Coopersonic Fader review

Hands-free fading

  • £120
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Two knobs set fade-in and fade-out times from about half a second to 40 seconds each

MusicRadar Verdict

The Fader is a great idea that's nicely implemented. Why has nobody thought of a fully featured fader until now?

Pros

  • +

    Hands-free fades and volume swells. Easy operation.

Cons

  • -

    No calibration graphics around knobs. Four-screw battery access.

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Meet the Coopersonic Fader, a guitar FX pedal that offers smooth fading in the live arena.

We've all heard fade-outs on recordings made with the steady hand of an experienced engineer on the fader, or with automation, but what about a fade on your guitar playing in a live context?

"Live fade ins or outs can add interest to your set"

Well, a steady hand on your volume knob is out of the question if you're playing with both hands, and a volume pedal could require too much of your concentration. Automation may be the way to go then, and Coopersonic has a unique pedal to do just that: the Fader, a simple affair that will fade your signal both in and out.

In Use

Two knobs set fade-in and fade-out times from about half a second to 40 seconds each. A red LED over the Out knob indicates when the signal is silent, while a green one over the In knob shows that the full signal is present.

Each time you hit the footswitch the active LED fades while the other illuminates at the rate you set with the knobs. Live fade ins or outs can add interest to your set, and fading guitar parts in or out when making overdubs into a looper is very useful, as is using the Fader to gradually introduce or fade out a second amp or set of effects.

Trevor Curwen

Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he's also mimed it on the UK's Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.