The Bananana Effects AURORA is a delay pedal with eight selectable modes that give you flexible control over pitch, speed and playback direction1. Instead of one delay voice, it offers a family of them: repeats that climb or drop in pitch chromatically, repeats that play back faster than you played them, and repeats that run backwards, sometimes all at once. Bananana Effects describes it as a pedal that "will enable you to create experimental and radical sounds"1.
Pedal of the Day reviewed it in April 2026 and framed its appeal in terms of what it does to delay conventions2:
"when someone takes the 'norm' and turns it upside down, thst's when I really get excited about effects"2
The eight modes
The modes are the heart of the pedal, and each one changes what happens to a repeat as it cycles back through the delay1.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pitch Down | Delay that decreases the pitch on each repeat, settable chromatically between -1 and -12 |
| Pitch Up | Delay that increases the pitch on each repeat, settable chromatically between +1 and +12 |
| Speed Up | Replays the sampled sound at a multiple of the original speed, selectable from 2x and 4x; with Time at 0 it works like a pitch shifter |
| Multi Reverse | Plays the sample back at 1/2x, 1x and 2x speed simultaneously, with the balance of the 1/2x and 2x layers set by the Func knob |
| Cascade Reverse | Reverses the playback direction of the sampled sound each time it feeds back into the pedal |
The pitch modes are the headline feature. Each repeat comes back a set chromatic interval higher or lower than the one before it, so a single note can cascade upward or downward through an octave or more. A practical detail: the Mode knob flashes green when the pitch setting changes and flashes white at the fifth and octave intervals only, which makes it easy to land on the intervals players reach for most1.
Speed Up takes a different route to pitch change. Rather than shifting the pitch of the repeats, it replays the sampled sound faster than you played it, at 2x or 4x speed, which raises the pitch the way a tape or turntable does when sped up. With the Time knob at 0, Bananana Effects notes it can be used like a pitch shifter1.
Multi Reverse layers three copies of your playing at half, normal and double speed at the same time, with the Func knob tilting the balance between the half-speed and double-speed voices. Cascade Reverse flips the playback direction every time the sound feeds back, so each successive repeat runs the opposite way to the last1.
The controls
Four knobs and a mode selector cover everything1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the delay time |
| Repeat | Controls the delay repeats (not used in Speed Up Trigger Mode and Reverse Trigger Mode) |
| Vol | Level control for the dry signal |
| Func | Adjusts the parameter of each mode |
| Mode | Selects one of the eight modes; flashes green as the pitch setting changes and white at the fifth and octave intervals |
The Func knob is the one that changes character from mode to mode. In Pitch Up and Pitch Down it sets the chromatic interval per repeat. In Speed Up it chooses between 2x and 4x playback speed. In the Reverse modes it sets playing speed, from x-1/2 and x-1 up to x-2. In Multi Reverse it works as a balance control: counterclockwise emphasizes the 1/2x tone, clockwise emphasizes the 2x tone1.
The footswitch does more than bypass. Press and hold it for under two seconds and release, and you toggle between dry through and dry cut, with a red blink indicating dry through and a green blink indicating dry cut1.
Bypass and tails
The AURORA uses buffered bypass rather than true bypass1. A separate Tail ON/OFF switch selects whether the delay tail keeps ringing when the pedal is bypassed or stops, so you can let a wash of pitch-shifting repeats fade naturally behind your dry signal or cut them dead1.
If you run a strict true-bypass board, note that the AURORA's buffered bypass means it is always in the signal path when connected, unlike relay-switched pedals.
Power and size
The pedal runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug and draws 60mA1. At 52 x 93 x 49mm and 200g, it occupies a small footprint for a pedal with this many modes1.
Price and what reviewers said
Bananana Effects lists the AURORA at $199.00 USD, with free shipping worldwide excluding VAT and duties1. Pedal of the Day's April 2026 review covered the eight modes and highlighted the chromatic pitch shift delay among its features, concluding that the pedal's willingness to turn delay's "norm" upside down is exactly what makes it exciting2.
Don't confuse this pedal with the Spaceman Effects Aurora, a different product entirely: an analog flanger with true-bypass relay switching, listed at $319.003
Bananana Effects also makes the MANDALA Radical Glitch Surprise, a glitch pedal of its own. Players drawn to the AURORA's experimental side may find it a companion piece1.
Videos
BanananaEffects
BanananaEffects
Pedal of the Day and BanananaEffects
Questions
What does the Func knob do on the Bananana Aurora?
The Func knob adjusts the main parameter of whichever mode is selected. In Pitch Up and Pitch Down it sets the chromatic pitch interval, in Speed Up it chooses between 2x and 4x playback speed, in the Reverse modes it sets playing speed, and in Multi Reverse it balances the half-speed and double-speed layers against each other.
Does the Aurora have true bypass?
No. Bananana Effects specifies buffered bypass for the AURORA. A separate Tail ON/OFF switch selects whether the delay tail keeps ringing or cuts when the pedal is bypassed.
Can the Aurora keep delay tails when bypassed?
Yes. A dedicated Tail ON/OFF switch selects whether the repeats continue after you bypass the pedal or stop immediately, so you can choose between a natural fade-out and an abrupt cut.
How much does the Bananana Effects Aurora cost?
The maker lists the AURORA at $199.00 USD, with free shipping worldwide excluding VAT and duties, as of October 2026.
What is the pitch range in Pitch Up and Pitch Down modes?
Both modes shift the pitch of each repeat chromatically. Pitch Down steps down between -1 and -12 semitones per repeat, and Pitch Up steps up between +1 and +12 semitones per repeat. The Mode knob flashes white at the fifth and octave intervals to help you find common intervals.
What are the Aurora's dimensions and weight?
The pedal measures 52 x 93 x 49mm, about 2 x 3.7 x 1.9 inches, and weighs 200g, or 7.1 ounces, which keeps it practical for a crowded pedalboard.
Sources (3)
- AURORA Pitch shift delay pedal, banananaeffects.com
- Bananana Effects Aurora Pitch Shift Multi-Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2026-04-19
- Aurora: Analog Flanger, Spaceman Effects
