I used to think there wasn't such a thing as a useless pedal, that you could use anything to create music... until I met this:
Is there any other pedal out there you think has no practical use?
I think that this can develop into a fun and interesting topic full of conflicting opinions :)
for example, I think that the Miku pedal is extremely awesome and would love to use it through tons of effects or as a head turner in the middle of a blues solo for that bb king teleported to japan infamous effect.
Quote from: Cortexturizer on January 29, 2015, 12:46:30 PM
for example, I think that the Miku pedal is extremely awesome and would love to use it through tons of effects or as a head turner in the middle of a blues solo for that bb king teleported to japan infamous effect.
;D It is not about what it does, it is about how bad it does what it does.
excuse me do you have Japanese ears mister? :P who knows, it might sound fantastic to people from J. If it was like 70$ I would buy it without thinking. You put a Klon clone with diodes you paid 20$ for and this pedal next to it and watch the guitar world clash as if you'd divided by zero.
I did however find some pedals more or less useless for me personally, I've had a chance at playing a moog low pass filter with my setup and my gear, and couldn't squeeze one good sound out of it. it might have been broken or something
Quote from: Cortexturizer on January 29, 2015, 01:00:45 PM
I've had a chance at playing a moog low pass filter with my setup and my gear, and couldn't squeeze one good sound out of it. it might have been broken or something
Isn't that blasphemy? :D
Quote from: Cortexturizer on January 29, 2015, 01:00:45 PM
You put a Klon clone with diodes you paid 20$ for and this pedal next to it and watch the guitar world clash as if you'd divided by zero.
We should do some shirts with this phrase. Anyway, I don't really think the Korg pedal has enough good tracking to follow the delicated, refined distortion curve produced by those OA126s .... :P
(This is my post number 909 btw, nice number)
I can hear Otaku guitar players worldwide creaming in their pants as I type this. And I'm currently two floors under ground. Marty Friedman would probably get a whole pedal board full of them. I wouldn't consider this pedal completely useless, it might make for a fun one trick pony. That is until Otaku guitar players world wide start abusing it to the same degree as hip ho[ and R&B singers are abusing the auto tune.
As for useless pedals, for me at least compressors are useless. Every time I try one I throw it off my board right away in disgust.
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
Quote from: midwayfair on January 29, 2015, 03:07:09 PM
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
+1 I knew there was going to be controversy when I posted this, but I totally agree with your point.
However, I was talking about practical use. Praxis and creativity don't have to be always together, but when they do, the result can be amazing. Nevertheless, when a tool is too deterministic it can kill the creativiy process making diversity a thing of the past.
This pedal is not useless. It is hilarious.
Perhaps not useless, but in the "really, really bad" category, I nominate:
-- DOD Grunge pedal (not the later Digitech unit, although it's pretty bad too)
-- Danelectro Sitar Swami
Quote from: midwayfair on January 29, 2015, 03:07:09 PM
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
Exactly. Nothing is truly without use.
For example, take my old Boss DS-1. It two very specific uses:
1.) It serves as a warning to other pedal designers
2.) It would be good as a projectile in a Trainspotting style bar fight.
Quote from: pickdropper on January 29, 2015, 06:05:25 PM
Quote from: midwayfair on January 29, 2015, 03:07:09 PM
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
Exactly. Nothing is truly without use.
For example, take my old Boss DS-1. It two very specific uses:
1.) It serves as a warning to other pedal designers
2.) It would be good as a projectile in a Trainspotting style bar fight.
This made me laugh
I can't say much about the pedal itself, but the Vocaloid synthesis stuff it's based on is pretty impressive. My son had some demo software of it awhile back and I was pretty blown away by what can be done with it. I do remember seeing the announcement for the pedal in Japan and kinda thinking "what?" Still, I don't think the video is really showing it to its best abilities. I thought that you could enter your own phrases with a computer or smartphone link. And, tracking depends on what the intended usage is. So, the pedal may be better than it seems. I will say though that I've got absolutely zero use for it.
Here's a link to the Wiki article about the technology behind the thing, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid)
Quote from: pickdropper on January 29, 2015, 06:05:25 PM
Quote from: midwayfair on January 29, 2015, 03:07:09 PM
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
2.) It would be good as a projectile in a Trainspotting style bar fight.
"And the game was mine"
(http://music.codydeschenes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BigbyDS1.png)
Cody
Cody, that was exactly the part I was thinking off. Pretty fast on the Photoshop there. Nice job.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: pickdropper on January 29, 2015, 06:38:41 PM
Cody, that was exactly the part I was thinking off. Pretty fast on the Photoshop there. Nice job.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
haha I was actually doing a logo for an event here at work.. so it was open already.
Cody
For me, anything subtle or designed to emulate an amp or amp gain are the definition of useless pedals. Compression, overdrive and distortion pedals make no sense to me unless you don't own an amp and are headphone jamming or direct recording. Most people who use pedals also have an amp, so what's with all the pedals that do a poorer job than the amp, and then send it to that amp? Begby FTW BTW!
Quote from: Torgoslayer on January 29, 2015, 06:51:00 PM
For me, anything subtle or designed to emulate an amp or amp gain are the definition of useless pedals. Compression, overdrive and distortion pedals make no sense to me unless you don't own an amp and are headphone jamming or direct recording. Most people who use pedals also have an amp, so what's with all the pedals that do a poorer job than the amp, and then send it to that amp? Begby FTW BTW!
I unfortunately do not agree with this at all. Just the ability to change the effect order on the fly alone is a perfect example what an amp can not do on its own. I have not owned an amp with a high gain channel in over 15 years just for the reason that I would never use it and would rely on pedals for my achieved sound.
Cody
Own the first, have a clone of the second... *blushes*
But the Miku is too fucked up for me.
Quote from: juansolo on January 29, 2015, 07:16:26 PM
Own the first, have a clone of the second... *blushes*
But the Miku is too fucked up for me.
Um, I want a Rainbow Machine now.
I want that guitar. That Reverend is just perfect!
Quote from: RobA on January 29, 2015, 06:16:40 PM
I can't say much about the pedal itself, but the Vocaloid synthesis stuff it's based on is pretty impressive. My son had some demo software of it awhile back and I was pretty blown away by what can be done with it. I do remember seeing the announcement for the pedal in Japan and kinda thinking "what?" Still, I don't think the video is really showing it to its best abilities. I thought that you could enter your own phrases with a computer or smartphone link. And, tracking depends on what the intended usage is. So, the pedal may be better than it seems. I will say though that I've got absolutely zero use for it.
Here's a link to the Wiki article about the technology behind the thing, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid)
Yep, I've been doing some research, as it was developed by the Pompeu i Fabra University and I applied to their master. The dsp work involved is impressive.
I am old enough to pass on this impression:
When I was a young guitar player in the 60s, I walked into a small music store on Balboa Island in California. The owner was excited about a new pedal that he had just received and asked me if I wanted to try it. So I sat down and he set me up. He told me to just rock the foot pedal back and forth. The guitar said Wah Wah out of the amp and I started laughing! I said this thing is the most useless piece of crap I have ever seen! Who would want to make their guitar say WAH WAH!.... Ha ha ha ha!
He said just you wait, one of these new guitar guys like Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix will use it on a record and they will start selling.... I responded.. NEVER HAPPEN IN A MILLION YEARS! Ha ha ha!
"In a white room, with black curtains, at the station............"
Quote from: selfdestroyer on January 29, 2015, 07:13:10 PM
Quote from: Torgoslayer on January 29, 2015, 06:51:00 PM
For me, anything subtle or designed to emulate an amp or amp gain are the definition of useless pedals. Compression, overdrive and distortion pedals make no sense to me unless you don't own an amp and are headphone jamming or direct recording. Most people who use pedals also have an amp, so what's with all the pedals that do a poorer job than the amp, and then send it to that amp? Begby FTW BTW!
I unfortunately do not agree with this at all. Just the ability to change the effect order on the fly alone is a perfect example what an amp can not do on its own. I have not owned an amp with a high gain channel in over 15 years just for the reason that I would never use it and would rely on pedals for my achieved sound.
Cody
I figured this would get some controversy. I use tons of pedals, and put them in any order, either before the gain (amp) or after (effects loop). And can switch their order on the fly. My comment was geared towards pedals that emulate the basic sounds of a tube amp, (compression,OD, and Distortion) and then are run INTO said tube amp. Which you would logically have if you are looking for "tube" sounds. Of course this doesn't apply to a PA, or clean ss amp users. My Tiny Terror naturally compresses, does Blues Driver, Tube Screamer, Brown Sound, and Rectifier sounds better than any of those transisterized pedals. I just can't think of a pedal in those categories that could improve on what a relatively cheap tube amp can do already.
Britannia pedal I built makes my tube amp sound very Voxey. Tube amp can't do it on it's own.....Jangle me some Voxness!
Quote from: micromegas on January 29, 2015, 07:46:16 PM
[...]
Yep, I've been doing some research, as it was developed by the Pompeu i Fabra University and I applied to their master. The dsp work involved is impressive.
That's a good program. I've seen tons of good work come out of there over the years.
Quote from: Torgoslayer on January 29, 2015, 08:16:44 PM
Quote from: selfdestroyer on January 29, 2015, 07:13:10 PM
Quote from: Torgoslayer on January 29, 2015, 06:51:00 PM
For me, anything subtle or designed to emulate an amp or amp gain are the definition of useless pedals. Compression, overdrive and distortion pedals make no sense to me unless you don't own an amp and are headphone jamming or direct recording. Most people who use pedals also have an amp, so what's with all the pedals that do a poorer job than the amp, and then send it to that amp? Begby FTW BTW!
I unfortunately do not agree with this at all. Just the ability to change the effect order on the fly alone is a perfect example what an amp can not do on its own. I have not owned an amp with a high gain channel in over 15 years just for the reason that I would never use it and would rely on pedals for my achieved sound.
Cody
I figured this would get some controversy. I use tons of pedals, and put them in any order, either before the gain (amp) or after (effects loop). And can switch their order on the fly. My comment was geared towards pedals that emulate the basic sounds of a tube amp, (compression,OD, and Distortion) and then are run INTO said tube amp. Which you would logically have if you are looking for "tube" sounds. Of course this doesn't apply to a PA, or clean ss amp users. My Tiny Terror naturally compresses, does Blues Driver, Tube Screamer, Brown Sound, and Rectifier sounds better than any of those transisterized pedals. I just can't think of a pedal in those categories that could improve on what a relatively cheap tube amp can do already.
I get your point if you have a good amp and are satisfied with it. Me, I don't give a rat's ass about perfect tube sound. I would rather have a few pedals that can emulate a few good amps, like a Marshall, and play that into my non-Marshall amp rather then haul those amps along. Hell, I'm not even hauling any amps along anymore. Nowadays my sound is dirt pedals into an AMT F1 preamp into EHX Magnum 44 poweramp pedals into a random cabinet. Or live straight into a mixing desk. Because I'm done hauling amps around.
But hey, I'm also the guy who thinks compressors are useless. ;)
Dunno that I'd pay for it, but I'd build the vero...
Quote from: midwayfair on January 29, 2015, 03:07:09 PM
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
There's no annoying people, there's only lack of tolerance? :D
I'm sure there's japanese schoolgirl fetishist buskers who find this pedal extremely useful.
Any pedal that makes more white noise than it should goes on my useless list. Ive run into several newer designs that are noisier than vintage fuzz circuits. Unacceptable!
Quote from: Dallius Mcnoob on February 03, 2015, 03:15:24 AM
I'm sure there's japanese schoolgirl fetishist buskers who find this pedal extremely useful.
No such thing because EVERYONE likes Japanese schoolgirls.
Quote from: LizardKing on February 09, 2015, 06:26:53 AM
Quote from: Dallius Mcnoob on February 03, 2015, 03:15:24 AM
I'm sure there's japanese schoolgirl fetishist buskers who find this pedal extremely useful.
No such thing because EVERYONE likes Japanese schoolgirls.
I don't. You filthy otaku!
I know this thread is old, but had to share this here:
It made me laugh!
he has this one too:
Ha! Brilliant. I've seen the Metal Zone one before but the Miku Stomp one is great.
Quote from: Cortexturizer on January 30, 2015, 01:13:46 PM
Quote from: midwayfair on January 29, 2015, 03:07:09 PM
There is no useless technology, only a failure of imagination.
There's no annoying people, there's only lack of tolerance? :D
I find that statement very annoying....har har
Quote from: micromegas on January 29, 2015, 12:17:52 PM
I used to think there wasn't such a thing as a useless pedal, that you could use anything to create music... until I met this:
Is there any other pedal out there you think has no practical use?
I don't know. I'd like a chance to experiment with a few. Or daisy chain a half dozen or so together. Or better yet, substitute every OD/distortion/fuzz pedal in Billy Gibbons' set up with them.
(http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab154/VanDerchuck/04B1CEA3-D8CC-41D0-BCB4-7A42313146C4_zpsmdbe5alh.jpg)