Difference between wah wah and auto-wah?

[EasyMurder]

Call me a noob BUT, what is the difference between wah wah and auto wah (envelope filter). I understand that wah wah has a pedal whereas autowah doesn't.
What else.



Thanks
Easy/\/\urder

 

[rratajski]

An auto wah is set to one setting, a wah must be moved via the treadle.

 

[Pollinator95]

An envelope filter makes wah noises depending on how hard you hit the string, the wah is controlled by moving the treadle.

 

[RedLeg]

lipstick,
no wait. wrong question.
a rocker foot pedal

 

[rsmith601]

A wah wah is a filter that moves. If you take a tone control knob and turn it back and forth, you will have a primitive wah wah (as I understand, this is how they were discovered).

The question becomes: what means will I use to "move the filter back and forth". These are the ones with which I am familiar:

A foot pedal: This is perhaps the most common.

An envelope follower circuit: This circuit detects the amplitude (level) of the incoming signal and moves the filter. The harder you hit a note, the more the filter opens. As noted, this is also called an "auto-wah".

LFO: The filter motion is controlled by a circuit which oscillates back and forth. LFO=low frequency oscillator. These can be simple with a smooth sin wave, or complex with a programmable sequencer.

MIDI: An external control signal from some other piece of gear.

Hand control: WAG and Hot Hand are examples of this.

 

[the Arsonaut]

Source Audio: the jeweler's of the bass player's world

 

[EasyMurder]

Thanks everybody.
I know this is completely subjective but which is better?

 

[bongomania]

They're just different, there is no "better".

 

[bassbrad]

Hi EasyM, not a noob question at all but it's best to be specific especially when it comes to filters.

Auto Wah can mean several things depending on the manufacturer: from an envelope follower or filter that relies on string attack to sweep the filter but it can also apply to a filter that relies on an oscillator to sweep the filter at a fixed rate or in some cases at variable or sequenced cycles and sometimes using external sources to sweep the filter like an expression pedal or other source to control the sweep of the filter.

There are many types of filters from simple like a wah wah pedal or tone control to much more complex filters often bastard children from the electronic world of synths offering many more parameters of sweeping and control. Some pedals offer several choices.

Like Bongo the man sez, there is not better just different and what you like.

 

[bassbrad]

Renowned member Shep did a very nice blog on filters.

Link Removed

 

[EasyMurder]

Again, thanks to everybody . That link really helped!