OVERVIEW
POLYPHRASE is a stereo echo and looping device inspired by early proto-digital delays
of the 1970ʼs like the Lexicon Prime Time. As sophisticated as it is easy-to-use, Polyphrase
is capable of everything from rich, dubby rhythmic repeats, to metallic resonant flanges.
It is unique in being able to generate loops as long as 22 seconds, opening up a new
palette of sonic possibilities for the avant-garde, ambient, or adventurous musician.
Polyphrase features two independent sliders for le and right delay times that can be
locked into an infinite feedback loop which will produce an ever-changing sample of
audio as each channel overlaps with another. This makes Polyphrase a tool for
exploration capable of achieving the same kind of harmonic oscillation found on Steve
Reichʼs seminal tape piece “Piano Phase”.
The time knob interacts with the le and right faders by providing nine different
maximum delay times starting at 85 milliseconds, and doubling in value as the
parameter is increased up to 22 seconds. Each new delay section is cross faded into the
signal path, an important design consideration that avoids any pitch shiing artifacts
and is useful for creating new and oen unexpected musical phrases when used with
high repeat settings.
Three echo styles are available, and each style configures its own dedicated routing for
the delay feedback path. “Dual stereo” provides two independent echos, and they can
either be stacked in mono, or routed out of each stereo channel. In “ping pong” mode,
each delay feeds back into the other, creating either a classic stereo ping pong sound
(with each repeat bouncing between the le and right channel), or a multi-tap delay
effect (when used in mono). The last mode is a mono delay - it routes the feedback path
to the IN R, OUT R jacks so that you can use external effects in the echoʼs feedback path.
The tone control is a bipolar equalizer (EQ) situated in the feedback path of the echo. At
12 oʼclock, the EQ has no effect on the audio. Turning the knob clockwise cuts low end -
making each repeat brighter than the previous. Turning the tone knob in the
counter-clockwise direction cuts high frequencies - it creates darker repeats, which-
