NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

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peterherman
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NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by peterherman » Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:57 pm

This thing got hung up for over a week in the FedEx power-loss debacle in Memphis, but now it is here. Plugged it in for a bit to goof on it. Definitely like the Soft Focus algorithm. It’s close to the FX500, but I don’t know that it’s all the way there. Doesn’t seem like all the way up on the mix knob is 100% wet.

I A/B/C-ed it VERY briefly against the Zoom MS70CDR running a soft focus derived patch and an actual FX500. I like the Zoom the least of the three on first impression, BUT it could be that the patch isn’t the best one available or some other such. The patch I’m using is too bass-heavy and if you back off the reverb component mix from 100% wet, the delays become WAY too prominent. It’ll take some tweaking to be sure. In the past, I’ve just gotten around that by running it parallel with a dry signal.

Anyhow, I’ll probably try to piece together a video demo going through all three sometime soon.

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by peterherman » Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:57 pm

Oh, for the record, I definitely don’t care for the “reverse” setting on the Kelley, what with the envelope triggered vibrato.

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by cestlamort » Thu Mar 04, 2021 4:12 pm

Cool. I hadn't heard of the rebooted Realizer.

From my too brief time* with the Loomer, I felt that the Soft Focus patch was nice, but didn't (gloriously, irrevocably) obliterate what you're playing as well as the FX500 soft focus patch. I wanted the Keeley partially because it was mono but then it didn't have the option of the huge stereo of the Yamaha. (Also I was only playing a Rickenbacker at the time, and it doesn't always get along in a pleasing way with some fuzzes, or at least not like a JM or jag does).

* too brief in that I should have spent more time with it so I would have a better/clearer memory of what it did (and didn't do) well, and I wouldn't be keeping an eye out again for one now.

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by peterherman » Thu Mar 04, 2021 4:33 pm

Yeah, it’s definitely more subtle than the Yamaha or the Zoom patch. I really like what it is so far, but it’s absolutely more “inspired by” than “clone of”.

First glance factors in favor:
-sounds good (so do the Yamaha and the Zoom)
-is compact (Yamaha isn’t)
-is easy to switch on and off (Zoom isn’t)

First glance factors opposed:
-isn’t 100% THE SOUND that one might want in a “Slowdive in a box” pedal

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:32 am

peterherman wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 4:33 pm
Yeah, it’s definitely more subtle than the Yamaha or the Zoom patch. I really like what it is so far, but it’s absolutely more “inspired by” than “clone of”.

First glance factors in favor:
-sounds good (so do the Yamaha and the Zoom)
-is compact (Yamaha isn’t)
-is easy to switch on and off (Zoom isn’t)

First glance factors opposed:
-isn’t 100% THE SOUND that one might want in a “Slowdive in a box” pedal
With the Loomer, I find it more Cocteau twins. To be fair, I love what it does. It’s one of those nitty gritty reverbs and fuzzes. Something you don’t reach for in every song, but it more than delivers when you need it to. In a way, with the fuzz engaged especially, you have to play the way it wants to play

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by jorri » Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:56 am

What do you use on the zoom for soft focus?
If its essentially chorus>verb>delay there are many ways to make it?
I copied the actual preset from yamaha onto my space by knob position and seemed slowdivey but not sure its the right area.

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by peterherman » Fri Mar 05, 2021 6:21 pm

jorri wrote:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:56 am
What do you use on the zoom for soft focus?
If its essentially chorus>verb>delay there are many ways to make it?
I copied the actual preset from yamaha onto my space by knob position and seemed slowdivey but not sure its the right area.
Aw, jinkies I do not know 100%. I googled around for some patches and found a couple of mega-threads maybe on Reddit that had patches galore. This is, I think, the second SF patch I’ve tried from there?

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by peterherman » Sat Mar 06, 2021 7:34 am

Alright, I just recorded a loop of the outro chords from "Golden Hair", then ran the loop through each effect and into Garage Band. Video forthcoming, but the short answer to the question " Is the Keeley or the Zoom a better Soft Focus in a stompbox?" is "Kind of neither really."

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by fuzzjunkie » Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:12 am

peterherman wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 7:34 am
Alright, I just recorded a loop of the outro chords from "Golden Hair", then ran the loop through each effect and into Garage Band. Video forthcoming, but the short answer to the question " Is the Keeley or the Zoom a better Soft Focus in a stompbox?" is "Kind of neither really."
The Soft Focus patch is a stereo effect with different delay settings for each side going into plate reverb that is modulated by a Dimension D type effect. Not really chorus, it’s 2 modulations running at different speeds. I think there’s a compressor in front of all that?

Delay comes first and then the reverb though. You could probably modulate the delays instead of the final result for a similar effect but that might be too diffuse?

Sounds like something beyond the capabilities of either of those pedals though. I need 2 effects, an Eventide Timefactor and Space, to do it proper.

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by peterherman » Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:21 am

The Zoom is stereo, and with appropriate tweaking can PROBABLY get there. Maybe.

It's telling that Slowdive themselves use none of these pedals though.

At any rate, I do like what the Keeley does. It just doesn't magically create a stereo effect in a mono pedal, as you say above

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by jorri » Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:34 pm

Yeh i was thinking the chorus is the "Symphonic" yamaha thing. Kind of its own effect. On the zoom there is 'ensemble' but without direct comparison to hand, well i have a yamaha sampler unit with all these on i may one day try again.
Im also wondering which of slowdives sounds is meant to be soft focus?? The synth-like massive leads of christian or the chorusy-delay fx of neil?

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Re: NPD: KeeleyXPedal Partners Realizer

Post by jorri » Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:38 pm

They basically use neunaber and strymon anyway now, is the yamaha even that good or were they just good at putting arrangements of it together ...hmm

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