On getting whale sounds

[firebreather]

Hi all

Did a search but couldn't find anything, I'm interested to know how I can get a whale like kind of sound, do I need a modulator or a specific kind of pedal for that effect? The closest thing I have to emulate is a wah pedal & some delay but I don't think it's quite right, much appreciated if anyone can help me out.

E.g. would be Grand Avenue's - After The Rain (Right at about 3:36 - 3:59 on cd) & about (3:00 - 3:20) on youtube. Link here - http://youtube.com/watch?v=c67IdYBgz8s

Thanks all.

 

[Gr3y]

i'm not too sure if it's the same technique but after watching this you should be able to do something very close to wad u wanna achieve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38iI6fLBCp4

 

[TidesOfBlood]

try using a violin bow with your strings. i am not kidding.

 

[kerplunk182]

Get Ellen Degeneres.




Or an Ebow.

 

[ShredCow]

A regular bow will be difficult to use. You need... a special bow. A ... Piranha guitar bow. http://www.piranhaguitarbow.com/



Or an ebow. Or sustainiac system.

Can be done without all of them via feedback but that's a little hard to control/accomplish live.

Lots of reverb / delay.

 

[firebreather]

Thanks all!, yes I'm trying to do this live without the use of a bow. Any more suggestions?

The Piranha Bow looks interesting btw, thanks for the link!

 

[ShredCow]

Take a look at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-zjnVmuTzs

If you can get feedback on a lower note - either by actually playing a lower note or using what, an octave down? - then maybe you can do it without any extra stuff... other than having extra volume that is.

 

[gsonique]

volume knob swell
volume pedal swell
Boss SG1 Slow Gear
Line 6 Echo Park

actually am working on a design to achive nice analog volume swells and maybe with an external trigger ...: )

 

[THOA]

Not sure if it's the same, but I can achieve the sound done in the intro with delay, chorus, and reverb, and by playing with guitar's volume knob:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3vF88aEJKPc

 

[firebreather]

Of course.. a volume pedal! That's it! Thanks guys!

 

[firebreather]

Not sure if it's the same, but I can achieve the sound done in the intro with delay, chorus, and reverb, and by playing with guitar's volume knob:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3vF88aEJKPc

Yes! Exactly what I'm trying to do! RATM rocks!

 

[RoRK]

A phaser, delay and th emost important of all - a trmelo bar is what you need. Go and have a listen to a few whale sounds. The characteristics call for 'weird' tonal changes. I can only think of a tremelo bar that can do such changes.

Check out Adrian Belew who is numero uno for creating off-beat sounds, especially animal sounds with his guitar. And Mr Belew is a master with the twang bar.

Ebow sucks unless you want really long sustains.

Stick with the volume knob - it'll also help you to play with feel. It's a great exercise to get to know your fingers and your guitar better.

 

[firebreather]

Thanks Rork, but I've seen it done without the use of a tremolo, more of like a swell I think, will a flanger help in this? I haven't had time to mess around with my effects as of late, also the only knob on my guitar is the vol. knob so I know it pretty well hehhe.

 

[RoRK]

What the RATM guitarist did is nothing close to what a whale sounds like. Check out http://www.whalesounds.com . Those are whale sounds.

Volume swells alone can't create sounds like that unless an Octaver is used in conjunction, but then what ar eyou going to use the Octaver with? A whammy bar is the way to go.

Volume swells create more of a violin-like sound. It's tonal qualities are vastly different from that of whales.

 

[firebreather]

Thanks for clearing up my doubts Rork!, I guess what I should be looking at are the violin-esque sounds instead of 'whale sounds'. Thanks all, this is very much appreciated!

 

[THOA]

Yes! Exactly what I'm trying to do! RATM rocks!

Hmm.. as Rork pointed out, whale sounds sounds alot different from volume swells (we learn something new here, don't we? )

Then again if you are looking to sound like what Morello did there, you need to know that his set up is actually really simple.

Anyway, as I had suggested, delay, chorus and reverb. The delay and reverb is important, they help to sustain notes while you pluck on th next note with your volume at zero. Chorus is to thicken the sound a little.

Don't overdo the levels though, otherwise it's gonna get very distorted.

 

[RoRK]

Thanks for clearing up my doubts Rork!, I guess what I should be looking at are the violin-esque sounds instead of 'whale sounds'. Thanks all, this is very much appreciated!

Good! I was a few keystrokes away from practicing my Hokkien, online. :mrgreen:

How the heck did you confuse whale sounds with volume swells and got everyone else along for the ride is way beyond me?


Mr Goose, you gotch funky pedal wanna give RoRK to test?