The TWA Little Dipper is an envelope-controlled vocal formant filter: a filter pedal that reacts to how hard you play and shapes your tone into something that talks. Where a standard envelope filter or wah pedal sweeps a single peak, the Little Dipper runs two filters that create frequency peaks and notches simulating the vowels and diphthongs of human speech1. TWA says it can emulate talkboxes, filters, phasers or flangers, or "spit out the most vocal-sounding wah-wah"1.
The pedal is made by Totally Wycked Audio, better known as TWA. It is an envelope controlled vocal formant filter1, and while it is an envelope filter, it does more than that at the same time123. The current version is the Little Dipper Mk II, whose first run was almost sold out as of the source's writing2.
An envelope-controlled vocal formant filter
A formant filter works differently from a normal envelope filter. Instead of one sweeping bandpass, the Little Dipper's dual filters create the peaks and notches the human vocal tract makes when pronouncing vowels, so the pedal tracks your picking dynamics and "pronounces" them1. Premier Guitar's reviewer of the LD-01 noted that because of the way the filters interact with the dynamic input of your playing, "It can even mimic the sound of a phaser or flanger"5. Pedal of the Day's Mike B found it "capable of emulating effects ranging from phasers and flangers to a talk box to a straight-up wah"4.
The circuit goes back further than TWA. According to TWA, the LD-01 is based on a classic '70s dual filter circuit5, and Pedal of the Day identifies it as the super-rare Colorsound Dipthonizer circuit4. Delicious Audio likewise describes the MkII as "an envelope-controlled vocal formant filter that is based on the original Dipthonizer"2. The original Dipthonizer and the first Little Dipper both used a 4-way rotary switch for their vowel and diphthong selections1.
The controls and connections
The Mk II's control set, as described by TWA and the press, breaks down like this:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ascension | Controls the depth of sweep for the dual filters, similar to the Threshold control on a standard envelope filter1 |
| Inclination | 5-way slider that selects the vocal formant effect and determines the trigger timing of the two filters in relation to one another13 |
| Occultation | 7-way rotary switch with timing and EQ variations for the dual filters13 |
| Diffraction | Adds fuzz into your sound; a fairly subtle option4 |
| Low Boost | Switch added on the Mk II to improve performance with bass guitar4 |
| Blend (internal) | Mixes clean instrument signal against the effected signal; at zero only the effected signal passes, at full an equal mix of clean and effected1 |
| Level (internal) | Adjusts the overall output level when the pedal is engaged13 |
The Mk II's fifth Inclination position is a "diphthong/vowel" effect with a darker, mellower sweep that TWA describes as great with bass, replacing the original's 4-way rotary switch1. The Mk II also carries a "Ursa Minor" status LED array6.
For external control, the expression pedal input lets you adjust the Ascension control with your foot; TWA recommends a Roland EV-51. Guitar World's launch coverage listed the EXP jack as "expression pedal input for outboard control of Ascension pot"6.
The Little Dipper requires external 9 VDC power and has no battery option3, so it needs a spot on your power supply from day one.
The Mk II and Little Dipper 2.0
The Mk II, announced by Godlyke in September 20143, was an update to TWA's original Little Dipper with more features and sounds24. It moved to a smaller, pedalboard-friendly Hammond 1590 size chassis, and TWA says the Mk II is about half the size and the same price as the original Dipper14. Delicious Audio reported in November 2014 that the first run was almost sold out2.
The current Little Dipper 2.0 keeps the Mk II's feature set, including the 5-way Inclination slider and the 7-way Occultation rotary switch, and was listed by Godlyke as a pre-order for late 2025 shipment13.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the LD-01 and found the pedal could stretch well beyond envelope filter territory, mimicking phaser and flanger sounds through filter interaction with playing dynamics5. The review also noted a practical wrinkle: the LD-01's voltage-doubling circuit had specific power requirements, and "a quick call to Kevin at Godlyke solved the problem"5.
Pedal of the Day's Mike B, reviewing the Mk II, summed it up4:
"the Little Dipper Mk II Envelope Controlled Vocal Formant Filter is a really fun pedal to play around with, and is capable of making roughly a gajillion different sounds."4
He also noted that "While the Little Dipper is an envelope filter, it's so much more at the same time"4.
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Questions
What is the TWA Little Dipper based on?
It is based on a classic 1970s dual filter circuit, which press reviews identify as the super-rare Colorsound Dipthonizer. The pedal uses two filters that create frequency peaks and notches simulating the vowels and diphthongs of human speech, which is what gives it its vocal character.
What does the Diffraction knob do on the Little Dipper?
The Diffraction knob adds fuzz into your sound. Pedal of the Day's reviewer described it as a fairly subtle option that adds just the right amount of oomph, rather than a full-blown fuzz control.
Can the Little Dipper be used with an expression pedal?
Yes. The Mk II has an expression pedal jack for outboard control of the Ascension knob, so you can sweep the filter depth with your foot instead of relying only on your playing dynamics. TWA recommends a Roland EV-5 expression pedal.
Does the Little Dipper Mk II work with bass?
Yes. The Mk II adds a Low Boost switch to improve performance with bass guitar, and its fifth Inclination position, a diphthong/vowel effect with a darker, mellower sweep, is described by TWA as great with bass.
What size is the Little Dipper Mk II enclosure?
The Mk II moved to a smaller, pedalboard-friendly Hammond 1590 size chassis. TWA says the Mk II is about half the size of the original Dipper, and sold at the same price as the original.
Sources (6)
- LITTLE DIPPER® 2.0, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- New Pedals: TWA Little Dipper MkII Vocal Formant Filter, Delicious Audio, 2014-11-13
- TWA Releases Little Dipper MK II, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-09-18
- TWA Little Dipper Mk II Envelope Controlled Vocal Formant Filter, Pedal of the Day, 2014-09-01
- TWA Little Dipper LD-01 Filter Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2009-12-04
- TWA Releases Little Dipper Mk II Envelope-Controlled Formant Filter, Guitar World, 2014-10-24
