Deep Space Pulsar tips etc



Moderator: D-Rainger

Deep Space Pulsar tips etc

Postby D-Rainger » Thu Jul 13, 2017 5:10 pm

It's kind of an out-there pedal so I though I'd start a place for notes on using it.... Feel free to add your own thoughts!

QUICK SET-UP GUIDE
(This is on the baseplate)
I just cannot stand reading manuals. For me, getting the manual out is usually an admission of defeat. So with that in mind there's this quick help sticker underneath it.
For some people (yes - probably including me) even reading this is, frankly, a downer, so let me precis it; when you plug Igor in to start using it, press and hold it for a LONG SECOND - otherwise the tap tempo won't work!
This is needed because as you push the minijack into the socket, metal touches where it shouldn't, and all kinds of rogue tempos get programmed - which need to be erased before you can input your one.

For using it with a mic, just plug the mic in the same socket - which cancels any programmed tempo. Then - with the mic in your drummer's kick drum - you're ready to go! BTW this has to be a mono jackplug on the mic - even though the supplied adaptor is stereo.

Getting that simple changeover to work - from Igor pad to mic - was SO HARD!
There's no room for two sockets on the top end panel - both things have to plug into the same one. And no-one wants to have to push a switch to convert it from one usage to the other - you just want to put the other one in and go!
With a neat configuration of the three contacts of the stereo minijack, plugging in Igor disconnects part of the mic amplifier - stopping that part working. Conversely, plug in the mono mic and the tap tempo thinks the 'Igor contacts' are being pressed and held - automatically erasing the tap tempo....

EXTERNAL TRIGGERING PROBLEMS
The pedal is easily triggered by all kind of sharp-attack signals, but you have to use a mono jackplug - and if it's 1/4" make sure you use the adaptor provided. Otherwise the tap tempo isn't turned off (and it thinks you're trying to program it in a really weird way!).

OTHER THINGS THAT MAY MAKE YOU THINK THE PEDAL ISN'T WORKING (WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY FINE)
When you turn it on there's no sound - even though the volume is turned up! Solution; is the 'invert' button pushed in? If so, there'll only be a sound when there's a trigger.
No constellation LEDs are flashing; do you have the 'Dip' and 'Rel' knobs turned down? Try turning them both up....
The mic trigger doesn't work! Solution; is the mic turned off? It has a switch halfway down it... Or - has the mic fallen out of the drummer's kick drum?!

However of course if it transpires that you actually do have a faulty pedal - please email david@raingerfx.com

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE DEEP SPACE PULSAR
When not triggered, it can be used as a really handy boost pedal; the main audio amplifier is very transparent and pretty loud!

It was originally designed to work with 4-on-the-floor rhythm patterns - but with the kick drum mic (or a programmed click trigger input) any kind of rhythm will work fine. However to stop any unwanted re-triggering, it won't track well with triggers very close together. As careful research by Spike The Percussionist shows...
"I connected it to the the gate out of a Drum Machine. At 115 BPM it will perfectly handle 1/4 notes and 1/8 notes. If I send it 16th notes...nope...it just doesn't register the triggers"

The main amplifier is our favourite 'Texas' one - very transparent, lots of low end reproduction; this pedal RULES on bass!!!!

BUT I CAN'T PUT THE MIC IN THE KICK DRUM!!!
The drummer I'm working with at the moment has a drum skin on the front of his kick drum - with no hole in it!! Damn!! So I bought a simple little clip-on contact mic and that works great instead - clipped onto the kick drum rim or even a supporting leg.

Two things with this though; these contact mics have very short cables, so you may have to get closer to the kit than you'd normally be. Or make an extension lead (sorry).
Also, occasionally when I've plugged it in, another rogue tempo gets programmed - an extremely slow one, and this keeps happening over the top of the kick drum pattern - making you think there's some bad triggering going on with the contact mic.
So what you need to do is, when you plug in the contact mic, wait for a minute - watching to see any evidence if this from the ultra cool LED indicator lights. If there is something there, disconnect and re-plug (try this with the power supply plug too). This has always fixed it for me.

Despite all this, the Deep Space Pulsar is actually a pretty simple pedal.
Whenever I turn it on I realise that everyone else in the band suddenly looks seriously into the groove of this particular song...
D-Rainger

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