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Wah-Wah Techniques

by Mark Starlin

The Wah-Wah pedal has been around for over thirty years and it continues to be a popular effect for many guitarists. Essentially a tone filter pedal that sweeps from bass to treble and back creating a vocal-like “wah” sound, this simple device can be heard on thousands of hit records.

Jimi Hendrix was one of the early users who popularized it among rock guitarists. Clapton, Trower, Santana, and numerous others also jumped on the wah bandwagon. That’s not to say that rock musicians were the only ones using the Wah-Wah. In fact its inherently “funky” sound can be heard on countless Soul and Funk songs of the 60s and 70s. Let’s take a look at some the techniques that can improve your “wah-ability.”

Adding Spice To A Riff

Many rock riffs could be improved with the help of a little wah. Here is a short riff played without wah:

Now here is the same riff played with wah added:

Not all riffs sound better with wah, but many do. If your riffs are sounding a little too pedestrian, try a little wah.

Muted Wah

Muting the strings as you rock the wah-wah pedal can give you a cool percussive effect. Here is a sample:

To create this effect place your finger gently across the strings of the guitar fretboard to dampen (or muffle) the strings. Now rock the pedal back and forth as you strum out a rhythm. This can be a great intro or second guitar part.

Now let’s take it one step further and add some chords to the mix:

In this example, I play a chord and then lift my fingers up to mute the strings while I rock the wah and strum. This gives you that great “chucka — chucka”’ sound.

In Tempo Rhythm Guitar

If you use a clean tone and rock the pedal in tempo with the music, you can get a great funk sound:

Experiment with different rhythms and see what you can come up with.

Waves

Looking for a unique intro or ending to a song? Try some waves:

Simple play a chord once and rock the pedal quickly back and forth.

Tone Pedal

Ever wish your amp had more tones? With the help of a Wah-Wah it can. Simply rock the pedal until you find a tone you like and leave it there. You can get some really snarly tone doing this, here is an example:

Placement

Place the wah at the start of your effects chain and you will get a more subtle effect. Place the wah at the end of the effects chain and it will quack like a duck!

Wah-Wahs can make your playing more expressive and personal, something every player should strive for.

examples

  • Recommended Wahs
    Available at Guitar Center
  • Here are some wah pedals that have received good reviews and/or high ratings by players.
  • Dunlop 95Q Crybaby Wah Pedal Standard
  • Dunlop 95Q Crybaby Wah Pedal
  • Dunlop has taken the original Crybaby and added the three most popular and requested upgrades: the famous Q" control, which varies the intensity of the wah effect by adjusting the effect's bandpass shape; the volume Boost, for up to +15 dB added gain; and Dunlop's Auto-Return function that automatically engages the effect when you place your foot on the pedal. The 95Q is a flexible tone monster that retains the original Crybaby's fast-reacting characteristics. Heavy die-cast steel construction. Q dial. Made in the USA.
  • Vox Joe Satriani Big Bad Dual Wah Guitar Effects Pedal Standard
  • Vox Joe Satriani Big Bad Dual Wah Guitar Effects Pedal Standard
  • Benefitting from Joe Satriani's years of experience and built to his specifications, the VOX Big Bad Wah is a dual-mode pedal with switchable access to two wah modes and unique features for a wide range of wah sounds. Wah One faithfully replicates classic VOX wah sound, albeit hot-rodded to Joe's specs. Wah Two delivers all the wah-pedal know-how that Satriani has accumulated over many years, as well as the ability to customize your own wah sound. The Drive knob mimics the Wah 1 gain at its lowest setting; at its highest, it delivers a 10dB boost for aggressive, growling overtones. The Voice switch instantly takes you from traditional wah voicing to a dark, resonant tone reminiscent of a vintage talk box.
  • Budda BudWah Wah Pedal Standard
  • Budda BudaWah Wah
  • The Budda BudWah Wah Pedal uses a custom inductor that is voiced to produce the midrange honk of vintage wahs without the top-end harshness. At bass settings, the tone is thick and honky without losing note clarity. When accentuating the highs, a carefully selected roll-off frequency ensures the BudWah isn't piercing like many wahs. A tight and focused tone sweep produces an outstanding vocal-like quality. Circuitry features a hard-wire bypass; custom coil inductor inspired by the vintage Fasel inductor; full-ground plane board for noiseless operation; and a beefy, reliable switch.
  • George Dennis GD30 Wah-Wah Pedal Standard
  • George Dennis GD30 Wah
  • Based on Hendrix's superb wah sound with 21st-century quality technology. Exceptionally pronounced wah effects can also be switched to clean mode for a broad range of musical effects.

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