Recording - July 2019 - 38
REVIEW
Strymon Volante
An echo fanatic's dream, on your pedalboard or tabletop
REVIEW BY MIKE METLAY
S
trymon has rewritten the book on what's possible in guitar pedals, spawning an entire generation of powerful DSP-enabled competition
while somehow managing to stay way out in front of
the pack. Powered by Analog Devices SHARC chips
that deliver horsepower usually seen in DAW plug-in
DSP engines, these pedals turn massive computational
overkill into modeled sounds that are simply exquisite.
The Strymon lineup includes overdrive, compression, flanging, chorus/vibrato, reverb, modulation,
rotary, tape saturation, and tremolo pedals, but the
company's biggest representation is in delay/echo
and its many flavors. Between the Brigadier, DIG, El
Capistan, Timeline, and Magneto, you'd be forgiven
for thinking that Strymon had said everything there
was to say about delay by now.
Nope. Strymon's newest effects processor, the
Volante, nods to some of its siblings in certain ways
while breaking entirely new ground in others. It's
designed to provide musicians and engineers with
nothing less than a hands-on playground for several
decades' worth of delay and echo effects.
Something different
All three of the Volante's echo types are based on the model
of delay machines with a moving magnetic medium, one record/feedback head, and multiple playback heads: spinningdrum recorders like the Binson Echorec, loop-based tape echo
units like the Maestro Echoplex and Roland Space Echo, and
ganged reel-to-reel tape machines set up in studios.
For studio musicians in the 1960s and 1970s, magnetic
echo was a staple technology for experimenting with music,
adding space, rhythmic elements, and texture to all kinds of
music from rockabilly to experimental academic noise. None
of these technologies were perfect, but their quirks gave them
character, and some pretty extraordinary tracks were the result. The Volante aims to capture that fun experimental vibe and
unique sonic signature, with none of the attendant headaches
(noisy motors, dirty heads, gummy pinch rollers, tape-eating
capstans-phooey!).
38 RECORDING July 2019
The Volante is a new pedal design for Strymon, slightly
smaller than its "big" pedals like the Timeline and BigSky, with
a control layout that encourages experimentation and offers
quick and nearly-instinctive visual feedback. This truly is an
echo machine that's meant to be played with, not just played.
On the surface
Decked out in a beautiful green-gold that hints at the original
Echorec, the Volante sports two 3-way toggles for Type (drum/
tape/studio) and Speed (half/normal/double), and knobs for
Rec Level, Low Cut, Mechanics, Wear, Time, Repeats, Echo Level,
Spacing, and Spring, all surrounding a 4 x 2 array of backlit buttons for Playback and Feedback. These simulate the four playback
heads or "taps" of an echo machine. Three footswitches cover
multiple functions, with multicolored LEDs for visual feedback.
The rear panel features stereo inputs and outputs on 1/4", an
Instrument/Line level switch, a 1/4" Expression input that can be
used with a pedal, a single or triple footswitch, or a MIDI input
(via adaptor cable). There's MIDI I/O on 5-pin and USB Mini-B,
and a jack for the included 9VDC power supply. As with all
Strymon pedals, construction is robust and elegantly clean, making the Volante a pleasure to work with.
Using the Volante is straightforward, if all you want to do is create
cool multitap echoes (which will be more than enough for many folks).
Most of the controls are self-explanatory, but a few are worth a call-out.
The top row of buttons lets you select which playback taps are
active-press to activate at full volume (green LED) or hold to activate at half volume (amber LED). The lower row selects which
taps are feeding back into the record head (with the amount
controlled by the Repeats knob). Taken on their own, this would
allow for lots of rhythmic echo choices, and the range of possibilities is widely expanded with the Spacing knob, which alters
Recording - July 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - July 2019
Fade In
Fast Forward
That One Mic: Electric Guitar
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: Capturing the sound of blues guitar
IK Multimedia AXE I/O
IK Multimedia iRig Stomp I/O
BOSS Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus and DC-2W Dimension C
Lauten LS-308
Strymon Volante
Vance Powell - recording and mixing the Stray Cats latest album 40
PSI Audio A17-M
STL Tones STL Tonality–Howard Benson
LEWITT LCT 040 MATCH
Throwback To The Future
GFI System Clockwork Delay V3
Recording - July 2019 - Intro
Recording - July 2019 - Cover1
Recording - July 2019 - Cover2
Recording - July 2019 - 1
Recording - July 2019 - 2
Recording - July 2019 - 3
Recording - July 2019 - Fade In
Recording - July 2019 - 5
Recording - July 2019 - 6
Recording - July 2019 - 7
Recording - July 2019 - Fast Forward
Recording - July 2019 - 9
Recording - July 2019 - 10
Recording - July 2019 - 11
Recording - July 2019 - That One Mic: Electric Guitar
Recording - July 2019 - 13
Recording - July 2019 - 14
Recording - July 2019 - 15
Recording - July 2019 - Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: Capturing the sound of blues guitar
Recording - July 2019 - 17
Recording - July 2019 - 18
Recording - July 2019 - 19
Recording - July 2019 - 20
Recording - July 2019 - 21
Recording - July 2019 - IK Multimedia AXE I/O
Recording - July 2019 - 23
Recording - July 2019 - 24
Recording - July 2019 - 25
Recording - July 2019 - IK Multimedia iRig Stomp I/O
Recording - July 2019 - 27
Recording - July 2019 - 28
Recording - July 2019 - 29
Recording - July 2019 - 30
Recording - July 2019 - 31
Recording - July 2019 - 32
Recording - July 2019 - 33
Recording - July 2019 - BOSS Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus and DC-2W Dimension C
Recording - July 2019 - 35
Recording - July 2019 - Lauten LS-308
Recording - July 2019 - 37
Recording - July 2019 - Strymon Volante
Recording - July 2019 - 39
Recording - July 2019 - Vance Powell - recording and mixing the Stray Cats latest album 40
Recording - July 2019 - 41
Recording - July 2019 - 42
Recording - July 2019 - 43
Recording - July 2019 - PSI Audio A17-M
Recording - July 2019 - 45
Recording - July 2019 - 46
Recording - July 2019 - 47
Recording - July 2019 - STL Tones STL Tonality–Howard Benson
Recording - July 2019 - 49
Recording - July 2019 - 50
Recording - July 2019 - 51
Recording - July 2019 - 52
Recording - July 2019 - 53
Recording - July 2019 - 54
Recording - July 2019 - 55
Recording - July 2019 - 56
Recording - July 2019 - 57
Recording - July 2019 - 58
Recording - July 2019 - 59
Recording - July 2019 - Throwback To The Future
Recording - July 2019 - 61
Recording - July 2019 - 62
Recording - July 2019 - 63
Recording - July 2019 - 64
Recording - July 2019 - 65
Recording - July 2019 - 66
Recording - July 2019 - 67
Recording - July 2019 - 68
Recording - July 2019 - 69
Recording - July 2019 - LEWITT LCT 040 MATCH
Recording - July 2019 - 71
Recording - July 2019 - GFI System Clockwork Delay V3
Recording - July 2019 - Cover3
Recording - July 2019 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202502
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202501
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202412
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202411
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202410
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202409
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_20205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com