DigiTech TRIO+

The DigiTech TRIO+ is a band creator and looper pedal from DigiTech. You play your guitar into it, press the Band footswitch, and it learns the chords and rhythm you just played, then automatically creates a drum and bass accompaniment to match¹. DigiTech describes it as a simple-to-use pedal that listens to the way you play and generates bass and drum parts for your song¹. It was announced at Winter NAMM in January 2016 and announced as immediately available that March²³.

What it does: a backing band that learns your chords and rhythm

The core idea is that the pedal replaces programming a drum machine or backing track. Barry Rudolph's review describes the workflow: play your part, then press the Band footswitch to "teach" the TRIO+ the chords and rhythm feel; pressing it again plays a freshly generated bass guitar part and drum beat you can play along with⁶. DigiTech's own framing is a virtual band that keeps up with your every riff and chord change⁷.

The TRIO+ can learn up to five different song parts, each with its own chord progression and rhythm, recallable on the fly or in a pre-programmed sequence⁶. Looping time is 230 seconds per song part, at 24-bit / 44.1 kHz audio resolution⁸. Internal memory holds up to 12 songs via the included MicroSD card⁸. There are 12 genres and 12 styles to choose from⁵.

How well does the recognition work? Rudolph found it "reads your chord structuring, mode, accents, timing and does a good job of figuring it all out," including bass parts for chords with extended voices played with a syncopated rhythmic feel⁶. MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen, reviewing the TRIO line, praised its ability to track complex chord sequences and its section-by-section learning⁹, and concluded of the TRIO+:

MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen⁹

The controls

The front panel is built around two encoders and a set of mix controls:

The genre and style knobs are encoders that click into place as you select a setting, with an LED display lighting up to show the choice⁵. Green LEDs surrounding the Style knob indicate usable styles⁶. MusicRadar's reviewer noted the Simple Bass button's two simpler bass options are great news for acoustic players¹¹. An optional expression pedal can be connected for real-time manipulation of effects and parameters⁷.

Power and connections

The TRIO+ runs on a 9 VDC external power adapter with an 800 mA current draw¹, and a 9V DC adapter is included³. That current draw matters for pedalboard users: Guitar World's reviewer found you need to daisy chain two outputs to run it from most pedalboard power supplies, so the included adapter with its multiple plug sockets is the practical option⁵.

For connections, the pedal carries Guitar In, an FX Send and FX Return for inserting your own effects, Amp Out and Mixer Out, plus a headphone jack¹. Barry Rudolph notes it can be connected to a guitar amp, directly into a mixer for recording, or used with a PA system⁶. There is also a Mini-B USB port⁵. The outputs are mono: Guitar World's review found no stereo inputs or outputs for the guitar, and the lack of a stereo out meant setting an audio interface to mono for a full sound⁵.

Footswitch control

The two onboard footswitches are Looper and Band¹. For hands-free control, DigiTech's FS3X triple footswitch connects to the 1/4" control jack for hands-free selection of song parts and styles⁵². MAS Effects, a maker not affiliated with DigiTech, sells a combined unit that provides three FS3X-style buttons plus a true bypass loop for the TRIO+; its FS3X footswitches work whether or not you use the bypass¹²¹³¹⁴.

TRIO vs TRIO+

The TRIO+ builds on the original DigiTech TRIO Band Creator, launched in 2015³¹⁵. The original TRIO already listened to your playing and generated bass and drum parts to match¹⁵, and it came with a power supply and an FS3X option for hands-free part and style selection¹⁶. Two months before the TRIO+ launch, the TRIO had scooped the MIA/MusicRadar Innovation of the Year award².

DigiTech's Marketing Manager Tom Cram said the company built the TRIO+ around user feedback:

Tom Cram, DigiTech, quoted in MusicRadar²

What that added up to: a synced looper, SD card storage, an FX loop, new genres, the Simple Bass button and five savable song parts⁶⁵¹¹. The original TRIO remains the simpler, cheaper entry point if you only want generated backing without the looper and FX loop.

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