Monk Echo Pedal Launched by Mentha Works
Former Gamechanger Audio staff launch Mentha Works
4,6 / 5,0 | 
Mentha Works, a fresh brand founded by former staff members of the renowned Gamechanger Audio, has unveiled its debut product: the Monk Echo reverb and delay pedal. Designed to “sing with you,” the human voice inspires the pedal and aims to recreate the sound of “a choir of monks echoing through stone walls.”
Brief Overview
- Mentha Works, a new company founded by former Gamechanger Audio staff, has launched its debut product, the Monk Echo.
- This unique reverb and delay pedal is inspired by the human voice and features a dynamic “monk-voice engine” that morphs formant filters to process echoes.
Contents – Monk Echo
Mentha Works
The new company is the brainchild of musicians and sound designers Toms Lazdovskis and Matiss Tazans, who played key roles in building and shaping Gamechanger Audio. Now, they are focusing on their own line of expressive instruments for both pedalboard and desktop use.
The core team at Mentha Works also brings experience from industry heavyweights such as Neural DSP, Darkglass, and Marshall.
They look like a company we will be watching closely over the next few years, and their debut product is the Monk Echo, a reverb and delay pedal.
Monk Echo
The Monk Echo is far more than a simple time-based effect. Drawing inspiration from Baltic choral traditions and mythical acoustic architecture, the pedal processes its reverb and delay signal through morphing formant filters tuned to human vocal resonances.
This unique ‘monk-voice engine’ allows users to infuse their sound with the character of the human voice, letting them morph entire soundscapes with a single, effortless gesture.
Mentha Works describes the Monk Echo as a “sound-design tool disguised as a guitar pedal,” bringing together a rich array of effects: reverb, delay, the monk-voice engine, responsive modulation, granular pitch-shifting, distortion, and a unique degradation effect.
Macro Control
A key feature is the Macro Control knob, which turns the unit into a performance instrument by allowing players to link multiple parameters to a single control source—be it the dedicated knob, an expression pedal, or the built-in footswitch. All parameter adjustments are displayed on a highly visible 8 x 8 Dot Display for visual feedback.
Dynamic Performance
Since the pedal is designed to react to performance rather than relying on static algorithms, it offers deep interactivity. Users can manually select the vowel the pedal “sings,” continuously glide between vowel shapes, or enable an automatic vowel expression that dynamically responds to their playing.
Furthermore, players can switch between vocal timbres, including male, female, and children’s choir.
The reverb and delay sections are designed to interact, feeding back into each other to create layers of evolving ambient echoes. The mix knob allows for exploration across a full spectrum of textures, from endless reverb with a whisper of delay to bold, rhythmic repeats with distant reverberations.
The silky-smooth reverb diffusion pairs with delay times ranging from a metallic 1 millisecond to a sprawling 10 seconds. Pushing the feedback to its limit can result in a massive, self-oscillating wall of sound that can sustain indefinitely without collapsing into noise.
Beyond the vocal effects, the Monk Echo offers a suite of sound-shaping tools.
- Delay Time from 1ms to 10 seconds, responsive to tap tempo and MIDI clock.
- Reverb Pitch Grain for granular pitch shifting, creating shimmery textures and rhythmic motion.
- Modulation and Fluctuation, the latter dynamically bending echoes in response to playing.
- Distortion and Degradation for effects ranging from gentle saturation to vinyl crackle artifacts and complete sonic disintegration.
- Tone Controls (low- and high-pass filters) and adjustable Delay Stereo Width.
Interactive
Mentha Works emphasises that while the eight main knob and button combinations are simple on their own, their full power is revealed through interaction. Users can quickly dial in warm, saturated tape delays, explore shimmer reverbs, or morph their sound into heavily distorted wah-wah solos.
FAQ –Monk Echo?
What is the Monk Echo?
The Monk Echo is the debut product from Mentha Works, a new music gear company founded by former Gamechanger Audio staff. It is a unique reverb and delay pedal that incorporates a vocal-inspired sound engine, designed to make your sound “sing” with you.
Who created Mentha Works?
Mentha Works was founded by musicians and sound designers Toms Lazdovskis and Matiss Tazans, who previously helped build and shape Gamechanger Audio. The core team also includes talent with experience at companies like Neural DSP, Darkglass, and Marshall.
Where is Mentha Works based?
Mentha Works is a music gear brand based in Latvia.
What is the core inspiration behind the Monk Echo’s sound?
The pedal is inspired by the human voice, particularly Baltic choral traditions and mythical acoustic architecture. It is designed to sound like “a choir of monks echoing through stone walls.”
What kind of effects are included in the pedal?
The Monk Echo combines several effects, including: Reverb, Delay, the Monk-Voice Engine, Responsive Modulation, Granular Pitch-Shifting, Distortion, and a unique Degradation effect.
Conclusion
There is an awful lot to take in here, and it appears to offer something unique, with a creative user interface. I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on this new company if they keep producing pedals and products like this one.
Introductory Pricing & Availability
The Monk Echo is available for pre-order at a limited-time introductory price of €317. Further details and full specifications are available on the Mentha Works website.
More Information
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