Tremolo is a simple, tasteful effect to add depth, character, and classic charm to any chord progression or melody line. Its familiar pulse is essential to the earliest sounds of rock and roll, electric country, and everything in between. Yet, the sonic capabilities of tremolo span far beyond these original applications. The effect can get pushed beyond its classic character to create choppy tones, even transforming a guitar into a pulsating synth. Learn to utilize this remarkable effect.
What is Tremolo?
To understand how to use a tremolo pedal effectively in a guitar setup, we must first understand what tremolo is and how it affects the guitar signal. Tremolo, in simple terms, is the increase and decrease of guitar volume in a steady rhythmic manner. The short dips in guitar volume create a pulse and perceived beat, so similarly to delay effects, it’s essential to match the speed of tremolo to the song.
It’s also important to note that tremolo is different from vibrato. This delineation might seem obvious. However, within the guitar world, there exists much confusion between the two terms. Tremolo is the stuttering of volume, whereas vibrato is the stuttering of pitch.
Tremolo History
Tremolo was the first effect ever explicitly created for guitar. In the fledgling days of amplified electric instruments, the pioneer of the world’s first electric guitar pickup, Harry DeArmond, introduced his organ tremolo-emulating Tremolo Control box. This was the late 1940s, and guitarists were hungry for fresh tones. It was only a short time before companies began building amplifiers with built-in tremolo.
Introduced in 1997, the BOSS TR-2 is a simple but versatile, classic analog tremolo pedal. The TR-2 is also a favorite of modern rock players. Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong used the TR-2 on “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” while Tom Morello featured it on “Like a Stone” and “Gasoline.”
"Tremolo was the first effect ever explicitly created for guitar. This was the late 1940s, and guitarists were hungry for fresh tones."
How to Use Tremolo
While controls vary from pedal to pedal, most tremolo units feature rate and depth controls. Rate controls the speed of the dips in volume, between long and slow and fast and short. Depth controls how extremely the volume gets cut. A low depth setting will create a gentle, more textural effect. By contrast, a high depth setting will create a defined pulse, similar to staccato.
Setup Considerations
Position tremolo in a similar place to most modulation pedals. Compressors, octaves, and distortions should come before tremolo, with delays and reverb afterward. There is no hard and fast rule, however. Some fantastic results can occur by putting tremolo ahead of fuzz or after reverb. Still, this should be its standard pedalboard position.
FIVE TREMOLO PEDAL USES
Classic Tremolo Warmth
The early ads for DeArmond’s Tremolo Control stated, “Straight chords, which soon become tiring, will, with the Tremolo, become beautiful and refreshing.” The copy was correct. Tremolo adds a tasteful, rich character to every note. A simple, held chord can go from basic to something nuanced and detailed.
Achieve this subtle use of tremolo by setting the rate at around 12 o’clock. Not too fast or too slow, just a steady rhythmic underbelly to the held note. The depth control can get dialed back to approximately 10 o’clock. This use aims to be gentle, a subtle throbbing, nothing too overt or focused. The effect should almost go unnoticed by the listener.
Morello Extremes
At the other end of the spectrum, tremolo can create a hard, chopped guitar tone. Guitarists like Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood have explored extreme tremolo for decades. Listen to the “Guerrilla Radio” intro by Rage Against The Machine. Morello uses tremolo alongside a distorted guitar to create a disorientating stutter.
To achieve something similar, set the tremolo effect rate relatively high and the depth at full rotation. The BOSS TR-2 also has a Wave control that rotates between a gentle, traditional sine wave tremolo and a more modern, square wave tremolo. The latter had more defined volume changes. Set the Wave control clockwise for maximum impact for this effect.
"Tremolo adds a tasteful, rich character to every note. A simple, held chord can go from basic to something nuanced and detailed."
Tremolo for Leads
The tasteful pulse of tremolo appeared on countless ’60s recordings enhancing simple, supportive guitar parts. But, arguably, the most iconic use of tremolo came in 1966 on Nancy Sinatra’s classic, “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).” Billy Strange’s tremolo-affected guitar provided the sole accompaniment to Sinatra’s smooth vocal performance.
This tremolo method is a blend of the previous two examples. To achieve this type of sound, set the rate to a relatively slow pace, with the depth near full rotation. In the case of the TR-2, the Wave control should favor the sine wave, maintaining the organic pulse of traditional tremolo.
Super-fast Tremolo
Most of these examples require setting the tremolo rate to a moderate speed, roughly matched to the song’s BPM. However, tremolo speed can create a spluttering, lo-fi, ring-mod-style effect. Set both the rate and depth control fully clockwise to achieve this. While this effect can sound chaotic on a strummed chord, it can be very effective on a simple single-note progression or bassline.
Leslie Alternative
With careful panning and a second amp, tremolo can emulate the whirling throb of a Leslie speaker. The Rolling Stones achieved this effect on the iconic opening track of Let It Bleed, “Gimme Shelter.” The rhythm guitar gets hard-panned—the heavily-affected version in one ear, and the unaffected sits in the other. The result is an offset stereo guitar tone reminiscent of the famous spinning speaker.
"With careful panning and a second amp, tremolo can emulate the whirling throb of a Leslie speaker."
A Distinctive Effect
Tremolo is a must-have for any guitarist’s pedalboard. Whether replicating the sultry tones of ’60s soul or turning a guitar into a helicopter, tremolo is a distinctive effect. A fantastic tool, tremolo also pairs beautifully with various other pedals.
