Sing Like an Idol with the New Boss VE-5 Vocal Performer

When an electric guitarist takes the stage to perform, they’ll often be armed with an array of effects pedals that allow them to push the creative boundaries of their instrument. Singers can get in on the crowd-pleasing fun with the new Boss VE-5 Vocal Performer. With the touch of a button or the tap of a foot (with a separately available Boss footswitch), you can add lush reverb and delay effects to your voice, as well as realistic double harmonies, smooth sounding pitch correction and a special vocoder-like effect (a synthesized singing effect that’s often used in today’s pop music). You can even create and layer live vocal loops, and like all operations on the VE-5, doing so is as easy as pie.

This is an effects processor that was designed to be used by non-technical people. To turn on the effects, you simply press a large, illuminated button with the word Effect printed on it. To turn off the effects, you simply press the same button again. This uncomplicated process also applies to the Harmony and Looping functions of the device. It's easy to scroll through its 50 different effects with a centrally located knob, and you can see where you're at on its 16-character backlit LCD screen. Your favorite effects can quickly be saved to three dedicated buttons for instant recall.

The VE-5 can be used as a tabletop effects box for recording and podcasting, or it can be attached to a microphone stand with the included mount, allowing it to always be within reach while performing. It features a balanced combo XLR input and an XLR output, so that professional microphones can be used without sacrificing signal quality (phantom power is available for condenser microphones). A microphone is also built in, so the VE-5 can quickly be used whenever inspiration strikes. A headphone output and volume control enable the singer to rehearse privately, and a mini-plug Aux input allows them to attach an iPod or any other kind of media player so they can sing along with recorded tracks. The VE-5 runs on four AA batteries (included), or it can be powered with the separately available Boss PSA-120S AC adapter. It’s available in two stage-ready colors: red and white.