One doesn’t have to enjoy Rush’s music to appreciate the multitasking going on when the Canadian prog trio (RIP Neil Peart) was on stage creating a note-for-note reconstruction of their studio work. A key part of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee’s workflow was the Moog Taurus, which is an old monophonic synthesizer that is controlled by octave-value foot pedals that sit at the bottom of his synth array, which he later converted to MIDI-controllable Ableton.
Newer, heavier bands like Brutus and Russian Circles have carried the torch, the latter using an old Taurus until a band of clamps invaded their trailer in 2021. Brian Cook, the bassist for the trio, has since been reunited with his beloved Taurus, but in the meantime he used a 1 Millenna Minotaur Model to recreate the deep, booming sound he famously uses while playing baritone guitar with his hands.
The 12-stage expands on the original with a five-pin DIN input and output, as well as expanded expression options with each of the 12 pedals positioned as octaves on the keyboard. The pressure and bend of each pedal can be mapped to unique CCs, allowing things like filter, attack, and resonance to be adjusted as you press down. The computer-based editor is easy to understand, and each pedal can send chords with up to five notes each for great sound and tap dancing. You’ll need your own module to output the MIDI messages sent by each pedal, but the USB hub can be routed to a phone, tablet or laptop for easy control of synth plugins on whatever type of device you have. The Step 12 is light, durable, and thin, making it easy to drop over guitar pedals before stashing them away in a road case for safety. You can’t say the same about a Moog Taurus or a Roland PK-6, which is 3 inches tall and 10 pounds, versus a 12-inch Stage 2, which is only 1 inch tall and 1.25 pounds.
