Roger Mayer (engineer)

{{Short description|Electrical engineer most known for designing the Octavia effect pedal}}

Roger Mayer is an electrical engineer who developed several electric guitar effects, including the Octavia, a fuzz effects pedal which also doubled signal frequency, with a sound that was not attainable by simply connecting an octave pedal and a fuzz pedal together. The effect was popularized by Jimi Hendrix, and can be heard during the solos on the song "Purple Haze".{{cite book|last=Gallagher|first=Mitch|title=Guitar Tone:: Pursuing the Ultimate Guitar Sound|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6XALAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA261|access-date=13 September 2014|year=2012|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=9781435456211|page=261}}{{Cite web|last=April 2019|first=Guitar World Staff 19|title=The Secrets of Jimi Hendrix's Guitar Setup: Interview with Roger Mayer|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/secrets-jimi-hendrixs-guitar-setup-interview-roger-mayer|access-date=2020-08-27|website=guitarworld|language=en}}

The Octavia, as well as several other effects, are still being produced under Roger Mayer's name.

Background

Mayer was originally an acoustic engineer working for the British Admiralty on underwater research projects. At a time when guitar effects were virtually unknown, he designed and built fuzz boxes for leading English guitarists such as Big Jim Sullivan, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck. His effects can be heard on P.J. Proby singles such as "Hold Me" (1964) and on numerous Yardbirds tracks.{{Cite web|last=September 2019|first=Jonathan Horsley19|title=Jimmy Page talks about Roger Mayer bringing the distortion pedal into his life|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/jimmy-page-talks-about-roger-mayer-introducing-him-to-the-distortion-pedal|access-date=2020-08-27|website=MusicRadar|language=en}}

Mayer was awarded 'Innovator of the Year Award 2018' by Vintage Guitar magazine not for a particular product, for his work and design across the board.{{Cite web|title=Roger Mayer awarded 'Innovator of the Year'|url=https://guitarvillage.co.uk/blog/roger-mayer-awarded-innovator-of-the-year|access-date=2020-08-17|website=guitarvillage.co.uk}}{{Cite web|last=Guitar|first=Vintage|date=2018-12-03|title=2018 Readers’ Choice Awards|url=https://www.vintageguitar.com/30863/2018-readers-choice-awards/|access-date=2020-08-27|website=Vintage Guitar® magazine|language=en-US}}

=Jimi Hendrix=

Just having turned 21, Mayer saw Hendrix playing live and in his words was "blown away by his live show". It was after one of Hendrix's shows at the Bag O’Nails club which was in Soho, London. After introducing himself backstage and talking in-depth about tone and a desire to create a totally different sound, he was invited by the guitarist to a gig the following week. Via a small amp back stage, Hendrix listened to the Octavia and was really impressed and excited by what he heard. Mayer was invited by Hendrix to overdub the solos on the songs "Purple Haze" and "Fire" which took place at the Olympic Studio,Reverb, 8 Jan 2018 - [https://reverb.com/news/hendrix-page-and-standing-out-in-a-crowded-effects-market-a-conversation-with-roger-mayer Interviews, Hendrix, Page, and Standing Out in a Crowded Effects Market: A Conversation with Roger Mayer by Jake Law] and working on tones and designing custom effects to realize the sounds Hendrix 'heard' in his head. His designs can be heard on the albums Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland.{{Cite web|title=Jimi Hendrix {{!}} An Interview with Michael Fairchild|url=http://starting-at-zero.com/book/interview-roger-mayer/|access-date=2020-08-27|website=starting-at-zero.com}}

=Other artists=

Mayer worked with many other artists from The Isley Brothers to Bob Marley. He also co-built a pioneering early synth for Stevie Wonder.{{Cite web|last=AnOther|date=2010-09-13|title=Roger Mayer, sound engineer, on his friend Jimi Hendrix|url=https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/449/roger-mayer-sound-engineer-on-his-friend-jimi-hendrix|access-date=2020-08-27|website=AnOther|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Masterclass: Roger Mayer|url=https://www.bimm.ac.uk/news/masterclass-roger-mayer/|access-date=2020-08-27|website=BIMM}}

Since the 1990s, Tom Principato has enjoyed ongoing endorsement deals with Roger Mayer effects pedals.{{Cite web|title=Tom Principato {{!}} Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-principato-mn0000514024/biography|access-date=2020-08-27|website=AllMusic|language=en-us}}

Documentary

Mayer appeared in the 2004 documentary about Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix: By Those Who Knew Him Best that also featured Leon Hendrix and Seattle guitarist Sammy Drain.{{cite web|url=https://www.nightflightplus.com/videos/jimi-hendrix-by-those-who-knew-him-best/597c3e4aaf590913a7007194|website=Nightflight.com|title=Jimi Hendrix: By Those Who Knew Him Best|date=November 27, 2017|first=Bryan|last=Thomas|access-date=June 25, 2023}}

References

External links

[http://www.roger-mayer.co.uk/ Roger Mayer official website]

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:Engineers from London

Category:British acoustical engineers