packcrush

For ages now I've wanted to replicate that really cool noise Edge makes with his guitar during Mofo. I've watched the performance from the EMAs, and he just seems to hold a note, but the pitch is continually changing. Does anyone know what exactly he's doing here, and any effects he's using? Thanks.

Gavin.

Oh, this is my first post too. Hi!

GibsonGirl

He's using a Whammy pedal.

http://www.digitech.com/products/whammy.htm

Edit: Oh, and welcome!

packcrush

Thank you very much!

Gavin.

packcrush

So the Whammy will allow me to shift the pitch, but will it allow me to hold the note for that length of time? The Edge holds that note for well over 10 seconds when he plays those bits in Mofo live.

X-it 7

Very cool! Just passing by, but I've often wondered myself how he gets that effect.

Thanx!

frozenmuze04

Yeah - a whammy will hold the note as long as your guitar will sustain it.

He's also using something else there, as well - I remember reading about his "rig" for that song in I think Q Magazine when Pop came out. There are several pedals at work there. Some sort of phaser, and a compressor, I remember that, along with the whammy.

TheFlyOnTheWall

I thought he wasn't producing that noise, that it was someone else... but now that i know, that's cool. Cause you can't really hear the "ordinary" guitar in that song..

discothequeLP

i have a question about that note. . . it seems that Edge plays a single note, with the whammy set at an octave or two higher, and he chagnes the note with the pedal -- that is very very difficult to do! how does he do it! just plain skills or what?

GibsonGirl

I was wondering about that too. I can handle the steady downward and upward technique, but my pedal just can't deal with the length of the note, no matter how much I tweak the settings. Whenever I try to play it on my RP-200, it just fuzzes out when I try to bring it back up again. I find that playing two notes of the same pitch at the same time helps to extend the sound for a little longer, but it still stinks. Must have something to do with Edge's setup.

OffAxis

Add some major compression. He's basically creating a bit of feedback loop there. A MXR DynaComp does wonders in creating this sound. Using a Herdim pick will help too b/c it will snap the string more. The right distortion is critical too as this will add sustain too, most likely he was using the SD-1 b/c that was his distortion workhorse for many years, but don't quote me on that. Lastly he's playing that song on his Les Paul Custom which can hold a note longer than any guitar out there. It's a combination pick-ups, fret, and heavy ass wood.

chrisjnyc

I believe Edge calls this his "747 sound" made by using the Korg SDD-3000 delay, a fuzz face, and the whammy pedal.

The key is to crank up the volume on your amp, this will add tons of sustain to the point of feedback.

OffAxis

Everyone says this is the 747 sound, but in an interview in Guitar magazine back in 1997, he mentions the 747 sound is the sound in the intro to Gone. There was so much feedback, delay, reverb, and room echo that the whole thing (the music) could get away from you and sound like a 747 jet.

Venkman

E-Bow is used on this too me thinks

ElBorde77

Hello!!
I love this song, specially live, is full of energy. My question is if is there any way of playing this song without having a whammy pitch sifter or a wah wah pedal. I´m a begginer and I only have a Zoom 505 pedal that allows me autowahwah. Any idea of how can i make the waka waka sound, and the scream sound? ??
Huge thanks!!

tpsglick2424

Venkman, I'm pretty sure he doesn't use the E-bow for it..

Elborde77, that waka waka sound you here I think is a backing track (what ever you call it) It is pre-recorded for the show in a studio... (I think it's also for that begining sound of Gone)