Your favourite pedal usage in a song

Post by **Mike** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:09 pm

So what are some of your favourite recorded examples of bands/artists stomping and sounding ace.. the kind of stuff that made you want to start buying pedals and getting into all that jazzmalarky, I'm talking the really "what the fuck was that?!?" moments that make your wallet light and your will power turn to glue.

For starters:

Blur - "Song 2" - When I heard Coxon step on the RAT for the first time it was like I'd never heard distortion before - a proper beautiful mess. Sounds fab on the guitar and bass in the instrumental bridgey/outro section too

Nirvana - "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" - While I've never owned a Polychorus, hearing this the first time made me want one so insanely badly. The pure genuis of this in my opinion is how musical and part of the song Cobain makes the oscillation madness. Awesome

The Police - "Walking on the Moon" - I have no idea what modulated delay Andy Summers is using here but the first time I heard the intro I fell in love with that delayed, chorused Telecaster sound, so ethereal and metallic.

I have loads more but don't want to just post them to myself.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:20 pm

Gore Gore Girls - You Lied to Me Before
Fuzz, ripped straight out of 60's biker babe movie soundtrack. I want a Fuzzrite so bad because of Amy Surdu.

The Smiths - How Soon is Now?
Tremol-ohmygod.

Rage Against the Machine - EVERYTHING
Wah, Whammy, Small Stone, Flanger, I bought a LOT of pedals to sound like Tom.

Post by **Mike** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:23 pm

OOh the last two are definitely on my list also.

sueisfine · Post by **sueisfine** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:25 pm

i would like to second radio friendly unit shifter,

and add to the list:

i am the fly by wire for the scratchy metallic sounds however theyre made,

and

it came from japan by the von bondies because of the tastefully dissonant use of both wah and flange together,

euan · Post by **euan** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:31 pm

First time I heard the Whammy in Just made me want one, then later Matt Bellamy in Muse pissing about with it ala Greenwood. It wasn't until later that I heard Morello.

There are some fuzz sounds that I've loved coming from Pavement. There is a solo in one of the later songs on Brighten the Corners that I could listen to for infinity.

Post by **Hurb** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:42 pm

another +1 on radio friendly unit shifter. that song is freaking awesome and the sonds make my day.

i got my fuzz factory after hearing it used on plug in baby by muse. i thought it was nuts. and had to have it.

theres loads of others but i cant think right now.

More Cowbell · Post by **More Cowbell** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:44 pm

Pretty much any song with lots of FX by ATDI or SPARTA and even Mars Volta, they seem to make a lot cool sounds.

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:58 pm

dinosaur jr- freak scene live is awesome, flanger, phaser, wah....

i havent played other peoples songs in aaages. i just improvise.

what, graham coxon used a rat? which one?

ElCapitan · Post by **ElCapitan** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:15 pm

I second Freak Scene. That and The Lung.

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:18 pm

yeah, all that trem pedal work!

Tex-czech · Post by **Tex-czech** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:30 pm

Mars volta- inertiatic esp
Omar uses a xotic robotalk random arpeggiator for the verses. Totally energy and build up for Cedric and Omars intense preformances. Damn just listen to the live album.

Dinosaur Jr- The Lung
I gotta say this for the live version at the end of the song he uses the C.A.E. super tremelo very, agian, intense and 3d sound. check out the late late show on youtube.

Sonic youth- The diamond sea
The intros gurgle chirp dizzyng swirl sound I don't know what he's using, but they turned the knobs up on it.

Very relaxing.

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:37 pm

j's trem is one of the coolest. is it a rack trem or a pedal ?

anyways for the diamon sea thurston is using the Ludwig phase ll, its a big mother fucker, i used to have a picture but i lost it.

it went on bay a few weeks ago for 6000 bucks!

Tex-czech · Post by **Tex-czech** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:40 pm

6000 is just fuct

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:46 pm

found the picture

Tex-czech · Post by **Tex-czech** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:53 pm

Well theres way more to it then I thought.

kim · Post by **kim** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:02 pm

The Raveonettes: Evil LA girls --- Tremolo ! but i've no idea which one ... so i just got a cheap tremolo that does the job.

Sonic Youth: their 90's work->muffs, blue boxes and fuzz-stuffz, dd-6 delay too..and in the future - freq analyzer

those are the first two that spring to mind... i don't use that many fx anyways..just fuzz, octave fuzz, verb, trem, delay, phaser (accidentally, hehe) but that's pretty much it, 'the basics'...i only use chorus on bass ..so

Joy Division: Transmission, She's lost control etc etc etc- bass chorus

btw, the two guitarists in my 'bass' band don't use any effects, just dist. so i'm the only one messing with pedalboards

and again : GORE GORE GIRLS !! yesh.

Post by **Doog** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:05 pm

RATM - pretty much everything again
Some people find Tom's playing gimmicky, but I think he's a fucking genius. Even small things like playing 16ths with a slapback delay to make it sound like 32nd notes (ala that Google vid I posted) are awesome. Plus all the Whammy, killswitching and general manipulation of the guitar. I have the utmost respect for anyone with technique and style that good, who can also pull of great noises.

Devo - Too Much Paranoias
It's daft and simple, but that ring mod break in Too Much Paranoias (and the vocal line on Mechanical Man) is great use of a much maligned effect.

Buckethead - Spokes For The Wheel Of Tournament
Quacky Autowah/envelope filter goodness from the lanky be-bucketed one.

Blur - On Your Own
The stuttery delay in the verse is awesome.

Blur - Coffee And TV
The outro alternates between lovely vocal harmonies and a squalling feedbacky wobbly delayed mess, I loves me some of that dichotomy.

Nirvana - Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
Aww hell yeah, you know that shit. I don't much listen to Nirvana nowadays but there's no denying that's a simple and extremely effective use of a pedal-produced noise.

Dead Kennedys - Police Truck
One of many of East Bay Ray's great delay-based moments.. that Echoplex just seems to make his guitar lines that much more creepy and ominous..

Soundgarden - Blow Up The Outside
Bush - Distance Voices
Eels - a lot of songs
Such a simple but expressive effect, it's hard to imagine what those songs would sound like without tremolo... all made me wanna buy a trem pedal.

Presidents Of The USA - Boll Weevil
Again, a pretty subtle use, but that slow phaser on the bassitar is awesome.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:19 pm

Within your reach - The Replacements

Nice use of a phaser

Come as you are - Nirvana

The first song that made me want a chorus

Voodoo Chile - Jimmy Hendrix

Wah sounds cool sometimes

Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene

Smiths - How soon is now

and SY, all these three for the same reasons as above.

Tex-czech · Post by **Tex-czech** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:29 pm

hah yea D-E-V-O
we are devo

Post by **Mike** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:18 pm

Doog wrote:RATM - pretty much everything again
Some people find Tom's playing gimmicky, but I think he's a fucking genius. Even small things like playing 16ths with a slapback delay to make it sound like 32nd notes (ala that Google vid I posted) are awesome. Plus all the Whammy, killswitching and general manipulation of the guitar. I have the utmost respect for anyone with technique and style that good, who can also pull of great noises.

Devo - Too Much Paranoias
It's daft and simple, but that ring mod break in Too Much Paranoias (and the vocal line on Mechanical Man) is great use of a much maligned effect.

Buckethead - Spokes For The Wheel Of Tournament
Quacky Autowah/envelope filter goodness from the lanky be-bucketed one.

Blur - On Your Own
The stuttery delay in the verse is awesome.

Blur - Coffee And TV
The outro alternates between lovely vocal harmonies and a squalling feedbacky wobbly delayed mess, I loves me some of that dichotomy.

Nirvana - Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
Aww hell yeah, you know that shit. I don't much listen to Nirvana nowadays but there's no denying that's a simple and extremely effective use of a pedal-produced noise.

Dead Kennedys - Police Truck
One of many of East Bay Ray's great delay-based moments.. that Echoplex just seems to make his guitar lines that much more creepy and ominous..

Soundgarden - Blow Up The Outside
Bush - Distance Voices
Eels - a lot of songs
Such a simple but expressive effect, it's hard to imagine what those songs would sound like without tremolo... all made me wanna buy a trem pedal.

Presidents Of The USA - Boll Weevil
Again, a pretty subtle use, but that slow phaser on the bassitar is awesome.

Awesome post. UP YOUR GAME PEOPLE - THIS IS THE STANDARD I EXPECT IN THIS THREAD.