The Dreadbox Treminator Smashing Tremolo is a tremolo pedal from the Greek synthesizer maker Dreadbox, launched in October 2022 alongside the Raindrops Stereo Delay. Unlike a typical tremolo that simply wobbles the volume with a free-running oscillator, the Treminator is based on the last stage of a synthesizer's signal flow, the VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier), and combines that with an LFO that is controlled by Envelope Generators. In practice that means the speed and shape of the tremolo can respond to how hard you play, rather than only cycling at a fixed rate1.
For a player, that puts it closer to a synth voice's amplitude section than to a conventional tremolo pedal. It is aimed at players who want movement that can follow their picking dynamics instead of sitting on top of them1.
Controls and switching
The Treminator carries a second level of controls beyond its top-panel knobs, accessed by holding down the On/Shift switch. Pedal of the Day noted that "Each of these units has an entire second level of controls as well, accessed by holding down the On/Shift switch," so the compact panel hides deeper editing that players will want to explore once the basics are set1.
What the Treminator offers, as covered when it launched:
- Tremolo built on a synthesizer-style VCA, the last stage of a synth's signal flow1
- An LFO that is controlled by Envelope Generators, so the modulation can follow playing dynamics1
- A second level of hidden controls behind the On/Shift switch1
- CMOS buffered bypass switching1
The Treminator uses CMOS buffered bypass switching, the same scheme as its companion Raindrops delay, rather than true bypass1.
Where it came from
The Treminator was launched by Dreadbox alongside the Raindrops Stereo Delay, and the two pedals share CMOS buffered bypass switching1.
Videos
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Sources (1)
- Dreadbox Treminator Smashing Tremolo & Raindrops Stereo Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2022-10-17