TC Electronic Wiretap Riff Recorder review

Meet the high-spec digital dream-catcher

  • £119
  • €95
  • $149
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MusicRadar Verdict

If you're looking for a songwriting partner who won't take a cut of the royalties, it's a bit of a bargain.

Pros

  • +

    Great app integration. A handy recording tool.

Cons

  • -

    Perhaps seen as a luxury for some.

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The WireTap is a mains only, ultra-compact stompbox that allows you to capture song ideas as you play.

'Big deal,' you say. 'I can do that with my smartphone.... Maybe, but 
the true bypass WireTap has more going on inside its chassis than you could imagine.

For a kickoff, you can record up to eight hours worth of 24-bit 44.1khz CD quality files on this thing which can then be downloaded to a computer via the onboard mini USB socket for storage or manipulation on your desktop recording software.

There's more. Download the free WireTap app to your iOS or Android-fuelled smartphone or tablet and you can upload your files from the pedal via Bluetooth. From there, you can trim, name, and forward your ideas to band mates and anyone else who will listen to them.

Beyond its lavish spec, the WireTap kicks the arse of any smartphone simply because it's always on call in your signal chain. To start recording, stomp on the footswitch. To stop, hit it again.

To revel in your creative genius, press play then skip between your saved recordings with the equally retro 'back' and 'next' buttons. It's so simple.

Ed Mitchell