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Topic: e-bow for multiple strings? |
Anthony Parish
From:
Austin
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Posted 19 Jul 2020 8:13 am |
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I love using an e-bow to create a sustained droning sound for a single string.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBow
Is there a way to get the same effect for multiple strings? On an E9 steel, I would love to sustain strings 3-4-5 or 4-5-6 or even 8-9-10. Is there a device out there that does this? |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 19 Jul 2020 9:48 am
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https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=358277
(obviously i haven't tried it)
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 19 Jul 2020 12:12 pm
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Ebow used to make one for pedal steel which was for 2 strings spaced so you can use 3&5 or 4&6 etc. This would be perfect for me but they aren't going to re-issue it and originals are like hens teeth (even rarer if still working).
Last edited by Jeff Mead on 19 Jul 2020 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Auman
From:
North Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2020 12:54 pm
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A different approach to a similar result would be an EHX Freeze pedal, or its big brothers SuperEgo or SuperEgo Plus. They sample whatever's coming thru when you hit the switch, then sustain it so you can play over it. Works great with anything from a single note to full chords. Kind of like a looper, but the sample is a very brief slice (much less than 1 second it seems.) Controllable level, and controllable swell up/down of the sample. SuperEgos have expanded controls and options, but they all use the same principle. The Freeze samples can sound a little dry, so they added an FX loop to the SuperEgo so you can run the sample thru an external effect (chorus, trem, fuzz, whatever) to add some character before blending it with the clean signal. The Plus has this kind of modulation built in. The foot switch on the Freeze/SuperEgo is a momentary single pole, so it's easy to wire out a remote switch for those. The Plus has an expression pedal jack. Mike
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Long-time guitar player, now wrestling with lap steel. |
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Anthony Parish
From:
Austin
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Posted 21 Jul 2020 4:06 am
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Jeff, thanks for that information about the multi-string eBow. I was unaware that such a thing had been created.
Mike, thanks for suggesting the EHX pedals. Maybe sampling the notes is the only solution that is commercially available at the moment.
Someone alerted me to the DigiTech FreqOut, which looks really interesting for pedal steel and guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puXTs6zclT4
I think I will give this a try. It gets great reviews. |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 23 Jul 2020 2:59 pm
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A company called Soundstone brought out a cheap ($35) Ebow clone last year. I wrote to them suggesting a double string version but I guess they didn't think there would be much demand. They initially said it was an interesting idea but obviously nothing came of it.
Maybe if a few others contacted them?...
https://soundstone.co/products/sound-stone-original
The FreqOut is a cool pedal but really just simulates feedback - it isn't a true sustainer device. The Ebow type is really about the only one I think especially for clean sustained tones. |
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Anthony Parish
From:
Austin
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Posted 24 Jul 2020 4:53 am
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Hi Jeff. Thanks for pointing out Sound Stone. They are based in Austin, as am I. I tried to find out more about them, but the information on their web site was limited. I sent them an email suggesting they design a multi-string eBow, and I offered myself as a resource to explain how I would use it and how I think other musicians may use it. We'll see if it goes anywhere.
Regarding the FreqOut, the thing I like about it is, it responds to the dynamics of the player. It has an analog-sounding bloom that I really like. This makes it different from the other loopers and samplers out there that just photocopy a sequence and reproduce it digitally. One of the great things about the pedal steel sound is it's ability to produce warm, personal, crying tones. It's organic. It's the opposite of the cold efficiency of digital reproduction. The FreqOut seems like it may be a good complement to that pedal-steel warmth. I could be wrong, but I am going to give it a try. As a side note, I wonder how it would sound to send a vocal track through the FreqOut...? Could make for some strange and interesting vocals! |
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Anthony Parish
From:
Austin
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Posted 28 Jul 2020 11:29 am
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I got the following response from Soundstone to my request for a multi-string E-bow...
"We're actually currently working on this - I made a two string version the other day, but we're working on trying to bring a multi-string unit to market.
Cheers!" |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 29 Jul 2020 1:30 am
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I would buy one!
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Gary Newcomb
From:
AustinTexas, USA
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Posted 29 Jul 2020 2:07 am
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I would love something like this; especially a 3 string version. How cool would it be to be able to adjust the spread of it- or which group or grip of strings the unit excited!
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 29 Jul 2020 9:07 am
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I'd definitely buy one.
If I was suggesting features, I'd like the spacing to be adjustable (so it could be used on pedal, lap or regular guitar.
3 strings would be great but each ebow "head" individually switchable so I could have either 2 or 3 strings active (any combination).
I think they'd sell quite a few of them - to guitar players as well as steel players. |
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