Kemper Releases Profiler OS 12.0 with New Tremolos
Kemper has released Profiler OS 12.0, a significant update for their entire range of Kemper Profiler guitar amplifiers. The highlight of this update is the inclusion of a highly anticipated collection of advanced Tremolo and Slicer effects.
The collection introduces seven new modules: three vintage tremolos, two modern slicer effects, and two stereo auto-panners derived from the slicer effects. These modules feature a sophisticated Rate and Tempo control system that allows for seamless synchronization of the tremolo with the song tempo. By simply hitting the TAP switch, musicians can retrigger the timing and change or morph the tremolo rate to different note values, such as from 8th notes to triplets, without any glitching or loss of timing.
The Tube Bias Tremolo, previously known as “Tremolo” and available in Kemper Profilers since their inception, is a reproduction of the iconic Fender Amp tremolos from the 1950s. When placed in front of the amp, it interacts beautifully with the amp distortion. The Photocell Tremolo, dating back to the 1960s, features a steeper pulse slope, and its width varies with intensity. The Harmonic Tremolo, also introduced by Fender in the 1960s, alternates low and high frequencies with the tremolo rate.
The Pulse Slicer is a modern slicer or stutter effect that continuously transitions from a smooth sine wave to a sharp square wave using the “Edge” parameter. The “Skew” parameter adjusts the timing of the high level versus the low level, also known as pulse width or duty cycle. The Saw Slicer creates a ramp-like saw wave, with the “Edge” parameter controlling the direction of the ramp and the “Skew” parameter changing the slope of the ramp from linear to convex or concave.
The Pulse Autopanner and Saw Autopanner are derivatives of their respective Slicers and spread the signal across the stereo panorama. The “Stereo” control parameter, found in many of the Profiler’s effects, introduces a novel “super-stereo” effect that allows the Autopanner to send the signal beyond the regular stereo image, reaching its maximum impact at +/-200%.
The update also introduces a unique sync feature, where a single press on the TAP button at the beginning of a bar smoothly brings rhythmic modulation effects, such as Tremolo or Slicer, back into sync with the music without changing the tempo. The “Rate” control, available in many modulation effects, offers continuous control over the speed of the modulation and seamless morphing, even when linked to the current tempo via the To Tempo option. This fine Rate resolution enables musicians to effortlessly morph from one note value to another, such as 1/8 notes to 1/16 notes or triplets, without any glitches or loss of timing.
Profiler OS 12.0 represents a significant enhancement to the creative possibilities available to guitarists using Kemper Profiler amplifiers. With the addition of these advanced Tremolo and Slicer effects, along with the innovative sync and control features, musicians can explore new sonic territories and achieve precise synchronization with their musical performances.
