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Our columnist breaks down the science behind the dB unit specific to digital systems, and divulges a perennial question about comparative amp loudness.

Hello, and welcome to another Dojo. Last month, I focused on the history and development of the VU meter, and then defined some of the more confusing terms regarding decibels (dB, dBu, dBA, and dBSPL), as well as various ways to measure loudness and amplitude. I also asked: “Is a 100-watt amp twice as loud as a 50-watt amp?”—the answer shall be revealed presently. But first, I’m going to focus on a relative newcomer to the scene: dBFS. Tighten up your belts, the Dojo is now open.

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TL;DR: You’ve gotta believe in yourself to make things happen.

Bohlinger asks: Is life a cosmic vending machine, or can we manifest our musical goals?

The law of attraction, or manifesting, has been in vogue for a while. I first heard about this semi-spiritual belief that you will attract into your life whatever you focus on back in 2006 with The Secret, Rhonda Byrne’s popular self-help book (and film) that’s sold over 35 million copies worldwide and been translated into 50 languages.

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When it comes to power supplies, don’t underestimate their importance—an unreliable, low-quality one can lead to serious pedal malfunctions.

Let’s begin this article with my personal experience as a pedal builder and a novice musician. One day, a customer messaged me, sounding a bit frustrated. “I received the pedal, but it won’t light up. Did it get damaged during shipping?” they said. I promptly began troubleshooting.

I started with clarifying the signal source, checking if the installation of the input and output jacks was correct, and, finally, inquiring about the power supply being used. To my surprise, he replied, “I’m using a laptop power adapter. Shouldn’t that work just fine? My laptop is in good shape with it. Have I made a mistake? By the way, this is my first pedal ever.”

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