phaser user manual
Introduction The Empress Phaser was designed to give you maximum control in a small, manageable package. We’ve combined features that will enable you to realize all your phasing dreams. You’ll recognize the tap feature from our other pedals. And, with the Empress Phaser, we’ve also introduced the universal control port. Now you can control your phaser from a control voltage (CV), an expression pedal, an external audio input, external tap switch, or via MIDI.
Quick Start Set the knobs and switches to match the picture above. If the blue bypass LED is not already lit, press the bypass switch to engage the phaser.
Operating Modes The phaser has three modes: knob mode, tap mode and auto mode. Knob mode: The speed of the phaser is set with the speed knob and the speed range switch. The fastest speed range will give you ring modulator type sounds. Tap mode: The speed is set by tapping in a tempo with the tap stomp switch. The speed of the effect will be the tapped tempo, multiplied by the ratio set using the ratio knob.
Auto Mode In auto mode, the effect parameters are changed based on how you are playing. The changes follow the envelope of the input signal, or are triggered by sudden changes in the signal volume. Effects parameters are changed in one of two ways when you use auto mode: 1. Envelope Follower When following an envelope in auto mode, the pedal tracks the input volume and changes a parameter to follow the changes in the volume level. The envelope follow approach is used in submodes 1 through 4. 2.
The Attack and Release Controls In submodes 1 through 4, the attack switch determines how quickly the pedal reacts to an increase in input signal volume. For example, with submode 2 selected and the attack set to fast, a sudden increase in volume will increase the phaser rate almost instantly. With the attack set to slow, it takes much longer for the speed of the effect to increase. The release knob controls how quickly the pedal reacts to a decrease in input signal volume.
Sensitivity The sensitivity knob controls how the pedal listens to your input signal when in auto mode. For softer input signals you should set the sensitivity to a higher value. For louder input signals it should be turned down. In an auto mode that uses trigger detection, the red LED above the tap switch indicates that a trigger has been detected. If you find the auto mode is missing some of the triggers, increase the sensitivity.
The Submodes There are eight submodes available in auto mode. Submode 1: Phase Shift Follows Envelope The center of the phase shift changes according to how loud you play. Hitting the tap switch inverts the phasing motion for a different tone. Submode 2: LFO On Envelope The speed and the center of the phasing effect are both increased as the input signal grows louder. The tap switch reverses the changes as the signal grow louder.
Submode 4: Speed Follows Envelope (Random Waveform) Similar to submode 3 except it uses a random step waveform. The louder the input signal the more frequently a new speed value is chosen at random for the effect. Hitting the tap switch reverses the action so that a louder signal causes the waveform to slow down. Submode 5: Follow Trigger A peak in the volume of the input signal will trigger the effect to shift from maximum phasing to minimum phasing.
Submode 7: Rhythm Mode Cycle through preset rhythm patterns by turning the ratio knob. Each ratio represents a different pattern. You can change the speed of the rhythm pattern by hitting the tap stomp switch. There are five different rhythms available for you to explore. The release knob determines how quickly it shifts from the current random level to the next random level in the rhythm.
Submode 8: Direct Control Mode Without an expression pedal plugged in to the control port, this mode operates like submode 5, except that it triggers only when you hit the tap stomp switch. Hold down the tap switch and the sweep will keep rising to its maximum value. Release the tap switch and the sweep will return to its starting value. If you plug an expression pedal into the control port, this submode will allow you to control the degree of phase shift with the expression pedal.
stages: selects the number of all-pass poles. The 2-pole setting sounds the least effected, 4-pole is the setting you’ll find in most one-knob phasers, and 3-pole sounds quite different from both Controls a - 9 power: + tip 2.1mm jack. 12 speed range: controls the range of speeds available on the speed/ratio knob mode: set to control the speed with either tap or knob.
at a Glance 9V - 18V DC negative 20mA or greater resonance: selects the amount of feedback applied, creating resonant peaks in between valleys expression: selects which knob the expression pedal will control via the control port gain: controls the output gain.
Mix/Blend and Vibrato Configuration The Empress Phaser allows the blend knob to be configured either as a blend knob, or a mix knob. It ships configured as a blend knob. In this configuration there is a constant amount of dry signal. As you turn the blend knob clockwise, wet signal is added in. In mix knob mode, with the knob turned 100% clockwise, you hear only phased signal. When the knob is in this position there is no dry signal being added to the wet signal so you’ll get a vibrato type effect.
Changing the Mix/Blend Configuration To change the mix/blend configuration, open up the pedal and locate the DIP switches labelled ‘BLEND’. CONFIGURATION Blend (default) Mix DIP1 OFF OFF DIP2 ON OFF DIP3 OFF ON DIP4 ON OFF Harmonic Enhancement Circuit The Empress Phaser has a clean and pristine sound by design. In some instances, a dirtier sounding phaser may be desired. To accomplish this, we’ve included a circuit which adds subtle, yet pleasing, even order harmonics to the wet signal.
Universal Control Port Configuring the Control Port The control port configuration is set using the dip-switch array inside the unit. When you open the phaser, you’ll see a set of 3 dip-switches labelled ‘CON JACK CONFIG’. On power up, the configuration will be changed to the new setting.
Expression Pedal Configuration The pedal ships in this configuration. Plug an expression pedal into the control port, and use the expression switch to select which parameter you’d like to control with the pedal. You can select speed or width when using knob and tap modes. In auto mode the speed and width switch positions will control sensitivity and release, respectively. The expression pedal varies the parameter between zero (or fully counter-clockwise) and the setting on the knob.
External Tap Switch Configuration In this configuration you can plug an external tap switch into the control port to set the tap time. This is useful if you have more than one tap-tempo pedal, so that you can set them all with one switch. The Empress Phaser is able to accept both latching and momentary external tap switches. External Audio Configuration In this configuration you can plug an audio signal into the control port to override the normal input.
MIDI Control The Empress Phaser allows all of its digital parameters to be controlled via MIDI control change messages, and to have its tempo changed with MIDI clock messages. To use MIDI with your phaser you’ll have to: 1. Attach the Empress Midibox using a ¼” patch cable to the control port. This is a simple device which converts the signal on a standard MIDI cable to a ¼” cable you can plug into your phasers control port. (Not included with the phaser) 2.
Control Change Messages The Empress Phaser can be controlled with MIDI control change messages. Almost all MIDI controllers or digital audio workstation software will be able to output these messages. Refer to your product’s documentation for help on how to do this. Below is a table that shows which MIDI control change message controls each phaser parameter.
Direct Control 40 Exit Direct Control 50 MIDI Clock Listener 51 Sending this message overrides all other digital settings (speed, width, waveform, mode) and lets you set the amount of phase shift directly with MIDI values. Sending a value of zero would correspond to minimum phase shift and 127 the maximum. This mode would allow you to draw your own waveforms in a digital audio workstation and send them to the phaser. Sending this message with any value will cause the pedal to exit direct control.
MIDI Channel Dip Configuration Channel DIP1 DIP2 DIP3 1 OFF OFF OFF 2 ON OFF OFF 3 OFF ON OFF 4 ON ON OFF 5 OFF OFF ON 6 ON OFF ON 7 OFF ON ON 8 ON ON ON
MIDI Clock (aka MIDI Beat Clock) The Empress Phaser will respond to MIDI Clock messages when it is in tap and normal mode. MIDI Clock specifies quarter notes, subdivided into 24 MIDI Messages. Each quarter note corresponds to 1 period of the phaser’s waveform. Warning: Changing the speed/ratio knob when MIDI clock is being sent will confuse the phaser. It will momentarily switch to the knob setting, and then switch back to the MIDI clock setting causing general chaos.
Specifications Input Impedance: Output Impedance: Frequency Response (-3dB): Distortion (All dry signal): Noise: Input Voltage: Required Current: Power Input Connector: Height (enclosure only): Height (including controls): Length: Width: Weight: 1MΩ 2KΩ 35Hz – 17kHz 0.03% -104.1dB 9VDC – 18VDC 120mA 2.1mm Barrel Connector 1.5” 2” 3.5” 4.5” 1lbs www.empresseffects.
