Empress Effects MULTIDRIVE: DISTORTION component only demo. Telecaster to HIWATT SA212.

http://www.empresseffects.com/multidrive.html

The Empress Multidrive is capable of so much that I could probably shoot 20 videos for it and not get through it all. Instead, I've chosen to highlight its separate components in separate videos with a good old Telecaster through a super clean HIWATT SA212 Custom 50 amp. The amp was so loud that you'll notice some lens movement when I hit a note or chord with some serious bottom end. (Sorry neighbours!) I should also add that the Multidrive was running at its capacity 18V for maximum dynamics and headroom. A T-Rex Chameleon powered it.

In this video I attempt to show you what the Distortion component is capable of. Other videos feature the other two components -- overdrive and fuzz -- with the same guitar and amp. You'll notice that all of the indicator lights are on below the separate components suggesting that they're all being heard: this is not the case as the two we aren't concentrating on are dialled completely out of the mix.

For those technically curious, I miked the amp with an SM57 (panned slightly left) and a Violet Design 'The Amethyst' condenser (panned slightly right). Each mike fed an M-Audio ProFire 610 interface and Pro Tools 9 did the tracking. On the Pro Tools Master Output I added the Waves CLA Guitars plug-in for some light compression and room (you may notice a light 'club' reverb), and then the Waves L3-16 Limiter plug-in kept levels in check.

I think the Multidrive is a great tool. It's capable of emulating a myriad of classic amps and distortions as demonstrated in many other videos on YouTube. Andy at PGS has done what I regard as the best of these 'emulation' demos, along with Empress Effects' own demos. For this reason I have concentrated on the separate components.

I've sat with the Multidrive and played along with (and tried to emulate the sounds of) Steely Dan through to thrash stuff and everything in between, just to see how close I could to their distortion tones. The Multidrive can do it if you're prepared to put in the time and understand its sonic capabilities and architecture -- a fair learning curve in itself. My only request for future revisions would be to somehow employ a 'Series' stacking capability as well as the 'Parallel' capability that it currently employs. Then I'd like an 'order' switching facility to be able to decide which component comes before which. But I fear that may be asking too much.

In short: There's little the Multidrive can do in terms of distortion/overdrive/fuzz tones. You just have to spend some time with it to understand how to extract those tones. It's a tweaker's paradise or an impatient person's nightmare. I fit into the former. Nice one, Empress Effects!

Big thanks to Dan at Empress for having faith in ye olde Burgerman.

Cheers,

BK2011.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Empress
• Effects
• Multidrive
• Fuzz
• Overdrive
• Distortion
• HIWATT
• SA212
• Custom
• Telecaster
• Brett
• Kingman
• Burgerman
• Burgerman666

[shango02005]

Open mouth, insert foot. :D This one satisfied me more. There should be some law against you making vids that run less than 5 minutes! lol Great riffing, man! Loved the visual effects, too! ;)

[Burgerman666]

@shango02005 Heheh. Visual effects were provided by a new, somewhat physical plug-in I'm using called "Sound Pressure Level". It's a great plug but has unfortunate detrimental side effects in terms of its expense (HIWATT Customs ain't cheap) and neighbour relationships (they would have felt everything below 200Hz and heard, very clearly, everything above). But I love it!

[phyraxis]

I love how the video goes haywire when the gain is cranked. Right on! Hahahahaha

[Burgerman666]

@phyraxis Heheh. Yeah, that HIWATT is a dangerous weapon. I think I'll have to get a decent tripod cemented into the studio foundations to keep it steady. I couldn't believe it myself when I was watching it back - seeing the camera swoon..

[Dugahu]

Brett, are you at liberty to say which Fuzz/Distortion you like best? Dice Works, or this one, or the Okko????

[Burgerman666]

@Dugahu I am at liberty but all of the pedals have different applications to me. That is; I would choose the Dice Works (always) if I was needing something to play Gilmour type leads; the OKKO (Diablo) for slamming classic rock, and this pedal if I wanted to experiment in the studio and recreate some classic amp sounds with combinations of the three effects available here. That's where the Multidrive really shines IMO, although the individual effects are great on their own, too.

[williamthomasmi10]

@williamthomasmi10 Scuse me, Distortion.

[williamthomasmi10]

Jesus that is one versatile OD pedal.

[MrTimothyWatts]

@Andy8Tran That seems really decent, seeing as this is like three pedals, great sounding too

[Andy8Tran]

@MrTimothyWatts Used, a good price would be around $250 or so.

I got mine for $200 :D :D :D

[MrTimothyWatts]

@Andy8Tran Thanks, how much do they usually go for?

[Andy8Tran]

@MrTimothyWatts Go for it. Mine should be here this week.

BTW, Empress may have some Scratch'n'dent for the same price as a used one, but with full warranty.

[MrTimothyWatts]

@Andy8Tran Shit... I need this

[Andy8Tran]

@MrTimothyWatts Yes.

[MrTimothyWatts]

Can you play all three at once?

[simplexiammine]

Great job as always man! :)