Who is The Strymon NightSky Aimed At?

My thoughts on the Strymon NightSky - it’s an incredible tool, but who will get the most use out of it?
Check it out here: bit.ly/399H6ly
00:00 - Intro playing
00:46 - Intro chat
02:31 - Pedal overview
04:30 - Modulation section
07:36 - Decay section
16:16 - Tone section
17:05 - Voice section
20:16 - Step sequencer
24:24 - Using with a synthesizer
31:23 - Summary
#strymon #nightsky #rabeaafro
Video edited by John Hollingworth
⬇️⬇️⬇️ Feel free to read this ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Hey guys, I’m Rabea. I'm the lead guitarist in Toska, Frog Leap & Dorje where I write music, make songs and have a great time with my mates. I also have my own line of guitars with Chapman Guitars, and I’ve designed numerous products with some really cool companies, such as the Victory Amps VX Kraken. Anyway, i hope you enjoy my videos, thank you for watching!
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Rabea Massaad - Grinding Gears EP
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Toska - www.toska.tv
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Dorje - www.dorje.tv
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I've created a complete online guitar course with Musicisum - Sign up here: bit.ly/learnfrombea
Peace & Love

[@GIBKEL]

I think the greatest impact a pedal, this pedal could have, is to make you play in ways you never thought of. Just a few notes projected into a different melody has such power. That’s the great thing about playing with someone. Something they do and you do in turn creates a musical conversations you may have never had. I hate beating a dead horse...but it’s why I have spent so many years listening deep into Radiohead. They sound like they’ve really been listening to one another and finding new ways to ‘feel’ for the lack of a better word.The way strymon and chase bliss are evolving means we are in store for deep dives into unknown, unimaginable landscapes. And this is exactly why I keep picking the guitar, either comfort of the familiar or exploring colors yet to be expressed. Great demo Rabea

[@HaydnMowbray]

Thanks Rabea. This is by far the best and most comprehensive demo I've seen and demystifies many aspects of the pedal. Keep up the great work

[@christopherwilliams375]

You NEED to watch Christian Henson’s review of it. He’s a composer, sampler (he founded Spitfire Audio), and shaper of sound. His videos are all around amazing, and his review of this pedal absolutely convinced me I needed one. Not just as a guitarist, but as a studio guy who likes his hardware far more than a plugin.

[@7DavesToDie]

Love the strymon demos, man. Great stuff

[@bennyharderguitar]

I’ve been waiting for this video!!

[@Hairyloft]

Stunner, love the tones with the strat and synth.

[@mcmSEA]

Came for the Night Sky, stayed for the Strat! Also the Moog and arpeggiator.

[@outerspacebass]

Thank you for this demo. Your version doing some of the extremes helped explain exactly what is being affected and what the ranges are.

[@frankvaleron]

Really great video, best demo of the night sky I've seen. And I've seen a lot

[@StormdriverOne]

Yay for the Moog! Very cool to see it used with both guitar and synth. I would love to hear this with my Model D.

[@GerenM63]

Great demo and commentary. As I'm primarily a keyboardist, I especially like that you show it with keys as well as guitar.

[@Digosaurus]

Killer video as always though Bea, you're a weopen legend 💯💯💯

[@Alexcantu98]

I would love to be able to learn from you. Your play style and versatility you have is what I want!! You are great man. But definitely should do a series with this pedal!!!

[@PedroPereira-ed2iu]

Awesome Bea!! Thank you :)

[@lilsponge777]

Sweet. I could see myself getting lost noodling at home with those scapes holding underneath. "Glimmer to your shimmer" Brilliant!

[@theleastsignificantbit4794]

There are many ways to play a synth, especially a Sub or Subsequent 37. No need to apologize. Excellent choice of synth. Excellent video.

[@dgortych]

Very cool demo. I actually grabbed a nightsky to be my main reverb because all the functions for the most part are right on top. It’s overkill for sure but can’t deny how good Strymon verbs sound. The morph function is sick and you can get pretty crazy with that too.

[@fugue6904]

30:08 HA! nailed it! really great video and these are the sounds I'm looking for. thanks for the vid

[@Gainn]

Synth players / noodlers. It's about time Strymon just stopped messing around and did a rackmount or desktop multiFX unit with a shitload of inputs.

[@jonathanstubbsguitar5340]

Agreed, so many dudes use these in the studio, why no rack mount with plug-in control

[@secretsquirrel2]

This has to be coming but my guess is in a desktop formfactor.

[@dustop3r]

Well, they have the Starlab eurorack box!

[@hollybrereton3140]

Awesome, new to this channel but enjoying very, very much

[@JustinfromNJ]

I can tell by the number of buttons that this pedal is more than expensive.

[@awonderingoneil206]

I'd say fifty quid each button, this logic is sound lol

[@JustSomeGuy]

Shockingly, it's less expensive than the Big Sky.

[@josephwright5921]

@@JustSomeGuy Can it do everything that the Blue Sky can do?

[@JustSomeGuy]

@@josephwright5921 Kind of. From what I've seen, you can control how the effects work to an insane degree, but there are fewer effect choices overall. It's really more of an ambience tool than a reverb effect.

[@TheFarout69]

@@josephwright5921 It's a Reverb Synth. It's a super nice reverb with freeze and synth style effects. Genius.

[@user-yo3fl7ol8w]

Oh my god!!! The long awaited!!!

[@p_steinke]

This is super usefull video and not really a review but a user scenerio material which is great! I'm somewhere between synths and guitars and Your material really explains the usage of this pedal. For me it is for my synth desk :). Many tahnks!

[@retrodudez3422]

It's interesting... Your review actually drove me to purchase this. I think the fact that this tool cannot be put in a box is the charm of it. I'll use it as a traditional reverb in certain applications, but look forward to using it in the studio in less traditional applications. Rhett's video is killer, thx for the tip.

Dude you are just incredible guitar player! Love your demonstrations! All the best from Hollywood California! I know in England you guys don't celebrate Thanksgiving but I wish you from California a great Thanksgiving!

[@justbob242]

When it had the delay vibe, I kept waiting for him to drop into Run Like Hell.

[@VariusSep]

This was a very interesting video and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At about 30 minutes into it that was a very kool sound from the synth/nightsky. I wonder how it would sound with a bit of guitar over that? Thanks Rabea.

[@TheFarout69]

I use a EHX Superego+ pedal to create drones and synth tones/parts from my early dry signal that SIDECHAIN parallel beside my usual guitar effects pedal rig. ( Two independent stereo signals, they mix back together in an old school Yamaha Mixer, pre 50/50 stereo tube amp) The built in effects on the EHX-SE+ were OkeeDokie and mono, so I got a Digitech RP360 to take over the effects for the synthy channel. Stereo outputs, a nice + for synth stuff. Works good. This Strymon Nightsky would do it better in so many ways. Enough so, that I want one even though I would have to add in the essential dirt. But the price is crazy high. Which is crazy for me to say because I bought their Volante, , new. And I really love it. I feel wise holding out for the moment. But I keep watching videos, lol! Thanks for the video! And I hope my ramblings help folks experiment with signal path and find their own sounds. This pedal is a sidechain creature if I ever heard one.

[@davidgrad7651]

At around 26 minutes, I think you demonstrated that you could write the next Tron soundtrack haha.

[@auroraXploration]

thanks bro, good video.

[@MrPerfectfeet]

Rabea this is yet another outstanding pedal by Strymon I love there pedals they bring out creativity your demo is awesome dude I’ll be getting this pedal I spoke to Strymon about this pedal saying I’d love a 1000 watt amp with NightSky on the Moon lol wow just think about that 😜

[@davedavem]

I reckon it's aimed at people who see modular analog synths and think "yeah, that looks pretty simple."

[@valendis]

I think that first preset sounds really great, I can visualize the room... I don't know if it's your signal chain but yummy! There's definitely a Pink Floyd vibe to it with the infinite button! I love it

[@bneum]

DUDE. You NEEEEED to check out and somehow review the Collision Devices effects!! any of them would be sick to hear from your perspective but I think the Black Hole Symmetry would be right up your alley!!!

[@bis5260]

You are so a great guitar player, I'd like to be able to do that too - Great Studio! WOW REVERB !!

[@user-oe8ff3lu8d]

Thanks man

[@dontassumemyfender9866]

I have owned the nightsky since November 2021. I opted for the nightsky to explore sounds as I enjoy twisting knobs and seeing what happens. When I first purchased the nightsky, I placed my looper before the nightsky in my chain, recorded a loop and spent hours exploring the functions. I agree tho, the Bigsky is easier to use from a guitarists perspective. But everyone has a bigsky. So I'm happy I picked the nightsky.

[@bryanklaproth6020]

Well now I need this

[@Bfredproduction]

Great !

[@71goaliemask]

Really enjoyed the foray into the mini moog... as a fellow multi instrument (code for short attention span in my case) player, it's cool to see a departure from just the guitar. Would you consider doing a segment on putting together all the separate instruments into one short demo song?

[@peterfrengel3964]

Whoa! At 6:25 you recreated the background squeals that The Beatles used in "Tomorrow Never Knows." High Five!

[@IStabz]

amazing versatility.

[@tobystacey5183]

Sounds sick, would love to see you review the new 7 series by Mooer, particularly the A7, I think you'd love it!

[@jacco1967]

Love the Neumann monitors also.

[@budgetguitaristcom]

It's aimed at people who can spent $430 on one pedal. Still, Strymon has done a lot to get guitar players into synth territory, which I think is a great thing. Great demo as always!

[@musicman9901]

I get it definitely not a cheap pedal but most people can save $400 if something is really important. I mean their pedals are extremely solid and roadworthy, made in the USA and the sound quality is exceptional, so it kind of checks alot of important boxes for me. Don't get me wrong, I have a very limited budget too but I understand it's a studio grade effect and not something every bedroom guitarist is going to need. Price shouldn't intimidate people, its like a Lamborghini, it's not made for everyone but for those that have an ideal in their head and will pay for a product that achieves their goal.

[@MrMarcoWylde]

Love this strat man! Could you tell more about it quickly?

[@lukejones3770]

Love the Lateralus Tee Bea

[@julianhigginson5946]

I want this peddle and I don’t even make music I’m thinking of a mic in every room in my house put thru this peddle. So every thing from the microwave ping to a knock at the front door has this sound - yeah it’s happening

[@noname-kl2vw]

Can you do a review on the keely dark side? Not many reviews on KZbin and your amazing at telling me Which pedal to buy lol thanks

[@hibernative]

Amazing pedal for key players. Wouldn't bother as guitar player myself. 14:00 is kinda the thing I enjoy doing with a Tanpura backing track.

[@ERMAV]

I hope one day to have a room as cool as yours mate!

[@m4ssi86]

Big fan of strymon here, i have 3 of their pedals and i am thinking to buy this one too

[@Ugniukou]

Will the intro become full track? Would love to listen it on repeat!

[@jrhoads4849]

When you sustain the delayed sounds is when delay acts like a reverb.

[@AndyBarkerBass]

"You can write worship songs so easily with this pedal" so true! PnW is frustratingly predictable and very reverb heavy. Love the work Bea

[@ripw1]

Yeah very predictable and having bought this pedal I can say this won't break the mould

[@BenvanGeest]

Some Mark Knopfler vibes from 23:28 minutes in!

[@JanisKlinnert]

Finally you’re using the moog!!!! Yeeeeaaaah

[@Gainn]

I don't think you mentioned it, but if you hold down one of the square buttons and turn the reverb MIX knob that alters another parameter for each section.

[@Syndrive]

Fantastic, will absolutely get one and test with my synths. Seems like a very creative tool. Would be nice to have echo/delay which would decrease/increase pitch in scale, this seems almost getting there. Also wish that there would be more pedal that have "finger friendly" switches instead of footswitches. :)

[@DreamscapesMusicCinema]

I'm doing the exact same thing! Thanks for the inspiration. Mark Bensette Aux Bois 🇨🇦.

[@Poly6Groove]

Liked your shirt 🌀🌀🌀

[@ticobeach]

Rabea, can you use an expression foot pedal with the NightSky to change the scale tones or other reverb expressions?

[@foxyfoxtrot4233]

Been waiting for your video just to see what you‘d do with it 😁 But I already decided against getting it after Rhett‘s video. I‘m a set and forget kinda guy so it’s a bit too much money for that.

[@jimmynorris]

There may just be more pre delay on the preset you tried on diffuse. You can adjust the pre delay on each preset using the live edit functions. Just push and hold the button under texture and turn the reverb knob down if you want less. You probably already figured that out by now.

[@bbreeg26]

so you stuck with the BKP veneer board set for the strat or the Josephina's

[@LoVeAmBiEnT]

OK,, said this many times . you have the absolute best FKNG tone ever.. Dude.. I will add that after purchasing the Benson preamp pedal... Placing it After my valve preamp pedal, I'm pretty damn close.. Actually ... I'm happy w it.. But your tone is literally perfect

[@mattcooper1840]

Hey buddy. Quick question about this and the volante. Does it have carry over function... when you turn it off trails keep going I can seem to find anything about it any where. I love my volante but hate when I build up a big sound when I go to change present or sound the trails are all shut off.

[@michaelbutler2312]

great review. i have the same neon guitar lamp and have photographed and created wallpaper of it on my computer. i tried to enclose a pic but it won't work. thanks,

[@osirismaximus2787]

Great video... 26:47 freaked me out. I swear it sounds like voices talking inside the reverb.

[@mariosever6193]

Can you please make another ambient noodling video, pretty please

[@gmund317]

I’ll second that!

[@kischinhevsky]

soooooo, any news on that new toska single you said was gonna be released in april? asking for a friend

[@KR-no1or]

"you could write worship songs so easily..." Lmao. The Halo really did it for me. Does anyone come to your channel for worship music? Anyway you're too awesome Rabea, thanks for the great content as always.

[@thekramer1097]

Oddly enough I play at church and Bea's sound is one of my great inspirations

[@lyrasimo]

worship songs ? wtf are those ?

[@KR-no1or]

@@lyrasimo some people play music to praise some sky wizard in a tax free building where old men collect money from listeners in trade for a bite of bread and a sip of juice so they can absolve there sins of week every sunday.

[@OtherTheDave]

“Does anyone come to your channel for worship music?” Two things... First, it really depends on the church. There probably aren’t too many that play prog rock/metal, but different congregations definitely have different styles. Second, you can get away with almost anything if the arrangement and mix support what you’re doing. For example, Hillsong has an arrangement of “O Holy Night”, the old Christmas song, that, in terms of the guitar sound, gets heavier than you’d think from just listening to the rest of the song. The guitar isn’t particularly high in the mix, and the string section masks a fair bit of the characteristics of the distortion. To my ears, it sounds pretty distorted - borderline-harsh, even - but IMHO it really fits with the arrangement and mix. Here’s a link to it. The relevant part starts around 3:40 or 3:45, although I’d recommend the whole song. It’s a fantastic arrangement & performance, IMHO. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmmvpn5_bMiGobc

[@christopherwilliams375]

@@KR-no1or And some people are public douchbags who proclaim their superiority by putting down others for no good reason at all.

[@jshphysicistatyahoo]

I really dig this video around 12:20, what I would call Rabea Floyd. I still have much more to watch. But dang is this pedal confusing the daylights out of me.

[@njmetfan]

The Strymon shimmer is imo the best sounding, most authentic one you can get for the money. So many others sound like you're playing a steel drum. As always, a great demo, Bea.

[@josephwright5921]

The Specular Tempus has an amazing Shimmer

[@Alexcantu98]

Rabea you should use this with the mainframe bitcrusher from electro harmonix!!!!!

[@AcuLifeClinic]

I have the big sky, is it worth adding this to my board?

[@TomPark1986]

I need to get a synth.

[@SUPERSCUMDK]

"Here is the nice guy!"

[@ajoepjacob4293]

I've always found Strymon pedals to be a bit overwhelming and overkill for my needs (except one or two pedals). Great tools for sure but more suited for a studio use in my opinion.

[@Idontlikethisever]

How do you keep that place cool in the summer :)

[@NINEWALKING]

Bought mine in Bax Shop NL on 20.11.2020. Still not in and most probably want be in this year. Today is 12th December btw.

[@StuartwasDrinkell]

Yeah id choose this fo sho... what it can do for reverb on guitar is just one aspect i have a roli seaboard rise 25 which would love this deck to bits... the more expression in performance the better for me...

[@MSNGR415]

I bought this pedal a few years back specifically for synths including my own MOOG sub37. This and the zoia are my two most expensive pedals by far and I’m a pedal guy that will find a good clone over a branded pedal when I can. For synths it blew me away. For guitar I feel I’ve wasted a lot of money compared to guitar specific based reverb (if that can even be called a thing) I was told to get a big sky before I bought this and feel sometimes I should have (for guitar) but I can’t ever bring myself to sell it because what it does is hard to replicate with any other reverb I’ve used. At the moment I’m in a similar position with the zoia. Not using it enough for guitar but works well for synths. I feel I can get away with what the zoia can do for less with individual pedals as I mostly use it for its delays on my pedal board. Think I’ll keep my nightsky and sell my zoia.

[@samcomfort6564]

This demo really shows your value as an influencer. I would never have though to buy one of these before watching this. Unreal playing as always!

[@moritzhe7310]

Fascinating how you look more and more like Ben Stiller as the music store guy in the Tenacious D movie! Coincidence?

[@TheMerc1950]

Except he already has the pick of destiny...

[@rasputinsbeard3899]

At times, this pedal reminds me of the Mooer Devin Townsend Ocean Machine.

[@dobby240]

What model is your moog synth? Nice video will watch it all later

[@sirdavidalot]

Subsequent 37

[@bodyminusMe]

Im here to find out what kind of shampoo and conditioner you use?

[@cour1988]

Just finished watching your metal zone pedal from TPS. How much weight have you lost? Dang!

[@cchavez248]

Is pedal is for Adrian Belew and Harry Kaiser!

[@71goaliemask]

Also have you tried the Mooer ocean machine? It's ace!

[@josephwright5921]

It has some great tones, but those blinking strobe lights around the foot switches turned me off. If they will update them to bring the brightness down, maybe I will get one

[@71goaliemask]

@@josephwright5921 that's interesting, I never even really took much notice of them. If they serve as a distraction that would be a big negative, for sure!

[@ERWebster]

It seems like it can do an awful lot. I wonder if it could replace a Walrus Audio Slo, EQD Afterneath, and OBNE Dark Star? Edit: Nvm, I watched more and while what it does is beautiful, there are certain very specific things that these other pedals do that I am not sure you could get out of the NightSky.

[@thruthewirelive]

Sounded like the theme from a nightmare on elm street around 12 mins in

[@ShaighJosephson]

There's so much more under the hood of this pedal... Really need to learn it before reviewing it...just like the Microcosm...

[@mrcoatsworth429]

If you think of this like a piece of outboard equipment, it's not that expensive, relatively speaking, of course. In comparison to analog studio compressors and stuff like that.

[@GIBKEL]

Do you ever mess around with drum machines, synths and guitars all at the same time or for building projects and ideas up? I’m dipping my toes and trying to find a machine capable of building sounds-loopers, synths, guitars acoustic and electric. Not many musicians on the side of the mountain, in the rural world...,in covid times.

[@ptrisonic]

For ambient? I agree with the comment below, a rack mount is needed. Adding I'm sensitive to using a foot pedal on a desk - you've seen the state of some stages, God knows what's on our shoes!!!!

[@user-it3in1by6j]

So good reverb that delay is not needed

[@EnochDark]

yet i can't wait to hook it up to sdd-3000 anyway

[@Boris_Chang]

On your way to becoming a time lord.

[@Transterra55]

I hope Eno has one........

[@GoodAfternoonDave]

Like you said it's not really a guitar pedal per se. I have mine set up on an fx send from my DAW and it's the only reverb I'll ever need