pigtronix Tremvelope User manual

Pigtronixtm
Tremvelope
User’s Guide
All contents © Absara Audio LLC 2010

Index:
Welcome…………………………………………………………
Anatomy of the Tremvelope.…………………………..…….
Getting Started…..………………….………………………….
Guided Tour…………..………………………….………………
Limited Warranty……………………………………….…….…
Safety Precautions………………………….,.…………….…..

Welcome!
Thank you for entering the realm of Pigtronix.
The Tremvelope you now possess is a stereo optical tremolo and panning
effect with a unique “envelope” mode that causes the tremolo to react
to what you play.
With the envelope kicked on, both speed and depth can be
independently assigned to increase or decrease in response to your
playing dynamics. This unique functionality puts the tremolo into a state of
constant flux, creating a satisfying aural phenomenon reminiscent of a
thoughtfully controlled rotating speaker cabinet.
When used in Stereo (highly recommended) the Tremvelope pans your
sound between two amplifiers for a truly mesmerizing acoustic
experience. Add a little phasing from the Pigtronix EP2 (or another
distinguished phaser) to get completely psychedelic effects dripping with
creative modulation.
The Tremvelope should be placed at or near the end of a pedal system.
18VDC power supply provides serious headroom to gracefully handle loud
distortion pedals and other effects placed before it. Tremvelope accepts
instrument or line level signals, so use it with any axe or even on a full mix.
In keeping with Pigtronix tradition, the controls on your Tremvelope have
been tuned to provide the fattest possible tone and the widest range of
musical possibilities. Tremvelope was born out of a passion for versatile,
expressive musical effects; it is built to last and designed to inspire.
We hope that the Tremvelope will provide you with years of creative
satisfaction.
Pigtronix

Anatomy of the Tremvelope:
Jacks:
1. DC POWER 18-VOLTS – Use only the 18-Volt, 300mA, negative tip
power supply that came with your Pigtronix Tremvelope. Using the
wrong power supply is likely to result in a damaged pedal.
2. IN – Effect input, Plug in your instrument here.
3. OUT – Effect output, ¼TS cable. Amp, mixer, or DI goes here.
4. STEREO OUT - Effect output, ¼TS cable. Amp, mixer, or DI goes here.
5. TRIGGER – This audio input connects directly to the envelope follower.
Any signal plugged into this jack will override the input signal as the
source for the envelope modulation.
6. SPEED PEDAL - This is the TRS expression pedal input for controlling the
rate of the LFO. When an expression pedal is plugged into this jack,
the onboard speed knob is bypassed.
7. VOL / PAN - This is the TRS expression pedal input for using the
Tremvelope as a manually controled active volume pedal (in mono)
or panning device (in stereo).

Footswitches:
8. ENGAGE – This footswitch turns the entire TREMVELOPE on and off.
When the engage light is turned off, the TREMVELOPE is bypassed.
9. ENVELOPE – This footswitch turns on Envelope control of the Tremolo
effect. If both the SPEED and DEPTH toggle switches are set to OFF, the
envelope mode will cause no change.
Knobs:
10. SENSITIVITY – This dial determines the amount of signal it takes to
trigger the envelope. It should be used to determine how much the
tremolo changes in response to picking dynamics. This control has a
wide range of adjustment to accommodate signal levels ranging
from wimpy single coil pickups up through active basses and line level
recording equipment.
11. DEPTH – This controls the amount of LFO modulation.
12. SPEED – This dial controls the rate of the LFO
Toggle Switches:
13. ACCELERATION – Determines how quickly the tremolo will change
depth and speed based on your playing.
14. DEPTH (MINUS / OFF / PLUS) – Determines how the tremolo depth will
change when the envelope mode is selected
15. SPEED (MINUS / OFF / PLUS) - Determines how the tremolo speed will
change when the envelope mode is selected
16. WAVEFORM – Selects Sine wave or Ramp wave shapes for the LFO
Getting Started:
Basic Hook Up
1. Unpack your TREMVELOPE and place it on a flat, stable surface.
2. Make sure you are using the 18-Volt DC (negative center) power
supply that came with your Pigtronix TREMVELOPE.
3. Plug the power cord into the 18VDC jack on the back of the
TREMVELOPE and then plug the power adaptor into an electrical
socket. The TREMVELOPE is now powered up. To turn the device off,
unplug it from the wall or turn off the power going to the 18VDC
supply. We recommend that you do not leave your TREMVELOPE
powered up for long periods of time when it is not in use.

4. Plug your instrument into the “IN” jack and plug your Amplifier into the
“OUT” jack. If you have a second amp, plug it into the Stereo Out
jack.
Guided Tour:
The following steps guide you through the sonic palette of the
TREMVELOPE and show you how to get at the full range of tones it has to
offer.
Tremolo Controls
1. Set all of the controls fully counter-clockwise and set all of the toggle
switches to the right. All the LEDs should be off. The TREMVELOPE is in
bypass mode. Be sure to turn the volume knob on your guitar all the
way up. Play your instrument and make sure a clean sound is passing
through.
2. Push the right footswitch to turn on the effect. Now turn the DEPTH
and SPEED knobs up to 12:00. You will hear the amplitude of your
sound being modulated. Explore the range of the DEPTH and SPEED
controls to get a feel for the sounds available with the basic tremolo.
3. Switch between Ramp and Sine waves. Ramp wave mode creates a
gradual rise in amplitude followed by a quick transition back down to
quiet. The Sine wave creates a smooth change from loud to soft.
Envelope Controls
4. Push the left footswitch to turn on the Envelope. The LED should now
come on. Turn the SENSITIVITY control all the way up and set the
DEPTH and SPEED controls to 12:00.
5. Play your instrument and notice how the speed and depth both
increase from the current position of the knobs, as you play harder.
6. Turn down the SENSITIVITY to 12:00. The envelope will now have less
impact on the depth and speed of the tremolo. Explore the full range
of the SENSITIVITY control.
7. Turn the SPEED knob up close to maximum and put the SPEED toggle
switch in the Minus position. Now when you play, the speed will slow
down while the depth increases… a very cool effect!
8. Switch the ACCELLERATION control to SLOW mode to hear the
lagging change like ramping a Leslie cabinet up or down.

Note: It is important to remember that the envelope will cause the
SPEED and DEPTH to change in the direction selected by the SPEED
and DEPTH toggle switches. This change will occur starting from the
position of the corresponding knob. If both switches are in the middle
(off) position, then there will be no change in the SPEED and DEPTH.
Similarly, if both knobs are at maximum (fully clockwise) and you
select the PLUS option for both SPEED and DEPTH toggle switches,
there will be no change since the unit cannot go any faster or deeper
then maximum.
9. Push the left footswitch to bring you back to pure Tremolo mode.
10. ENJOY!!!
Limited Warranty:
Your Pigtronix effect pedal comes with a 1 year limited warranty on parts
and workmanship. During the warranty period we will repair or replace, at
our option, defective parts or pedals free of charge, and return them to
the owner. Warranty service does not include damaged, modified, or
misused pedals and such pedals will be subject to a standard repair
charge.
What you must do: First, contact us directly via email and describe the
problem to us. If the problem cannot be resolved we will have you send
your pedal directly to us for servicing.
How to contact us for warranty service:
Email: [e-mail]
Warranty Limitations: This warranty does not cover defects resulting from
improper or unreasonable use, accident, unauthorized tampering or
modifications; and, warranty shall be considered void if TREMVELOPE
chassis has been opened. Please consult the instructions and warnings in
this manual for proper use. Warranty is only valid if your TREMVELOPE has
been properly registered within 30 days of original purchase date, and
upon warranty registration, will be valid for 12 months from original
purchase.
To validate your 1-year, limited warranty, please register your
TREMVELOPE, within 30 days of purchase, on the web at:
www.pigtronix.com/warranty

Safety Precautions:
The safety precautions listed below are intended to ensure your safety
whenever you use the TREMVELOPE.
NEVER OPEN THE CASE – Never try to separate the two pieces of the
chassis from one another and/or modify the equipment. Opening this
device will effectively void the warranty.
STOP USE IN CASE OF PROBLEM – Stop using the equipment if ever you
should notice smoke or a strange odor coming from it.
Contact [e-mail] for service.
AVOID HIGH TEMPERATURES & HEAT BUILD UP – Never cover the power
supply with cloth or other objects. Built up heat creates a danger of
equipment deformation and fire. Do not expose the TREMVELOPE to
direct sunlight, heating devices, or other extreme temperatures.
USE SPECIFIED POWER ADAPTOR ONLY – Be sure to use only the 18-Volt DC
300mA Adapter that came with your Pigtronix TREMVELOPE.
DO NOT EXPOSE TO WATER/BEER – To reduce the risk of fire or electric
shock, do not expose your TREMVELOPE to rain or moisture. If water gets
inside the unit, turn off the power.
Final Notes:
Years of work have gone into making the TREMVELOPE Pedal possible. We
would like to thank the following people for their help along the way:
Howard Davis, Lisa Rickmers, the Bethke and Koltai families, Paul Schwartz
at Peekamoose Guitars, Jody at ANSIR music, Soulive & Lettuce, Greg
Tobler, Dave Burnett, Aaron Reed, Jer Coons, Dan Pavone, Ben Artes,
Steve Turnidge, Craig Anderton and B-Dawg.
Howard “Mick” Davis and David Koltai designed the Pigtronix
TREMVELOPE during 2010 in Brooklyn and Port Jefferson, NY.
We hope you enjoy your new TREMVELOPE pedal! Please check our
website, www.pigtronix.com or contact us at (631) 331-PIGS (7447) for the
latest information on new Pigtronix gear.
Dave Koltai & Brian Bethke
Pigtronix