settings or at Center offset (zero) sound will only pass as the LFO reaches it's peak .
This can be put to great use though as you can create sounds that slowly fade in or slowly get louder or so softer .
One of the neat things about the internal routing is that LFO automatically goes to the MOSFET BIAS AND the HARMONIC CV section (when SRC is set to cv , not fixed voltage )
Once you plug in a cv into one of the cv jacks, the Lfo is cut from that section.
You could have internal lfo going to harmonics and external cv going to mosfet bias AND vice versa.
You can also plug a synth into the line jack, a gtr into the 1/4" jack and a radio into the harmonic cv .... See what happens!
Some of the most interesting sounds are found by turning the knobs just a little bit more. the offset at -1 or +1 is where a lot of phasey stuff happens. I've gotten sounds before where I sware I thought there was some kind of time delay going on, or other sounds where it almost sounded like a reverse attack.
How ? Why ?
Well remember the main components of the box :
A: Gain INCREASE
--increase of signal (this is true even in lo gain mode, the gain is just at lower levels) via the serial gain stages (4 different stages of gain each with it's own sonic signature(bjt/fet/mosfet/opamp)
B: Gain Movement
1. Via cv/lfo modulation of mosfet bias(this has a subtle effect on gain BUT can create a squashing/ limiting effect . See TIMBRE)
2. VIA Offset/ CV attenuverters
-using the lfo or cv, the Signal passing through the harmonic section can ramp up and down in volume at the same time it shifts tonality, can slowly sweep /change amplitude envelope , etc. These effects can be subtle or very noticeable. slow lfo speeds create far more swirly sounds than fast lfo speeds, which create Klangy, often non-melodic tones.
Note : These sounds are unique as many settings reduce volume via cancellation or saturation acting as limiting.
C: TIMBRE SHIFT
1. Via saturation
-the multiple gain stages each impart a sonic signature into the incoming signal. Depending on the gain(and dc bias) of the incoming signal, the signal about to leave the harmonic section may sound quite different than how it entered. The HI/LO GAIN switch is very important here as well as is the volume knob of the guitar or synth or drum machine or bass.
2. Via Mosfet Bias (fixed or modulated )
This effect may be subtle but it adds more color choices to a sound. Using different pedals before the divine hammer may also increase the sensitivity of this control depending on the gain and Dc bias of the incoming signal.
3. via harmonic modulation ( offset/cv knobs) these controls effect the starting position of the signal AND the polarity of the lfo/cv. The two work together ( with offset at zero, cv will do nothing) and they will respond very differently depending on how loud the incoming signal is .
( this is why the lo gain/Hi gain switch is so important )
4. Via the TILT CONTROL
This control can change the signals harmonic makeup even AFTER the offset and cv and gain controls are all set. It also has a big impact on the creation of swirly fuzz sounds. TRY IT!
PATCH IDEA
Swirly fuzz :
Set the gain to hi or lo. (High is a good place to start as it's easier to hear the harmonic shifts )
Start with FBCK on zero.
Get the basic volume where you want it. Flip the SRC toggle to CV. Set the lfo to a pretty slow speed ( about 5%-10 % )
Now in the harmonic section make the lfo out of phase with the lfo going into the mosfet bias { set the CV KNOB to the left of center ( which flips the lfo into the harmonic section so the signal is out of phase with the original lfo) }
Now turn up the BIAS knob with SRC set to lfo , so you will be feeding the MOSFET BIAS a positive triangle and the harmonic section will be getting a negative triangle wave.
Now adjust your offset knob (start just a little bit left or right of center ) so that you can begin to hear the harmonically adjusted sound mixing with the regular sound .
Begin adjusting the TILT knob to dial in the tone.
If you time it right, one section will be going up in harmonics while the other section is going down in harmonics!
Tips:
remember , the cv knob and the offset work together. The tilt knob then effects the intensity of those harmonic shifts.
All of the controls on the right side of the box effect the gain stages.
All of the controls on the left control the harmonics/modulation section
The FBCK (feedback) knob takes the output of the box and feeds it back into itself thru some filtering
The mosfet bias controls have a more pronounced effect as you start turning up the FBCK
The bias knob and SRC switch both effect the Mosfet amp which is the last stage before the lo gain/ hi gain switch .
The Synth input ( LINE) goes through the gain stages but since euro signals START OUT as +/-5v signals, the gain staging is treated differently.
You can try to put other signals into the line jack
You can even put audio signals into the CV jacks to see what will happen !
Some people might use the Divine Hammer for distortion and others might use it as a unique tremolo (it's not really technically a classic tremolo as most settings allow you to continue hearing the "chopped" signal in between the chops. However this is a nice effect in it's own right.
With a clean tone, a bit of reverb and the volume knob rolled back a bit in the lo gain mode, you can get some very pretty sounds.
You can also get something that we like to think of as a blurry or messy clean tone
What is that?
Well in the lo gain mode, with your gtr vol pulled back a bit , depending in how you set your CV knob and Bias knobs, there are tones available where MOST of the tone is clean but then in time with the Lfo, you get flashes of klang, or a bit of dirt sweeping in and out.
It's a very distinct effect and works wonders in adding something "just a little bit off" which is perfect got recording
The listener will hear you playing a slow song with pretty chords but something will sound "a bit metallic ? " making people ask "what's up with that guitar ? "
INDEED
SNAZZYFX.com
