Conrad St. Clair, "commissioner" of the musical community known as Kicksville (population 58) talked with Gearwire about his Pedulla Buzz basses. Shifting gear, St. Clair moves on to software. He tells us about his love/love relationship with the Ohmforce OHMBoyz DX delay plugin.

Why recommend this software filter over other, similar products? Why OHMboyz?

Ohmforce, the software designers, have a top-notch reputation for producing plug-ins with high sound quality, stability, and CPU efficiency. We have quite a few other plug-ins that can produce similar effects, but Ohmboyz has become our first choice for everything from a basic slapback delay to bizarre filtery goodness.

Tell me how you use it.

We use it a lot -- maybe even too much! Obviously, it sounds great when used on a vocal effect send, but it can also morph a boring drum part into a weird, distorted, self-oscillating, auto-panning filter loop. For example, on the Kicksville track "Anti-Acid", there's one Ohmboyz on the bass solo, another on the rave-ish synth part under the bass solo, and another on the guitar parts throughout the song. On "Surrender", Andy Ewen's guitar part is a good example of using the Ohmboyz as an auto-panning filter delay. We also use it on "Zombie Corazones", "Subliminal Globality", and quite a few more.

How does this software compare to hardware filters / delays?

I've played with a lot of gear over the years, but I've never seen a piece of hardware that can do what the Ohmboyz does. The closest thing would be chaining a stereo multi-tap delay into a 4-pole resonating filter, and then into an auto-panner. And you'd need some sort of variable-slope distortion or bit reduction in there somewhere as well. That's the beauty of being able to use plug-ins: you have access to effects that simply can't be created with a single piece of hardware, and the Ohmboyz is a good example of that.

What is its best feature?

The filter: it just sounds great, and it's seriously powerful. Be careful with that resonance knob or you could end up with speaker-wrecking self-oscillation (not always a bad thing)! Ohmboyz is also really light on the CPU and very stable, which is a nice bonus.

Is there anything you do NOT like about it?

I don't know if this has changed since we purchased it, but the DX version that we use does not expose its parameters to the host for automation (we're using Sonar 8.3.1 for writing/recording and Brainspawn's Forte for live hosting). Since everything within the effect can be driven by its own tempo-synced LFOs, that's not crucial, but it would make it possible to do some things that can't be done without parameter automation.

You say it is the "hottest" such software. In addition to what you have already mentioned, what makes it so good?

Its sound and flexibility are the key. Being able to modulate any parameter with a variable, tempo-synced LFO means you can end up with some extraordinary, constantly changing delay and filter effects. And did I mention that it sounds awesome?

Kicksville will be bringing their multimedia freakshow on the road again in the summer of 2009. Dates will be announced on the band's website. St.Clair says that the gear grows on every tour for your sonic and visual enjoyment.