Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer Stereo Multi Effect Pedal, Terracotta

There's a certain kind of amplified magic when you pair guitarist Yvette Young with effect pedals, for one, the Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer. The Qi ("chee") Etherealizer is a multi-effect designed from a collaboration between Walrus and Young, specializing in the kind of colorful tonality she is known for. Fans of Young likely know her for her matching of virtuosic guitar playing with lush soundscapes, resulting in vast worlds of math-infused musical magic. With the Qi Etherealizer, Walrus seeks to bring the sounds of Young's board to a single, gig-friendly unit.

The Qi Etherealizer is an all-in-one three-way modulator, reverb, and delay unit. Across its interface, the Qi Etherealizer contains three effects – a chorus, a delay, and a grain effect. On top of these three, a reverb effect drops in with global Space and Tone knobs that can breathe shallow splashes or deep chasms of reverb into the entirety of the unit. The reverb by nature leans into the dreamlike with a sweeter tonal profile than your traditional reverbs. Perfect for your ambient merrymaking, the Etherealizer starts with a bang.

From here, we have our main course of effects. The Qi's Grain effect is one of the main movers of the unit with two modes available at the flick of a switch. On one mode, Grain Cloud, the grain effect is cultivated by triggering by small, random samples from playing. Where this lands us is in a web of charming, glitchy textures that can be compressed or expanded by using the Grain's X control knob to shorten or lengthen the time between grains.

On the effect's other mode, Phrase Sample, the grain effect triggers rhythmically from playing. The Etherealizer detects initial peaks in playing and generates grains in response to them for a rhythmic and intentional effect. Between these two modes, the Grain effect can also be controlled through five playback modes to adjust the tonality of the grains. Playback modes include normal speed, half speed, double speed, reverse, and random – for a randomized combination of the other four modes. The Etherealizer's Freeze footswitch functions to momentarily freeze these grain effect mosaics, so listen carefully, have fun and take hold!

The two other effects found on the Etherealizer include a crisp, digital delay and a colorful chorus. The delay can be harnessed through your traditional delay time and feedback controls. Along with a quarter, dotted eighth, and eighth note subdivision modes, the delay bursts with interactivity and character with a dedicated tap tempo/oscillation footswitch for easy noisiness at the stomp of a switch. Onboard, the chorus effect can be swapped between a Tri or Stereo chorus for variations on classic modulation tones.

Walrus Audio's multi-effect offers expansive connectivity with mono and stereo connectivity through pairs of quarter-inch inputs and outputs. For integrating into larger rigs, the Qi Etherealizer features eighth-inch Type A MIDI connections. The unit functions on a standard nine Volt DC center negative power supply, your usual type, requiring a 300mA minimum draw. Isolated powers supplies are recommended for the Qi Etherealizer, like all Walrus pedals. A USB-C connection allows for access to future firmware updates.

Between Walrus Audio and Yvette Young, the electric guitar and effect pedal worlds have quite a bit to be excited about. A true meeting of the minds on new frontiers of electrified musical wizardry, the Qi Etherealizer is a revelation for fans of either party. As per Young herself, "I want people to think about their melodies and how they can start to sound a little less guitar-y and more magical!"