Bananana Effects MATRYOSHKA 8-Mode Bass Synth

I have had an absolute blast reviewing and demoing all the pedals from Bananana Effects over the last couple of months, and today I bring you the last one (for now, hopefully) in their current lineup. Switching things up just a bit, the MATRYOSHKA is an 8-Mode Bass Synth pedal, meaning I pulled out my trusty Spector NS2000B for this one, and boy, does this pedal ROCK. Moving quickly from slightly weird to full-blown outer space exploration, this little gem will fatten your sound and send your notes to the far reaches and beyond…

The MATRYOSHKA is a versatile and powerful bass synth pedal with 8 selectable modes. It instantly responds to the pitch and envelope of your input signal, delivering a fat, full synth sound with low latency. Plus, two synth tones can be output simultaneously — blending them together opens up a vast palette of sounds. Mix in your dry signal for a synth unison effect that keeps your original tone alive. Mix the original octave with one octave below to craft an even deeper, more powerful sound. Dialing back the mix keeps things tight and articulate — equally at home on guitar.

Vibrato
Modulates pitch to create a rich, undulating tone. Mix with out1 to achieve a lush chorus effect.

LFO
Cyclically sweeps the filter to create a swelling, undulating tone. LFO depth is controlled by the Sensitivity knob, enabling dynamic and expressive synth sounds.

Distortion
Distorts the synth output to dial in a gnarly acid bass tone. Combine with out1 for crushing distortion while preserving the low-end punch.

Bit Crush
Crushes the bit rate of the synth output for a gritty, digital distortion. Adjusting Sensitivity transforms the sound into a vocal-like synth tone.

Pitch Shifter
Shifts the out2 pitch relative to out1: down a 4th, detune, up a 5th, or up an octave. Blending out1 and out2 produces an exceptionally massive bass sound.

Arpeggiator
Alternates between the input octave and one octave below. Crank up the rate for a retro 8-bit game-like tone.

Filter Sample & Hold
Moves the filter frequency in a randomly periodic pattern. Maxing out the resonance causes the filter to self-oscillate, outputting random pitches.

Aliaser Sample & Hold
Moves the bit crush frequency in a randomly periodic pattern.

If for some strange reason, you missed all of the other reviews and demos we did for all things Bananana, click here to check out the rest of their pedals, and the subsequent demos, too! A very unique, innovative company, these guys are making some of the funnest gear out there – be sure to visit their website for more info and ordering and all of it, they’re not to be missed. Head to our YouTube channel for a lengthy demo of the MATRYOSHKA 8-Mode Bass Synth as well – remember, it sounds amazing on guitar, too!! Enjoy this one, cheers!!