Echoplex run away echo into oblivion

SJonesofva

SJonesofva

Inspired
Hi all,

So on the old Maestro Echoplex you could turn up the feedback to get a run away echo effect and grab the knob that adjusted the tape head position (for delay time) and advance it slowly to make the delay shorter and shorter which would also increase the pitch until you got to the end of the range of the knob. Was a cool effect used a bunch in the late 70s.

So wondering how to do this on the FM9. I saw a delay feedback preset in Yek's preset library and was wondering if I could use this approach and combine the whammy effect and delay time controlled by the same expression pedal (can you do that?) to emulate the effect.

Has anyone tried this and how did it go?

Thanks,

Steve
 
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SJonesofva said:
A good example of what I'm talking about is at the beginning of this song by James Gang:



I think Tommy Bolin is playing guitar on this.

Steve
Click to expand...


Oh man, I freakin' love that album! Never seen anyone else reference it over the years. Perhaps because the album title is potentially quite controversial. Post Joe Walsh, James Gang. "Standing In The Rain" is such a great tune with a memorable intro. Tommy Bolin is definitely the guitar player on this album (and also the James Gang's 'Miami' album). Worked with Deep Purple for a while too. Shame he died so young. Great player!
 
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playmusic said:
Oh man, I freakin' love that album! Never seen anyone else reference it over the years. Post Joe Walsh, James Gang. "Standing In The Rain" is such a great tune with a memorable intro. Tommy Bolin is definitely the guitar player on this album (and also the James Gang's 'Miami' album). Worked with Deep Purple for a while too. Shame he died so young. Great player!
Click to expand...
Yeah, I saw James Gang when he was with them. He used his Echoplex to record a track and then played it back and played lead over it. Today you'd use a looper for that. Impressive to see him do that live with an Echoplex. The Echoplex had an "endless" tape loop that ran a couple of minutes. You'd have to time your first track to be exactly the time of the loop for it to work right. After the show he was hanging out in front of the stage so I went and talked to him a bit about how he did that. I tried doing it with my Echoplex and just could never get it right.
 
SJonesofva said:
Thanks. I'll give that a shot. Seems a lot simpler than what I was thinking.
Click to expand...
You can manipulate the parameters manually (including using the Performance Page), with expression pedals(s), or with a Control Switch (or two?) and set the 'Damping' to automate the timing of both parameters. Manually switch the 'Control Switch' or use a Scene. You could even use the 'Sequencer' Controller.
 
Moke said:
'Mono Tape' model in the Delay block. Crank up the Head 1 'Feedback', then increase the 'Motor Speed' parameter.
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That's it, but you might not find the range you're looking for. The Motor Speed parameter has a 4:1 ratio if you start at half speed, but the song Standing in the Rain winds up going way faster than that.
 
Rex said:
That's it, but you might not find the range you're looking for. The Motor Speed parameter has a 4:1 ratio if you start at half speed, but the song Standing in the Rain winds up going way faster than that.
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True. The 'Time' parameter could additionally be manipulated to increase the pitch change range.
 
Well that was interesting. My attempt is attached. Start with heel down. Expression pedal 1 is linked to the motor speed control The expression pedal is also linked to the reverb mix to increase reverb as you move from heel down to toe down. Two scenes, one clean and one dirty. I tried manipulating the Time parameter but that didn't work so well...
 

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  • FM9-Runaway to oblivion.syx
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Hi, my Axe Fx 3 shows up tomorrow, so I'm out of my depth.. Is this the same effect as self oscillation on an Echoplex? I think that's what I've heard it called that I need to accomplish on this song -
starting at about 2:46. It has a lot of movement both pitch and speed, both in both directions. If this couldn't be done, I guess I either buy one of the Dunlops or pray for it in the wish list. Thanks much!
 
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Shepdoggiest said:
Hi, my Axe Fx 3 shows up tomorrow, so I'm out of my depth.. Is this the same effect as self oscillation on an Echoplex? I think that's what I've heard it called that I need to accomplish on this song -
starting at about 2:46. It has a lot of movement both pitch and speed, both in both directions. If this couldn't be done, I guess I either buy one of the Dunlops or pray for it in the wish list. Thanks much!
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the effect. You can try my preset and see what you think. It's an FM9 preset but should work I think. It's not quite the same sound but similar. As far as getting a Pat Travers tone you're on your own...

Steve
 
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SJonesofva said:
Yeah, that's the effect. You can try my preset and see what you think. It's an FM9 present but should work I think. It's not quite the same sound but similar. As far as getting a Pat Travers tone you're on your own...

Steve
Click to expand...
Thanks for letting me know. I've D/L'd your preset. I guess I can just save the delay block and load it to my soon to be created PT preset. I had his tone well sorted in my Ultra, but it was starting to act weird as it's as long in the tooth as me, so I decided to plunge into a AF III Mk II. Waiting for Fed Ex for the next undetermined amount of hours/minutes. Thanks again, friend.
 
SJonesofva said:
A good example of what I'm talking about is at the beginning of this song by James Gang:



I think Tommy Bolin is playing guitar on this.

Steve
Click to expand...

Bolin was known for his use of echo. He’d set it on a stool next to his mic on stage for easy access.

Check out his work on Billy Cobham’s “Spectrum” album, he was on fire! Put on good headphones and listen closely to his parts, it’s interesting what you can hear. “Stratus” is a fun one to play. He’s on "Quadrant 4", "Taurian Matador" and "Red Baron" also, with Leland Sklar on bass.
 
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