Isolate sound from individual strings with Submarine Pro | SM Mastering

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As mastering and mixing engineers at SM Mastering, we are constantly on the lookout for innovative hardware that pushes the boundaries of spatial audio and signal routing. One of the most exciting developments in modern guitar technology is a specialized pickup designed by Pete Roe. For years, guitarists and session musicians have struggled to achieve true signal separation across their fretboards. Now, thanks to this pioneering hardware, you can easily isolate sound from individual strings with submarine pro to achieve unprecedented control over your tone, dynamics, and stereo image.

The device itself is incredibly compact, designed to slip seamlessly under the strings of either an acoustic or electric guitar without requiring any routing, drilling, or permanent modifications. Inside its slim chassis lies a dedicated pickup for each individual string, connected to an internal switching matrix. This allows you to route any combination of strings to a stereo output jack, effectively turning your standard guitar into a multi-channel instrument. Whether you want to send your bass strings to a dedicated sub-octave pedal or apply stereo modulation only to your high strings, this pickup opens up endless creative avenues.

Isolate sound from individual strings with Submarine Pro: A Technical Deep Dive

When you choose to isolate sound from individual strings with submarine pro, you bypass the traditional limitations of a monophonic pickup. In a standard electromagnetic setup, the signals from all six strings are summed into a single mono output. This means any processing you apply—whether it is a heavy overdrive, a lush delay, or precise EQ—is applied uniformly to the entire frequency spectrum of the guitar. This often leads to muddy low-ends and harsh high frequencies when playing complex chords.

By routing individual string outputs, you can apply distinct processing chains to different registers of your instrument. For example, routing the low E and A strings to a pitch shifter allows you to simulate an accompanying bass player in real-time. Meanwhile, the remaining strings can be routed through high-quality creative plugins from developers like Soundtoys to add spatial width, saturation, and modulation. To understand how this fits into your overall production workflow, you can explore our other deep dives and production guides on the SM Mastering Audio Articles page.

Submarine Pro Hardware Specifications

To help you evaluate how this hardware fits into your current studio environment, we have compiled its key technical specifications below:

Practical Studio Workflow Tips

Integrating multi-channel guitar signals into your DAW requires a strategic approach to routing and mixing. Here are three practical studio workflow tips to help you get the most out of your setup:

• The Pseudo-Bass Split: Route your lowest two strings (E and A) to Output A of the stereo jack. Run this signal into a dedicated octave-down pedal or plugin, followed by a bass amp simulator. Send the remaining strings (D, G, B, and E) to Output B, running through a standard guitar amplifier chain. This results in a massive, self-contained band sound that is perfect for solo performers.
• Stereo Panoramic Spread: Pan your lower register strings slightly to the left and your higher strings to the right inside your DAW. This technique makes it incredibly easy to isolate sound from individual strings with submarine pro and distribute them across the stereo field, creating an immersive, wide acoustic image that leaves plenty of room in the center for vocals.
• Targeted Dynamic Control: Multi-band compression can sometimes feel unnatural on guitars. By treating individual string channels as separate tracks, you can compress only the highly dynamic middle strings while leaving the low-end and high-end transients completely natural.

In our mastering suite at SM Mastering, we have seen how sessions recorded using this method provide superior separation. The ability to isolate sound from individual strings with submarine pro means that low-frequency rumble can be treated completely independently from high-end shimmer, resulting in a cleaner, punchier master.

Conclusion

The Submarine Pro is more than just a clever utility; it is a creative powerhouse that redefines the relationship between the guitarist and the mix. By giving you the power to split, process, and pan individual strings, it bridges the gap between performance and post-production. If you are looking to push the boundaries of modern music production, learning to isolate sound from individual strings with submarine pro is one of the most rewarding steps you can take.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does installing the Submarine Pro require permanent modifications to my guitar?

No, the Submarine Pro is specifically engineered to slip under your strings without any drilling, cutting, or permanent modifications. It is held securely in place by a non-destructive mounting system, making it perfect for vintage acoustics and high-end electric guitars alike.

Can I use standard guitar pedals with this pickup?

Yes. Because the pickup features a stereo jack output, you can use a splitter cable to send the two distinct signal paths into different guitar pedals, multi-effects units, or separate channels of your audio interface.

How does string isolation benefit the final mastering stage?

When individual strings are isolated and processed separately in the mix, it prevents frequency masking and reduces clutter in the lower-mid range. This results in a highly balanced mixdown, allowing the mastering engineer to achieve greater overall loudness, clarity, and depth.

Written by SM Mastering

Official content on sound engineering, mixing, mastering, and advanced electronic production by SM Mastering.