VariSpeed

What it does

A simulation of the WEM Copicat IC-400 belt drive VariSpeed, the first Watkins tape echo with a motor that could change speed and so vary the delay time. Three playback heads switch in and out independently, and the panel carries input, swell, repeat, tone and motor speed, plus a defeat switch that darkens or lightens the repeats. Wet and dry are split across left and right. GSi modelled the hardware as it stands, with no host sync and no tempo divisions.

In the demo

Jade runs it on a clean electric guitar, then on a blues backing track so her hands are free, bringing heads in one at a time and slowing the motor until the repeats sag. She moves it onto a vocal through an SM58 and onto a drum loop.

Worth knowing

Hiss and grit are part of the model and grow with the delay level. Anyone wanting tempo-locked repeats on a grid will want a different delay. Genuine Soundware also sells desktop versions for Mac and Windows.