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Re: Sitar-like effect, by accident




>the tablet.  Anyway, by accident I lifted the puck from the tablet and
>it got close to my pickups/strings and generated some very interesting
>sounds, sort of a sitar/spring reverb kind of thing, amplitude varied
>by proximity to strings and pickup.  I would guess this is similar to
>the concept the ebow uses?  I didn't have time to explore it fully,
>but if any of you have a digitizer laying around, check it out, it's
>sort of neat!
>
>Stew Benedict
>Teak Chapman Stick #926

In this case it's probably ac current in the wires of the puck getting
coupled into the pickup windings. It's probably not quite like an ebow. You
could tell if the pitch of the sound was related to the pitch of the
string. An ebow actually drives the string, so you can fret notes. Your
sound is probably a constant pitch?

I think this is like the effect of a motor in close proximity to the
pickups. In addition to being fun stage props and serving other amusing
uses, adjustable-speed vibrators work great for this, since you can vary
the pitch. I know Reeves Gabrels and Dave Navarro are known for using that
technique.

There are probably lots of other electronic doodads with similar effects. I
once ran my guitar through an A/D converter with a digital audio S/PDIF
output. I plugged the s/pdif output directly into a tube amp and wailed
away. I was amazed that the pitch of the resulting sound was the same as
the pitch of the notes I played. How did it sound? Well, I liked it...Like
a hideous fuzz box with some serious problems. And since it was a digital
waveform, there are only two choices for amplitude, on or off. That's a lot
of compression! Or: great sustain! (Do this at your own risk...if you blow
your speakers up, I ain't payin'!)

kim

______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                   | Looper's Delight
kflint@annihilist.com       | http://www.annihilist.com/loop/loop.html
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