MusicRadar Verdict
A flexible tool that has a variety of applications - invaluable in the studio and something that could add real flexibility to your pedalboard.
Pros
- +
A well-through-out utility switching pedal. Excellent build. Wealth of creative options.
Cons
- -
It's a little pricey.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
The Pigtronix Keymaster is an interface to connect any audio source (instrument, line level, mic) with pedals and return the signal at the correct impedance.
"You can also get creative by running two different dirt pedals in parallel for an interesting blend"
Basically, what you get is a pair of true bypass effects loops, each with its own footswitch, that can be run in series or parallel. In parallel mode, there's the option of crossfading between the two by adding an expression pedal.
On a pedalboard, the most obvious use is to bring in two different groups of pedals at any time.
But you can also get creative by running two different dirt pedals in parallel for an interesting blend, or with one loop muted, utilising a cross-fading expression pedal as a blender to turn up delay, for example.
For recording, the Keymaster is great for re-amping - running the recorded signal out to your pedals and back, or to an amp.
“For most of the songs, you need old, dead strings for sure, or else it does not sound right”: Nick Baxter reveals the setup secrets and custom Gibson acoustics behind Timothée Chalamet’s tone in Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown
“One of the best guitar solos ever conceived - captured live on stage!”: Uncovering the truth about the Clapton classic that he called "wrong" but Eddie Van Halen loved
Behringer says it's squeezed the sound of a Roland Jupiter-8 into a $99 portable package with the JT Mini analogue synth
