Pedalboard Feature: Warren Walker

Here at Strymon we always appreciate when an artist thinks outside the norm and experiments. That is exactly what Warren Walker has done as a saxophonist who decided to try out effects. Warren has been busy since his early explorations into effects and saxophone, and the results have been amazing to listen to. Learn more about Warren below, and also enjoy an improvised video done by Old Blood Noise for their Coffee and Riffs series.

What pedalboards are these, and what is your signal chain?

These are my main touring boards. The one on the right side goes on top of a keyboard stand so I can play the Organelle as well and manipulate the sounds coming out of the board on the floor with the Moog Ring Modulator.

Signal Chain: Board 1 (left)

Selmer Super Balanced Action Tenor Saxaphone
AMT Mic
Eventide Mixing Link
Earthquaker Devices Fuzz Master General
Digitech Whammy II
Red Panda Context
Strymon DIG
Red Panda Raster
Line 6 DL4
Dwarfcraft Happiness
Moog Mooger Fooger RM-102

Signal Chain: Board 2 (right)

Critter and Guitari Organelle
Earthquaker Devices Transmisser
Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl mkII
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Mondegreen
EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run
Moog Moogerfooger RM-102 (Last pedal in the chain for the floor board)
The Organelle can also use all of the effects on the floor via the Mixing Link

Sinasoid and WestCoast Pedalboard Cables

As a saxophonist, how did you decide to start using pedals?

When I was younger, around 14 or 15, I just started experimenting with my dad’s gear. He was a guitar player and I was just fascinated about the sounds possible through pedals. One of the first things I tried was his BOSS ME-10, and then down the rabbit hole I went.

Can you tell us one of your favorite settings to use on DIG and why?

Probably the dotted 8th note setting with it in 12 bit mode and no modulation, then I’ll mess around with the tap tempo and do some layering type stuff with it to create chords within the delays. That being said, this pedal is pretty limitless in terms of the versatility and the sounds you can get out of a single pedal. It’s one of the few pedals on my board that stays on permanently.

Who has inspired you most in your musical creativity?

This is a difficult question! I listen to a lot of music, so it’s hard to pin down one person or group. But in regards to what I do with effects, my goal in mind is to try and emulate what some of the electronic producers are doing in the studio and recreate those things live, and use them in a creative and improvisational way.

Some artists that I listen to on a regular basis as of right now that really stand out in my mind are Flying Lotus, Baths, James Blake, Plaid, Death Grips, Kneebody, FKA Twigs, Dawn of Midi, and Shigeto.

Can you tell us about The Kandinsky Effect and what you are currently working on?

The Kandinsky Effect has a new album coming out on Ropeadope Records May 5th. The album is entitled PAX 6. We will also be touring in the US in support of this record April 13th-29th and then in Europe May 5-19th. You can find all of the dates on our website.

I also have two other projects that I’m really excited about. First, is a group called oddAtlas. This is a brand new co-led band that features myself on sax/synth/FX. Federico Casagrande-guitar/FX, Sam Minaie-bass/FX, and drummer Caleb Dolister. We recorded an album in December and it will be coming out sometime the end of 2017 or early 2018!

Second, is my new solo project called Onieronaut, utilizing drum machines, synths, saxophone and effects. This is primarily an improvised set of music with me doing everything in real time and no pre-recorded material. It’s essentially an expansion of what I am doing on my episode of Coffee and Riffs. The live debut of this project is at the Envision Festival this year in Costa Rica on February 23rd.

Please share with us your most loved saxophone.

My one and only saxophone is my Selmer Paris Super Balanced Action Tenor Saxophone made in 1951.

You can find and connect with Warren at:

Facebook
The Kandinsky Effect Facebook
Oddatlas Facebook
Instagram
Warren Walker Music Website
The Kandinsky Effect Website