Both the INTENSITY and RESONANCE controls are always active when EP-1 is engaged.
The LFO controls are SPEED and CHARACTER.
The EF controls are SENSITIVITY and SWEEP.
| MARV
(aka original '79 Polyphase) EF + LFO Combination If you want to run both the EF and the LFO at the same time, you need a "Marv" switch. When engaged, the Marv switch allows both the EF and LFO to run at the same time, allowing all six dials to interact together, creating some beautiful bubbling, watery textures and warbles. The MARV switch is a mini toggle switch located on the back of the pedal, between the OUTPUT and EXPRESSION jacks. When the MARV switch is engaged (facing the EXPRESSION jack), both the EF and LFO to run at the same time and ALL SIX DIALS will interact. MARV only takes effect when the LFO is selected. The EF setting remains stock. |
| Up/Down
Envelope Sweep Switch This toggle switch allows the Envelope Follower to sweep down for that classic Mutron-esque synth tone. It sounds exactly like the intro to Chameleon by Herbie Hancock. A toggle switch at the back of the pedal selects between Up/Down modes |
| True
Vibrato Mod This toggle switch allows the original signal to be cut out of the audio path, offering a slightly more subtle, pitch shifted sound. Great for Dry/Wet stereo setups and tweakers who have to have every option or who, for some reason, can't live without an envelope controlled vibrato pedal. |
| RESONANCE
BOOST w/Invert switch mod. (new 5/20/07) The RESONANCE BOOST switch is a three-way, mini toggle switch located at the back of the pedal, to the far right. The goal of this mod is to allow the player to select between a Uni-Vibe sound in one inversion and a MUTRON type envelope sound in the other inversion. When the RESONANCE BOOST switch is at the center position, the unit operates as normal, with the resonance control active in both invert settings. When the RESONANCE BOOST switch is facing to the down, the RESONANCE control will be automatically turned up with the GREEN invert setting. When the RESONANCE BOOST switch is facing to the up, the RESONANCE control will be automatically turned up with the RED invert setting. |
External Switching Jacks A 1/4" jack can be added to allow remote switching of either the MARV and Vibrato functions. |
| Expression
Pedal Control of Multiple Functions Expression pedal Jacks can be added for the RESONANCE and SWEEP knobs. |
| All modifications should be done exclusively by the Pigtronix Custom Shop or Analogman. |
| Other Modification Desires or Ideas? - email: tech@pigtronix.com |
| Questions? - email: tech@pigtronix.com |
In EF mode, the SWEEP control need not be turned past the 12:00 or 1:00 position. Once this is done, the EF will stay open, the EF/LFO indicator light will remain solid green and you will no longer hear the envelope effect.
The closer the SWEEP control is to this 1:00 threshold, the easier it is to trigger the envelope follower.
Start with the SWEEP dial at 12:00 and turn the SENSITIVITY all the way up. The EF will easily trigger. Dial the SWEEP and SENSITIVITY knobs down from there to get your ideal sweet spot.
The more you turn down these two controls, the deeper and fatter your envelope sound will be.
#3 - FX Loop Mojo
Split the signal coming
out of your guitar or preamp, at the beginning of the audio chain, before
compression, distortion and modulation effects. A "tuner out"
or high quality Y-splitter will do the trick.
This formula allows you to send one branch of your sound into the Pigtronix
EP-1's trigger input, while the other branch runs through your other stompboxes
and then into the main input of the Pigtronix EP-1.
You have now made a side chain FX loop.
The Pigtronix EP-1's Envelope Follower (EF) now reacts to your clean signal,
but modulates (phase shifts) your effected tone. The FX loop helps in
the case of distortion, compression and other effects that decrease your
natural envelope or cause major signal level changes.
Be creative and flexible with this concept. There are many possibilities,
including crazy stuff like running a reverse delay before the trigger
input.
High quality, Y-splitters are available from Analogman.
Tell him that Marvin the Space Pig sent you :-)
#4 - Expression
Pedal Info
All EP-1 pedals take a standard
20K TRS expression pedal.
The Orignal Pigtronix EP-1 Expression pedal was a mono expression pedal
that was made in a very limited run of 150 pieces. These metal expression
pedals only work with the original version of the EP-1 (serial #1-500).
The original EP-1 Envelope Phaser pedals will work with TRS Expression
pedal, although the taper is reversed. A TRS expression pedal will, in
fact, achieve a much slower LFO speed than is possible with the mono expression
pedal.or even the onboard speed knob for that matter
Old School EP-1 Expression pedal falling
down?...
Tighten the black allen screw located underneath the heel of the pedal.
To employ the EP-1 as a clean Fat Booster, use EF mode with the red (+) Invert setting. Turn the SENSITIVITY dial all the way down and turn the INTENSITY dial all the way up.
Control the amout of boost with the INTENSITY dial. The RESONANCE dial will act like a tone control, cutting high frequencies as it is turned clockwise.
If you want a assymetrically phase inverted clean boost (for some bizarre reason), switch into the green (-) Invert setting.
This is an extension of the FX-Loop mojo where you use a volume pedal to control the amount of signal running into the trigger input. Since most volume pedals have a tuner output, simply use the volume pedal as a splitter, running the volume pedal output to the trigger input and the dry out to your other FX and then to the EP-1's main input.
This method adds another degree of depth to what you can do with the envelope side of the EP-1, allowing the player to control when and how the envelope opens. Running a booster and/or compressor before the volume pedal will allow for optimal envelope response and the most fluid phase wah sweep.