Finished the slow gear - whats the point?

[jimbob]

I recently finished this build and I have to say I dont get it. After some adjusting it get a swell like volume sort of thing but other than that nothing spectacular- Iwas hoping for more of a violin type sound but no go. It sound as though a volume knob is being turned up and down but not regularly. Anyways, anyone else build this thing only to be let down OR does it sound as though i have something wrong here? Btw- I used all the recommended parts on the list.

[$uperpuma]

unimpressed? You've built it correctly.

[choklitlove]

it's actually a pretty cool effect if you play the right parts for it.  imo, of course.

[dmk]

add some delay/reverb after it 

[jonathan perez]

i dont think a guitar can sound like a violin without a synth...

[bluesdevil]

Yeah, you have to play to it a bit to get the right effect. If you can afford it, it would be better to just buy the Line 6 Echo Park pedal and save the hassle.

[MartyMart]

Yeah, the Echo Park is absolutely worth the money 

[RaceDriver205]

First of all, high-gain distortion before it, delay/reverb after it. Not an effect known for its user-friendlyness but it does work when you get the hang of it.

[Meanderthal]

i dont think a guitar can sound like a violin without a synth...

Ahem... Jimmy page? Just use a bow...

[John Lyons]

It falls into the live with it a while group. You do need to play it as an instrument. Once you learn it it may make more sence.
Violin like is a deceiving description. That comes from the fact that the guitar is plucked and is a percussive instrument as where a violin is bowed and just produces sound without much initial attack. The Slow gear takes away the attack by delaying the picking sound and raising the level after the initial picking attack. Depending on how and what you play it can sound like backwards recorded guitar or "violin".

John

[tiges_ tendres]

Has any one tried the guyatone version of the slow gear?

[Mark Hammer]

The fundamental sad truth about guitars is that, unless you use a a distortion device, all the harmonic content happens in the 50msec or so after picking, then you're back down to the fundamental pretty much.  When tape is reversed, or when a digital sample is reversed, all that treble is preserved and added in at the last moment.  When a violin string is bowed into movement, harmonic content is actually added over time.

So, if one uses a simple volume ramp-up like the Slow Gear, and suppresses the initial attack, it is a bit like arriving late to the party after all the good snacks have been distributed and eaten and all that's left are zucchini sticks and a bit of dip stuck to the side of the bowl.  Ideally, the effect you want to be able to do uses some sort of distortion to retain some harmonic content for a while, and a simultaneously ramped-up volume AND tone control, such that as the note swells, the harmonics start to become more apparent.  That second aspect is key to a more desirable and authentic reverse sound.

The third, missing element in getting a more inspiring "reverse" sound is the finger vibrato.  Remember that since the string energy dissipates quickly, we normally attempt to keep the string in motion (i.e., adding sustain) by means of finger vibrato.  When you listen to true reverse-tape/sample, one of the things you notice is that the vibrato is now at the start of the note not the end.  Of course, a basic Slow Gear circuit does not accomplish this.  The old Boss VB-2 Vibrato pedal had a ramp-up time for gradually introducing vibrato/pitch-warble, but to more authentically emulate reverse sounds, one would need to flip that so that vibrato gets faded out over ime instead.

In short, mimicking all the various distinctive properties of reverse tape requires a substantially more complex circuit than what Boss ever built into the Slow Gear.  The SG provides a big turkey to stick in the oven.  It lacks the trimmings, stuffing and seasoning to make it taste good and appeal to the diner/user. In my books, it is a largely "unfinished" effect, though there is still a lot of uses for a slow volume ramp-up even if you aren't aiming for reverse tape.  Sticking some chorus on ahead of it, and a bit of reverb after it, can produce some really lush chord sounds that can put one's guitar squarely in "pad" territory.  I realize synth pads are not what many rockers want, but the point is that a basic volume ramp-up is not entirely useless.

[Doug_H]

I think a volume pedal or "pinky on the volume knob if you can reach it" is much more effective for this sort of thing. Once you try to use this technique for leads you quickly find out that you are either glad or wish you had control of the swell speed. For notes of similar duration, electronic envelope control with static release time works fine. You can do this sort of thing with the envelope controller on my HOG. But once you try to "get fancy" with your lead line you quickly discover its limitations. (That's not to say the env controller is not useful for other stuff, it is. )

[sfr]

The one time I played with a Slow Gear, I only found it useful for the funky sounds you could get by playing short, quick staccatto phrases and having it set to swell quickly.  Honestly, anything else the Slow Gear does, I can do better with a volume pedal or pinky swells.  

Marks comments about it's potential uses are right one though.  It might not make a "violin", but you can get some cool sounds of volume swells.  (Think pedal steel players for another good example).

It know it's not DIY and out of many peoples price ranges, but I have gotten some pretty great, and often dead-on violin/cello sounds (and even a pretty good string quartet) with a Electro Harmonix H.O.G. - a little distortion afterwards helps it.

[sfr]

I think a volume pedal or "pinky on the volume knob if you can reach it" is much more effective for this sort of thing. Once you try to use this technique for leads you quickly find out that you are either glad or wish you had control of the swell speed. For notes of similar duration, electronic envelope control with static release time works fine. You can do this sort of thing with the envelope controller on my HOG. But once you try to "get fancy" with your lead line you quickly discover its limitations. (That's not to say the env controller is not useful for other stuff, it is. )

I like to use the envelope control on the HOG to put a little space between the high and low voices, but use a volume pedal at the end of the chain for greater control.

[Mark Hammer]

The Tone Core Echo Park (and the Line 6 DL-4, from what I understand) have a mode called "swell", which has each repeat introduced gradually, with a volume ramp-up.  If you set the mix to 100% wet. set regeneration to zero (i.e., no repeats), and set the delay time to the shortest possible, it will do a very nice Slow Gear type volume ramp-up.  Since you aren't supposed to hear the initial attack anyways, the missing note content for that first 50msec or so until this single repeat gets heard is not noticed.  The reverse setting on the EP is delightful in its own way, but anyone who has used each type of effect can probably vouch for it being easier to work out things in your mind with the Slow Gear type of ramp-up as opposed to a reversed effect.  With the one, any notes you play are in reverse order, whereas with the other they are played in the order you play them it, which is a little more improv-friendly.

[Doug_H]

I like to use the envelope control on the HOG to put a little space between the high and low voices,

I like to do that too. I like the sound of swelling the highs in after the lows. Sounds  a little artificial feedback. It's also fun to set the highs real short for a "pizacatta" (sp?) like sound.

[jimbob]

It know it's not DIY and out of many peoples price ranges, but I have gotten some pretty great, and often dead-on violin/cello sounds (and even a pretty good string quartet) with a Electro Harmonix H.O.G.

I might get one some time and give it a try. I have heard a lot of good about the HOG. I also think Ill go ahead and pack the SG1 board away for some other time, when a great mod or 2 is developed making it more user friends and simply useable. I really am running out of new things to build. Maybe Ill wait and see how everyones ADA turns out.

The Tone Core Echo Park (and the Line 6 DL-4, from what I understand) have a mode called "swell", which has each repeat introduced gradually, with a volume ramp-up

I used to own this but decided there were too many damned things involved. I'm all about simplicity.

I guess I can always buy an EBow. Unless someone has a great/easy way to make one. I think someone around here tried it not too long ago.

[Doug_H]

I also think Ill go ahead and pack the SG1 board away for some other time, when a great mod or 2 is developed making it more user friends and simply useable. I really am running out of new things to build.

Why don't you work on developing a mod for it?

[MartyMart]

I have TWO "swell" circuits, they work great and are real cheap :











My "pinky"
My volume pedal .... 

MM