Disco Terrapin Envelope Filter
Disco Terrapin Envelope Filter
The Disco Terrapin is a modern take on a classic filter design. Borrowing from the basic architecture of optically controlled envelope filters from the past and then expanding the tweakability and completely reimagining the input and output scheme, this pedal offers significant flexibility for all of your spectrally dynamic needs, whether that be laying down some snappy funk or running down your favorite licks from the spring '77 Dead tour. The left switch allows you to bounce between up ("wow") and down ("ow") modes with the tap of your foot.
This pedal is true bypass and requires a Boss-style 9V center negative DC power source. None of our pedals accept internal batteries.
UPDATE: As of 4/2021 this pedal now features an extra toggle switch between the signal and power input jacks to allow for switching the buffer between high and low gain to accommodate louder instruments such as bass. If any current owners of the pedal would like to have this mod added, please get in touch and we will make it happen for you!
Sense: This controls the response of the control circuit. Turning this up makes the sweep of the filter more sensitive to playing dynamics.
Decay: This controls how quickly the filter's cutoff frequency returns to its starting point. Turning this control down allows for sharp, plucky filter sounds and turning it up allows for longer sweep times, ideal for chords and more subtle filter effects.
Sweep: This adjusts the range of the filter. Explore the balance between this control and the Sense control. Conventional envelope filter sounds tend to be found when this is set in the 1:00-5:00 arena.
Peak: This adjusts the amount of feedback within the circuit. Turning this up makes the filter effect more pronounced. Dialing it back makes the effect less harsh.
Gain: This controls the audio gain going into the filter.
Output: This controls the gain of the output amplifier. As the output circuit can act as a slight boost, it's unlikely that the Gain and Output controls will need to both be cranked. We recommend starting with it at 12:00 and adjusting to taste from there.
Note: Don't forget to play with your guitar's volume control when using this pedal. Sometimes backing the guitar volume off by 1/8th of a turn can yield a much more useable dynamic range, especially if using high output humbuckers. Experiment, explore, and have fun!