Interview with Yusuke Tanaka of Ovaltone
For the 32nd installment of Pathways into the Music Industry, we visited the guitar effects brand "Ovaltone".
The company is run by two brothers who build the products and manage the business. In this interview, centered on the elder brother, Yusuke Tanaka, we heard many behind-the-scenes stories about making effects pedals that you rarely get to hear.
Please give it a read!
Q: Thank you for having us. Ovaltone is familiar to guitarists, but when was the company itself founded?
As a company, we've just entered our eighth year. But I was making effects personally before that, so including that, it's probably about 10 years.
Q: There are many kinds of effects. How many models has Ovaltone released so far?
Including discontinued products, I think there are about 30 original models. Mainly distortion-type pedals, plus boosters and the like.
Q: When you actually develop an effect, what do you think about?
I'm very conscious of "how that effect will be used."
For example, something used in stadium-class venues probably needs to keep its sound from scattering, while something intended mainly for home recording might be better with a hefty low cut, that sort of thing.
I think the target user and the sound design can't be separated.
Q: Many readers of this article work with DAWs. Should they use effects pedals even when recording guitar at home?
The electric guitar as an instrument was originally designed on the assumption that it would be connected to analog gear, and most of that background from when it was developed carries over to the present day. Of course, you can plug it straight into an interface, but given that background, the sound often ends up thin and flat, or can't reach its true potential.
For example, when using an amp simulator in the computer, I think you can get closer to your ideal sound if you approach it as "use pedals to create an analog-like environment from the guitar's point of view, shape the sound, and then send it to the computer."
For active sound shaping, I think it's good to use a preamp or distortion, and if you want to optimize the guitar's natural sound, put in a booster or buffer to shape your sound.
How an Effects Pedal Is Made
Q: Ovaltone is a very popular brand among guitarists. Is that largely because you develop with "who will play it and where" in mind?
That may be so. We also study the playing and picking habits of all kinds of people, from professionals to amateurs.
One more thing I keep in mind in development is aiming for something "between strict and forgiving."
It's hard to put into words, but "strict" here means "hard for beginners to handle, with its potential coming out when skilled players play it," and "forgiving" means the opposite, "it sounds the same no matter who plays it."
Getting that balance is very difficult, but what I aim for is an effect where "a beginner gets an 80-point sound and a skilled player can get a sound of 120 points or more."
Q: During development, you can't test the sound until you've built the circuit to some extent. Do some designs end up shelved after development?
Yes. A lot of them end up as scrap.
But if you can use the experience you gained there elsewhere, the failure is never wasted, so I make sure to remember the process up to that point.
Recently, I can also predict the sound to some extent by looking at the waveforms from circuit simulations on the computer, so it's become much easier than before.
Q: So you build it once you have some idea of the sound.
Of course, there are many things theory can't express, so a lot of adjusting is needed.
The tone also changes completely depending on the type of solder and where you take the ground, so it's truly a deep world.
Q: Effects pedals basically have several knobs. How do you decide on these parameters?
With effects, if you want to, you can make any part of the circuit variable, in other words, make it work as a knob.
The idea is to try varying different parts, find the places where "this part doesn't change the fundamental tone of this model but broadens its range of expression," and bring those out to the front.
Q: Roughly how long does it take to make one effects pedal?
It depends on the model, but rather than one at a time, we build a certain number as one lot, with about a month as a guide.
At first it took several days to make even one unit, but by finding better methods and bringing in various techniques, we gradually built up our system.
The Road So Far
Q: How did you start making effects?
At first I was playing in bands in a university club, and while working I played at bars and live houses and went on tours as staff.
I was a guitarist, and I always played straight into the amp at gigs. But amps are hard to carry, and there weren't any pedals that properly brought out the nuances of your touch... so I first thought I'd try making one for my own use.
Q: So your idea was to "make" rather than "buy."
Back then there weren't that many kinds of effects, and I couldn't find anything that gave amp-like nuances.
Around that time there was also a kind of DIY boom, and I started because I thought maybe I could do it too.
Q: Did you already have knowledge of electronics?
No, I'd only tinkered a little with the insides of guitars.
I started making them with reference to schematics published on the internet, and the first one I copied was Z-VEX's Super Hard On, an effect with a very simple schematic.
Q: When did you start making them in earnest?
At first I wasn't thinking at all about making a living from it, but as I kept making them, it became more and more fun.
As I copied various things, I gradually understood how they worked, and knowledge and experience like "if you want this kind of sound, you could do this" kept building up.
The things I made got a pretty good reputation around me, and it was when I was about 28 that I thought I might be able to sell them.
Q: Then you founded the company and ran it as brothers.
It was really tough at first. Production was so inefficient that we lost money on everything we made, and when it comes to "selling products," promotion and visuals matter as well as the sound, so we studied those things too.
There was also running the company, so we really grew little by little.
Now, thankfully, many people use our products, and they keep spreading by word of mouth.
Q: You seem very particular about product design and promotional videos as well.
The design also has to relate to the sound, and we design with how it looks on camera, of course, and how it looks lined up in a music store in mind. No matter how good it sounds, nothing starts until people pick it up and try it.
We also make the product introduction videos ourselves, referencing overseas videos and the like.
Q: Ovaltone's effects are on the high-end side. How do you decide on pricing?
That's something I agonize over quite a bit. Profitability matters, of course, but we also have to consider the brand's "continuity."
If we went out of business a few years later, it would cause trouble for the people who liked and bought our products.
I think there's also the option of lowering prices to project a conscientious image, but I think it's more important to give back through our growth as a manufacturer and to respond sincerely, such as with support.
Looking Ahead
Q: What do you think is important for making a living doing what you love?
People often say "you shouldn't turn what you love into your job," but I wonder about that.
I think you should do what you love as much as you can, and rather than putting up with a lot and continuing to make music you don't want to make, isn't it better to make the music you want, even as a hobby? That gives you energy, and it might even lead to good results.
Q: Thank you. Finally, please tell us about your future goals.
I'd like to increase the range of products more.
I also want to look overseas, and in Japan too, I want to keep broadening our range, from products accepted by a wide range of people to peaky products that only strike a chord with a few.
Q: Thank you very much.
Interview and text: momo (Mamoru Tanoue)
Profile: Born in 1995. A Digital Performer and Ableton Live user. After graduating from music school, he moved from Fukuoka to Tokyo as a composer.
Made his debut as a writer in August 2017, composing and arranging for Tsukicro's "STARDUST".
With the motto "songs that touch the heart", he is a multi-player who handles everything from lyrics and composition to arrangement and recording.
He is also active as the composer and arranger for the art unit "Shiro".
Website: Music Designer momo
Twitter ID: @momo_tanoue
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