Things to do instead of using a wah and a tremolo

[Terje]

I've been on this one for some time now. I've gotten a few more insights and some tips from other people so here we go again...

 

First of all there's the tone knob. Have it rolled back when hitting the note and then open it up to get the wah wail we all know so well. Not as strongly as with a wah but almost.

 

If you want to do this fast you need to be able to have your pinky on the tone knob while hitting the string. I've seen people do this really well. It was on a strat, it might actually help. If you can do this fast and slow you can really simulate a wah all the way.

 

I find that these tricks are easier if you take the treble up on the amp. Also it's good to think about the fact that different notes will open up earlier or later in the tone knob's sweep. Just like a wah actually.

 

So to get a wah sound on a low note the tone knob has to be all the way down first. But on a high note you might not need it to be down so much as you need to take it up.

 

Onemore thing to do, to get some of that wacka-wacka thing going, is to strum at different places on the strings. Close to the bridge gives you more treble, closer to the 12th fret gives you more bass. It's subtle but it works.

 

Another way of getting some of that quacking sound is to use the flesh of your right hand fingers, likeyou would when getting false harmonics. But this time you're not aiming for the full harmonic, just a touch of it. Mixing that soundwith a normal attack and you can get close to a quacking wah.

 

Using the volume knob can also give a crying sound like a wah but also if you use it fast you can get a tremelo flutter. This is almost impossible to do while strumming or picking, but on sustained chords and notes it's relatively easy.

[desmoines_bluesman]

I don't know if you're just talking about doing wah or wah-type sounds, but....

 

Something I do is mimic Randy Rhoads on "Tribute" (or live, vs the studio stuff) by turning the volume/tone of my bridge p/up off on my Les Paul. Then I leave the three-way selector in "Treble" position 98% of the time. The other 2% I flip the selector to the middle position during a held distorted chord (or could be clean) - usually a fast back-and-forth toggle, slowing down so I end up back in the Treble position so I can keep playing and be heard. I really like that effect, and it's simple.

 

The "wah" sound by messing with the tone knob is possible, but IMO it's easier on a Strat-style guitar.

[ninjaaron]

Originally posted by Terje I've been on this one for some time now. I've gotten a few more insights and some tips from other people so here we go again... First of all there's the tone knob. Have it rolled back when hitting the note and then open it up to get the wah wail we all know so well. Not as strongly as with a wah but almost. If you want to do this fast you need to be able to have your pinky on the tone knob while hitting the string. I've seen people do this really well. It was on a strat, it might actually help. If you can do this fast and slow you can really simulate a wah all the way. I find that these tricks are easier if you take the treble up on the amp. Also it's good to think about the fact that different notes will open up earlier or later in the tone knob's sweep. Just like a wah actually. So to get a wah sound on a low note the tone knob has to be all the way down first. But on a high note you might not need it to be down so much as you need to take it up. Onemore thing to do, to get some of that wacka-wacka thing going, is to strum at different places on the strings. Close to the bridge gives you more treble, closer to the 12th fret gives you more bass. It's subtle but it works. Another way of getting some of that quacking sound is to use the flesh of your right hand fingers, likeyou would when getting false harmonics. But this time you're not aiming for the full harmonic, just a touch of it. Mixing that soundwith a normal attack and you can get close to a quacking wah. Using the volume knob can also give a crying sound like a wah but also if you use it fast you can get a tremelo flutter. This is almost impossible to do while strumming or picking, but on sustained chords and notes it's relatively easy.

or just use a wah pedal, that works as well

[Terje]

 

Originally posted by desmoines_bluesman I don't know if you're just talking about doing wah or wah-type sounds, but.... Something I do is mimic Randy Rhoads on "Tribute" (or live, vs the studio stuff) by turning the volume/tone of my bridge p/up off on my Les Paul. Then I leave the three-way selector in "Treble" position 98% of the time. The other 2% I flip the selector to the middle position during a held distorted chord (or could be clean) - usually a fast back-and-forth toggle, slowing down so I end up back in the Treble position so I can keep playing and be heard. I really like that effect, and it's simple.

 

 

My old hero Ace Frehley does that a lot to.

 

 

The "wah" sound by messing with the tone knob is possible, but IMO it's easier on a Strat-style guitar.

 

 

At least the fast one.

[Terje]

 

Originally posted by ninjaaron or just use a wah pedal, that works as well

 

 

Sure, nothing wrong with using a wah. But there's nothing wrong with learning how to do what you need without one either.

[ninjaaron]

Originally posted by Terje Sure, nothing wrong with using a wah. But there's nothing wrong with learning how to do what you need without one either.

No smart-ass remark I can make about that, I guess.

[Terje]

Originally posted by ninjaaron No smart-ass remark I can make about that, I guess.

 

Ever heard Roy Buchanan? Listen to his Five String Blues on his Second Album. At the end he uses the tone knob for a crying wah-wah effect. Maybe then you'll understand why this is such n important thing for me

 

I love some of the regular wah players too. Earl Hooker and his clean slide playing, often with a wah added. Sounds very much like a Cry-Baby to me BTW.

 

I have this Tech21 Killer Wail (how I hate that name) and it works fine but again, listen to Roy and you'll know why this is an obsession for some of us.