Poly Effects has released Beebo, a new hardware multi-fx processor that offers the power of modular synths in a guitar pedal including algorithms from Mutable Instruments
2020 is the year of small, powerful computers in the music tech world. From Arduino, Teensy-based pedals & Eurorack modules, and many more. A lot of power in the smallest space is a big topic in 2020. Products like ELK Audio, ZOIA, MOD Devices, or the Daisy environment from Electro Smith show what is possible today with these powerful chips.
Today start another pedal that goes exactly this exciting way. Poly Effects today officially releases Beebo, a pedal that has the power of a complete modular Eurorack Synthesizer. Ok, a touch screen is not for everyone in music production but if you hear what it can do you maybe rethink your decision.
Beebo is basically a multi modulation pedal with many onboard effects like delay, algorithmic reverb, auto swell, loop delay, mono & stereo EQ, m&s compressor, pan. phaser, reverse, rotary, saturator, phaser, warmth, and through-zero flanger. Each effect has numerous parameters to choose from. For example, the rotary effect exposes more than 30 parameters for those who want to dig deep into its detailed physical modeling engine.
All effects can be used alone, but Beeboo only unfolds its beauty when you combine effects like a modular Synthesizer. Patch effects together, modulate parameters, bring movements to your sounds using the modulators, and more. This opens new sound design possibilities with one single pedal. You can make the footswitches change a value, or connect up parameters to a random source, an LFO or an envelope follower. Thanks to the modular engine, it is possible to quickly put together your own effect. Triple reverb with granular, own chorus … no problem, just patch it.
You can also send control signals out as MIDI CC to control other pedals. Beebo plays well with others and It’s easy to share presets, just plug in a USB flash drive and export or import them. But that’s not all!
Mutable Instruments Algorithms In Pedal Format
Pedal companies have discovered the algorithms from Mutable Instruments and we are delighted. There are several MI algorithms ported from best-selling Eurorack modules including Clouds (granular texture Synthesizer), 16 model macro oscillator voice (Plaits) and a meta modulator with 7 blendable signal combining algorithms including ring modulation, comparators, and cross folding.
And that won’t be all. The developers are constantly updating the pedal with new features. So if you want Clouds as a pedal you should definitely look at Beebo. Besides Clouds and “more basic effects”, it can create modular or weirder effects easily: bit-mangle, freeze, granular, 6 virtual analog filters, powerful LFOs, time-stretch, turntable stop, twist-delay, VCA, wavefolder, attenuverter, and more. Also included is a MIDI to V/oct “module” that alllows you to drive the synthesis modules from MIDI note input. On the backside, it offers 4 ins/4 outs, a MIDI in/out, USB port & a power supply input.
At first glance, a modular pedal in which you can quickly fall in love. Unfortunately, it has little haptic control, only three footswitches & 2 knobs, but you can live with it because you have a big touch screen. Definitely a pedal of the future and yes I am definitely interested in testing this in video & written form.
Poly Effects Beebo is available now for $399 USD + delivery. There is a three weeks waiting list.
More information here: Poly Effects
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Looks like an easier-to-use Zoia with a touchscreen, awesome.