gig-fx™ Launches The PRO-CHOP™ Pedal

Jan 15, 2008

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gig-fx is announcing the PRO-CHOPTM, the first pedal ever to enable a musician to get precise and repeatable tempos for tremolo / chop / pan effects. The pedal obviates the need for fiddling with rate controls or dancing on tap tempo buttons in order to get the tempo right.

The pedal provides two ways to achieve precise tempos: by expression pedal while looking at the frequency read out, or by MIDI sync.

For the visual setting, there is a blue LED back-lit display that shows the frequency, either in Hz or in beats per minute (BPM). The display is easy to read on stage. So, if you have a favorite song that starts with a chop or tremolo sound, you can always get the tempo precisely by selecting the exact frequency as required. The onboard expression pedal allows the musician to change the frequency on the fly and the display will show the frequency as the pedal is moved.

The second method, and most precise of all, is that the PRO-CHOP can sync with any PC recording, drum machine or synth that has a MIDI clock output. When syncing with a given MIDI clock beat, you can choose to allocate 1.2.3.4 or 8 chops / pans / tremolo waves to each MIDI beat allowing a wide variety of sound patterns. Whenever the device is turned on, it will be in perfect sync from the first note.

In 2006, gig-fx released the best-selling CHOPPERTM pedal, a tremolo /chopper / stereo panner pedal whose frequency can be controlled by an on-board expression pedal. The pedal has become a favorite for creative musicians, including Tool on their 10,000 days CD, Adrian Belew, Prince and others. The PRO-CHOP takes the concept one step further and allows the frequency to be set either by means of the expression pedal (while viewing the LCD read out) or by utilizing a MIDI clock sync.

The PRO-CHOP opens up a whole new world to guitarists and other musicians who want to produce repeatable and trance-like grooves or pulsating effects that are in perfect sync with any track. Given that the unit provides two oscillating stereo waves that can be combined and sync'd in a variety of ways, a myriad of grooves and rhythmic pulses can be generated. The pedal can also generate echo-emulations and the most realistic stereo Leslie effect with foot control of the rotation speed.

All gig-fx pedals are housed in road-worthy, lightweight aircraft aluminum castings featuring a patented, ergonomic shape and are manufactured to the highest standards featuring a true analog signal path with transparent by-pass.

You can hear sound samples on the gig-fx website. See gig-fx at NAMM, Hall E, booth #1338

Product price: MSRP $349.99, estimated street $299.

For more information, visit their web site at www.gig-fx.com.