The Mastro Valvola Tremarella is a tremolo pedal for guitar and bass from the Italian maker Mastro Valvola, built around a completely analog circuit. A tremolo pedal chops the volume of your signal rhythmically, and the Tremarella goes beyond a simple pulse: it lets you choose between triangular or square modulation waves, and it uses two frequency controls to vary the geometry of those waves, so the up and down strokes of the tremolo can move at different speeds and shapes. Mastro Valvola's own description of the pedal is short and to the point: "This tremolo means business!"1
Mastro Valvola's product page marks the Tremarella as discontinued, so it is no longer in production.1
What the Tremarella does
The Tremarella sits in the tremolo lane, alongside Mastro Valvola's other modulation work such as the LFO Optical Tremolo. Beyond a standard pulse, the maker lists several modes: Classic tremolo, Sawtooth, Elicopter, Bass dance and an auto volume mode3. The Bass dance mode reflects the pedal's dual guitar and bass brief, and the auto volume mode points toward volume-swell style playing rather than straight chopping. For a player, the practical difference from an ordinary tremolo is the wave choice: triangular waves give a smoother, more even swell, while square waves give a harder, more abrupt on-off pulse, and the two speed controls let those shapes lean in one direction or the other.
The controls: light speed, dark speed and depth
The Tremarella keeps its face simple: three potentiometers and a footswitch.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Light speed | Frequency control that varies the wave geometry in one direction1 |
| Dark speed | Frequency control that varies the wave geometry in the other direction1 |
| Depth | Controls the depth of the sound effect1 |
The two frequency controls, named "light speed" and "dark speed", are the pedal's distinguishing feature. Instead of a single rate knob, they allow the user to vary the geometry of the modulation waves, so the tremolo can speed up and slow down within each cycle rather than running at one fixed rate3. The depth potentiometer then sets how far the volume swings, from a subtle shiver to a full chop.
Power and practicalities
The pedal runs on a 9V supply and draws 20 mA, a modest draw that a standard pedalboard supply output handles easily1. The maker's product page carries a manual for the Tremarella for full operating details3. With true bypass switching, the pedal stays out of the signal path when off1.
Questions
Is the Mastro Valvola Tremarella true bypass?
Yes. Mastro Valvola's product page for the Tremarella lists a true bypass switch, so the pedal takes itself fully out of the signal chain when it is switched off. That matters on a pedalboard where several effects sit in front of the amp, because a true bypass pedal leaves the guitar's tone untouched until you engage it.
How much current does the Tremarella draw?
The maker specifies a 9V power supply and a current draw of 20 mA. That is a light load by pedal standards, so a standard 9V DC supply or a daisy-chain output on a pedalboard power supply can handle it, alongside other low-draw analog pedals.
Is the Tremarella still made?
No. Mastro Valvola's own product page marks the Tremarella as discontinued, so it is no longer in production. Any unit a player finds will be a used or remaining-stock example rather than a new one from the maker.
Does the Tremarella work with bass?
Yes. Mastro Valvola describes the Tremarella as a tremolo for guitar and bass, and one of its modes is called Bass dance, a setting aimed at bass playing. The pedal is a completely analog circuit, so it handles low frequencies without the conversion step a digital design would add.
Is the Tremarella analog or digital?
The Tremarella is a completely analog circuit, according to Mastro Valvola's product page. The audio path never leaves the analog domain, which is what many players look for in a tremolo, and it pairs with the pedal's choice of triangular or square modulation waves.
Sources (3)
- Mastro Valvola pedals, Mastro Valvola, 2018-04-25
- LEM - lysergic emotion module - black - Mastro Valvola, Mastro Valvola, 2022-03-04
- Mastro Valvola pedals, Mastro Valvola, 2018-04-25
