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Digitech WH-1 Whammy
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MAKE: DIGITECH
MODEL: WH-1 Whammy
VINTAGE: 1991
USE:
  • "Even Better Than The Real Thing" - Intro
  • "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" - Intro and part after main riff, leading into verses.
  • "United Colours" (Passengers)
  • "Slug" (Passengers)
  • "One Minute Warning" (Passengers)
  • "Mofo"
  • "Gone" - The '747 tone', as The Edge referred to it.
  • "When I Look At The World" - Solo is the whammy w/echo. (Page 107: "Basic Instincts" Guitar Player January 2001)
     
  • "Peace On Earth" - Use during the 'amost chinese-sounding' part (Edge's description) which is set do a 5th below and a 4th above. (Page 107: "Basic Instincts" Guitar Player January 2001)
 
The Edge has been on of the people that has made great use of the Digitech Whammy Pedal. Introduced to Edge during the 19901991 session for Achtung Baby, the Digitech WH-1 Whammy pedal has been a part of The Edge's effects arsenal ever since.
 
In addition to the songs listed above, it has been speculated (but not confimed) that the WH-1 may be an ingredients in the tones for:
  • "Bad" - Edge incorporated the Whammy during Bad around the time of the 1992 Europen leg of the Zoo TV tour.
  • "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - (Album version) - Rhythm guitar playing the arpeggio during the solo through the end.
  • "Beautiful Day" - Bridge.
  • "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" - (Live) - Pre-chorus thru the end, not including the slide part], sycmioyo: live version, from the pre chorus till the end (except for the slide part).
  • "Love And Peace" - Bridge arpeggio
  • "No Line On The Horizon" - Outro

The DigiTech WH-1 Whammy is a pitch-shifter effects pedal manufactured by Digitech. It gives musicians the ability to shift the pitch of their instrument up or down in real time by rocking a treadle pedal up and down with their foot, similar to how a wah pedal affects the signal/tone of a guitar based on the position of the treadle.

The WH-1 Whammy pedal, the original whammy, engineered and manufactured in 1991 by IVL Audio, remains the most sought-after.

It is controlled by a rocker and a single rotary knob, from which 16 presets could be selected; five "Whammy" effects, nine "Harmony" effects, and two "Detune" effects.

Harmony effects
  • Second up - third up
  • Minor third up - third up
  • Third up - fourth up
  • Fourth up - fifth up
  • Fifth up - sixth up
  • Fifth up - seventh up
  • Fourth down - third down
  • Fifth down - Fourth down
  • One octave down - one octave up
Detune effects
  • Shallow
  • Deep
Whammy effects
  • One octave up
  • Two octaves up
  • Two semi-tones down
  • One octave down
  • Two octaves down

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