How to use a wah pedal?

[Tupac]

Any tips for applying it? I just got one, and I'm kind of lost. Not the act of using it, I mean when and how to tilt.

[rratajski]

What type of music are you playing?

Listen to Bulls on Parade by Rage Against The Machine. When the guitar makes the "wah-wah" sound, that's Tom sweeping up and down quickly.

[CHILDISHGAMBINO]

Try rocking it to a beat. Rock it forward and back again on the kick drum for example.

[sillyfabe]

I use mine to emphasize a riff, add to a verse or for a funky lick. Also works well for slow synthy filter sweeps, finding a sweet spot with fuzz or as a manually driven LFO....

[Floyd Eye]

Using instrument cables, plug one end into your instrument and the other end into your amp. Apply power to the pedal. Turn on amp. Use your imagination.

[MADChuudoku]

askepios by the mars volta has some nice bass wah near the end

[Bassist4Eris]

I always say there are three basic approaches to the wah:

The Hendrix approach: using the pedal to shape the notes in a vocal-like way

The Clapton approach: keeping the beat on the wah, adding a regular, rhythmic filter sweep

The Zappa approach: using the wah very subtly, to create tonal changes over the course of a solo

All of these can be applied to bass.

[Vic Winters]

Check out Calm Like a Bomb, Mic Check and Cochise. Those songs made me get a 105Q.

[willbassyeah]

i have a song called parkdrive by parkdrive, i could not find it in youtube, the bassist use octaver and use the wah as filter instead of just a wah pedal, very cool sounding, wish i ca n share it with you guys.

[AndyLES]

Check out Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath - especially the intro to "NIB" and the verses of "Sign of the Southern Cross."

[lokikallas]

Originally Posted by Tupac

Any tips for applying it? I just got one, and I'm kind of lost. Not the act of using it, I mean when and how to tilt.

Listen to the master. Cliff Burton. The best examples would be Anethesia (bass solo) Call of Kthulhu, Seek and Destroy, or just watch Cliff 'em All. I have yet to hear any bass player come close to the skill which Cliff used the wah. Importantly, he didn't over use it either.

[Adamixoye]

This is a very helpful classification. I usually only use the Clapton approach mostly because it's the easiest and I am not a heavy wah user, however, the other two certainly have their place and can sound great.

Originally Posted by Bassist4Eris

I always say there are three basic approaches to the wah:

The Hendrix approach: using the pedal to shape the notes in a vocal-like way

The Clapton approach: keeping the beat on the wah, adding a regular, rhythmic filter sweep

The Zappa approach: using the wah very subtly, to create tonal changes over the course of a solo

All of these can be applied to bass.