Favorite Modulation Effect?

[dronerstone]

Lots of different sounds can be made. From tremolo to metal grinding effects. Typically just a little wet in the mix is best. Too much is often too crazy and that's where ring mod gets a bad rap. Fixed pitch is good for tremolo. Variable pitch tracking for leads and riffs.

Ring mod isn't instant love. I used to hate it. But over time, I've experimented with it and found many sweet spots. It can sound especially glorious in stereo applications.

Thanks TJ! I'll give it a spin.

Where would you place them in the signal chain if you were rather new to ring mods?

 

[unix-guy]

Rotary.

Dimension 2 chorus (Fractal) with very low mix.

Similar for me... Lately I've been playing with the Japan CE-2 chorus model.

I took a break from Chorus for a couple years.

For me, lower Mix and slower Rate are keys.

I also have an Envelope Phaser that I like where I assigned the envelope follower to a couple parameters so the the effect is more pronounced with heavier playing.

 

[TJontheRoad]

Thanks TJ! I'll give it a spin.

Where would you place them in the signal chain if you were rather new to ring mods?

Early in the chain before any dirt or other mods.

 

[HomespunEffects]

This is my current group of modulation pedals:

The Arion SCH-1 is probably my favorite. The black pedal on the bottom right is a VFE Tractor Beam.

However, the flanger and chorus on this is amazing.

My answer is chorus. Especially, stereo chorus.

 

[2112]

A free ring mod tricks here



I'm currently playing a show where I use the FM9 ring mod as an octaver or for a vibe/phaser type tone. Great all rounder.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

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?

TREMOLO-o-O-o-O-o-O!!!!!! With reverb in front.

 

[GuitarAddicted]

Jam Pedals Waterfall Chorus

 

[ragingplatypi]

Might not be your thing, but Ariel Posen has some sort of harmonic tremolo he uses with dirt to great effect.

When I play live instead of modulation I’ll often just use a wah and rock it back and forth in time. Works good enough clean and dirty.

 

[DrewJD82]

I think they can all kick ass in the right context

This, 100%.

 

[Piing]

RA-200

 

[TSJMajesty]

RA-200
View attachment 23856

 

[TubeStack]

I usually go with phase for dirty humbuckers, univibe for single coils, and chorus on cleans. All of which I love in the Helix.

 

[metropolis_4]

It totally depends on the song, but Flanger is probably my favorite

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

I love them all and will use them based on whatever kind of music I'm writing.

Right now, I've been experimenting more with ring modulation (using an MF Ring with expression), and classic tremolo (Pedal Pawn Chicken Quiff).

 

[James Freeman]

The more I play with flanger the more I like it. On clean guitar with low settings it's a nicer chorus than chorus.
I fell for the prejudice that flanger is just jet swish simulator a la Van-Halen/Barracuda, that's actually the least useful sound in a flanger.

 

[AutomationBias]

No love for ring modulation? When you want weird, except no substitutes.

I absolutely love ring modulators. Chick Corea playing his Rhodes through a ring modulator is one of the best sounds in the universe.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Wayne Krantz = ring mod king.

 

[Whizzinby]

The more I play with flanger the more I like it. On clean guitar with low settings it's a nicer chorus than chorus.
I fell for the prejudice that flanger is just jet swish simulator a la Van-Halen/Barracuda, that's actually the least useful sound in a flanger.

This is where I’m landing too. Or a preset with both running in parallel.

Try both of Leon’s Elastic Matress block libraries on the Frac.

 

[James Freeman]

Few things I've learned;
1. A little goes a long way, modulation is easy to overdo.
2. It is important to adjust modulation in headphones or when you don't hear the acoustic sound of your guitar.
Why? Because most modulation effects are a blend of your dry signal and the modulated signal, so when you also hear the acoustic signal from your guitar you effectively hearing more Dry signal which affects how you hear the combined effect hence adjust it, which brings us to point 1 again.

subtle flanger+ subtle tremolo = magic

 

[TJontheRoad]

Next favorite in the under used mod category is leslie/rotary effects. Funky clean strumming taken next level.