Strymon Riverside User Manual

USER MANUAL

Version 1.2

Riverside - Multistage Drive

Read Before Using

This manual covers the feature set for Riverside pedals running version 1.2 firmware and later. To check if your Riverside is running version 1.2 firmware, follow the instructions in the note at the bottom of page

The User Manual for Riverside version 1.0 is available here.

Riverside version 1.2 adds the ability to remotely control your Riverside via a MIDI connection.

If you wish to install the latest update, go to strymon.net/firmwareupdate and follow the directions.

20.

Technology Overview – Multistage Drive Topology

Riverside achieves its sound by passing the signal through a cascade of individual gain stages. Dynamic complexity and additional harmonics are generated at each stage as the signal travels from one stage to

the next.

STAGE ONE: Class A Analog JFET Input Gain Stage

Touch response and dynamic interaction with your guitar are optimized with the class A JFET input gain stage. This analog gain stage is digitally controlled to maximize headroom and noise performance while adding as much as 20dB of analog gain.

STAGE TWO, THREE AND FOUR: Tube-Inspired DSP Gain Stages

Our analysis of tube gain circuits has resulted in a wide-band series of cascading gain stages that are detailed, rich and full of complex harmonics. At each stage, more harmonics are generated and the signal dynamically evolves as the inter-stage circuitry optimally conditions the response for the following stage.

VARIABLE CIRCUIT TUNING

Riverside’s continuously variable circuit tuning dynamically tweaks multiple parameters as you adjust the Drive, optimizing the signal path to sit in the ‘sweet spot’ at any gain setting. This results in a super-versatile drive pedal that is equally comfortable providing sparking clean and mildly-overdriven tones, to high-gain lead and heavily saturated distortion.

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Controls and Connections – Controls

3BAND EQ

PRESENCE SWITCH

The minus (-) position provides clarity with a controlled top end that works well with many amps that have a brighter voice or

extended top end character. The enhanced (center) position extends the top end to allow for more sizzle on high gain tones. This works well with amps that have a warmer voicing, or if you want enhanced detail in the uppermost frequencies. When plugging directly into a power amp, the plus (+) position further increases high end detail that may be required. The plus (+) position will also deliver extended high end detail to the darkest amps.

Riverside’s 3 band EQ, with independent Bass, Middle and Treble knobs, is designed to complement your amp’s tone with the flexibility needed to dial in your sound effectively and efficiently. The controls are post-drive, meaning they effectively sculpt and shape the harmonics generated in Riverside’s gain stages.

PUSH SWITCH

Adding a mid-band EQ push just after the analog front-end gain results in pushing the subsequent drive stages harder, and tightens

up the response. This works great when looking for fat drive tones, or for pushing a distorted or on-the-edge amp into further breakup. For cleaner or more transparent tones, select the ‘normal’ position.

GAIN SWITCH

The ‘low’ channel selects a gain structure that allows for a wide range of low to medium gain sounds while still getting heavily overdriven

at maximum Drive settings. The voicing is dynamic and touch-sensitive, and at high Drive settings is slightly ‘loose’ like a dimed vintage amp.

The ‘high’ channel increases the gain throughout the signal path and tightens things up. While still staying clean at lower Drive settings, the ‘high’ gain mode goes to heavy crunch and high gain as the Drive knob is increased.

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Controls and Connections – Front Panel

• GAIN

Toggles between the low or high gain channel.

• DRIVE

Adjusts the amount of gain applied to the signal. Employs continuously variable circuit tuning to adjust many circuit parameters as you turn the knob.

• BASS

Active shelving/parametric low frequency control.

• FAVORITE

• PUSH

Toggles between flat or enhanced midrange frequencies.

• LEVEL

Controls the output volume level when the effect is ON.

• TREBLE

Wide-ranging high frequency active shelf control.

• MIDDLE

Parametric mid boost/ cut control with optimized frequency center.

Used to recall a single stored on-board favorite setting, which consists of all knob, switch, and noise gate settings.

RED LED indicates that the on-board Favorite setting is selected. Press and

hold FAVORITE switch for 2 seconds to save a new on-board favorite sound.

COMPARE MODE

With FAVORITE on, LED turns from RED to GREEN if current position is identical to saved favorite.

NOTES:

Saving Presets works differently when using MIDI. (See page 20 for more info.)

When using MIDI, RED LED still indicates that the on-board Favorite setting (MIDI Preset 0) has been selected, and AMBER LED indicates that any other MIDI Preset is currently selected.

Pressing the FAVORITE switch while any MIDI preset is active will return back to the manual (knobs and switches) setting of Riverside. The FAVORITE switch will always toggle between the MANUAL MODE setting and the on-board Favorite setting regardless of whether a different MIDI Preset was previously selected.

• ON

Bypasses analog and digital gain stages. Defaults to relay based true bypass, but can also be set to buffered bypass mode in which the volume pedal and boost functionality are preserved.

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Controls and Connections – Rear Panel

• PRESENCE SWITCH

Tailors the top end character of the output to match your amp. Try minus (-) or center in front of an amp. Try plus (+) when plugging straight into a power amp.

• IN

Mono instrument input.

• OUT

Mono signal output.

• BOOST

• POWER

Use an adapter with the following rating: 9VDC center negative. 250mA minimum.

• EXP

Can be used in one of four ways:

Boost Switch Mode – Use an external Favorite

switch to toggle up to +6dB of post boost on/off

(See page 9 for setup.)

Favorite Output Mode – Connect to the EXP input of another Strymon pedal set to work in Favorite EXP mode to toggle the Favorite setting of that pedal with Riverside’s on-board FAVORITE switch. (See page 12 for more info.)

Expression Pedal Mode – Allows continuous control over any of the knobs with a standard TRS expression pedal. (See page 13 for more info.)

Volume Mode – Allows control of the output volume of the effect with a standard TRS expression pedal. (See page 14 for more info.)

Can be used in one of four ways:

Expression Pedal Mode – Allows continuous control over any of the knobs with a standard TRS expression pedal. (See page 13 for more info.)

Volume Mode – Allows control of the output volume of the effect with a standard TRS expression pedal. (See page 14 for more info.)

MIDI Mode – Allows a MIDI connection for remote preset changes and control messages. (See page

18 for more info.)

Favorite Input Mode – Use a Strymon MiniSwitch to remotely toggle the saved Favorite setting on and off. (See page 11 for more info.)

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Live Edit Functions – Noise Reduction Threshold

Riverside has a variable-threshold noise reduction feature to tame hum and buzz when you’re not playing. A downward expander with advanced signal detection techniques creates a seamless transition to noise reduced silence with all types of input signal dynamics, including staccato bursts and slowly sustained notes.

Press and hold the ON footswitch until the

LED rapidly blinks.

Release the ON footswitch.

Turn the DRIVE knob past the 12 o’clock noon position to engage the noise reduction.

The FAVORITE LED will change from GREEN to AMBER to indicate the noise reduction has been engaged. Turning DRIVE past 12 o’clock increases the noise reduction threshold for louder and noisier setups. The FAVORITE LED will change from AMBER to RED to indicate the increased noise reduction threshold level.

Press the ON footswitch to store the new

noise reduction setting to Riverside.

NOTE: The noise reduction setting can be saved independently for the onboard Favorite setting, MIDI presets and the MANUAL settings of Riverside.

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Live Edit Functions – Boost Level

Connect an external footswitch with a TRS cable to toggle the boost of up to +6dB on and off.

Press and hold the ON

footswitch until the LED rapidly blinks.

Release the ON footswitch.

Turn the LEVEL knob to set the

amount of boost up to +6dB. As you turn the boost amount up, the color of the blinking LED changes from GREEN for low boost settings to RED for high boost settings.

+3dB

Press the ON footswitch to store the new boost

level to Riverside.

NOTE: The Boost setting is saved globally to the Manual, Favorite, and Bypass settings of Riverside.

TRS

+6dB

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Power Up Modes – Bypass Mode Selection

Setting Riverside to Buffered Bypass mode preserves the high frequency response of your guitar signal through your pedal chain and long cable runs.

Press and hold the ON footswitch while

powering up the pedal. Once both LEDs flash, release the footswitch.

Turn the LEVEL knob to select True Bypass

or Buffered Bypass

GREEN - True Bypass (default)

RED - Buffered Bypass: Using Buffered

Bypass allows Volume mode and Boost Switch mode.

Press the ON or FAVORITE footswitch to store

The Bypass mode and begin using Riverside.

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Riverside - Multistage Drive

Power Up Modes - BOOST Jack Options

Select what the BOOST jack will do.

FAVORITE (Press and hold the

FAVORITE footswitch while powering up the pedal.) Once both LEDs flash, release the footswitch.

NOTE: If version 1.0 firmware is installed, Expression and Volume modes are not available. Please refer to the Riverside version 1.0 manual at strymon.net/

support/riverside.

Turn the DRIVE knob to set the BOOST jack mode.

GREEN – Expression Pedal Mode

(See page 13 for more info)

RED – Volume Mode

(See page 14 for more info)

AMBER – Favorite OUT Mode

(See page 12 for more info)

PURPLE – Boost Switch Mode (default)

(See page 7 for more info)

Press the ON or FAVORITE footswitch once again to store power up modes and begin using Riverside.

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+ 19 hidden pages