Difference between pages "Korg Kaoss Pad" and "Digitech Whammy"

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[[Image:M1d1manson.jpg|thumb|right|M1D1 Manson]]
[[File:DigiTechWH4.jpg|thumb|right|Digitech WH4]]
[[Image:MuseOnStageGear2015.jpg|thumb|right|Morgan's On-Stage Gear with the Kaoss Pad KP3 (left)]]
The '''Whammy''' is a pitch-shifter pedal produced by DigiTech. It was the first widely known effect pedal which utilises a foot controller which controls all the pitch shifting effects. The pedal emulates the sounds that are usually made with a "whammy" bar - giving the pedal it's name.
The Korg Kaoss Pad is a touch-operated dynamic real-time effects controller and sampling unit. The base of the Kaoss Pad lays around an XY pad - as you move your finger around the pad you are controlling many sophisticated aspects of a built-in effects processor. Move your finger left to right and you control certain aspects of the sound. Move it up and down and you control other parameters. The Kaoss Pad produces complex sounds that are hard to achieve with any other controller.


The Korg Kaoss Pad is packed with sampling effects like like filters, delays, reverb, and flanging, along with DJ effects like isolator, slicer, and auto-panning. Programs are selectable via a rotating knob. The programs are assignable to eight of the memory buttons for instant recall. The Kaoss Pad also comes with several synth sounds including analog synth programs and ethereal ambiance-type sounds, aswell as vocoder programs for MC or vocal processing. The Kaoss Pad also includes it's own "light show", creating a sense of groove.
The first Whammy (WH-1) was built in 1989. It's most notable users are [[Tom Morello]] and Jonny Greenwood of [[Radiohead]]. The two still use the pedalduethe iconic glitching sounds which the early versions of the Whammy made. The Digitech Whammy II was the only Whammy pedal to be encased in a completely different black chasis but, in contrast to WH-1, includes an option to save one preset setting. The II was followed up by the DigiTech XP-100 Whammy-Wah, a more complex pedal, incorporating whammy and wah effects, this version was followed by the DigiTech Whammy IV. It marked the Whammy's return to the original design, with the red paint, but also including new features such as the "dive-bomb" and a MIDI control option. The IV was followed by the DT in 2011. It's the first Whammy model to include polyphonic shifting and true-bypass. The DT is wider and includes a Drop-Tune section, allowing the user to tune the guitar down with a flick of a switch as opposed to fiddling around with the machine heads. The DT was followed by the Whammy V - Similar to Whammy DT but without the Drop-Tune section. The V also includes a selection between the "Classic" or the "Chords" modes. The classic mode simulates the monophonyc glitchyness of the first editions, while the chords mode makes it polyphonic and thus suitable for playing chords. The Bass Whammy was also built, released alongside the Whammy II, but was more suitable for bass.


The first Kaoss Pad was launched in 1999. In 2002, the second generation Kaoss Pad (known as the KP2) was laucned. It was succeeded by the Kaoss Pad KP3 in 2006 and it was succeeded by the KP3+ model in 2013.  
Out of all the Whammy models, Bellamy used the IV, V and DT models. The ability of it being controlled by MIDI is also one of the strongest points why Bellamy chooses to use these models. Some of Bellamy's guitars, such as [[007 Manson | 007]] and [[Bomber Manson | Bomber]] have MIDI strips on, and this allows Bellamy to change the pitch on the Whammy by running his finger along the MIDI strip. The Whammy can also be controlled by MIDI via the X-Y pad.


== Kaoss Pad KP2 ==
The DigiTech Whammy is one of Bellamy's main effects and he uses it a lot in solos to change the pitch of the notes being played (usually up and down an octave). It can be heard when listening to the solos of [[Sunburn (song)|Sunburn]], [[New Born (song)|New Born]], [[Reapers (song)|Reapers]], [[Thought Contagion (song)|Thought Contagion]], or the middle of [[Recess (song)|Recess]] and parts of the "Grand Omega Bosses" edit of [[Assassin (song)|Assassin]]. He also uses it for the Invincible tapping solo and during the outro riff after [[New Born (song)|New Born]] when played live. The Whammy, in combination with the [[Fernandes Sustainer]], was also used in the intro of [[Uprising (song)|Uprising]] during The 2nd Law tour. The Digitech Whammy is also heavily used on [[Unsustainable (song)|Unsustainable]] and [[Map Of The Problematique (song)|Map Of The Problematique]].


Since the start of the [[Black Holes and Revelations (album)|Black Holes and Revelations]] tour, in summer 2006, Manson has incorporated an X-Y MIDI Pad to control a Kaoss Pad to every new Bellamy's guitar, except to the [[Manson_Ali_Top | Ali Top Manson]] and the [[Manson Doubleneck]] and both [[Manson Keytar]]s'. The first one to include this pad was the [[Kaoss Manson]], then the [[M1D1 Manson]], the [[Glitterati Manson]], the [[Seattle Manson]] and finally the [[Chrome Kaoss Manson]].  
Bellamy currently has two Whammys in the rack - The V and the DT, both controlled by either an expression pedal on his on-stage board or by MIDI, allowing Bellamy to move freely around the stage.


Bellamy's most prominent use of the Kaoss Pad is in the song [[Supermassive Black Hole (song)|Supermassive Black Hole]]. Ever since the [[St Austell Eden Project 2006 (gig)|Eden Project]] gig (22nd August 2006), Bellamy has used his Kaoss Pad to imitate a DJ scratching sound during the solo part of the song. Before, he improvised during the solo, mostly using the [[Fernandes Sustainer]].
{{Backto | guitar effects}}


At the [[San Francisco Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 2007 (gig)|San Francisco Bill Graham Civic Auditorium gig]] (9th April 2007) the Kaoss Pad was for the first time used for a jam. It was called "Kaoss Jam" on the set list and was played on a few gigs after, but never again since then, until it returned on some gigs on the The Resistance Tour.
Bellamy's also using the Kaoss Pad while transitioning between piano and guitar during [[New Born (song)|New Born]], allthough this was ditched during the [[metal medley]] of the [[Simulation Theory Tour]] as New Born was played in it's shortened version.
The Kaoss Pad is also prominently used during the [[Break It to Me (live)|Break It To Me]] solo's studio version, though the live version includes a newer X-Y pad guitar, which is controlling the Whammy rather than the Kaoss Pad.
Despite being discontinued, Bellamy still chooses to use the KP2 instead of the newer KP3 due to it's unique synth sounds which have been modified or updated for the KP3.
== Kaoss Pad KP3 ==
Like Bellamy, [[Morgan Nicholls]] has started using the Kaoss Pad, since the start of the [[Black Holes and Revelations (album)|Black Holes and Revelations]] tour, allthough he uses the KP3 model. The KP3 is used by him due to slightly updated built-in ambient synth sounds. Morgan's mostly using the white noise effect on the pad, allthough several other effects come into play during the gig. Nicholls is also using the KP3 as a sampler7effects processor on a few songs, feeding the playback recordings into the KP3 and manipulating the pad itself.
The KP3 is prominently used on songs such as [[Nishe (song)|Nishe]], the outros and jams of [[Stockholm Syndrome (song)|Stockholm Syndrome]] and the outro of [[Knights of Cydonia (song)|Knights of Cydonia]], amongst others. It's used as a sampler on [[Riffs_and_jams#Montpellier_Jam|Montpellier Jam]] and [[Isolated System (song)|Isolated System]].
== See also ==
* [https://www.korg.com/us/products/dj/kaoss_pad_kp3_plus/index.php Korg Kaoss Pad on the Korg website]
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[[Category:Gear]]
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Revision as of 17:02, 19 September 2020

Digitech WH4

The Whammy is a pitch-shifter pedal produced by DigiTech. It was the first widely known effect pedal which utilises a foot controller which controls all the pitch shifting effects. The pedal emulates the sounds that are usually made with a "whammy" bar - giving the pedal it's name.

The first Whammy (WH-1) was built in 1989. It's most notable users are Tom Morello and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead. The two still use the pedalduethe iconic glitching sounds which the early versions of the Whammy made. The Digitech Whammy II was the only Whammy pedal to be encased in a completely different black chasis but, in contrast to WH-1, includes an option to save one preset setting. The II was followed up by the DigiTech XP-100 Whammy-Wah, a more complex pedal, incorporating whammy and wah effects, this version was followed by the DigiTech Whammy IV. It marked the Whammy's return to the original design, with the red paint, but also including new features such as the "dive-bomb" and a MIDI control option. The IV was followed by the DT in 2011. It's the first Whammy model to include polyphonic shifting and true-bypass. The DT is wider and includes a Drop-Tune section, allowing the user to tune the guitar down with a flick of a switch as opposed to fiddling around with the machine heads. The DT was followed by the Whammy V - Similar to Whammy DT but without the Drop-Tune section. The V also includes a selection between the "Classic" or the "Chords" modes. The classic mode simulates the monophonyc glitchyness of the first editions, while the chords mode makes it polyphonic and thus suitable for playing chords. The Bass Whammy was also built, released alongside the Whammy II, but was more suitable for bass.

Out of all the Whammy models, Bellamy used the IV, V and DT models. The ability of it being controlled by MIDI is also one of the strongest points why Bellamy chooses to use these models. Some of Bellamy's guitars, such as 007 and Bomber have MIDI strips on, and this allows Bellamy to change the pitch on the Whammy by running his finger along the MIDI strip. The Whammy can also be controlled by MIDI via the X-Y pad.

The DigiTech Whammy is one of Bellamy's main effects and he uses it a lot in solos to change the pitch of the notes being played (usually up and down an octave). It can be heard when listening to the solos of Sunburn, New Born, Reapers, Thought Contagion, or the middle of Recess and parts of the "Grand Omega Bosses" edit of Assassin. He also uses it for the Invincible tapping solo and during the outro riff after New Born when played live. The Whammy, in combination with the Fernandes Sustainer, was also used in the intro of Uprising during The 2nd Law tour. The Digitech Whammy is also heavily used on Unsustainable and Map Of The Problematique.

Bellamy currently has two Whammys in the rack - The V and the DT, both controlled by either an expression pedal on his on-stage board or by MIDI, allowing Bellamy to move freely around the stage.


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