Favorite Modulation Effect?

[James Freeman]

Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Vibrato, Tremolo?
Also, what do you think is the most useful modulation effect?

I started to explore the huge world of modulation effects in my modelers, something I did not do before because dry high gain was my main sound.
So far, I prefer more subtle modulation on clean sounds that doesn't sound like swishing/swirling/wobbling, I think Chorus is for me.

Also, is it me or modulation doesn't work well with overdrive/distortion?

 

[la szum]

It sure can sound artificial with dirt. Or you fall into the crater left behind by EVH and
his use of the Phase.

I also think with one guitar in a band/setting it can work better than with multiple
guitars where the warble and whoosh can be create conflicts in modulated tuning.

A little can go a long ways, in my experience, unless we are talking overdubbed
parts or special FXs.

 

[0XI0]

univibe cause it's like an everything bagel, phaser, tremolo, chorus, flanger, all at once

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

What does work very well with OD/Dist modulation-wise is stereo "micropitch" or "detune" (typically using Eventide gear or similar).

For example, set left side say 1.02 and right side .98 with maybe 20ms delay between.

It creates a very wide (L to R) tone that is very similar to standard chorus (because by nature, it is slight modulation with slight delay) but without the standard chorus warble.

For examples, the late 70's (Eventide H910 came out in '75) and 80's era is loaded full of these tones; clean and dirty.

 

[Los-D]

(Stereo )

 

[Whizzinby]

Until a month ago ago it would have been tape Chorus from the Deco pedal or Fractal. I have become addicted to the Electric Mistress flanger of late. Slowish rate to where it gets back into a deep chorus vibe. Kind of stumbled onto it buying the Walking In The Moon pedal, and I can’t turn the f’ing thing off now.

I would def recommend checking out the Tape Chorus on the AxeFx and back down the rate. (I dont like any modulation at a high rate, more for texture)

 

[Los-D]

Also, is it me or modulation doesn't work well with overdrive/distortion?

I guess it depends on what you are looking for? I’m a sucker 80s rack tones with distortion

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I quite like the grey area between chorus and flanger. I'd probably start with a BF-2 or Electric Mistress. I do quite like the vibrato mode on chorus pedals.

absolutely cant stand microshift or chorused heavy guitars. just sounds bad to me

 

[Achilles]

Alex Lifeson late 70s

 

[Orvillain]

Flanger and phaser for me. Chorus can get in the shark tank.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I think they can all kick ass in the right context

 

[Orvillain]

I think they can all kick ass in the right context

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Phaser would be my most used but I love a good tremolo.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I also think with one guitar in a band/setting it can work better than with multiple
guitars where the warble and whoosh can be create conflicts in modulated tuning.

I used to play with another guitarist where he'd have clean dry parts and I'd have clean wet parts like we were one W/D rig. Worked well, at least we thought so.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Phaser for funky things, tremolo for surf, cowboy and what not stuff. Would sometimes like a univibe but don't have a good one accessible in an easy way so I just skip it.

 

[maguchi]

Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Vibrato, Tremolo?
Also, what do you think is the most useful modulation effect?

Right now, probly phaser. I use a EHX Small Stone Phase Shifter. I do like tremelo a lot but many of my amps already got built in tremelo so since I just use the amp's tremelo I can't really count that I guess. I have used chorus a lot in the past, but it's starting to sound kind of dated to me now.

Also, is it me or modulation doesn't work well with overdrive/distortion?

Agree that a lot of modulation effects don't sound that good and kind of muddy with OD/distortion. And if using chorus with gain, it sounds too much like the prototypical '80s hair metal sound.

Phaser would be my most used but I love a good tremolo.

^^^Trufe dat!

Phaser for funky things, tremolo for surf, cowboy and what not stuff.

^^^Ditto.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I love a nice univibe sound. Flanger, phaser, tremolo, chorus... all great too. I tend to like them up front before dirt, although some can go either way depending on what's desired. Like flanger can sound great post dirt adding a nice filtered sound to the notes.

 

[PLX]

Eventide H949

 

[Achilles]

I love a nice univibe sound.

The entire Bridge of Sighs album is my #2 after Lifeson.

 

[FuzzyAce]

The entire Bridge of Sighs album is my #2 after Lifeson.

Yep, the poster child for univibe!