tap tempo tremelo questions

d_rainger · September 2013

So I seem to have made a tremelo pedal where you set the timing of the modulation by two presses on a tap tempo footswitch. Bearing in mind that most people tap '4's in time with music, is it OK doing it like that - when you have a '1 times' and '4 times' button as well? (ie on '4 times' you get four wobbles to each press). That way you could get a '16s' effect when playing along to a drummer...

Would you really miss a 'speed' knob?

(BTW You can reset the speed by holding the tap button for 1 second...)

Also, if it did only sawtooth wave forms (ramp up and ramp down) but the depth, and the 'mark/space' ratio were adjustable (sound to no-sound ratio) that'd be OK, yes? After all, my Twin Reverb (sawtooth, ramp up) just has 'speed' and 'depth' controls, and muddles by OK somehow...

I'm re-doing the Minor Concussion pedal, and realise there's a whole other side to it... Though there are some limitations.

Whaddyathink?

ICBM · September 2013

Yes, I would really miss a speed knob - I would never buy any type of pedal where the only speed control was tap-tempo. It's not always convenient or the most useful way of setting speed. The 1/4 button is a good idea though.

No, sawtooth-only is not OK. It needs to have a true square wave modulation setting as well - not simply "high depth", as some makers seem to think is what 'hard tremolo' means.

To me, the point of a tremolo pedal is mostly to do more interesting and unusual types of tremolo than an amp, just like the point of a reverb pedal compared to amp reverb.

Just my opinion of course, and quite possibly a minority one.

midiglitch · September 2013

Tap tempo tremolo is my main thing, so I'll bite.

Personally I could cope without a speed knob, and I think I'd get used to that but it's pretty out there and

I could see it putting people off. I think some form of flashing led is pretty much essential so you know roughly what it's set to before you turn it on.

Personally I don't need a 4x switch or whatever because I tap in at the speed I want it to go. What the diamond tremolo that I use has, which is an absolute winner, is that the beat subdivision selector also affects the depth of the tremolo so you get a fast tremolo on top of a slow tremolo type thing. The effect is subtle and perfectly locked in but it has a real nice throb to it, particularly on triplets.

I think you could get away with having sawtooth and not sine or triangle but you really need to have a square wave available (as ICBM said), ideally full on to full off with depth controlling the ratio of time on to time off.

The reverse sawtooth at full depth is a wonderful effect -check out the old "vox repeat percussion" to hear that - it's almost like a short heavy delay. Incidentally someone on the old forum made me one but sadly it clips with my main guitar

Finally, please do include a volume pot with some boost available because tremolo by its nature can give the impression of a volume drop and this has rendered some otherwise good pedals unusable for me.

ThePrettyDamned · September 2013

I agree with icbm. I like the division idea though - electro harmonix do this on the memory boy deluxe, where you can tap tempo into a digital control unit where you can select subdivisions. It remains an analogue bbd circuit, though.

As far as trem pedals go, I like choppy (as in, on-off-on stuff), as well as softer stuff (a la amp style). Anything extra is good, but I'd mostly use the hard square wave setting. It's not used much in metal, but a simply melody turns into an out and out ripping solo sound with that and modulated delay.

However, kudos for being different. I like the subdivisions thing - I think 1 and 1/4 is limited, a triplet one as well would really complete the package.

d_rainger · September 2013

The thing is, when this is on the '1 times' setting, it does that side-chain/ducking thing with the bass drum - makes the drums and guitar pump together, makes the guitar sound 'spring-loaded'! The tremelo is a bonus at the moment, but I'm trying to make more of it... Hence the questions (and the limitations).

It's going to be weird, different - and limited from a tremelo perspective - but make sounds you can't get anywhere else.
Will also work from a bass drum mic, or 'CV in' and have a 10 LED pulse meter on the top.

This is the side-chaining bit...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRNKINx5_Rs
and tap tempo (with tempo correction)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFqNhWVGmEE

Will check out Memory Boy Deluxe and Diamond Tremelo.

What does 'hard tremelo' mean?

ICBM · September 2013

d_rainger said:

What does 'hard tremelo' mean?

Proper square wave modulation, no slope. With the depth on full it goes from full volume to off. The old Boss PN-2 used to be able to do that...

d_rainger · September 2013

Oh - I love that! I have a custom-made non-optical tremelo that does that... Sounds severe, and keeps 'focus' at fast speeds - doesn't get blurry.

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tap tempo tremelo questions

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