WHAT IS IT?
Grendel Drone Commander Classic Pedal is a unique synthesizer that delivers thick drone tones with the convenient size of an FX pedal stompbox. It brings back the same true analog oscillators and filter from the sought-after original ammo can model that we made from 2008-2014.
The LFO section delivers rhythmic sweeping modulations that animate the filter. It operates the same way as the original, but with a wider frequency range. The Drone Commander’s LFO modulations are based on a slow ramp waveform that sweeps the filter. The ramp can be set for rising or falling slope, and the SHAPE knob crossfades the ramp modulation with a simple ‘blip’ at the end of every LFO cycle. The other half of the LFO section is a unique phase-locked loop (PLL) that tracks the LFO, generating a pulse wave that automatically synchronizes at a frequency of 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x. The PULSE knob adjusts the depth of filter modulation by this waveform.
The stomp switch brings the sound in and out with a selectable fade or mute effect, allowing hands-free convenience when adding analog drone tones to specific parts of your performance.
Get new sound effects by processing external audio signals through Grendel Drone Commander’s filter and LFO, via its 3.5mm monophonic line input jack.
This analog synthesizer fits conveniently into a pedalboard and can be powered with a daisy-chain cable from a standard 9VDC effects pedal power supply, as well as its internal 9V battery.
SO ITS JUST LIKE AN FX PEDAL?
No, because it creates its own sounds, and its not intended to be patched in the middle of a chain of FX pedals. There isn’t a dry signal path from Audio In to Audio Out. It can process audio like an effect, but please see the user guide for how to do that best. Also, the stomp switch isn’t a wet/dry bypass switch. Instead, the stomp switch is used to mute/un-mute the output and trigger fade-ins and fade-outs.
Why doesn’t it have a ¼” input and a straight-through wet/bypass switching like an effect pedal? The simple answer is that Grendel Drone Commander wasn’t developed as a guitar effect, and we don’t feel like that it particularly shines in that role. Nevertheless, to satisfy the curious and experimentally savvy, this model has an Audio In, and it is possible to pipe a guitar signal through it with simple audio adapters.
HOW TO CONNECT IT?
This model works well as a tabletop synth connected to a mixer line input. Or instead, there are several ways to incorporate it in your pedalboard.
If your amplifier has two inputs, simply connect the Drone Commander to an unused input on your amp. Patch in some extra effects for it along the way. Use the Drone Commander’s stomp switch to bring its sound in and out when you like.
If your amp has one input, you might want to use an A/B switch to select between guitar and Drone Commander. Hit the A/B switch to select Drone Commander during specific sections, or as a fill-in while taking a tuning break.
Or, depending on the scenario, you might simply patch the Drone Commander pedal to an input channel on the PA system mixing board. Connecting it through a DI box may improve the results in an on-stage situation.
CV CONNECTIONS (3.5MM MONO)
CLOCK OUT: Synchronize external gear with the Drone Commander’s pulses. This port sends a square wave analog clock output.
FILTER CV IN: Modulate the Drone Commander’s filter with an external LFO, Envelope, etc. (not 1v/octave)
GATE IN: Has the same function as the stomp switch. Bring the sound in and out automatically from an external controller, LFO, sequencer, etc. Or self-patch Clock Out to Gate In for an automatic loud-quiet-loud effect.
AUDIO IN: Patching to this port mutes the internal oscillators, and substitutes external audio. The external signal passes through the Drone Commander’s filter, LFO, and Gate effects. Typically for best results, use a signal with constant dynamics, such as the raw waveform output from a VCO module. Or, experiment by connecting other instruments to it. See the user guide for more info on patching the Audio In jack.
(The oscillators are manually tuned only, and do not have 1v/oct CV inputs.)
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Shipping times
Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.
There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Saturday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 15:30 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
WHAT IS IT?
Grendel Drone Commander Classic Pedal is a unique synthesizer that delivers thick drone tones with the convenient size of an FX pedal stompbox. It brings back the same true analog oscillators and filter from the sought-after original ammo can model that we made from 2008-2014.
The LFO section delivers rhythmic sweeping modulations that animate the filter. It operates the same way as the original, but with a wider frequency range. The Drone Commander’s LFO modulations are based on a slow ramp waveform that sweeps the filter. The ramp can be set for rising or falling slope, and the SHAPE knob crossfades the ramp modulation with a simple ‘blip’ at the end of every LFO cycle. The other half of the LFO section is a unique phase-locked loop (PLL) that tracks the LFO, generating a pulse wave that automatically synchronizes at a frequency of 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x. The PULSE knob adjusts the depth of filter modulation by this waveform.
The stomp switch brings the sound in and out with a selectable fade or mute effect, allowing hands-free convenience when adding analog drone tones to specific parts of your performance.
Get new sound effects by processing external audio signals through Grendel Drone Commander’s filter and LFO, via its 3.5mm monophonic line input jack.
This analog synthesizer fits conveniently into a pedalboard and can be powered with a daisy-chain cable from a standard 9VDC effects pedal power supply, as well as its internal 9V battery.
SO ITS JUST LIKE AN FX PEDAL?
No, because it creates its own sounds, and its not intended to be patched in the middle of a chain of FX pedals. There isn’t a dry signal path from Audio In to Audio Out. It can process audio like an effect, but please see the user guide for how to do that best. Also, the stomp switch isn’t a wet/dry bypass switch. Instead, the stomp switch is used to mute/un-mute the output and trigger fade-ins and fade-outs.
Why doesn’t it have a ¼” input and a straight-through wet/bypass switching like an effect pedal? The simple answer is that Grendel Drone Commander wasn’t developed as a guitar effect, and we don’t feel like that it particularly shines in that role. Nevertheless, to satisfy the curious and experimentally savvy, this model has an Audio In, and it is possible to pipe a guitar signal through it with simple audio adapters.
HOW TO CONNECT IT?
This model works well as a tabletop synth connected to a mixer line input. Or instead, there are several ways to incorporate it in your pedalboard.
If your amplifier has two inputs, simply connect the Drone Commander to an unused input on your amp. Patch in some extra effects for it along the way. Use the Drone Commander’s stomp switch to bring its sound in and out when you like.
If your amp has one input, you might want to use an A/B switch to select between guitar and Drone Commander. Hit the A/B switch to select Drone Commander during specific sections, or as a fill-in while taking a tuning break.
Or, depending on the scenario, you might simply patch the Drone Commander pedal to an input channel on the PA system mixing board. Connecting it through a DI box may improve the results in an on-stage situation.
CV CONNECTIONS (3.5MM MONO)
CLOCK OUT: Synchronize external gear with the Drone Commander’s pulses. This port sends a square wave analog clock output.
FILTER CV IN: Modulate the Drone Commander’s filter with an external LFO, Envelope, etc. (not 1v/octave)
GATE IN: Has the same function as the stomp switch. Bring the sound in and out automatically from an external controller, LFO, sequencer, etc. Or self-patch Clock Out to Gate In for an automatic loud-quiet-loud effect.
AUDIO IN: Patching to this port mutes the internal oscillators, and substitutes external audio. The external signal passes through the Drone Commander’s filter, LFO, and Gate effects. Typically for best results, use a signal with constant dynamics, such as the raw waveform output from a VCO module. Or, experiment by connecting other instruments to it. See the user guide for more info on patching the Audio In jack.
(The oscillators are manually tuned only, and do not have 1v/oct CV inputs.)
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Shipping times
Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.
There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Saturday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 15:30 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
