The Mission Engineering Expressionator is a programmable multi-expression controller that lets one expression pedal control up to three expression-enabled effects1. Instead of dedicating a separate expression pedal to each effect on your board, you plug a single pedal into the Expressionator and route it to three outputs, switching between them as you play2. Mission Engineering announced it in October 2012 at a list price of $1982.
Footswitch, LEDs and taper modes
The three outputs are toggled via the stomp switch, and each can be controlled individually or simultaneously2. Separate LEDs indicate which channels are active, and a strip of LEDs shows your expression pedal's position, so you can see where the pedal sits without looking down at it2.
The range of each effect can be adjusted as well2. That means the full sweep of your pedal does not have to map to the full sweep of every parameter on every effect, which is useful when one output controls, say, a delay's feedback and another controls a filter's cutoff.
The Expressionator also offers five programmable taper options2:
| Taper | What it does |
|---|---|
| Linear | Standard response, pedal position maps directly to the parameter |
| Reverse Linear | Inverts the response |
| Linear Log | Logarithmic-style curve |
| Sawtooth | Sawtooth-shaped response |
| Square | Square-shaped response |
These taper modes change how the pedal's physical motion translates into parameter values, letting one pedal behave differently depending on the effect it is driving2.
Where it came from
The Expressionator was originally designed in part by Jean Baudin, an extended range bassist2. No Treble reported it as available now at $198 when Mission Engineering announced it in October 20122.
For more on expression control generally, see expression pedals.
Videos
James Lebihan
James Lebihan
Bill Walker
Questions
How many effects can the Expressionator control?
It lets you connect one expression pedal and control up to three expression-enabled effects at the same time. Each of the three outputs can be toggled on or off individually or simultaneously from the stomp switch, and the range of each effect can be adjusted.
What taper options does the Expressionator have?
It offers five programmable taper options: Linear, Reverse Linear, Linear Log, Sawtooth, and Square. These change how the expression pedal's motion maps to the controlled parameter, so one pedal can behave differently for different effects.
Who designed the Mission Engineering Expressionator?
It was originally designed in part by Jean Baudin, an extended range bassist. Mission Engineering announced the Expressionator in October 2012 at a list price of $198.
Sources (2)
- Electro-Harmonix Cntl Knob review, Guitar World, 2021-04-15
- Mission Engineering Introduces Expressionator Pedal, No Treble, 2012-10-02
