NAM full of synths, guitars, saxophones, et cetera. But I promise you right away, Dimensional Trigger from Casio is the only floor-mounted wireless expression controller you use with your guitar strap.
The concept is simple. It's an expression pedal. But not in pedal form. We've now seen expression controllers in all sorts of shapes and sizes: Faders, roller skates, even lasers. The Dimension Tripper does the same thing, except instead of rocking a pedal back and forth with your foot or sliding a fader back and forth with your hand, you pull on your guitar itself.
The system has two parts. The transmitter goes between the end of your strap and the strap button on your guitar. One end is retractable, and when you stretch it, it sends information via Bluetooth to the receiver. Under ideal conditions there is about 20ms of lag, but even at NAMM, with all the interference, it was barely noticeable.
The receiver is a relatively standard looking box that sits on top of your pedalboard and connects to your target pedal. A row of lights in the middle gives you visual feedback when you extend the transmitter's sensor.
Both parts are a bit bulkier than I expected, however. The receiver has two footswitches and is essentially the size of a standard guitar pedal. The transmitter is almost 5 inches long and 1 inch thick. You will notice this when playing and will need to shorten your strap significantly.
Other than that, it works like any other expression controller. You can use it for energetic wah wah effects, gentle volume boosts, or to increase the weirdness of a ring modulator. It can even be used in place of a pedal to turn the effect on and off. So you can pull hard at the start of the chorus to start an overdrive.
The concept is definitely fanciful. But I have to admit that it's fun and it's actually quite natural. Most musicians move their guitar a bit anyway, and this seemed to be an extension of that. I had to be a little more assertive and move with more conviction than usual, but I adapted pretty quickly. Is it practical? Probably not. But kudos to Casio for trying something different.
What's unclear is whether or not this will become a real retail product. Casio currently runs a crowdfunding campaign where you back the Dimension Tripper for 32,736 yen, or around $221. Whether the wireless expression controller has a life beyond this, however, remains up in the air.
This article was originally published on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/casios-dimension-tripper-lets-you-control-your-guitar-pedals-with-your-guitar-strap-200039380. html?src=rss
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