Musicians - Gimmee your unconventional gear (or, What's In The Box?

Cafe Society
#1

As a sometimes musician, I’ve always had a fascination with gear. Sometimes, more than the music itself. You know the kind of person. You either are one, or you make fun of us. I run to the stage to watch bands set up. I talk with guitarists after shows about their pedals. The sight of a custom audio foot controller sends me into a tither.

So, musicians, what’s your favorite unconventional piece of gear?

Digitech Whammy?
Theremin?
Robotalk?
Boomerang?

What setups have you never been able to figure out? For example, what’s the name of that box with an antenna that Johnny Greenwood uses that samples Thom’s voice?

#2

Look ma, no speakers…no amp! I don’t use an amp. My whole setup is rack mounted and then I just plug into the PA. Sounds pretty good, too!

In the rack:
Line6 PodPRO
Fostex DCM100 MIDI mixer
ToneWorks DTR-2 tuner
2 Audio-Technica wireless receivers (1 guitar, 1 voice)
Alesis QuadraVerb2 effects unit
IPS33B pitch shifter
E-Mu Proteus 1000 synth

In the pedalboard:
Behringer FCB1010 MIDI Foot Controller
Yamaha MFC10 MIDI Foot Controller
Oberheim MIDI Merge

The Yamaha feeds through the Behringer into the Merge, which mixes the MIDI with my keyboard (MIDI Man) and then to the MIDI distribution center inside the back of the rack. MIDI out goes to each unit in the rack as well as to the light controller.

All audio (Pod, acoustic guitar, FX, vocal, synth) gets mixed at the Fostex and controlled from the pedals. Two outs (1 for instruments, 1 for vocal) go direct to the board. I add FX to the vocal mic when I play flute, mute the guitars when playing keys, etc.

Hah!