Controls and footswitches
The Warbler packs five knobs, two footswitches and an external input jack onto its enclosure, which carries what the reviewer called "a super-rad Star Trek graphic"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tempo knob | Controls the speed of the signal1 |
| Depth knob | Controls the intensity of the signal1 |
| Multiply knob | Changes the tremolo speed from half notes, quarter notes, triplet quarter notes, eighth notes, triplet eighth notes, or sixteenth notes1 |
| Waveform knob | Selects from eight waveforms (see below)1 |
| Left footswitch | Momentary SPST stomp switch for tap tempo1 |
The Waveform knob lets you choose from Up ramp, Down ramp, Square/pulse, Triangle, Sine, Hypertriangle, Inverted Hypertriangle and Random steps1.
Tap tempo and speed blocks
The left footswitch is a momentary SPST stomp switch. The chip takes the last 2 taps to determine tempo, and each double click increases the rate across 6 clickable blocks1. The Multiply knob works with this, shifting the tremolo between half notes, quarter notes, triplet quarter notes, eighth notes, triplet eighth notes and sixteenth notes1.
The reviewer found this system stood out among tremolo pedals: "I have never seen a tremolo pedal that was able to perform this functionality, and it is quite a useful and intelligent" option, one he suggested should be adopted by more tremolo pedal builders1.
An external Tap jack sits on the top of the unit, used with a tap switch such as a Boss FS-5U to control individual speeds. Working in conjunction with the external tap, you can adjust to different blocks of speed1.
A limited build and what Pedal of the Day said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Warbler on 23 December 2014, and Mike B's verdict was warm across the board: "This is a way-fun guitar pedal, one that fits in perfectly with my setup, and does almost everything I need a tremolo to" do1. Beyond the tap-block system, he highlighted the eight waveforms and the pedal's depth and lushness as reasons it earned a permanent spot on his board1.
Questions
Can you use an external tap switch with the Midnight 30 Music Warbler?
Yes. The Warbler has an external Tap jack on the top of the unit, used with a tap switch such as a Boss FS-5U to control individual speeds. Working alongside the pedal's own tap footswitch, the external input lets you adjust between different blocks of speed while playing.
How does tap tempo work on the Warbler?
The left footswitch is a momentary SPST stomp switch. The chip takes the last 2 taps to determine the tempo, and each double click increases the rate across 6 clickable blocks of speed. Pedal of the Day's reviewer said he had never seen a tremolo pedal able to perform this functionality and called it useful and intelligent.
How many Midnight 30 Music Warbler Tap Tremolos were made?
According to Pedal of the Day's review, the Warbler Tap Tremolo is a two-of-a-kind pedal, meaning there is only one other one in existence besides the unit reviewed.
What waveforms does the Warbler tremolo have?
The Waveform knob offers eight shapes: Up ramp, Down ramp, Square/pulse, Triangle, Sine, Hypertriangle, Inverted Hypertriangle and Random steps. That range covers everything from smooth sine swells to hard square pulses and unpredictable random stepping.
Sources (1)
- Midnight 30 Music Warbler Tap Tremolo, Pedal of the Day, 2014-12-23
