Hi Andy,
Yes it is true that the Ebow sounds very different on an
instrument with a magnetic p/u, the reason for that I mentioned
in my description:
"The (Ebow's internal) amplifier is not very powerful and
is easily driven into square wave clipping, which is plainly audible
in an electric instrument when the excitation coil is positioned above
the instrument's own pickup."
That squarewave distortion provides much of the characteristic
tone associated with the Ebow,
The original Ebow demo tape has some -expert- examples of
arpeggios and other techniques.. it's stunning how good that demo
still is.
-CZ
Charles Zwicky wrote:
Here's my simple explanation:
Nice explanation. (especially about the 2 coils, I didn't know
that)
I'd add (more explicitly) that the ebow
sounds very different
on an instrument with a magnetic p/u.
The output coil in the ebow is 'picked up' directly by the magnetic
p/u
in a guitar. That's why you get that heavily distorted tone, and why
by
careful positioning of the ebow you can get a very precise control of
dynamics.
(either move the ebow along the string, or lift it slightly to vary
the distance
from the p/u).
To avoid the distorted tone you can use the ebow over the
fingerboard,
but it has to be a long way from the p/u.
....obviously piezos are immune.
The shape of the ebow, where it contacts the strings, is not only
to make it easy to position. Drawing the ebow across the strings gives
a light plucking action
that can help to start the note. (that's how the arpeggios
described
in the manual are possible).
andy
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