tremolo pedals
The tremolo pedal is one of the oldest guitar pedals that are still in use today; actually, the tremolo pedal is the first pedal that came built with an amp.
Back when playing guitar actually began to become a hobby, there were very limited options when it came to changing the tone of the instrument in any way, thus why tremolo pedals came so popular so fast.
Tremolo VS Vibrato
Debating tremolo versus vibrato can be confusing, especially if you don’t know a lot about music. Many guitarists believe that a tremolo pedal is just an effect version of the tremolo bar that’s on the guitar.
When you use the tremolo bar on your guitar, it places extra strain on your strings. This changes the pitch of the guitar, by forcing it to go higher. Once the strain on the strings has been released, the pitch of the guitar will lower, back to how it was.
Whitecap Asynchronous Tremolo
Strymon Flint Tremolo
When you change the pitch of the strings on your guitar, you are creating a vibrato effect. This happens as you are placing and releasing tension on your strings. There is one thing that remains constant, your volume. Tremolo pedals create their effect by altering the volume of your guitar and not the pitch.
Vibrato = Pitch – Tremolo = Volume
Types Of Tremolo Waves
The tremolo pedal is a very simple pedal, and easy to use. However, there are many different types of tremolos and a variety of options to choose from. The difference is in the amount of waveforms produced by the pedals. Transistor based pedals and EA tremolo circuits used to be very popular back in the 60s.
Supro 1310 Analog Harmonic Tremolo
Some tremolo pedals use a photocell system, similar to silver-face Fender amps. The Supa-Trem pedal by Fulltone is an example of this. The Kingsley Bard pedal is a tube based tremolo pedal that offers an authentic bias varying tremolo.
With the recent surge of the digital pedals, there are many new variations available to musicians. Digitally processed signals provide users with endless tremolo options. Diamond and Empress tremolos have analog signal paths that are controlled via a digital center.
Red Belly Tremolo
Triangle Wave Tremolo
This is the most popular form of tremolo. It can be found on large Fender amplifiers, such as Supers and Twins. The waveform rises and falls in a simple, concise and linear fashion. The slopes of the tremolo rise and fall equally. The peaks and lows of the tremolo can be heard clearly through the signal.
TC Electronic PIPELINE TAP TREMOLO
Sine Wave Tremolo
JHS Tidewater Tremolo
The sine wave tremolo effect comes from a modulation of a power tube, or a transistor. It acts like a form of overdrive. This is a simpler form of a tremolo. It is less precise than a triangle wave tremolo. A sine wave will increasingly add and decrease power. which creates an asymmetrical tremolo.
The most extreme form of a sine wave tremolo, can produce the sound of a square wave tremolo. This effect can be described as a syrupy, thick sound. You can hear this in The Kingsley Bard, Mad Professor Mellow Yellow Tremolo, Basic Audio Throbby, and the Monster Effects Swamp Thang.
Mad Professor MAD-HW-MYT
Square Wave Tremolo
If you’re interested in finding an overt effect, you want to use a square wave tremolo. When placed at extreme settings, the square wave tremolo can provide on and off patterns.
EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird Tremolo
Catalinbread Valcoder Tremolo
You can find this effect in the Flicking Vicious Cricket, Earthquaker Devices Hummingbird, and the Catalinbread Valcoder. These tremolo pedals offer the square wave tremolo as a secondary option.
Phase Shift Tremolo
ShapeShifter Stereo Tremolo
The idea for the phase shift tremolos was inspired by the large, brow Fender and Maganatone amplifiers. The phase shift pedal mimics the sine-like rise and fall effect, but also diffuses the signal. As a result, you will have a complex modulation. A good example of the phase shift effect is the Fuchs Crew de la Tremolo and the Effectrode Delta Trem.
Volume Boost Tremolo
The concept behind a volume boost tremolo is for the signal to be altered in a rhythmical way. This is accomplished by cutting out volume and adding volume back in. The signal can be as loud as the unification when the wave of the tremolo is peaked.
Whitecap Asynchronous Tremolo
Caline Killer Shark
There are countless solid pedals available. Manufacturers are always looking for new creations and technology. They are beginning to add bias adjusters, tap tempo, filters, stereo panning, and expression pedals to open new functions sounds in tremolo pedals.
Most modern tremolo pedals offer a boost system, which allows you to increase the overall volume of the signal while the tremolo is in use. This means that the tremolo effect doesn’t need to be quiet in order to receive a drop in volume.
Tremolo Digital Warped Dimension
How Tremolo Pedals Work
All pedals have the same basic operating system. A tremolo pedal makes a type of swooshing sound. It has a circuit that changes the volume of your signal at a certain frequency. The highest level of volume is controlled by how much you feed into the tremolo pedal.
However, the lowest level of volume is controlled by the depth knob on the pedal.
Ibanez Tremolo Mini Pedal
VSN Guitar Tremolo
Once the pedal is turned on, it creates a wave carrier signal that quickly changes the range of your guitar’s raw signal. The volume of your guitar will start at a default value, be lowered to a certain point and brought back up again. This form of oscillation forms a wave. A basic tremolo pedal will provide you with a standard sine wave, while other advanced tremolo pedals will provide you with several waveform options.
The most common and simple pedal is the Boss Tremolo Pedal. The voltage controlled amplifier adjusts the signal amplitude with a very specific waveform in order to create the tremolo sound. These types of basic tremolo pedals have a reliable sound that’s very similar to listening to a vinyl record.
Boss TR-2 Tremolo Pedal
Fender Tre-Verb Digital Reverb/Tremolo
Other types of tremolo pedals use a low-frequency oscillator that feeds the signal back into the amp in phase. This creates the tremolo sound. The low-frequency oscillator helps to create a tremolo effect by adjusting the speed, and creating a sine wave. Some tremolo pedals will use a low-frequency oscillator and combine them with low and high pass filters. An example of this is the Catalinbread Harmonic Mesmerizer tremolo pedal.
There are many different types of tremolo pedals available. They provide musicians with the most basic guitar effects. Being able to properly finesse a tremolo pedal does take some knowledge, skill, and practice.
Catalinbread Valcoder Tremolo
Monument V2 Harmonic Tap Tremolo
Tremolo pedals can range from basic to complex circuitry. This is why some of the best boutique tremolo pedals can be expensive. If you’re looking for a more complex pedal then prepare to spend more money.
Most musicians are fine using a basic tremolo pedal, because they give musicians a core performance. This is what made the pedal famous in the first place.
Keeley Hydra Stereo
Dunlop MXR Tremolo
If you plan on writing or performing music with a tremolo pedal, you should consider a more versatile and unique pedal. Tremolo pedals are far from a static effect. They allow musicians to produce limitless functionality and creativity.
Recommended Tremolo Pedals
Fulltone Supa-Trem Jr Tremolo
This pedal features big sound in a compact package, with intelligent tremolo technology, and three switchable waveforms. Believe it or not, this little trem pedal might out-do its predecessor. Big Sound in a Compact PackageThe dimensions of this pedal are surprising considering the sound effects it can produce.
Electro-Harmonix Stereo Pulsar Tremolo
Generates undulating tremolo and panning that will fill any stage or recording. Switch selectable vintage triangle or square wave. Shape control transitions from negative to positive saw tooth or adjusts the pulse width.
Source Audio SA243 Vertigo Tremolo
The Vertigo Tremolo offers three distinct tremolo effects. Normal tremolo delivers a divine renewal of the thumping “opto trem” amplitude modulation found in vintage Blackface Fenders. Harmonic revives the haunting sway of the Fender Super’s “Vibrato” effect from the early 60s – this vintage tremolo ping-pongs between a low and high frequency boost, creating a swinging phaser-ish effect. Finally, the sweetly overdriven Bias tremolo creates the swampy “bias wiggle” of early tube bias modulation.
Jim Dunlop MXR Tremolo
The MXR Tremolo’s six tremolo waveforms represent classic and iconic sources of the effect as well as new sounds concocted by the MXR design team. First, the MXR style recreates the organic sound and pulse of the much beloved M159 MXR Stereo Tremolo. Next, the Bias style takes after the lush, power-soaked compression of tremolo effects that came equipped on early 1960s tube amplifiers.
Most musicians are fine using a basic tremolo pedal, because they give musicians a core performance. This is what made the pedal famous in the first place.
If you plan on writing or performing music with a tremolo pedal, you should consider a more versatile and unique pedal. Tremolo pedals are far from a static effect. They allow musicians to produce limitless functionality and creativity.
Parabola Solid State Tremolo
