The Sympho is a sophisticated symphonic effect bringing great subtlety and great beauty to a completely foolproof VST stomp box design. It’s impossible to make this effect sound bad. The Stomp King SK-2 draws inspiration from the gorgeous Boss Dimension C guitar pedal of the 1980s, in that it offers a very classy preset symphonic effect. The SK-2’s algorithm stretches way beyond simple chorusing, and employs multiple simultaneous modulations to build a rich, spacious, stereo movement with great depth. With the SK-2 switched on, you will always have this effect engaged. However, the SK-2 deviates from the Dimension C principle in that it provides enhancement controls, designed to add even greater sophistication to the output.
The Sub control adds a deep sub-bass which increases the substance of the tone with a tight, solid rumble at the bottom end. With the Sub knob set to 0, there is no added sub-bass and this area of the frequency spectrum will be unchanged from the original tone.
The Scoop control subtly removes a band of frequencies mid-spectrum to soften the character of the tone. In conjunction with the spacious symphonic effect, this can sound particularly attractive. With the Scoop knob set to 0, there is no mid-spectrum scooping and this area of the frequency range will be unchanged from the original tone.
The Zing control adds classic high frequency enhancement to the original sound. With the Zing knob set to 0, there is no HF enhancement and this area of the frequency spectrum will be unchanged from the original tone.
The Stomp King SK-2 Sympho can be used with a very wide array of instruments, and is also good for adding width to vocals. Instruments which will particularly shine with this effect added include strings, clean guitar and electric piano. FM synth sounds really come to life with the Sympho too. You should find it a really useful all-round effect. Don’t forget you can also use your VST host’s Effect Wet/Dry balance to make the Sympho even more subtle should you feel the need.
DOWNLOAD, INSTALLATION AND USE
To download, click the download link at the bottom of the page and then follow the prompt(s). Place the .dll file in your VST Plugins folder, and when you start your VST host it should detect the new software. If you normally have to add your VST instruments and effects manually, you’ll need to use the same process here.
Please be aware that the Stomp King effects are home-made products, released as freeware, with no guarantees of any kind. Every effort is made to ensure that the effects work well and enhance your recordings. However, they cannot be tested on a wide range of systems, and therefore there exists the potential for problems. In downloading, you agree to absolve Planet Botch of all responsibility should a problem of any kind arise as a result of you downloading, installing and/or using the .dll file.
Once the effect is installed, simply switch on the SK-2 by clicking its On/Off stomp component, then use the three parameter knobs to adjust the effect to taste. The SK-2 has digital readouts under its parameter knobs, allowing you to note your settings (and perhaps pass them on) when you dial in a combination you really like.
DOWNLOAD NOTICE
The software is no longer available from this, its original release venue. It was hotlinked here both via Google Sites hosting and via GitHub.
Google - "the cHaMpIoN oF aNtI-cEnSoRsHiP" - decided to censor everyone's files on Google Sites by deleting every last one of them. Except... when Google itself deletes shit, it's no longer called "censorship" - it's called "sunsetting". How cute.
Then Microsoft informed me it would lock me out of GitHub if I didn't cave to its bullshit "2FA" surveillance racket. So the GitHub has gone too. These were not the first hosting options I used for VST instruments on this blog, and there's a point beyond which one has to draw the line on repeatedly re-uploading and re-linking totally free contributions, on an unmonetised site.
