The Dark Side Workstation multi-effects pedal looks to provide players with all the textures needed with Fuzz, Delay and Modulation. At the heart of the Dark Side is a hand built board that contains analogue fuzz and a high quality 24-bit DSP engine.
The Fuzz side of the Dark Side is a big fuzz style distortion based on a 1977 op-amp style, similar to Keeley’s Psi Fuzz. Keeley describes the fuzz similar to a “transparent Big Fuzz.”
Dig a little deeper into the Dark Side and you’ll find the Delay and Modulation. Here’s where the pedal really gets interesting. You can select between a multi-head tape delay effect or between a combination of 4 different modulation sounds. The Dark Side delay has 12 different syncopated delays. Keeley explains that these delays are “rhythmic and have the tonal quality of the old spinning drum tape delays.”
There are four parts to the Modulation effect: Flanger, Rotary Speaker Cabinet, U-Vibe, and Phaser. You can blend between the “Electric Lady” Flanger and a Leslie Rotary cabinet, creating new sounds. You can find that perfect blend between a vintage sounding optocoupler based U-Vibe and the little orange phaser.
For more details on the range of Keeley effects, head to robertkeeley.com. Keeley pedals are available in Australia from Gladesville Guitar Factory. Want to learn more about Robert Keeley? We chatted with him earlier this year… Read the interview here.
