Pedal idea via a total noob

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

First post from a total noob and newly minted pedal building addict here. Three weeks ago I barely knew how to solder (and I still don’t really understand how a capacitor works) but here I am today with 3 pedals finished and 3 more on the way. Now I’m eager to start thinking about another project and I’m pretty sure what I’m after doesn’t exist in kit form.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the Smith’s song, “How Soon is Now”? You know the intro part where the guitar drones with a very distinctive “wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa” thing going on? So yeah; a pedal that does that and pretty much only that. I’ve played with different tremolo and vibrato effects that can get close-ish but nothing gets the sound quite right; there’s never enough of a volume drop/cut between the input/output signal. I think what I’m after is something that works like a normal tremolo but with a “delay” style chip that has a broader range of signal time interruption in m/s than whatever is in a standard tremolo circuit.

The best attempt at replicating this effect that I’ve seen is in this video by a YouTuber named Daniel Earwicker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeE4mjS1BKM  In the video Daniel uses a side chain compression effect (a rack effect maybe?) with an input for an external trigger (a drum machine in this case) to cut the volume/otherwise modulate the input/output signal to achieve that very unique sound.

Recently a guy in Switzerland released a pedal called “The Pill” which is a much more “professional” version of what I have in mind. (his kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thepill/the-pill-analog-ducking-effect-pedal).

Anyway, how’s that for a first post?

Bill

[Cybercow]

Beavis Audio did a write-up on a circuit called the “OptoChopto” tremolo that does a similar thing to the “wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa” thing you mentioned. It’s basically an auto-wah with an added LFO to exact the ‘wa-wa-wa-wa-wa” effect. The link provided to that Kickstarter project, (The Pill) is an ‘auto-ducking’ circuit with a versatile FX send\return loop. “Auto-ducking” is a bit different than an LFO-regulated autowah tremolo. Auto-ducking uses signal detection to automatically lower the volume of one signal path, based on the input of an additional input signal. They are used most widely in studios to auto-detect vocals and then automatically drop the volume of the music so the vocals will stand out better in the midst of all the instrumentation. Auto-ducking can be achieved a few different ways . . . a signal detection circuit that will trigger compression, tremolo, or some other means of lowering the volume of one signal as a mother signal is detected. The more sophisticated auto-ducking tools will auto-detect not only a signal, but also the beat (rhythm \ BPM) of the either or both audio signals that eventually get mixed back together after the ‘ducking’.

I’m guessing that the effect used in the “How Soon is Now” track, is just a tremolo with an exceptionally fast-ranged LFO.

[Author]

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