The Mr. Black Downward Spiral is a delay pedal built around a single idea: instead of the typical echo you would naturally hear, each repeat is reproduced in a lower octave, so notes spiral downward rather than repeating at the same pitch. Mr. Black describes it as a modulated delay with downward pitch-shifted repeats1. Reviewer Jordan B at Pedal of the Day went further and classified it as an ambient delay, writing that "instead of the typical echo you would naturally hear, the Downward Spiral takes the note and reproduces it in a lower octave"2.
What it does
The pitch-shifting repeats are the heart of the pedal. With regeneration set high, a single note can be reproduced an octave down again and again, to the point where Jordan B said you can make it "basically never end"2. That makes it a tool for ambient and doom-adjacent textures rather than a conventional echo, and it sits alongside other delay designs in the Delay Pedals family.
The Regen knob is the main control over how far the spiral goes2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Regen | Adjusts how much of the actual note regeneration happens. Far right: every noise or note regenerates completely an octave down each time. Halfway: the regenerated note still maintains a portion of its original sound2 |
| Time | A "Living" Time control on the "Unicorn Tears" Special Edition1 |
"This pedal is great for making doomy ambient noises or if you dial most of the effect out almost leaves you with a big room reverb/chorus kind of sound."
That second setting is worth noting for players who want a subtler effect: with most of the effect dialed out, the reviewer found the pedal leaves a big room reverb and chorus kind of sound overall2.
The "Unicorn Tears" Special Edition
Mr. Black has offered the Downward Spiral in a Limited Run Rainbow "Unicorn Tears" Special Edition, which adds a "Living" Time control1. It is documented on its own page: Mr. Black Downward Spiral "Unicorn Tears" Special Edition.
Where it sits in the Mr. Black range
Mr. Black has built several delays with distinct characters, including the Mr. Black Ambience Echoverb, a multi-tap delay and reverb pedal, the Mr. Black JDD-3000+, and the Mr. Black DoubleTracker Stereo. The Downward Spiral is the octave-descending one of the family, and Jordan B's verdict on it was simple: "Mr. Black has outdone himself again with this pedal, the Downward Spiral"2.
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Questions
What does the Mr. Black Downward Spiral do?
It is a modulated delay with downward pitch-shifted repeats. Instead of the typical echo, each repeat is reproduced an octave lower, so a note can spiral down and, with the regeneration set high, go on almost indefinitely. Reviewer Jordan B at Pedal of the Day described it as an ambient delay, good for doomy ambient noises, and noted that with most of the effect dialed out it leaves a big room reverb and chorus kind of sound.
What does the Regen control do?
The Regen knob adjusts how much of the note regeneration happens. Turned to the far right, every noise or note regenerates completely an octave down each time; at halfway, the regenerated note keeps a portion of its original sound. That lets you move from a subtle octave-doubled echo to repeats that descend and sustain almost forever.
Sources (2)
- Downward Spiral "Unicorn Tears" Special Edition, Mr. Black
- Mr. Black Downward Spiral Delay, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2014-06-29
