Diving into the extremes.

Let’s take a dive.

Get out your swimsuit and floaties, we’re taking a dive into an ocean of tone with the Aakii Chorus/Vibrato this week. We’ll only scratch the surface of what’s possible, but we’ll have an opportunity to look at some of the extreme conditions of Aakii’s modulation capabilities.

0:00 – 0:48 I’m a wobble in a bottle (vibrato - low depth, high rate).

Hold on to those floaties, we’re jumping right in. Vibrato is fully engaged which will completely remove the bypass signal from pedal, leaving only the pitch-shifted signal. We’ve backed down depth but increased rate because there’s some magic that happens when depth and rate are set contrary to each other; when one is high, it’s always a trip if the other one is low.

The combination of these settings leaves us with something that works for both strummed and arpeggiated chords. When rate is high, our strummed chords reach another dimension while leaving the listener still able to determine chord structure.

0:49 – 1:46 I think I’m going to get sick (vibrato - high depth, low rate).

While we’re still in full vibrato, let’s dig deep with the depth and roll off that rate control. You might wonder why depth is so extreme on a slow vibrato setting? Well, the pitch is changing ever so slightly when rate is set low, so we drive depth to counter this imperceptible change in pitch. A high depth in this situation is great because it emphasizes the effect of the vibrato and results in a sound that’s sooooo woozy. If you end up getting a little nauseous after this one, just remember, you’ve been warned.

1:46 – 2:34 Get your cold chorus out of here (chorus - high depth, low rate).

80s, we’re here for you. We’re bringing back tones so sick, it’s time to bust out the Aqua Net and dust of those tight jeans. I want to point out that chorus is where Aakii’s warm modulated tone really shines. I’ve had this eternal beef with how all chorus pedals in the industry sound really bright and metallic. I get this vibe that the first chorus was bright, so then it became gospel to make your chorus sound like the O.G. Well, NativeAudio is here to challenge the status quo and introduce a chorus that is one step away from being a warm, cozy blanket. We did some magical-filter stuff, leaving us with a chorus that retains your low end and tames the highs, which is welcomes a range of different instruments.

Okay, I’ll get off my chorus soapbox and share the sounds we’re hearing. Depth is high and we’ve backed off the rate a little. The settings are not crazy enough that your chords get lost in the swirling goodness of the chorus, but that the chorus will add character to your overall chording. It’s the subtle but really adds a nice touch to your overall tone.

2:35 – 3:20 Speedy and spooky (chorus - low depth, high rate).

Finally, we speed things up a bit in this section by increasing the rate and dialing back the depth. The combination of these settings is perfect to add some movement to an otherwise slow arpeggiating riff or chording. While arpeggiating the haunting and ominous chords, you’ll notice the swirling, rotary-like effect that is elevating each note. A riff like this doesn’t sound bad by itself but with a touch of Aakii, the rotary sound truly brings this alive.

One final note.

We took a swim through some of the extreme settings of Aakii and it seems that reoccurring theme here is that no matter where you find yourself in the settings, there will always be a sound for you. Whether you’re looking for the wobbling sickness of a vibrato or the smooth lushness of a rotary-like chorus, Aakii plays well with a variety of musicians and instruments. We look forward to you taking your next chorus/vibrato journey with Aakii.

Let’s make some noise!

Now that we’ve explored the possible, let’s go and create the impossible. Visit here for Aakii.