Wah on rhythm guitar?

[Average Joe]

Or if not wah, what is it then, on this version of Walkin Shoes?

Whatever it is, I think it kinda works, and it's interesting to hear in a jazz context. Other than Scofield's use of chorus as a faux leslie effect I can't readily think of a player who choose to colour his rhythm playing specifically with some form of effect. I know a lot of the younger players like to keep their reverb/delays on at all times.

[docsteve]

Nice! Who is the guitar player? I like it when the guitar adds a bit of colour, like the harmonics during the bass solo. I'm not 100% sure whether it really is a wah pedal, as these usually boost one frequency and I didn't hear that in the passages when he doesn't actually use the effect. But I may be wrong.

[Average Joe]

Nice! Who is the guitar player? I like it when the guitar adds a bit of colour, like the harmonics during the bass solo. I'm not 100% sure whether it really is a wah pedal, as these usually boost one frequency and I didn't hear that in the passages when he doesn't actually use the effect. But I may be wrong.

Yeah, I don't know exactly. I *think* it's a wah, going by the playing under the head, but at other times it sounds more like a chorus or flange thing?

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I think that may be an “auto-wah” envelope filter pedal or plug-in. I’ve never been an effects user except for a light overdrive on blues gigs and a hint of reverb if the amp I’m using has it. But this is cool enough to have me thinking about trying it.

[grahambop]

It sounds like this 1977 record, in which case the guitarist is Bucky Pizzarelli, according to various discographies:

[grahambop]

Back in the 1970s a schoolfriend of mine used to have one of those ‘Doctor Q’ wah/filter pedals, it sounded very similar.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

It sounds like this 1977 record, in which case the guitarist is Bucky Pizzarelli, according to various discographies

It sure seems like the same cut - and we know it's BP on the one you linked. My first thought was that he'd never have used an effect like that. But he played everything from rock to commercial stuff for many years, and he was truly an innovator. And he was in both Skitch Henderson's NBC band and Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show band. So he had to know and use a variety of effects to be the first call show and session player he was. I'd love to know what we're hearing here - can you imagine Bucky Pizzarelli's 7 string archtop making that sound??

[pauln]

Sounds like an envelope follower more than a wah. In 1977 this effect might have been added in post processing by the studio engineer. Notice that although the guitar solo is straight, the first phrase (@2:50) has the effect, as if the engineer missed the "turn off" mark.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Sounds like an envelope follower more than a wah. In 1977 this effect might have been added in post processing by the studio engineer. Notice that although the guitar solo is straight, the first phrase (@2:50) has the effect, as if the engineer missed the "turn off" mark.

It's some kind of effect like "pick-wah / autowah" (which was done with either a fixed LFO or an envelope follower). I'm wondering if BP was aware that they were going to do that to his sound. If not, I'm absolutely astonished at the chutzpah of the engineer who took it on himself or herself to alter Bucky Pizzarelli's tone

I'd love to know what guitar he was playing on that - it's a Mulligan session, so I assume it's an archtop, although he played some pedestrian instruments at times. I recall a reference in one publication to his playing a 6 string Danelectro bass for some gigs. I can't find any useful info beyond the year of recording and the personnel.

[jameslovestal]

Or if not wah, what is it then, on this version of Walkin Shoes?


I can't readily think of a player who choose to colour his rhythm playing specifically with some form of effect. I know a lot of the younger players like to keep their reverb/delays on at all times.

Philip Catherine uses effects to color his rhythm playing. Here he is with Dexter Gordon on the album Something Different (it is called this because it is one of the few times Gordon used a guitarist instead of a pianist).

[Average Joe]

An envelope filter? I have no first hand experience but based on records I suppose that could be it.
I assumed that the lack of modulation during the solo was down to him leaving a wah in a fixed position, but if its a filter it might be studio trickery.

anyway, I think it’s a fun example of an effect enhancing a part

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

An envelope filter? I have no first hand experience but based on record I suppose that could be it.
I assumed that the lack of modulation during the solo was down to him leaving a wah in a fixed position, but if its a filter it might be studio trickery.

anyway, I think it’s a fun example of an effect enhancing a part

Envelope filter pedals were hot in the '70s and '80s. It's possible he was using one and either stepped on it late before the solo or didn't hit it hard enough the first time. Auto-wah (also called pick wah) is an envelope filter or an oscillator-bsaed effect that's triggered by the attack of each note. It can be set for a variety of wah-like sounds. You can still get pedals that do this, and it's built into many DSP amps and computer sims.

[pauln]

The envelope follower tracks change in signal level to control a change in something else. Generally, of interest to the circuit's filters are the decay and sustain parts of the note's envelope profile (ADSR).


The "something else" controlled are usually tone and modulation effects (wah, phase, flange, chorus, sometimes combinations) but could be swinging pan of the stereo image, variation in reverb, or other things. Compression if applied is after, to enhance the clarity of the effects; compressing in front would limit the level variations the follower would be trying to track.

You can tell in the recording that the effect on the chords is subsequently compressed to smooth out and fully fill in the sound details of the modulation effect.

[sgcim]

Chuck Wayne and Joe Puma used a wah-wah effectively for rhythm guitar in their guitar duo of the 70s, playing strictly jazz standards. It might be on the one record they made.