"Higher Ground" effect?

[jmusser]

I was listening to Steve Wonder's "Higher Ground" song on the oldies station the other night, and I was wondering if anyone would know what the effect was that was being used in that song. There may be no effect perse', it may be a setting on the keyboards. It was a sort of wah tone that happenened after every note that was played. I don't know if it was thumbed base through an auto-wah or what, but it's ultra funky. It's more of a "bonk" sort of sound, where the note cuts off real quick. I can get a similar sound with my electric banjo through my French Fries, since there is no sustain from the note. Take that through a MOC-1 Octave pedal, and you have a really nice funk bass!

[Johnny Guitar]

It's been a while since I heard that song (too long -- it's a great song). I could very well be wrong but I remember two very popular things being released around this time which I think Stevie WOnder used a lot: the Hohner Clavinet and the Mutron envelope follower (which I forget the proper name of at the moment).

I really think that is what he uses, but I could be thinking of a different song.

[Peter Snowberg]

That's a Mutron III that you're hearing.

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=135&Itemid=149

If I recall correctly, Stevie was one of the first users and Higher Ground was one of the first recordings done with it.

Now for Clavinet upgrades....
http://www.gti.net/junebug/clavinet/d6upgrade.htm

[jmusser]

Thanks for the links! I have not been around keyboards much, so I hadn't heard of the Clavinet.

[Johnny Guitar]

Thanks for the links! I have not been around keyboards much, so I hadn't heard of the Clavinet.

Yeah, the Clavinet was very cool. It's the sound of Stevie Wonder's Superstition as well (possibly without the Mutron -- I need to dig out some of my old Stevie Wonder records to catch up).

[puretube]

the Mutron (& Q-tron) inventor (Mike Beigel) got infos on one of his sites:
http://diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=28074&highlight=mutron

[Mark Hammer]

Dave Hunter's book also claims that the clavinet Mutron combo used in "Higher Ground" was one of the things that effectively "launched" sales of the Mutron III and Musitronics.

[jmusser]

Thanks for the links Puretube. There was a whole lot of information there that I never knew, because I haven't been into effects all my life like a lot of you. From what I understand of the article, that particular effect is what put Musitronics on the map period, just like Mark said. It interesting that out of all the songs there are, I would have picked that one out specifically because of it's unique sound, and it just happened to be a release of a new product, by a new firm, at the time of song's release!

[R.G.]

Neat stuff.

[jmusser]

I finally got my computer fixed, and redownloaded PDF, so I could check out your Neutron Filter. Wow! What a labor of love that must have been for you to put in that kind of time and effort into the documentation process. You have not 1, but 4 options on optoisolators, full parts list with values and Mouser part numbers, PC layout, off board wiring, and the actual layout for a specific Hammond box. Very impressive!