How to Use a Wah Wah Pedal

Wah pedals usually have on and off buttons underneath the "toe" end.

Learning to use a wah wah pedal can help you add another dimension to your guitar playing, but it can be confusing if you've never used one. Many guitarists, such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Slash, have used wah wah pedals in their playing, and the effect produces a literal "wah wah" sound, which adds a funky edge to your playing. The pedal actually boosts the bass and treble alternately to create the sound. Learning to operate your wah wah pedal can help you get the most out of the unit.

Instructions

1. Plug your guitar into the "Input" jack of the wah wah pedal. Connect a wire from the "Output" jack to the "Input" on your guitar amplifier. Experiment with different arrangements if you have many different effects pedals, which can result in some interesting sounds.

2. Activate the pedal by stomping on the "toe" end of the pedal. Wah wah pedals generally are set into "active" mode through a push button located underneath the upper, or "toe" end of the pedal. Wah wah pedals usually pivot closer to the heel and are arranged so the "toe" end of the pedal is at the top. Some wah wah pedals have buttons in other locations, such as beside the footswitch.

3. Play a note on your guitar. Wah wah pedals adjust the tone of the instrument, so the sound you get from this note may be different, depending on the current position of the pedal. Assuming you have just pushed the "toe" end of the pedal down, the treble should be dominant. Press down the pedal at the "heel" end to get more of a bass tone.

4. Rock the pedal backwards and forwards while a note is sounding. This produces the recognizable "wah wah" effect and accounts for most guitarists' usage of the pedal. Push down the "toe" end of the pedal in time to the song you're playing.

5. Quickly vibrate the pedal while playing a chord to get a "wave" effect on your strum. Experiment with different pedal positions to find a unique tone. Gradually press the pedal down during a solo to create a sense of "release" as the muted bass tones gradually turn into clear and striking trebles.

6. Stomp on the "toe" end of the pedal to set it into "bypass" mode. Press the same button you pressed to switch the pedal on, or it may be different, depending on your model of wah wah pedal. Some pedals automatically turn off when the "heel" end is pressed down.

References

• betterguitar.com; Mark Starlin: Wah-Wah Techniques

Resources

• Thomann: Wah Pedals
• Jim Dunlop: Cry Baby 95Q
• Vox: V847 Owner's Manual