Hologram Electronics Microcosm | Secret Weapons Demo & Review

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Thank you all SO much for watching this video. Absolutely wild that in the last 2 years it’s racked up over 100k views. If you somehow want MORE microcosm content I just released a new video showcasing how I use microcosm across multiple instruments in a full band / heavier context HERE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pp7Rqotqi9ybbZY

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Congratulations! Maybe because you took the time to explain what the features might mean musically. Connecting the tool with its use cases. Super glad you started without the granular, to show more clearly how flexible this pedal is. All that ‘it’s a gimmick’ hate is simply incorrect, i agree.

[@Alphonso_026]

Yep, still watching it from start to finish. Never gets old this one. Thanks so much for the great content you bring.

[@nram3930]

I genuinely just stopped everything, opened up illustrator, and just designed stuff for 2 hours listening to this. glorious.

[@brndgtl]

This is the user manual now ✨

[@malcolmgordon2988]

I got a microcosm about six months ago, and I think this is the fourth time I’ve watched this since then. An astonishing piece of kit which has been so inspiring and (just as importantly) puts a big dumb smile on my face every time I use it. Every time I watch this, I get more ideas… and I still feel like I’m just scratching the surface!

[@metafordsounds]

I've had my Microcosm for over a year now and didn't know until now, that pressing the preset selector reverses the effects. This changes everything..

[@markjohnstonofficial]

I read the manual so you don't have to.

[@metafordsounds]

@@markjohnstonofficial haha, that's unfortunately partially true. If that alone isn't worth a sub, I don't know what is, broseph.

[@chuPAULcabra]

Same here!

[@masmachina803]

@@markjohnstonofficial IRTFMSYDHT vs RTFM

[@LDTU88]

@@markjohnstonofficial hahaha

[@taylorprevost2118]

Idk why someone would dislike this 😂

[@majorbalna]

A want a Mark Johnston Netflix special. Feature length film on ambient sound building. Seriously man, awesome work, I had this pedal for 8 months or so and learned a lot. 1 h 43 m... I think you wrote history today. Longest pedal review ever. Congrats!

[@markjohnstonofficial]

I actually would be curious if there's a longer demo on a single pedal than this... And if anyone knows someone in charge of greenlighting absolute nonsense at Netflix tell them I am interested and work for scale.

[@michaelthornton1114]

There's a 2 hour video of the source audio Ventris dual reverb here somewhere

[@majorbalna]

@@michaelthornton1114 yup, you're right kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKuwoopufK-Ap9U

[@jasonsissoyev4105]

@@markjohnstonofficial i'll greenlight this, lets start cutting it together and set up a meeting with netflix

[@The_fuzz_buzz]

This is the second time I have watched this all the way through. You’ve become the top individual KZbinr I watch now because of the quality and passion of your videos. You’ve definitely inspired me to step out more with what I put on my board.

[@RemitheDreamfox]

The fact that you made an almost two hour long video about this is remarkable, I haven't seen anyone else go in such depth and detail with this pedal before. Great work! :3

[@vvcv__00]

Due to most having the attention span of a rat, and complaining over videos that go beyond 5-minutes. Such a shame, more and more content creators having to apologize for their videos being longer than 10-minutes. People, phones and their desire for minimal "headline" information is sad to see. I find myself literally walking away from people I meet who are unable to discuss anything, with depth, that goes beyond the shallow cringe of their own skin. As a professor, it's highly disturbing to see more and more students, entering the university level, with such lack of critical thinking or the inability to say really much at all. Don't get me started on how dismal their writing skills have become. This is all, of course, me speaking in generalities, though grotesquely true.

[@RemitheDreamfox]

@@vvcv__00 To be honest I totally have the attention span of a rat, but I like coming back to this video to learn a bit more every time. It's just nice having it all in one place so I can easily reference back to it.

[@kenivarius]

This is the best Microcosm vid for learning, hands down! Perfect for new Hologramers.~~ Thanks for your time......

[@JayBrekken]

I just got my microcosm this week and this is such a great companion piece to go along with the manual. It really helps to have commentary from somebody with so much signal chain knowledge. Thanks for sharing your work!

[@dougc84]

dude, i've only been able to watch a little bit of this, but, as someone that's had a microcosm about as long as you have, i'm already learning a ton of things from this feature-length movie! i love it man. thanks for doing this video.

[@monkopalooza4100]

Amazing! You clearly know the pedal and know how to dial in the sounds you want. Such a good insight for me, the exact video i have been looking for! Thanks dude!

[@XxSOULEATERXx1]

Just ordered mine. Time to rewatch this entire video

[@Larry30102]

Most of the Microcosm vids just don’t do this pedal justice. This is THE BEST video. A huge thank you…this is great! Your phrase looping segment, was just so beyond my comprehension😳 It would be awesome to see you working with that. Unbelievable…really. Put it in a project if you haven’t already!

[@PottedJam]

Seconded

[@michaelshellenberger5935]

I’ll third that

[@eternalvernal1286]

My Microcosm guru....Thank you 🙂 Such a calm voice w/ clear explanations.

[@SomeoneElsesDrink]

You've sold me. Absolutely stunning sounds out of this thing. I'd love to see you deep-dive into the MOOD / Ottobit Jr in a similar manner!

[@TheAmazingSnarf]

Thanks, Mark. this deep dive film is unlike any other gear examination content i've seen -and i've seen pretty much all of them. the effort and creativity and categorization is apparent in each frame. again, gratitude.

[@manastorm193]

Thanks so much for making this very personal in-depth demo. I really dig how you offer your personal perspective of longtime use to us. From all the demos I have seen about this pedal yours has been the one standing out from the rest. Looking forward to more great demos from you. All the best to you and your fam from Hamburg, Germany.

[@JEZLIVE2010]

Watched this video between breaks at work and came back to find my Microcosm preorder arrived. So stoked to dive in.

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Congrats! Hope fully this gets you off on The right foot

[@gph2193]

Seriously changes how my music flows. It's taken over a year to get a grasp on what it can do. Still exploring. I run it stereo into a Keeley Eccos then split into an OBNE Sunlight/Strymon Timeline and into a Nux DD7/ehx Oceans 12

[@mattvanyguitar]

Finally sat down and really dove into this pedal after playing it for three years. Thanks for taking the time to make this and showcase how incredible this pedal is! Excellent tutorial!

[@PhotoRubio]

By far the most comprehensive look at the Microcosm out there. Thank you for this in-depth look.

[@southernmainesonicexperime3438]

This has been on my wishlist for a while. This just proved to me again that im going to need to buy the bullet soon and pick one up. Keep up the great demos!

[@jregras]

Brilliant!! Absolutely brilliant. Outstanding presentation from start to finish.

[@chiefbucknell]

New and soon-to-be (and even seasoned) Microcosm users, take note! Mark is doling out quite possibly the best descriptions and tips I’ve yet heard for this pedal. I’ve had one for a year, and this video’s discussion is still helping me and giving me ideas! Thanks!

[@chiefbucknell]

Seriously, Mark, this is the video manual I’ve wanted for the past year. I can tell you’ve put in a ton of time to master Microcosm. Thank you so much for this video!!

[@BillWolfe]

I just picked up a Microcosm and I'm using your video as a guide to learn this very special piece of equipment. You do awesome work and I'm truly learning a lot. I just wanted to say thank you!

[@markjohnstonofficial]

thanks so much! I remember how dense this thing felt when I first got it and I can vividly remember pushing back my making of this video for months because I wanted to make sure that, if I was going to make this, that I could really do it from a place of understand what it does. So glad that comes across.

[@BillWolfe]

@@markjohnstonofficial It really does, I can tell that you have put a lot of time and energy into understanding it. I am at the beginning of the journey and I continue to remind myself to be patient :)

[@chadc703]

I have been waiting for a breakdown and demo like this! I just got my microcosm last month and I love what this thing can do.

[@Robguitarjarvis]

This has to be one of the strangest pedals ever made, I thought my CB pedals were whacky enough. Things have got to a level of creativity now that’s really amazing.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Yes! But the tech isn’t so weird if you look at the history of electronic tools since about 1998. They’ve taken tools ordinarily only used by super-nerds making experimental music in DAW, and made it easily available to musicians who are more interested in expressing music than setting up complex technological structures. It’s a wonderful addition to the world of guitar. Even though many regular rock people hate on it, it’s a wonderful tool for people into “sonic” guitar. Especially when paired with other things.

[@FTF96]

Honest-to-god I could listen to this video all day and night. Single most chill music I’ve heard in a loooooooong time

[@UserName________]

I’m buying this after watching your video to make hypnotic techno. Thanks!

[@adams.555]

This pedal is worth every single penny and some more. Great deep presentation . Thank you!

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Like I am sure I said somewhere in this video; probably the single most impact piece of gear on my playing of the last several years. Felt like such a significant game changer.

[@BeauSkowron]

@@markjohnstonofficial it so is- even for a sort of 'non musician' like myself. I run vocals / synths / ac guitar through it (mostly through the 'Glitch' settings) double tracked behind a dry track. It just does sexy stuff I could never be bothered doing if I had to. The Microcosm and a JHS Colour Box are two pedals when you run ANYthing through them just get instantly sexier.

[@markjohnstonofficial]

You have no idea how right you are. Everything here is run through a Neve 1073 preamp in my DAW which is basically just the progenitor of the color box. Crucial.

[@BeauSkowron]

@@markjohnstonofficial oooooh yeah-excellent!

[@davidbetts2980]

Literally 1 second in I subscribed as I knew instantly that this was a channel for me. I was correct in my instincts, this is an amazing sound and what I've been looking for.

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

that first patch ... its enough ....im getting , both the hype ...and im getting the pedal !

[@mikmc]

I am only up to 17 mins and have learnt a ton already! I also picked up a trick of watching one of your previous videos while you were using the Microcosm. You slowed a loop right down, added effects using the filter knob and then brought the loop back to original speed. I've used that method a few times and love it! Thanks for doing this, cant wait to watch the rest

[@markjohnstonofficial]

I hope the rest of this video held up for you. The looper on the microcosm, apropos of nothing else is so good. Every piece of this pedal has wonderful value and I’m so impressed with it.

[@oneadamj]

Beautiful demo my dude! Sold me on the product. This unit will sound nice with my Moog and piano. Thanks!

[@md-ps2hx]

Your well informed enthusiasm sears through this clip. Totally engrossing! Greetings from London England!

[@plee822]

Probably one of the best and thorough deep dive of the microcosm. So good.

[@dmitresser]

Dude, what an act of sharing you’ve made 🥇

[@thejamnasium6447]

I loved your work on the cross at Golgatha

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Classic comedy

[@thejamnasium6447]

@@markjohnstonofficial the funniest story ever told

[@damienblanchot]

Thanks a lot for your detailed and accurate videos ! A lot of music, a touch of necessary speech, the result is great balance that will make me spend the right money in the right gear !! Thanks again !

[@rayvincent]

Wow this is beautiful! This is my next pedal for sure. Great video and nice playing.

[@doctorscoot]

thank you for this demo! I've got one on order (November 2021 so very soon!) and this was the most comprehensive demo of the pedal i've seen on youtube. too many of the "demo" channels don't really explore the depth of variation in the different effects, and this shows the detail in a interesting musical context (lol, not blues rock) and was really informative and clearly understandable. so thanks again! (also: subscribed).

[@markjohnstonofficial]

This pedal always felt like a daunting task to cover. So glad I was able to do a robust enough video on it. Congrats on grabbing one from the last batch, I think it’s one of the best pedals of the last year. Enjoy.

[@ejjes]

Best (and definitely most thorough) review out there! Thanks for helping me understand this beast, it can be pretty perplexing at first.

[@markkinnon4866]

Gorgeous demo, I floated away and got lost in the clouds.

[@symonjamesmusic]

Mark… you had me at hello! Beautiful creations, including this actual video.

[@Michael-hh7nl]

Amazing job! I've become a fan. That Mustang is killing me.

[@samhyans5403]

This video sold me on this incredibly underrated pedal.

[@AwayWithWordsMusic]

Thanks for the very in depth video! I love your clean guitar sound. It was perfect for the multitude ness of effects with this box.

[@sons7429]

I’ve wanted one of these for so long! Just can’t afford it. Sounds great, great in depth demo Man.

[@gurpchirp]

fuck it. i cant afford it either but i just bought it.

[@parityisuncertain8391]

​@@gurpchirp this just gave me the extra push I needed

[@gurpchirp]

@@parityisuncertain8391 el yeah, brah. have fun.

[@dansweeney4497]

Inspiring demo of the possibilities. I particularly love the ability to dial the tone back and hear the subtleties it’s capable of. Gonna hunt down your music now. Rarely does a pedal review video make me track down the reviewer’s stuff. Excellent stuff.

[@thenoizeniche1727]

Have always loved your work! Excellent demo! Cheers!

[@el_ambient_dude7424]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! What an epic presentation! Well done!

[@garyoneill5648]

Finally pressed the go button - hopefully it will wing its way to the Uk before Christmas, can’t wait. Thanks for this feature, definitely was a final push for me to get one

[@yurakolesnikov9725]

This pedal looks and sounds completely amazing, I'll save money and spend tens of hours to master that thing, thank you sir

[@middaymeds]

Dxdxxx

[@middaymeds]

DC xxxxxxx

[@middaymeds]

X

[@middaymeds]

Rxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[@middaymeds]

Xxdxxxxxxx

[@tomt55]

Great video. A killer deep dive into a deep ambient pad pedal. It's been great listening to you create so many layers of ambient pads, music and tones. Thank you!

[@cjbogannam]

This is so awesome - thanks for doing this

[@VintageandRare]

Awesome video. Just ordered one because of your work here.

[@tokingreens]

Amazing detailed look at a pedal that needs one. Subbed and notified. Thank you for your hard work and teaching. Will buy one shortly...

[@TarkMcCoy]

So grab a bowl of your fav and settle down for some chill vibes...

[@_kennebec]

This channel is excellent. Really great review. Thank you!

[@traumatises]

such a beautiful piece of equipment.

[@gph2193]

Just got an Abasi Pathos. Great for an alternative gain rich drive but never harsh tones. Making some fantastic microcosm insprations, Mosaic works ideal with it. Been lost for hours...

[@bronsonyazzie1065]

Definitely a pedal you can open a portal with.

[@DocRossi]

That was very interesting and helpful - thanks.

[@PottedJam]

This Microcosm is the beauty in Randomization I've been wanting for 35 years. A must have. A first for me. Amazing demonstration, man. Thank you.

[@JohnWWarrenGuitar]

I already watched this in full once when it came out, but it was helpful to watch again. And will probably watch a third time. This is definitely a masterclass, Mark. Going to subscribe to your Patreon. Question: why do you do the first pass in the looper blank, before adding sounds?

[@stuartdennis8506]

Lovely stuff, lovely mustang as well

[@jessetoews2446]

Oh hear we go ⚡🖤⚡ So rad Recently tried running after Volante SOS stuff, rad to reloop with Microcosm, and then shift the time/pitch knob

[@charliedouglasalexander7911]

What an amazing job Mark 👏🏻

[@neuchigen]

I'm finally taking some time to listen/watch this while I do a trigonometry quiz and it's really soothing. Most demos of the Microcosm seem to be rather soothing but your clear, concise explanations make it extra nice. #xtranice

[@Longstride]

Awesome video! I might just leave it looping in the background each night when i go to sleep 😂 I have an Eventide H90 and I’m searching for opinions of anybody who has the H90 and the Microcosm. Essentially I need somebody to validate my purchase of both 😂

[@wearetemporary]

Wow… thank you dearly for this wonderful and thorough review. I’ve been somewhat paralyzed by having to choose between the Microcosm; the Chase Bliss Blooper, Habit, and Mood MkII; and the Soma Labs Cosmos. All pedals are beyond doubt phenomenal products, but watching your expansive review finally convinced me that the Microcosm’s versatility and its particular blend of tweak-ability and unpredictability will fit my practice and work-flow best. I ordered the pedal right about 3/4 of the way through your review. (Btw I looked for an affiliate link in your description but didn’t find one. I’m very sorry if I missed it. If there wasn’t one, perhaps consider adding one in the future? Surely can’t hurt to get some small kickbacks for your efforts, no?)

[@mrthingamabob8117]

I've only watched 10 minutes and I've already jammed for more than an hour ! Never used the looper only mode before !

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Looper only is great for making use of the great filter, mod, and reverb in the MC. Buuuut. Skip to the end. the looper itself is just fantastic.

[@mrthingamabob8117]

@@markjohnstonofficial No, no, no, I'm not gonna skip ! I'm gonna take my time and slowly drink it like a very good wine.

[@banwavy]

You just unlocked the importance of a using a great filter on guitar for me. Now to get my Ottobit Jr., LEM and Sunlight going… Thanks so much for your demos.

[@jamesbell1701]

Excellent video mate!

[@kristenrocksfrags8584]

This sounds beautiful! I have one on the way so I can’t wait to start experimenting! Do you use this for live or mostly in the studio? I mostly play heavy rock, but I’ve been adding more ambient vibes in my recent songs so I’m excited to implement this!

[@DetroitMicroSound]

I just inherited a very nice Martin D12. I already had a Microcosm, and a ZOIA. Now I'm looking for the best pickup/mic combo for it..... ❤

[@matthewdavis473]

Just got my hologram and this video is my current bible

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Congrats! My advice; take is slow and get to know the features in chunks. Makes things much easier and helps in the long run

[@matthewdavis473]

Sync was a great idea. I have my hx stomp sending clock to hologram, echo system, empress reverb, and blooper. Everything just falls into place together beautifully

[@Subtle-System]

Awesome... just got mine today... my pedalboard is a very deep and complex instrument :)

[@k1ttyF158er]

Neat demo. But I've seen a few solo guitar demos of Microcosm & wonder if the complexity created wouldn't be lost in band mix. Also wondering if very similar sounds couldn't be achieved with the Eventide H9.

[@CaidicusProductions]

I don't think the H9 could do the complex melodic things, if it can, cool, I have one of those too. That said, the Empress Effects Zoia might be able to do similar things. I've heard, from prolific patch creators on the Zoia Discord, that it can't do exactly the same thing, but I'd be REALLY surprised if it couldn't do similar things in its own way.

[@graemestirling3436]

This is the best video on the Microcosm I've seen yet, thanks Mark, and having watched it I'm absolutely buzzing that my Microcosm is arriving in the UK in a matter of days (fingers crossed). Just wanted to ask, is it important to us a compressor before this to ensure the effects are triggered by your input level? I know there were issues with that on earlier runs of the pedal that I think were ironed out with firmware updates.

[@gheart8278]

Just loop this n sleep like a baby nightly! Way better than a Sharper Image Rain maker machine!!

[@pashayk]

Thank you so much Mark for such a personal and in-depth video. Its probably the most engaging and detailed video of a piece of equipment I have ever seen. I was looking at that pedal before, and now i am even more drawn to try it out! But one stupid question: i want one experimental pedal like the Microcosm... but there is also Chase Bliss Mood that can be used for some really cool stuff. I know they are different in many many ways... but if you had to choose one - which one would it be? (please say microcosm hahahaha)

[@NoCoverCharge]

Mine arrives tomorrow…yay..

[@timrizzo3941]

Hahahaha, glide mode, I know. Took me some tweaking, but definitely some glide shapes are better than others. I prefer to verb it out within the unit as much as possible though it takes a little filter too, then it can be this diffuse ambient tone where the broad shifting it does is really welcome to create interest and differentiate it from other pads.

[@c0unterac342]

The reverb alone blew me away Holy cow Just that stereo reverb and I was ALREADY sold on the pedal because I could honestly put it in place of my current reverb and have a way way better reverb BUT THEN ALSO HAVE MORE PARAMETERS TOO??? ALSO your clean tone is literally perfect. Which guitar/amp do you use? I run a Kemper but I'd gladly find a profile for whatever amp you use. And I'd love to know the pickups you use for when I custom build my next guitar

[@danielleinad6019]

I used to own a Microcosm but sold it after a few months, actually because I stumbled across your Fairfield Circuitry pedal demos and I really wanted a Shallow Water. I still like the Microcosm glitch effects, but somehow got annoyed by the micro loops and granules. They sounded so "engineered" to my ears, not organic at all. It's fun to experiment with what the Microcosm offers, but fo me personally, it's what I would call guitar kitsch. It's some kind of Bob Ross in pedal format. Just feed it some dreamy chords or even single notes and it will spit out an angle choir with lots of fairy dust. That might be a very good thing to many guitarists out there, but it wasn't for me.

[@mestayno]

the glitches and arps are great, but other than that I often felt like I was listening to a really long reverb or delay review. So I'm not sure about this pedal

[@MrKadidle51]

Around 41:30 where you're talking about changing your attack or cutting a chord short and such.....I wonder what using an ehx attack decay with it would be like ..

[@markjohnstonofficial]

I’ve got a few pedals that dampen / kill / adjust the attack of my guitar in different ways. It would be cool to try out the EHX. I haven’t played one though.

[@MrKadidle51]

@@markjohnstonofficial what pedals are you referring to?

[@markjohnstonofficial]

@@MrKadidle51 Meris enzo, Fairfield shallow water, synesthesia (the slow gear mode), microcosm.

[@chsand]

Hi, just a simple question, why do you go from the Walrus to Pinstripe? Cant the Walrus go direct to the interface? I Just got the "Milkman the amp stereo", do i also need a box like the Pinstripe? What is the benefit of that pedal in this setting? Love your videos!

[@chandlerstrutz2399]

Thanks for such an in depth look! Your setup is incredibly thoughtful. Did you alter your microcosm’s lights?-mine are taped over and still too bright. Any tips there?

[@TheFlutecart]

I've been watching videos on this thing. It's a gnarly beast of sounds. I'm not sold yet. Seems so "new sound" , I'm leaning towards the more old skool synth sounds like the Nightsky does, I'd love discussion and mild argument about this - but it is a thing. One synthesizes the delay and the other the almighty reverb, yet another difference.

[@user-zv7lm8uk7h]

Well millions of people use this, and about 900 people use the NIghtsky. So you would already stand out... beyond that noone has understood how to use the sequencer in the nigtsky... so theres that too, you could master that. I own the nightsky and it is awesome... watch Kevin Eknes review of it and you will buy it immediately.

[@Tvaroh]

I love how your camera captured Mercury7 color. They should've used this color instead of the original one. :D

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Lighting is a fickle thing

[@paulandreas7955]

fifth time i watch this video...just a great great demo

[@pm3283]

Really curious what made you decide to run your verbs and particularly the microcosm into the walrus amp sim and not the other way around?

[@markjohnstonofficial]

I like the sound of my wet effects into a clean amp. I find that amp EQ, cabinets, etc help create a sense of cohesion.

[@CornPop.]

Dang I was about to pull the trigger and get a strymon deco today but now I'm considering one of these. Looks like the deco will have to wait.

[@markjohnstonofficial]

ah man. I've heard great things about the deco. but, and I may be biased, I would try and get one of these first.

[@masmachina803]

Deco is completely worth it just for the saturation side. But a totally, completely different type of pedal than this.

[@HyperBlueZYZ]

Microcosm Master Class…thanks Mark. Patreon up people, if you have the means #paymusicansfirst

[@markjohnstonofficial]

Appreciate that. This is all been a passion project for a long time but I’ll always be deeply grateful for those who support to keep it going / help me grow this. This is the best looking video I’ve made on this channel (and the longest) and that’s largely due to some lighting improvements I made because of my patrons. Deeply grateful.

[@hesingshesobs]

Is this pedal Mood, Blooper, Tensor and Particle pedals all in one? I am trying to justify using this as a cheaper more streamlined replacement that does 90% of what those all do combined.

[@sirrobert23]

I need it