Matthews Effects Technician

The Technician is a dual-channel audio manipulator crafted for musical exploration, combining reverb, delay, modulators, a resonance filter, and a stereo looper to build everything from basic delays to complex layered soundscapes. Equipped with stereo output, MIDI, presets, expression control, and USB connectivity, The Technician provides all you need to find your sound.

Delay Algorithms

• Digital - Starting as a crisp digital delay, this mode, when paired with the tap footswitch, covers a lot of ground for your delay needs. The “Red” modulator lets you adjust the dampening of the delay, making the repeats either brighter (emulating towards a tape or HIFI sound) or darker (emulating like an analog delay). These options let you craft a vast array of delay tones.
• Reverse - Instead of reading the delay buffer in a forward direction like the “Digital” delay we read the buffer backwards creating unique sound possibilities. You can further modify this sound with the “Red” modulator to adjust the dampening of the repeats to grow brighter or darker.
• Granular - Takes the delay buffer and chops it up into “Grains” and then plays those grains back. The size of the grains, direction (forward/reverse), the speed (pitch) and location in the buffer is all randomized so every time you experience this mode it will be a unique exploration into granular synthesis. The “Red” modulator allows you to adjust the max size of the randomized “size” of the grains and the amount of grains from 1-5.
• Re-Sample - What if you want a more complex soundscape like other instruments are playing with you? Re-sample accomplishes this by playing the delay buffer at different speeds which changes the pitch and timing of the delayed phrases creating a more complex musical expression of what you are playing. “Red” lets you adjust the mix of the octave down and the octave up.

Delay Modulators

• Vibrato - An asymmetrical modulation of the delay time with control over the “Depth” and “Rate”
• Tremolo - Modulate the mix of your “wet” delay signal with control over the “Depth” and “Rate”
• Clock - Attaches a LFO to the clock speed of the delay buffer allowing for jumps in pitch and speed. Adjust how many steps it will jump and how fast it will jump between steps.
• Mode-Dependent - This will allow you to adjust dampening in the “Digital” and “Reverse” modes, Grain max size and amount of grains in “Granular” and the mix of the octaves in “Re-Sample”

Reverb Algorithms

• Hall - The least diffused of the reverb modes “Hall” allows you hear the reflective nature of the hallway your sound is in.
• Plate - Emulating a classic plate reverb sound that is diffuse and reflective.
• Chasm - An exploration into reverb design feedback networks that can allow for unnaturally large decay lengths.
• Grim - Takes the “Chasm” mode and splits the output to a parallel octave down so you get the normal output + the octave down for a deep rich soundscape.

Reverb Modulators

• Vibrato - an asymmetrical modulation of the reverbs pre-delay to create sonically pleasing movement in your reverb.
• Auto-Filter - takes control of the “Filter” DSP block and modulates it with an LFO. Adjust the “Resonance” of the “Filter” block to get a more dramatic effect.
• Shimmer - Adds an octave feedback path in each reverb mode and can be octave down or octave up.
• Dampening - adjust the LPF and HPF of the reverb feedback path drastically changing the tone and how the reverb reacts to input.

Filter - The resonant low-pass filter (LPF) is an essential tool for shaping audio by removing high frequencies while emphasizing a selected cutoff frequency, adding character and warmth to the sound. The "resonance" control enhances frequencies around the cutoff point, creating a peak that brings out rich, expressive tones and adds depth to the audio. The LPF is crafted to be both musically responsive and highly versatile, allowing users to sculpt sounds with precision, from subtle enhancements to intense filtering effects, making it a key component for creative sound manipulation.

Looper - The Looper DSP block has 60 sec of independent stereo looping with 3 different modes to determine how you control the looper.

• Off - Bypass’s the looper DSP block
• Latching - When the “Tap” switch is pressed and released the looper will rec/dub.
• Momentary - While the “Tap” switch is held the looper will rec/dub.
• Quantize - Works the same as “Latching” but will automatically clip your loop length based on the delay time that is currently set.

Looper Modulators

• Clock: fine detail adjustment of the speed and direction of the clock.
• Quantized Clock: Quantized adjustment of the speed and direction of the clock locked to octave intervals.
• Loop Start: Adjust the starting point of the loop.
• Loop End: Adjust where the loop will end.

Stereo - The Technician has independent Stereo engines that allow you to run different combinations of Delay/Reverb/Looper/Filter algorithms on each engine crafting unique parallel soundscapes.

Expression - Choose “heel” and “toe” positions for any of the controls on either of the engines allowing you to express only on the right if desired or both at the same time.

MIDI - Access full control over all functions and options on the Technician via MIDI CC messages and control over preset selection via PC messages.

USB - Allows for USB MIDI communication, firmware updates and coming soon online editor creation of presets.

Device Specs

• 24 bit
• 48khz sample rate
• Analog dry
• True Bypass / Tails
• Stereo / mono - stereo / stereo - mono / parallel mono
• MIDI
• USB
• Expression
• 4.8" x 5.5" x 2.2"
• 9v 400MA