The Zoom 9030 is a rack effects unit used by Prince. It is a guitar multi-effects unit that combines an analog preamp section with digital effects. Prince used the older Zoom 9010 on the Diamonds & Pearls album, later replacing with with the Zoom 9030 for the Diamonds & Pearls tour.
The 9030 became an integral part of Prince’s sound in the 1990s. He controlled it with Roland FC-100 and EV-5 controllers. Guitar World lists some of his patches, including “Twin Reverb” and “Pillow Talk”. He had various patches labelled on his FC-100 including “Twin”, “Asian”, “Sitar” and two wah effects.
It was also a key part of Prince’s recording set up in the 1990s, sitting on the mixing desk alongside his keyboard and microphone. It can be heard on “So Far, So Pleased” on Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic for delay and harmonizer effects. It was also used as a bass effect on the album using a patch called “slap wah”. Prince used a ring modulation effect, which can be heard on Rainbow Children, One Night Alone...Live and N.E.W.S.. This might have been the Zoom 9030's “Metallic” patch, combined with an EV-5 expression pedal.
Tony M also used the Zoom 9030 on the Diamonds & Pearls and Act & II tours.
