The Alexander Pedals Marshmallow is a dual modulated pitch shifter pedal, released in December 2019 as part of the company's Neo series. At its heart, the maker describes it as a pair of pitch shifters combined and modulated in interesting ways, and Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio called it "a rather 'out-there' take on dual modulated pitch shifting"1. It sits among octave and pitch pedals aimed at players who want shifting that goes beyond simple interval doubling.
What it does
The Marshmallow runs two pitch shifters at once and modulates them, so instead of a single fixed interval you get shifting that moves, scatters or drifts depending on the mode. The maker's own description of the sound: "Sweet, fun, and probably best consumed in small doses, our Marshmallow makes weird gooey sounds with your favorite instruments"1.
A dedicated Clock knob takes the effect somewhere else entirely: it reduces the effect's sample rate all the way down to 1.2 Hz for lo-fi tones, deliberately degrading the shifting into heavily bit-crushed territory1.
The six modes
Delicious Audio reports that the Marshmallow features six effect modes1:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| MOD | Modulated pitch shifting |
| ARPY | Arpeggiated shifting |
| RAND | Random shifting |
| RING | Dual pitch shift with automatic panning between the two signals |
| DYNA | Dynamic shifting |
| CLOUD | Cloud-style shifting |
The RING mode is the pedal's stereo showcase, panning automatically between the two pitch-shifted signals1.
Neo series features: presets, MIDI and Neo Morph
The Marshmallow carries the features common to all of Alexander Pedals' Neo series pedals1:
- Presets
- A second footswitch for momentary effects
- USB/MIDI/expression connectivity
- The Neo Morph function, which allows you to "seamlessly morph between different knob settings on the fly"1
For players running a MIDI-controlled board, the USB/MIDI/expression connectivity means the pedal can be automated alongside the rest of a rig, and an expression pedal can be used for real-time control1.
Where it sits in Alexander Pedals' range
The Marshmallow is Alexander Pedals' take on dual modulated pitch shifting: at its heart, the company says, it is a pair of pitch shifters combined and modulated in interesting ways2. Alexander describes it as "Sweet, fun, and probably best consumed in small doses, our Marshmallow makes weird gooey sounds with your favorite instruments"2. Beyond the shifting itself, the Clock knob reduces the effect's sample rate all the way down to 1.2 Hz for lo-fi tones2.
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Questions
What are the six modes on the Alexander Pedals Marshmallow?
The Marshmallow offers six effect modes: MOD, ARPY, RAND, RING, DYNA and CLOUD. Each mode uses the pedal's pair of pitch shifters in a different way, from modulated shifting to automatic panning between the two signals in RING mode. The pedal's core design combines and modulates two pitch shifters in what the maker describes as interesting ways.
Does the Marshmallow have presets?
Yes. Presets are among the features common to all of Alexander Pedals' Neo series pedals, along with a second footswitch for momentary effects, USB/MIDI/expression connectivity and the Neo Morph function, which lets you seamlessly morph between different knob settings on the fly.
Can the Marshmallow be controlled over MIDI or with an expression pedal?
Yes. The Marshmallow carries USB/MIDI/expression connectivity, one of the features common across Alexander Pedals' Neo series. That means it can be controlled over MIDI and with an expression pedal, alongside its presets and the Neo Morph function for morphing between knob settings.
Is the Marshmallow a stereo pedal?
The Marshmallow works in stereo in its RING mode, which is a dual pitch shift with automatic panning between the two signals. The pedal's two pitch shifters can therefore be spread across a stereo field rather than summed to a single mono output.
How low does the Marshmallow's sample rate go?
The Clock knob lets you reduce the effect's sample rate all the way down to 1.2 Hz, which the maker describes as a way to get lo-fi tones. Turning the sample rate down that far degrades the pitch shifting deliberately, producing heavily degraded, lo-fi sounds.
Sources (2)
- Alexander Pedals Marshmallow Artificial Sweetener (Dual Modulated Pitch Shifter), Delicious Audio, 2019-12-16
- Pitch shifting meets LFOs in Alexander’s wild new Fever Pitch pedal, guitar.com
