When Robert Keeley decides what to integrate into one of his dual pedals, he goes far beyond sandwiching disparate effects into a single housing. He brainstorms, ruminates, experiments, and consults electronic experts to make sure his effects are complimentary, mechanically feasible, and useful for players with a spectrum of music genres. Then, he tinkers with different circuits to make sure he’s got the best possible tones, whether they’re dirty enough to blacken a picket white fence, or so crystal-clear they’re translucent. The Keeley Octa Psi Transfigurating Fuzz is no exception.
This is not a simplistic pedal, but it’s surprisingly easy to use without having to deep-dive into the instruction manual (a cardboard overlay is useful until you’re used to how the five knobs and two switches work). Both the fuzz and the octave generator are exceptional, surpassing the quality of most pedals thanks to the classic fuzz circuit — which can be set for “Scoop,” “Psi” (closest to the Big Muff Pi), or “Punch” (boosted) — and sophisticated octave technology. But while the effects deliver pristine sound alone, they are at their best when used together. Inspired by and integrating elements of the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff PI, the Digitech Whammy Pedal, and the Electro-Harmonix Pitchfork polyphonic pitch shifter, anyone looking to embellish or enhance their sound will find plenty to enjoy here.
For those who relish downtuned doom, the Octa Psi is raw, gritty, and bowel-rumbling. When the “Octave” switch is in the “Down” mode, the “Pitch” knobs can provide numerous iconoclastic options. The octave and double octave settings are especially devastating when set in the “Down” position and played with trudging power chords or drop D riffs. Think the earth-scorched sound of Sunn 0)), Sleep, and Electric Wizard.
On the lighter side, flip the “Pitch” toggle to the “Dual” position to get a wide array of harmonies — minor seconds, minor thirds, perfect fourths, perfect fifths, minor sixths, octave, 2 octave and double — each of which generates simultaneous up-and-down pitches that can create everything from Thin Lizzy-style dual guitar rock-outs to synth-like embellishments. The final toggle position is “Up,” which creates mostly quirky, chirpy tones that can resemble chip tune sounds when maximized or more subtle textures when the “Blend” knob is lowered. Other pedals on the market may offer similar settings, but the Octa Psi delivers rich, full-bodied octaves that are rich and prominent and never seem thin or artificial.
The knobs on the Octa Psi are all practical and integral to the tone-shaping functions of the pedal. The “Blend” knob can be used in several ways, aside from the aforementioned. When double-tapped, the “Pitch” tones can be shifted from all wet to wet/dry. Without much fiddling, players can subtly detune octaves, creating shimmering chorus-like effects. The “Fuzz” can be dialed back for a less abrasive overdrive sound, and the “Octave” foot switch can add subtle harmonic complexity to a clean tone. And, when the “Pitch” knob is in the octave down setting and the “Blend” is in the wet position, the sound convincingly emulates a bass.
At the risk of sounding like an infomercial (BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!), we also have to tout the Octa Psi’s Whammy Pedal functionality. This is activated when the “Fuzz” footswitch is held for a second, allowing guitarists to toggle between latching or momentary pitch shift ramping. The tones can be raised on lowered by holding and releasing the octave footswitch, and the “Blend” and “Fuzz” knobs can be tweaked to create even more digital warping. As if that’s not enough, the Octa Psi can be connected to an expression pedal for additional seismic shifts.
Finally, we’d be remiss without mentioning that the order of the primary effect can be switched by holding down both foot pedals for one second, allowing players to approach the functions of the pedal from a different angle.
In the final analysis, the Octa Psi is a sonic revelation that redefines the applications and integration of fuzz and octave effects. The $249 price tag might seem a bit steep for some, but the quality of the pedal is exceptional, the features are numerous, and the creative possibilities can be a significant addition to your playing and songwriting.
Thank you soo much for this incredible review of the Octa Psi! I put my team through 3 years of development and design to arrive at this conclusion. Putting an excellent sounding pitch shifter and a high gain fuzz together in one box with seamless integration between the two effects is a very difficult challenge to engineers and programmers.