How to get the best out of a Wah-Wah

20-12-2004 6:48pm #1

I was thinking of getting a wah-wah pedal pretty soon but instead of just going out and gettin one i got a lend of one for a while, and this might sound odd, but , What does it do? i know that it changes teh frequencies but i'm not certain i'm using it properly, rock back and forth etc. Anyone got any tips on using it to its best potential?

Emmet

Doctor J · 20-12-2004 6:49pm

Listen to Jimi Hendrix, pre-Load Metallica, Cream etc. There's no right or wrong way to use it, just **** about with it until it sounds good to you.

feylya · 20-12-2004 6:50pm

Play a song, 4/4 timing. Every beat or every second beat, rock it toe forward then all the way back.

Use it as a filter (set it to a certain level and play).

Throw it at people.

20-12-2004 6:52pm

I've been using it as a filter yeah and i've been trying to use it like Hendrix (pity my guitar skils are so off

) but i just seem to be a bit too hard on it?? It's a little sensitive i think.

feylya · 20-12-2004 6:54pm

What sort of wah pedal is it?

Doctor J · 20-12-2004 6:54pm

Try using the other foot. A lot of right handed people use their left foot, I prefer to use my right. Also, try not to go through the full range of motion, from one end to the other, try and be gentle around the middle (where most of the sweep takes place) and do it in finer sweeps

feylya · 20-12-2004 6:55pm

Ditto with the right foot thing. Hee, I thought I was odd cos I used that foot while being right handed.

20-12-2004 6:55pm

right handed - using right foot

It's a dunlop GCB 95

feylya · 20-12-2004 6:57pm

Hmm, try to use the heel back and middle positions of the wah. Add some mids to your tone. It'll sound nicer.

I love my GCB 95. Of course, it isn't stock

20-12-2004 6:58pm

yeah this doesn't have true bypass, is there any awy of "making" it less sensitive without damaging it on its owner?

feylya · 20-12-2004 7:05pm

What do you mean by "sensitive"?

20-12-2004 7:07pm

it moves very easily, is there anyway of making it less "shifty"(can't even explain the problem

)

feylya · 20-12-2004 7:08pm

You mean that you move your foot slightly but the sound changes a lot?

20-12-2004 7:10pm

there you go, not just that though, but even slight pressure moves the pedal a lot

feylya · 20-12-2004 7:13pm

TBH, you just have to get used to it. There's no way to change it.

20-12-2004 7:14pm

thanks. Oh yeah, any settings i should have at amp at for it?

spider 112

feylya · 20-12-2004 7:17pm

About half mids (if you play rock/metal).

20-12-2004 7:19pm

blues, and light rock

feylya · 20-12-2004 7:20pm

Try bass about 5-6, mids 4-5, treble 4-5, little bit of distortion, neck pickup.

Yum.

20-12-2004 7:21pm

cheers!

Invisible rep for you

Fusion251 · 21-12-2004 12:31am

You can only make a wah good if your playing is also good.

Wah's are most effective when you bend a note or use them for a muted string (Whackachicka) kinda thing.

Recomended listening for great wah playing:

Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun - on the Band of Gypsies album
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile(Slight Return) - on Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix - Burning of the midnight lamp - on Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix - Bellybutton Window - First Ray's of the new rising sun.
Jimi Hendrix - Little Miss Lover - Axis Bold as Love

Yeah I know, all Hendrix! As Dr J said some of the older Metallica albums have some great wah solo's too, but I think Hendrix got a more pure sound when he used it.

He uses a Univibe pedal on some of these tunes too that gives a kind of swirling effect so don't worry if you can't get that sound.

Listen to them and try emulate them and you'll soon make the wah sound good, and don't be lazy looking for shortcuts, just find your own way of using it.

Fusion
:cool:

NeMiSiS · 21-12-2004 10:08am

All I'm saying is Theme from Shaft.. get down with that funky groove, who's the man that's a sex machine to all the ladies ?

How to get the best out of a Wah-Wah

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