BounceChord Spices Things Up: Line 6 M5 Edition

BounceChord sets the stage by introducing us to the Line 6 M5, an oldie but a goldie in the pedal world. This discontinued gem might not have the cult following of the HX Stomp, but it’s got some serious street cred. The video opens up with just how much bang for your buck you get with this M5, playing in the realm of 80 bucks used – cheaper than a night out in Chicago! You might be asking, ‘But what about the tone suck?’ Sure, it’s got some of that, even in bypass mode. But if you can overlook that tiny hiccup, this pedal will bail you out of any jam session with its plethora of weird and wonderful effects.

BounceChord dives into the first setting that makes owning the M5 in 2025 a no-brainer: the Synth-O-Matic setting. This bad boy is the perfect throwback to the mono sounds of classic analog synths. It’s glitchy in the best way possible, daring you to play with the extremes of your sound like a musical mad scientist. Imagine the eclectic sounds of a frog, a whale, or even an old-school Game Boy coming alive at your fingertips. The latency is practically nonexistent, letting you keep your groove tight as you warp and twist those sounds to your heart’s content. Not only does BounceChord tickle the inner child in us all with these crazy sounds, but they also remind us that this setting alone can breathe new life into any synth enthusiast’s rig.

Next on BounceChord’s list is the Pattern Tremolo, a setting that rivals the boss slicer, but with a unique twist. It’s like having four trem pedals in series, letting you pick and mix your speed and subdivisions to create a rich tapestry of sound. Imagine slicing and dicing your way through tracks like a streetwise chef preparing urban delicacies. Then, we saunter over to the Particle Reverb. It’s a shimmering tornado of reverb that hangs on your notes like a musical aura, amplifying and adding dimension. This setting lets you overlay drum beats and go to town with some serious side chain compression, all while your playing shines through like a beacon in a storm.

Taking inspiration from the classic DL-4, BounceChord lifts the curtain on the Sweep Echo. Here, they channel a digital delay with a phaser twist, adding an almost synth-like filter to your delays. Imagine a sweeping sound that dances through your echoes like a shadow at dusk, infusing your music with a lush, rolling wave. But the pièce de résistance? The M5 is a grab bag of sounds you never knew you needed. With settings that cover ring mods and tri-choruses, and even an octave fuzz, the M5 is like having a treasure trove of musical oddities at your disposal. It spares you the need for niche pedals that would otherwise gather dust, letting you dip into these sounds whenever the mood strikes.