Roland Space Echo
Roland Space Echo | |
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Chorus | |
Controls | |
Input/output | |
Inputs | Microphone • Instrument • PA |
The Roland Space Echo is a line of
Whereas prior tape echo effects used
Space Echo units have been used in genres such as reggae, dub, trip hop, post-punk and experimental rock. In 2007, the Roland subsidiary Boss began producing Space Echo pedals that recreate the sounds of the original units.
Production
In 1960, the Japanese engineer
In 1974, Roland released the first Space Echo units in two models: the RE-101, and the RE-201, which also included
The RE-101 and RE-201 were followed by the RE-150, which had two playback heads and different controls. In 1977, Roland released the RE-301 Chorus Echo, which features a
In 2007, the Roland subsidiary Boss released the RE-20 pedal, with digital modelling of the original Space Echo sound.[3] It includes a "twist" feature that increases the feedback and speed of the delay, creating a "swirling cacophony" effect.[3] In 2023, Boss released two more Space Echo pedals: the more compact RE-2 and the more fully featured RE-202.[3]
Features
Michael Dregni of Vintage Guitar described the Space Echo sound as "warm, rich and organic".[1] The character of the delay sound changes as the tape wears with use.[2] In Sound on Sound, Paul White wrote that "the term 'musical' is often over-used, but it really did apply to the RE-201, in that the echoes were warm and didn't get in the way of the original sound".[3][4]
Legacy
The Space Echo was a commercial success.[1] The first units were more reliable and sturdy than previous tape echo devices, making them easy to travel and perform with.[1] They were used by musicians in genres such as reggae, dub, trip hop, post-punk and experimental rock.[1][5]
The American guitarist
In later years, solid-state delay effects became popular for their reliability and more faithful reproduction of sound. However, tape delay effects such as the Space Echo remained popular for the way the tape compresses and distorts, "creating the impression that the echoes are receding rather than just getting quieter".[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Dregni, Michael (December 2014). "The Roland Space Echo". Vintage Guitar. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Brakes, Rod (13 April 2022). "The strange, enduring magic of the Roland RE-201 Space Echo". Guitar World. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ a b c d e White, Paul (October 2007). "Boss RE20". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ a b Doyle, Tom (May 2015). "Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Daniel Boyle: Recording Back on the Controls". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ Brakes, Rod (24 March 2022). "Boss Enters a New Age of Space Echo with the RE-2 and RE-202". Guitar Player. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
External links
- Inside the Roland RE-201 Space Echo (interactive Blend4Web infographic)