Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
PastFX's wonderful miniaturised take on the Maestro RM-1B Ring Modulator delivers an extraordinary multi-modulator - with classic Tremolo and Vibrato sounds as well as otherworldly sci-fi effects
Key Points
PastFX’s miniaturised Maestro RM-1B Ring Modulator uses an MC1495L IC for tremolo, vibrato, clangy timbre and sci-fi effects. Controls include Modulation, Pitch, Volume, Manual/Auto Sweep, Trem/High/Low Speed range, Gate and Output Level. The Pitch slider is highly sensitive.
Preferred presets were Classic Tremolo (Modulation 4, Pitch 8, Gate On), Clangy Timbre (5.5, 4.5, Gate Off) and Edgy Vibrato (5.5, 1, Gate Off), with Manual Mode preferred.
Pricing was $399 AUD ($280 equivalent), or $449 including tariff for USA customers ($315).
Ring Modulators have long been a weapon of choice for sci-fi foley artists and sound effects gurus - where they can lend a clangy metallic otherworldly edge to almost anything - including voice. As a result they’ve been much used on a variety of sci-fi TV and Films - including of course as the voice of the Daleks for Dr Who.
As Stockhausen discovered - the ring modulator works brilliantly as a sort of sympathetic resonator for piano - and adds a lovely timbre to the core piano voicing across pieces like Mantra.
I generally haven’t been the biggest fan of Ring Modulators - but that is largely to do with the fact that no one really showed me how to use them or get the most out of them. They’re at their best when used in combination with other sounds - to give you a clangy metallic edge or off-kilter vibrato. Ring Mods are excellent atmosphere generators and timbre augmenters - right across their range.
I actually really enjoyed deploying this Ring Modulator - which for my favourite settings delivers classic tremolo, slightly edgy vibrato, and a solid metallic clang! The one note I would make - is that those sliders - the Pitch one in particular - are incredibly sensitive - and for certain Speed Range Modes I was having to edge it back and forth - literally by micro-millimetres - to get to the right tempo / timbre. I like the use of sliders here - they are after all cannon here vis-a-vis the original RM-1B. While I’ve always felt I could be a touch more precise with a micro-movement twist of a conventional knob - safecracker-style - as I keep alluding to!
Controls - Modulation (Dry>Wet Modulation Mix), Pitch (Modulation Frequency/Speed), Volume (Input Level), Auto Sweep / Manual Push-button, Speed range - Tremolo / High / Low, Gate Push-button (for faster clamping), Output Level.
In every instance I preferred Manual Mode over Auto Sweep, and I really only liked using the Gate to smoothen out the Tremolo - otherwise I touched those switches very little. Modulation, Volume, and Output - mostly remained at their mid-points, with a few exceptions. Generally - most of the operation involved switching Speed Ranges, and getting the Pitch Slider to the right point for each optimal voicing!
This is a Modulation that can very easily sound harsh and dissonant - and for sure there are experimental players that use it as such. While this one in particular is very cable of classy / classic sounding modulations to - where the Tremolo and Vibrato I achieved were really glorious.
I've done a preset per Speed Range, - so starting with the toggle-switch at the top [note that there are 10 calibration lines - with 1 as lowest, and 10 as highest, with kinda 5.5 as the mid-point] :
Speed Range - Trem Preset : Classic Tremolo
Modulation @ 4, Pitch @ 8, Volume @ 5.5, Manual Mode, Speed Range : Trem, Gate On, Output Level @ Noon.
Speed Range - High Preset : Clangy Timbre
Modulation @ 5.5, Pitch @ 4.5, Volume @ 5.5, Manual Mode, Speed Range : High, Gate Off, Output Level @ Noon.
Speed Range - Low Preset : Edgy Vibrato
Modulation @ 5.5, Pitch @ 1, Volume @ 5.5, Manual Mode, Speed Range : Low, Gate Off, Output Level @ Noon.
I have to say that I'm really delighted with this unit. It's totally rehabilitated my appreciation for ring modulators!
Past FX's Verlie has done another incredible job here - and that MC1495L IC sounds extraordinarily good!
So yes a Ring Modulator can sound somewhat dissonant if you want it too - but it has a vast range of really musical usable tones, timbres and textures too.
I'm strangely mightily impressed. I really didn't thing I would enjoy it this much!
The Ring Modulator can be had for $399 AUD courtesy of the PastFX Store, which equates to $280 and equivalent. While for USA customers - including the Tariff it comes to $449 ($315) - you can blame Trump for that!
This is such a great sounding Ring Modulator - I think players even with a low tolerance for RingMods (like I used to be!) can get stuck into this one - a genuine revelation for me. And I can finally understand why my good friend Henry Kaiser likes this genre of modulation so much!
Demos
