Best use of a whammy bar in music?

[Bill]

Whammy bar, wiggle stick, talent lever, tremelo arm, twang bar, git kickstand, whatever you call it, the vibrato bar has added some serious (and some not-so-serious) cool to a lot of songs.

What's the most impressive use of the vibrato bar you've heard?

I think this may be mine--Jeff Beck playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow":

[bowlfreshener]

I've always dug the tremolo work of Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (Slayer), and lately Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom).

[XKnight]

I like the way SRV used the tremolo. Especially the subtlety expressed on Lenny.

[bosrocker51]

hands down Hendrix's version of the star spangled banner is the ultimate (for me) use of the whammy bar. I was around when it hit and America was changed by that man, believe me.

[Mark Davis]

Best whammy bar players are Jeff Beck and Steve Vai.

[SixStringSlinger]

Steve Vai does loads of great things with a whammy bar, inluding some you wouldn't think of. Check out live videos of him playing so you can both see and hear.

I like how Tom Morello used it on the intro of Audioslave's "#1 Zero." I also like the more whacked-out sounds he gets. For instance, he'll hit a note and push the bar down real quick, then let it snap back up 'causing a buzzing sort of sound.

Jeff Beck in general.

Jimi in general.

[pengipete]

Hank Marvin uses whammy in the same way that many use reverb - it's almost a natural part of the sound. For that I'd rate him high.

[araT]

Wow, that's an INCREDIBLE rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow".. it would have to be one of my faves too..

T.

[NortyFiner]

One time I saw this guy...I think it was either Steve Vai or Joe Satriani...who had the bar swinging loose on his Floyd Rose. Then at one point, he just spun the bar like a helicopter to make this crazy vibe sound...

[Veitchy]

Originally Posted by Bill

Whammy bar, wiggle stick, talent lever, tremelo arm, twang bar, git kickstand, whatever you call it, the vibrato bar has added some serious (and some not-so-serious) cool to a lot of songs.

What's the most impressive use of the vibrato bar you've heard?

I think this may be mine--Jeff Beck playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow":

My vote would have gone to Beck. Double after seeing that. That was amazing. You can tell the guy loves Roy Buchannan.

[Unseen]

It's ALWAYS been Jeff Beck for me. Here he is in a subtler performance of 'cause We Ended as Lovers:

...with the astonishing girl bass player, Tal Wilkenfeld, who looks like she's about 15 (but is 21 or 22).

Nobody else integrates trem bar into their playing as well as Jeff as far as I'm concerned.

Is this jazz or rock? Who the F cares? It's music at its best!

[olewichita]

i'm partial to ike turner... i also like the way eddie cochran used his bigsby... tj

[TelecasterBlooz]

For me it's Steve Vai. "In the Name of God" he uses the whammy and sweeps at the same time...jaw-dropping..

[WisconsinStrings]

Kind of like a wah pedal. Not a good thing unless done well.

Among the others listed I've always like Satch's work. His "Lizard down the throat" technique is cool. Where he slides his fingers up the string while pushing down on the bar keeping almost the same pitch.

[NortyFiner]

Originally Posted by TelecasterBlooz

For me it's Steve Vai. "In the Name of God" he uses the whammy and sweeps at the same time...jaw-dropping..

Steve Vai does all sorts of wild stuff with his sound. I remember in a guitar mag several years back when he did a top ten of how to get crazy sounds out of your guitar. The list included things like, "Scream into your pickups."

[byrdbrain]

Hendrix, Ike Turner, Lonnie Mack.
I think Stephen Stills has got a very tasteful Gretsch/Bigsby sound.
And even though I rarely like the music, I do like Ritchie Blackmore's wild vibrato.

[Veitchy]

Originally Posted by Unseen

It's ALWAYS been Jeff Beck for me. Here he is in a subtler performance of 'cause We Ended as Lovers:

Is this jazz or rock? Who the F cares? It's music at its best!

The song itself was written as a tribute to Roy Buchannan (blues guitarist, get into him). However it apeared on the album 'Blow by Blow' which was obstensibly a jazz-fusion reccord.

[601210]

Originally Posted by SixStringSlinger

Steve Vai does loads of great things with a whammy bar, inluding some you wouldn't think of. Check out live videos of him playing so you can both see and hear.

I like how Tom Morello used it on the intro of Audioslave's "#1 Zero." I also like the more whacked-out sounds he gets. For instance, he'll hit a note and push the bar down real quick, then let it snap back up 'causing a buzzing sort of sound.

Jeff Beck in general.

Jimi in general.

+1
Tom Morello has this weird solo where he gets up close to his amp for feedback, then uses the whammy bar to change the pitch of the squeal. Probably won't float anyone else's boat, but I like it.

[NortyFiner]

Originally Posted by Unseen

It's ALWAYS been Jeff Beck for me. Here he is in a subtler performance of 'cause We Ended as Lovers:

...with the astonishing girl bass player, Tal Wilkenfeld, who looks like she's about 15 (but is 21 or 22).

Nobody else integrates trem bar into their playing as well as Jeff as far as I'm concerned.

Is this jazz or rock? Who the F cares? It's music at its best!

Fender Jazz bass, maple neck and natural body, looks to be an American model gone full active. She has good taste.

[toadman]

Adrian Belew does some cool whammy stuff too.

[Agarn]

Originally Posted by pengipete

Hank Marvin uses whammy in the same way that many use reverb - it's almost a natural part of the sound. For that I'd rate him high.

Ah, yes! the wonderful player from the great UK group The Shadows. not a household name here in the US, but i understand that lots of our favorite British rock guitarists tip their caps to him as inspiring them to take up guitar.

here's a clip of him demonstrating his technique with the whammy bar:



very smooth, great tone.

[Sarge]

Thanks for the Video's...what a great way to start a Monday morning!

[SixStringSlinger]

Originally Posted by 601210

+1
Tom Morello has this weird solo where he gets up close to his amp for feedback, then uses the whammy bar to change the pitch of the squeal. Probably won't float anyone else's boat, but I like it.

Yeah, I'm almost positive that's "Sleep Now in the Fire," by RATM. He gets the feedback, then flicks the kill switch while manipulating the bar.

[tweeddeluxe]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Best whammy bar players are Jeff Beck and Steve Vai.

...and Scott Henderson

[Dave_O]

I read, and re-read the title of the post, and my vote goes to....

1---The first two notes of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game", by Mr James Wilsey.
2---Blackmore's solo in "Highway Star",... at the very end.
3---Hendrix, Woodstock, "Star Spangled Banner"
Yeah, the other guys are OK, too....