The Best Strymon Pedal Nobody Cares About

This is a video I've needed to make for some time now. Strymon beat me to it with the release of the Strymon Brig, but I had to do a video about my all-time favorite delay pedal - the Strymon Brigadier.
For years and years the Brigadier (the original "Brig") has been a mainstay as my primary delay on countless pedalboards. Its analog delay tones rival near any delay I've tried since, and my sound and playing are just completely intertwined with it at this point.
So, enjoy this video I'm affectionately calling "my love letter to the Strymon Brigadier" and let me know if you agree or disagree that it's the most underrated Strymon pedal out there.
. . .
GEAR
Jennings Guitars Voyager Deluxe
1975 Fender Musicmaster Bass
Origin Effects M-EQ Driver
1981 Inventions LVL
Strymon Brigadier
Strymon Flint V2
UA Dream 65 Reverb Amp
Drums: EZDrummer3
Mic: Soyuz 1973
Interface: Focusrite 18i20
DAW: Reaper
. . .
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro Song
02:14 Why do I love the Brigadier so much?
11:45 Sounds
13:00 Vibrato
13:46 Bucket Loss
16:32 Slapback
17:51 Filter
19:32 Self-Oscillation
. . .
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[@grimlyfiendish7474]

This is one of my favorite delays ever! All the great analog sounds and none of the noise!

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Totally agree. Thanks for watching!

[@davemassie3726]

Great Vid. Thanks for sharing!

[@AmbientEndeavors]

thanks for watching!

[@kylecasey7089]

This is the video I needed you to make for a really long time….I wasn’t sure if I was going to the Brig- But after watching this…..I’m sold on the Brigadier.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

There's so much to love about it! and a few features mentioned really make it hard for me to abandon. The sound samples I've heard of BRIG do sounds great though.

[@kylecasey7089]

@@AmbientEndeavors the Brig def sounds good but I have seen the Brigadier on so many of your boards on KZbin over the years ……that’s what made me look into it

[@DenisSurette]

Great video Andrew. Re: Strymon Brig. Although not convenient like the Brigadier's on-board switches, one can add a Multiswitch plus (or a midi device) to access: Tap Tempo, Favorite Preset and Infinite mode

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Thanks for sharing this! That makes me excited. I figured I could also find a way to do with midi. The fine folks at strymon are sending one out, so I’ll have to mess with that and the favorite!

[@Dorachagi1]

On-demand runaway oscillation via a footswitch is such an important feature of an analog delay to me, I use it constantly in the same ways you described.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

yes! one of the many reasons I love the Brigadier. There are so many ways you can use it for chaos or for nuanced dynamics or texture.

[@KYDY]

I also see you use the Volante a lot, would be interested to hear how you use the two together and your thoughts about how they compare or compliment each other, etc.

[@ediththeband]

Great intro!

[@AmbientEndeavors]

thanks man! :D

[@BDMusic2021]

Man I love my brigadier. Much like with the el cap you can get a really cool lofi modulation from it. Put it on fast repeats, fastest time possible, crank the mix, mod, and bucket loss, pull back the repeats to zero. Sounds awesome.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Ooo, yes! Gotta try that!

[@BDMusic2021]

Yep, playing with that right now, and the infinite repeat hold on the tap switch makes some really weird but cool sounds on this kind of setting.@@AmbientEndeavors

[@asparkoflife85]

Amazing stuff. Where’d you get the knobs ???

[@TheGreenKingdom]

Love your channel and playing Andrew, even if you're a Twins fan 😁 Peace from the Detroit burbs.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

haha :D I'll die a Twins fan, love the friendly rivalry.

[@kckrye]

What are your thoughts on the walrus audio Mako D1 delay pedal?

[@None-lh5mx]

Tom Bukovac made this pedal probably the most popular delay in Nashville.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Well see there ya go! If it’s good enough for Tom it’s good enough for me!

[@kckrye]

He does with every pedal. Lol. The Nobels is currently on my board. Lol

[@Quicksilver_Cookie]

It's hard to pick the best in Strymon's lineup, they've made so many exceptional pedals. But for me it would be the good old Flint. It's just...perfect. Feature set is so intelligently selected, everything that should be there is there. Perfect blend of intuitive controls upfront, and signature for Strymon a plethora of hidden features you want out of your way. And then there's the sound. It's just rich. Harmonic tremolo is to die for. And it's so flexible. You're entering into ambient territory just being halfway to the max on mix and decay controls. It goes from subtle to big, all enveloping textural stuff. I really really love that pedal. Perfectly designed, beautifully executed. The only pedal in a V2 lineup that didn't get any major features or new controls. Because improving on perfection is not easy.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Man, can’t argue with any of that - FLINT is the 🐐 in a lot of ways. It’s a pedal I come back to time and time again.

[@thomaspetersen5522]

Ive had 3 brigadiers and have used it as my always on the delay for 6-7 years or so... Never bonded with any of the other strymon delays, and ony parted ways with my brigadiers because of the UAFX Starligth... but damn, now i want my brigadier back

[@AmbientEndeavors]

It just has always been able to sit in a mix just how I want it too. I love the el cap for certain sounds, but when I've tried it as my main thing it just seems to get lost. Starlight is cool too, and perhaps a little more "accurate" to the DMM thing, but it still can't pull me from the Brigadier.

[@13aphomet]

I love the brigadier.. I recently replaced it with the specular tempus but it still looks at me everyday like, 'you kno you want me, don't lie...'

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Haha. I love the Specular Tempus, but really lean mostly into its verbs.

[@mariodriessen9740]

I care! After debating with myself for several months I decided to buy the DIG instead, but I know a 2nd hand Brigadier for a very good price and I’m biting my lips because I already spent too much on gear in the last couple of weeks (I got lucky for once) and I can’t go on just spending money like I’m the wealthiest man on earth, while in fact I’m a poor mofo. But still…, it feels like the best opportunity to have both. And I think I can really use both, because I’m a set and forget type of person, so I won’t be twiddling knobs all the time. And the two pedals are so different and both so good! Maybe I should just go for it. 🤔

[@AmbientEndeavors]

yeah both have some great sounds for sure! The DIG is cool - I've bought and sold that pedal more times than I care to admit, but there's something really cool about the dual delays and modulation on that pedal.

[@LP-123]

My brother in christ - that is a gorgeous intro!

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Thank ya! 🙏🏼

[@juanki.aldahondo]

Thoughts on the brigadier vs the delay llama Xtreme?

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Both really cool, brigadier is my daily driver for all the reasons mentioned in the video, but I love the pitch jump mode and the warped vinyl style mod of the Delay Llama Xtreme. More delay time and stereo with the brig. Get em both! Ha ;)

[@Lorneplumber]

I've had Brigadier/Volante/Timeline/El Cap/Dig - Only the Dig is left, though the Brigadier is my second favorite. Probably pick up a Brig soon

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Every time I play a dig I think “man this sounds so good!” I just usually favor the softer sounds of the analog delay sound. But DIG is cool

[@joshuadillon4396]

I had this for a while but went back to the timeline. I loved how it sounded but never could get the really strong attack delays like on timeline. Other than that it was awesome

[@AmbientEndeavors]

totally. Timeline is hard to argue with, you get so many great sounding options.

[@davidcunetta4081]

Such a great pedal! And the very reason I got scared and stopped making analog pedals…

[@andsoistopped]

That guitar. Every time.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Oh yes, it’s the one. Gotta do a video on IT soon.

[@andsoistopped]

@@AmbientEndeavors do it!!!

[@wheresallthezombies]

I like analog delay but not enough to spend money on one. My favorite delay is tape! I’m the grand scheme of things, I’m just being nit picky. Ha. Also, killer intro song!

[@AmbientEndeavors]

thanks man! I do find some similarities between some analog and tape sounds, so interesting how they compare and contrast in subtle ways...but there's nothing like a good tape delay with that fluttery warble/wow/flutter thing.

[@wheresallthezombies]

@@AmbientEndeavors yeah I agree with that.

[@masterofreality230]

Strymon just dont miss. They might not be the most weird or far out there, but if you want something good for sure, go with a Strymon.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

for sure. solid, great sounding, versatile, with a consistency nice feature set. I still can't find a big box UI that feels more user-friendly than the big box Strymon stuff

[@masterofreality230]

@@AmbientEndeavors Yea, I have underestimated the value of convenience. I have a Ventris and Had a Nemisis. I kept the Ventris because its got a really good drippy verb. But I hate having to go to an app and mess around.

[@signalpath]

still the only person whos ever used it

[@AmbientEndeavors]

lol right!? :) it’s fun being on this desert island

[@the5chord]

So why the Brig over the Timeline?

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Simply put, I prefer analog delay sounds and just rarely need the variety that Timeline brings. Still love the timeline and use it on boards occasionally and in the studio

[@JS-uh1ly]

@@AmbientEndeavors the dbucket setting on the Timeline is the same as the Brigadier.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

@@JS-uh1ly I beg to differ. hah. might be placebo but I've always had a hard time dialing in the *same* tones on TL as I have on my Bigsky. But also , TL is just overkill for my needs 90% of the time.

[@LoVeAmBiEnT]

It’s pronounced Bruh-gey-der 😊 Yes, it’s a great pedal as is the brig Such a nice sounding delay

[@AmbientEndeavors]

I’ve lost all hope that I’m pronouncing anything right, so I’m just letting my heart guide me at this point

[@thecompleation8891]

@@AmbientEndeavors no it isn't, you had it right. Thank you for adding another pedal to my wishlist!

[@thecompleation8891]

No it isn't, also literally who gives a shit. Go write riffs.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

@@thecompleation8891 haha I think he is messin’ , and I stand by my pronunciation