Transcending Tremolo for the 21st Century
BOSS calls the SL-2 Slicer an “Audio Pattern Processor” pedal, but the truth is that this little box simply defies categorization! The SL-2 packs the power of BOSS’ original SL-20 pedal into a much more pedalboard-friendly form factor, allowing you to chop, screw, and twist your signal into complex rhythms and percussive grooves. There are 11 distinctive rhythms at your disposal, and the tempo can be set either by the control knob or by activating the hands-free tap tempo feature. What’s more, the Type knob provides five different flavors of slice — single, dual, tremolo, harmonic, and SFX — that are a cut above traditional tremolo tones! Finally, the SL-2 is packed full of high-end features, including MIDI in, expression/control in, stereo I/O, and a dedicated BOSS app to access even more pattern possibilities.
Related Videos: SL-2 Slicer Audio Pattern Processor Pedal
Five different ways to slice it
What is slice, anyway? The closest equivalent in the pedal world would be tremolo, but tremolo sounds positively quaint compared to the SL-2’s wild rhythmic gating. Still, the SL-2 Slicer covers those classic choppy tones, but its five different slice options can also transform your signal into an IDM groove or even synth-like sounds.
- Single and Dual: These modes are relatively self explanatory. Single has one slicer; Dual has two slicers operating at the same time.
- Tremolo: The SL-2’s tamest setting, this mode is about as close to traditional tremolo as the SL-2 can get!
- Harmonic: This mode brings in wild modulation, adding even more complexity to your rhythmic experimentation.
- SFX: Perhaps the most peculiar mode, SFX introduces additional effects to your signal depending on which sub-mode you choose.
Big-box features in a standard BOSS form factor
Many of Sweetwater’s more experimental guitarists fondly remember the SL-20 as a modern classic, but there was one catch: it was huge. The SL-2 saws down the size by almost half without compromising functionality, and it even introduces several new features to the Slicer series! Looking for enhanced control? A MIDI in allows for timing clocks, start/continue/stop messages, and control change messages for external MIDI-compatible devices. Need to adjust your tempo or controls on the fly? Pop in an expression pedal or a remote control switch, or simply activate the SL-2’s built-in tap tempo. Last but not least, the USB input enables easy connection to the BOSS Tone Studio for SL-2 app to access a wide library of downloadable slice patterns.
BOSS SL-2 Slicer Audio Pattern Processor Pedal Features:
- Chops and slices up your signal into 11 variations of percussive groove
- Balance and attack controls to set your mix level and the effect’s sharpness
- Duty control to modify the length of the slice pattern’s sound
- Tempo can be adjusted by either knob control or by accessing the built-in tap tempo function
- Type knob switches between single, dual, tremolo, harmonic, and SFX slicer types
- MIDI in offers greatly enhanced control possibilities
- USB port allows for even more slice patterns via the dedicated BOSS Tone Studio for SL-2 app
- External footswitch jack for remote control of tap tempo and other momentary functions
- Stereo I/O for wild ping-pong slicer sounds
