Brian Wampler likens the rise of amp modellers to Napster’s impact on music: “I think it’s going to take a big chunk of the market”
Brian Wampler, founder of the Wampler pedal brand, thinks the rise of digital amp modellers could go on to impact the gear industry in a similar way to Napster’s lasting effect on the consumption of music.
Growing numbers of big league artists are turning to brands like Neural DSP, Fractal, and Line 6 for their impressive amp modellers for touring and large shows. Though eliminating the need to carry around a hefty pedalboard while on the road sure is useful, it seems traditional pedal manufacturers are growing concerned with how such gear will go on to impact the sales of their traditional pedals and amplifiers.
READ MORE: Metallica lawyer says Napster lawsuit was necessary to “set the ground rules for what music is worth”
For those unfamiliar with the infamous story of Napster, let us fill you in on the details: Napster was a peer-to-peer music sharing site that existed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, though reports suggest it will be returning in the form of an interactive music platform.
Around that time Lars Ulrich and his Metallica bandmates discovered that a demo version of their song I Disappear was being played on radio stations without their permission, which the group eventually traced back to Napster. The band’s entire catalogue was available to download for free on the site, leading to Metallica responding with a lawsuit, ultimately leading to its closure.
Some still argue that, despite its shutdown, the creation of Napster created a springboard for subscription-based streaming platforms to come along, which have drastically changed how we listen to music, and how we value its financial worth.
Speaking to Adam Wakeling on the Products of Music podcast, Brian Wampler believes a similar shift is occurring in the gear world: “I think, really, everyone in the pedal market is concerned. I think it’s going to take a big chunk of the market… as well as [create a] two-band market,” he says (via Guitar World).
Wampler feels there are “two paths” for manufacturers going forward: “You can always stick your head in the sand and ignore it and think, ‘It’s not going to happen to me,’ and then wonder what happens in five or 10 years. Or you can say, ‘It’s going to happen. I need to make a pivot here.’”
He later continues, “It’s analogous to Napster – for those who remember that, that’s where everybody who had music that you just uploaded to Napster, and now no one needs to buy any more music.
“So, the question is, ‘Well, what do you do?’ Eventually, Spotify forms, you know? I mean, is that good? Not if you’re an artist, it’s not good. Not really, not unless you’re just using the music as a marketing tool.”
Wampler’s move into adapting to the digital world has seen the brand release a line of plugins. Currently it sells three, which are virtual versions of some of its most popular physical pedals: The Terraform Multi Modulation, Metaverse Multi Delay, and its Catacombs Reverb/Delay.
Find out more about Wampler, or view its current range of plugins.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
