Earthquaker Rainbow Machine V2

A DSP "pitch mesmerizer" designed as a character effect

The Rainbow Machine is a pedal that embraces color and happy accidents: a DSP-based pitch and delay engine designed to be expressive rather than surgical. Here, there is no promise of realism or "transparent" harmonization: the interest lies in texture, modulation, aliasing, unstable trails, and unexpected reactions. In this redesigned version, the approach remains the same, with increased versatility, extended delay time, deeper choruses, and player-oriented ergonomics (silent switching on Activate and Magic).

Who the Rainbow Machine is for and the styles where it shines

This pedal is aimed at guitarists (and musicians more broadly) who love to experiment: ambient, post-rock, noise, electronic, film music, indie, shoegaze, psychedelic, and all contexts where an effect can become a sound source in its own right. In the studio, it excels at creating layers, transitions, strange build-ups, and sonic signatures. Live, its momentary mode allows you to inject a dose of "magic" on a note, chord, or phrase ending, then instantly return to a more classic sound.

It is also suitable for texture-oriented pedalboards: placed after an overdrive or before a generous reverb, it can range from a dense chorus to cascades of twisting pitch shifts. Purists seeking clean, natural pitch shifting may not find their match here: the Rainbow Machine embraces its personality.

Controls, modes, and ergonomics: from chorus to controllable chaos

The Rainbow Machine is built around two voice stages (Primary and Secondary) and an adjustable delay path, all controlled by simple yet highly interactive controls. The core of the play is Pitch: it determines the pitch of the polyphonic harmony, with a central position at unison. In this position, the pedal can behave like a chorus by adjusting the effect level and choosing the character via delay time.

Primary controls the volume of the main voice (the processed signal), while Secondary adds an octave to the harmony, either above or below depending on whether Pitch is set above or below the center position. With Pitch centered, Secondary adds an additional chorus-type voice for thicker colors, like "three tracks," with a very present modulated sound.

Tracking adjusts the delay time between the dry and processed signals. In practice, this affects both the sense of depth and the tracking behavior: the higher you turn the knob, the tighter and more precise the effect becomes with a shorter delay; lowering it opens the door to longer delays and a more "floating" atmosphere. Tone acts as a filter to darken the sound and soften the highs: useful for blending the effect behind a mix or, conversely, letting harmonics stand out when set brighter.

The Magic control is the "embraced risk" zone: a regeneration control that feeds voices back into themselves and each other, triggering aliasing and behaviors ranging from a few extra repeats to controllable self-oscillation. At low settings, you get longer tails and a more resonant character; higher settings lead to metallic modulations, pitch-shifted delays on the edge of breaking, unstable rises and falls, and almost synthetic textures.

The two footswitches Activate and Magic feature Flexi-Switch technology: a short press toggles on/off, or a held press enables momentary use. This is a real joy for accenting a measure, emphasizing a riff ending, or triggering a noise build-up without having to "dance" on the pedalboard.

Finally, the expression input allows pitch control by foot. As soon as an expression pedal is plugged in, the front panel Pitch knob is disabled, opening very musical possibilities: pitch slides, extreme vibratos, gradual transitions from chorus to harmonization, and unstable "tape" effects interacting with Tracking and Magic.

Sound Character

The Rainbow Machine has an immediately recognizable identity: a pitched modulation with a deliberately digital grain, capable of ranging from a wide, deep chorus to distorted, granular, almost "pixelated" trails when regeneration is engaged. It reacts strongly to your attack and note sustain: the more you let notes breathe, the more the effect can generate strange, lively tails; the tighter you play, the more rhythmic textures and unstable doubling you get.

The key point is the relationship between Pitch and the repetition behavior: above the center position, trails tend to rise in pitch; below, they fall. Add Magic, and you move from a simple effect to a transition machine, perfect for creating movement, pads, and controlled accidents. It's an inspiring pedal for those seeking a strong color, a particular dynamic, and "otherworldly" sounds without pulling out a synth.

Technical specifications

Effects	Delay, Octaver / Harmony, Chorus	Type	sector
Technology	Digital	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Pink
EQ	Tone

Input impedance	1 Mohm	Dimensions	118 x 93 x 57 mm (including knobs)
Output impedance	less than 1 kohm	Power supply	not included
Bypass	true bypass via relay switching (requires a power supply to let the signal pass through)	Required power supply	9V DC, center-negative, 2.1 mm connector
Potentiometers	Pitch, Primary, Tracking, Tone, Secondary, Magic	Power consumption	68 mA
Footswitches	Activate, Magic