I hate Phasers
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- Опубліковано 8 тра 2023
- Phasers aren't my favorite. When Alexander Pedals sent me their new pedal - Luminous, I was...meh. But I do like their other pedals in the Leap Series, so I decided to give it a try with the Moog Matriarch and see if I can finally find a place for Phasers in my life.
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As you mentioned, all time-based effects (except possibly reverb) are already a part of electronic music synthesis. To me, where these kinds of effects really shine is on instruments that lack this type of modulation natively. Instruments such as guitar can really shine with a phaser or flanger. Furthermore, there's a real need to chain these heavy effects properly, and generally any kind of "texture" such as distortion should come after these effects (unless you just want to hear massive phasing or flanging, in which case, put the distortion first...). Or, if you have a synth without much in the way of modulation (such as my PAiA FatMan, which completely lacks an LFO!), then adding these effects outboard makes a lot of sense. Great video as usual, keep it up!
That first example on the grandmother is sick
Thanks!
Seconding this! Such great sounds in that example!
2nd that 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
That's the big momma the matriarch. But definitely a beautiful sound.
Phasers can be great in feedback. The notches can prevent squeals and generally animate everything.
It's always a pleasure how you add your very special kind of humour 😄. But I agree there are so many fascinating pedals that lack of offering stereo in & out. The companies sometimes have forgotten the synth community.
stopping the door with it was just borderline morally illegal
I like phasers and flangers but only in specific situations. If I’m going for a Boards of Canada vibe a phaser tends to be particularly useful. If I’m trying to create a screechy metallic sound, a flanger adds that metal sound nicely with feedback up really high. I also like chorus on dark sounds, especially like ominous vibes. I just like the extra texture but pretty minimal in the application though!
The problem with phasers is they sound too much like phasers.
I prefer them on stun. I don't need to vaporize the entire EQ spectrum.
That might be true. But what would "Oxygene" be without the phased strings 😉?
Yes
Dislike of phasers is pretty much a dislike of string machines.
I winced when you closed the door on that poor pedal, it deserves to be loved lol. Phasers are a niche tool, and hard to place in a mix for sure. They seem to compliment plucked strings better than synths to my ear, and usually at slower settings where you don't hear the repetitiveness of the cycle so much. If I ever need a different or more interesting phaser sound than my Small Stone, I'll definitely be shelling out for this - great demo! If anyone else has any unloved pedals, send them to me please 😁
I totally winced too!! I really did. even though I full-well know the old stompbox can handle it.
I agree with the plucked string sentiment. That could be why I normally hear them employed by guitarists in their pedal setup.
Have you not tried putting a Fender/Rhodes sound through it? Or even organ sounds. Or string machine sounds. Come on. I basically listed all the legitimate use cases. I don't like too much of phases, chorus etc either, and only slight hints of it on guitar ;)
Phasers are amazing. It’s an analog resonant filter with an LFO, and it’s from the ‘60s. What’s even more amazing is that you can’t actually adjust the frequency of the filter manually on 99% of phasers. That makes them pretty ridiculous and un-musical™️ to me. But that’s why I have the EHX Bad Stone and Dreadbox Lethargy, cuz they actually do give you manual control of the base frequency.
You can also use it with extreme settings at the end of the drop just before the release in a trance track. Cheesy but effective!
Ditto on phasers (at least the heavy handed phasing that many think of when phasers enter the chat). That said, I've had my Matriarch running through a Strymon Mobius almost since I got it a few years ago. I like it for adding a bit of low key LFO and texture, while avoiding the more intense phaser settings.
I dont use Phaser, Flanger, Chorus !
because of wishywashy, phase mono problems, transient issues etc.
Still don't care for phasers and flangers, but I love your delivery, sense of humor, and musicianship. You are my people.
O come on, I love phasers and Flangers. Awesome shit!
How about photon torpedoes?
Can’t set those to stun
@@JamesonNathanJones true
I like where you're going with this, TC.
@@GianmarioScotti 🤓
I used some extreme barely-controlled settings of flangers on weird drum parts for some interesting glitch-like effects, but you could do this with delays as well.
My hatred of phasers comes from listening for out of phase mics on sessions.
Haha that’ll do it
This is understandable
Same! I pretty much never use any phaser or flanger. Chorus I like, but it's hard to find one that does it well. Most sound chintzy to me.
Plugins at least. I don't have any physical pedals for them.
I will say that the Moogerfooger Clusterflux is pretty good and it's actually being given away at Pluginboutique with any purchase right now. Not sponsored by them in any way, I just think it's a pretty good deal and wanted to let folks know.
because plugins (and digital pedals by extension) work in a digital domain with its 0db limit. The strength of an analog chorus is that it can be saturated by the hot input signal without smashing the wave into the digital ceiling. It's why Roland Junos sound so colorful and saturated with their chorus on. So you may as well think about something like Boss DC-2W should you get interested in going with a physical chorus.
What's the problem with TRS stereo input? It keeps the product small and you can easily use an adapter
An adapter is another possible point of failure (often the first to go). Also makes rearranging pedals in an all-stereo chain more clumsy - especially for pedals with no single stereo trs output option. Essentially, consistency and conformity = less resistance to actually using it.
I know you said you aren't a big fan of wavetable synthesis, but have you ever thought of trying out the hydrasynth? I've been curious about it for a while
I’ve actually come to like a lot of wavetable synths. Similar to sample based instruments, it’s highly dependent on the actual wavetable itself. Hydrasynth looks great, but between the Iridium, P12, and Poly Evolver I think I have more than enough wavetables to keep me busy for awhile 😅
I think the best way to use a phaser is low stages and slow rate so it's kinda like a wah in a sense. I love using the sweep on the superfilter of my 404mk2 paired with reverb it's like a wonderful auto wah. I got an mxr commande phaser and a Roland ap-2. Listen to any old school Rhodes recording there should usually be a phaser. I need me a small stone
What's wrong with TRS? I might actually prefer to have 2 angled TRS cables connected to the small pedal rather than 4 TS cables.
It's true - phasers do require a single dominant element in the track that you absolutely will bring up front and personal, otherwise everything will sound too busy. However they usually fatten up that element so much it may as well just be used on purpose to take over other things.
Flangers are great on repeating hihat samples in particular to add more humanization.
Try something in the Roland Dimension C/D family maybe. I'm with you, especially on flangers. And mostly on phasers, although something like Mutron sounds nice on single oscillator bass, like a Moog Taurus, for resonant liquid funk tones. Chorus, I mostly do get your objection. But on clean guitar it can sound lovely on a chimey or simply picked part - like The Smiths did so well. And something like an EHX Small Clone adds a woozy pitch wobble only bettered by something like a Fairfield Shallow Water. Though it's something completely different, Strymon Magneto can do this a bit too with the crinkle, Wow and Flutter, I think of it more of a 'Lo-fi' effect than .Then there's the wet Juno type chorus on a single oscillator polysynth, which just sounds lush. And that BBD detune effect on the Erica Synths Bassline sounds so wrong it's right. And, for mono-aural synths in general, I wonder if what you might actually get into is the Roland Space Dimension type 'chorus' but as a spatializer with subtle thickening and movement. Dimension C/D is the modulation effect for people that don't like modulation. Completely agree on the stereo aspect. That's a big misgiving about the Fairfield Circuitry. And why I love the Boss CE-2W and DC-2W.
My Moogerfooger 103 just watched your video, and is now upset. Thanks alot... now I gotta go cheer her up.
so, what you're saying is.... this phaser was not set to "stun".
Well done sir
@@JamesonNathanJones 😉
I recently discovered that the most useful phaser for me is the one in the SP 404 because it has a proper wet mix to tone it back
I never liked flangers either, until I made a multi-band version :#
Also found they can be pretty fun on drums.
I have always loved the flange effects on mitch mitchell's drums on the jimi hendrix records.
I used to play guitar and really wanted phaser to be my thing after trying all the settings I found myself un inspired by it and it was the boss ph3 the one everyone likes i only got it for 20$ then sold it for 20$ i really wish I didn’t now that i have lo fi keyboards that might wake up with a phaser still i see the points that if your a keys /synth player alot of phaser is already built into patches and doesn’t need external petals
Hey nathan, or jonathan! Do you know anything about video synthesis? If not, I recommend you to start searching and gathering information about it because I am having a real hard time understanding how it works. If weird vintage glitchy video effects entertain you, please show the world of video synthesis to other people through this channel, I think it needs more attention as an art style. Thanks in advance!
Joe Zawinul R!hodes sound was almost always phased out, often with shockingly fast speeds. He always managed to make it sound really funky and great!
Have you tried the Tau Pipe Phaser? I'm also not much of a phase/flange user, but that one... Mwah!
I generally hate phasers and flangers, and even chorus for similar reasons. Very rarely use in my music. But for phasers I found a particular use I like which is to set the delay very low, like a ms or two. Then subtly adjust its wet mix.
The result is almost like a guitar cabinet that combs out frequencies and gives that heavy sound. Really great on mono basses, can make a puny one sound like a growling monster.
depends on the chorus. For example I have that good old Boss CH-1 when it still was analog and it gets overdriven by synth's line input like it's nothing - which results in this big saturated stereo sound that is ridiculously good on bass and leads even in the busy mix. It's the best "stereoizer" for this kind of job because it doesn't use phase tricks, just being imperfectly designed.
@@wrmusic8736 Yes there's also famous choruses like BBD / Juno that just always seem to sound nice no matter what and give an extra oomph. I don't believe there is a plugin thoughthat has truly wowed me.
I wonder if some of it comes from what ERA of synthesis one comes from.
COming from an older gen here things were modular or semi-modular
Like where you say "generate movement in a patch without having to resport to external effect" - from a modular perspective, a patch (maybe sans osc) ARE 'external effects' -- generate movement with a VCA, that an effect applied to the OSC a(t least in trad subtractive synthesis) , VCF - well a phaser IS a filteryou can run a phaser AS "the" filter
then with the idea of movement...of those effects, well that's something to consider with phasers as well - it doesn't have to be just LFO. it can be anything
Also with regards to movement, a phaser doesn't even just have to be movement, one can have a static phaser for voicing
from a personal perspective, I just see it as another filter TYPE..one may have low pass, HP, or more "compound"f filters like formant or comb filters and the like
(I'd put flangers in the latter and phasers as pseudo-comb multipeak)
Then again, I'm from an era where Ringmod is broadcast equipment (you kill the carrier so all your power goes to the sidebands)
are phaser just a filter with a non syncable LFO ?
I like phasers or chorus to beef up my mono synths (essentially diy noise & rythmic boxes), once you go poly (like you) it's less usefull and dramatic i guess.
A phaser was my secret guitar weapon in 2 guitar bands. They’re also great on a send with delay or reverb.
100% with you.
Phasers are much MUCH better when you use an envelope or automation to control the frequency instead of an LFO, or just a static allpass filter, maybe keytracked, so that it adds some interesting resonances to your sound that scale with the notes being played. The LFO is what ruins the effect IMO.
Mr. Jones once had a heart attack. His heart lost
I love alexander pedals. but, like you... the whole phase, flange & even chorus thing has a particular sound that I don't quite jive with.
hey, nathan!!
I like the video.
The track that plays at the back is so good, is it yours? What's the name of it?
jamesonnathanjones.bandcamp.com/track/abandoned :)
@@JamesonNathanJones Thanks for the link. I use Tidal and couldn't find it there. Also, beautiful work on the Signals album. Grounded and Monuments are my fav. Thanks:)
I find that some analog phasers can decimate synth tone if overdone. I prefer slow sweep phasers on strings and a little flanger on bass lines and percussion. Phasers can bring some nice movement to electric pianos and can make electric guitars sound otherworldly and psychedelic.
To me the trick with phasers and flangers is subtly. Just a pinch makes it interesting. That being said I like phasers and flangers in electric guitars and Rhodes more than synths.
I’d never use one on my Moog, but…Phaser plus Rhodes = heaven!!!
Yes, there is a classic sound in there with a phaser a part with stereo panning. Now that I have access to great Epiano sounds and effects I am experimenting with a very little amount of phaser/chorus/reverb/EQ/layering. Making new EP's out of old ones is interesting.
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene Yeah, often a real rhodes is in mono, and so are many of the classic phasers. I don't really go for stereo on my rhodes and mxr Phase 90. It's just that classic tone- Richard Tee on tons of records (although I think he used a Small Stone most of the time).
Let‘s imagine „Oxigène“ without Small Stone. I like phasers (a few, not every), but only with analog strings or in combination with a flanger or chorus. Instant 70‘s feeling. It just doesn’t fit everywhere.
I don't care much for phasers myself, but in your case (as illustrated in this video), they really are kind of horrendous. I fully agree with your appreciation for clarity!
I guess what I'm trying to say is, I never liked phasers, but after this video I understand why, and now I like them even less.
I lost it when he said that the pedal was bullied 💀💀💀💀💀💀
No laughing matter
Two words: Parallel processing
1% flange is cool on main bus
But yeah I don't like it. Doubling on vocals another way. I don't like bitcrushers. Have never found a decent one that works like the retro sound I am thinking it's trying to do. 🤷
Yes! I hate phase and flanger and chorus too. I thought I was the only one. Watching now to see if you change my mind…
Cool sounds you were able to create, but I am definitely in the not-fan-of-phasers club. I think its because so often their motion is so often a double-whammy of being prominent in their sound while also being noticeably repetitive.
I suppose one might associate phaser with more washy sounds employed by progressive/psychedelic rock guitarists, and the occasional gimmicky 80s guitar riff. Phasers/flangers give me underwater or nebula vibes with certain pad sounds. Agreed: Less is more.
I’m the guy who will see phaser/flanger/chorus on your plate and ask you if you are
going to eat that 😁
But I get it. In my seemingly new tradition of employing metaphors, I think of external effects as akin to spices. Is it absolutely required on every dish? No. In fact, the trick is to use spices just right, whether it’s in combination or choice or both. Similarly, is it easy to overdo it? Oh yeah. And also similarly, is it a “cheap way” to disguise “bad ingredients” (or for the metaphor: lacklustre melody, uninspired chord sequence, poor timbre)? Oh yeah. But in the end, like cooking, it is a matter of taste.
So. Are you going to eat that? 😁
Same issue with flangers. Yak...
Phasers and flangers are an odd thing, ... i tend to agree with the comment section here -- I don't like em, yet I would also like to point out that I do often like hearing them in certain music. Some examples, early Tame Impala, Pink Floyd, Eddie Van Halen, The Police etc .. I should also point out that I don't produce music that sounds anything like the given examples. What gives? I'm not sure, but I do think in some cases it may be a matter of a genre-hating bias more so than an auditory bias.... dunno... Interesting stuff tho...
I like phasers, when making very particular types of sounds particularly ones that have unusual & aliens sounds. I prefer using it for my electric guitar over my syth. Also I love your channel its very inspiring to musicians regardless of genre or instrument.
Keep up the good work ❤❤❤
Yes, the phaser effect when overused sounds like a "phaser", and everyone knows, "hey look, they used a phaser". As a sound designer I don't want my sound to be that predictable. First, I don't want anyone to immediately know how the sound was made..like...oh its three detuned saws....again. Next, the sound must be musical and not sound electronic, I want people to wonder what instrument is that, and even if it is an acoustic design like a flute sound, I want the listener to wonder what kind of flute is that. So, I did like some of your phaser work with the Moog, it did not sound like a phaser. Mixture is what makes the songs we create gourmet sound, just like a great chef doesn't serve you a cooked carrot in butter, we expect a lot more from synth composition/mixes. Take a synth, add different ones, add great composition, add a high skilled keyboardist, mix in a trained ear and years of experience, and now we have a recipe for greatness, which you achieved on this video.
I only like phasers when they are set to kill 😮
Are you a Dream Weaver?
Phasers are great so long as their appearances are exceptionally sparse, like white stag sparse. Like, maybe 1 time for a few seconds in an entire discography.
Set phasers to "fun"!
Sorry, please don't ban me for life!
that phaser doesn't sound good and a phaser doesn't go well with any kind of sound. I have an electroharmonix stereo polyphase , it's analogue and it sounds great. especially with rich sounds like a string machine, a phaser really makes the sound move. I mostly use my phaser with string machine sounds, from an analogue vintage one or a later string sound from an 80s synth.
Yeah… I’m more of a photon torpedo guy myself…
No, you love phasers, but you don't know it yet!
The problem with phasers is that only one is the Dwarfcraft - Ghost Fax and its discontinued.
I hate sweep effects
phasers..... flange............. chorus..................... vacuuming my apartment.....
hey are you going to knobcon in chicago? id like to have a whiskey with you
great vids by the way
I'm sorry that you hold this very wrong opinion. :)
Never played a Solina :)
Phasers generally don't sound good to me. I feel like they override sound design too hard, instead of complimenting it.
Flangers are similar but i find them more useful when you want a sight wah effect and mix to taste. Other than that, i like making my movement through lfos and envelopes and generally don't need an effect that adds movement on its own