User Guide

Player’s Guide
page 6
tremolando and arpeggios all the way up to the highest fret.
Keep in mind that the harmonic mode drives the high notes
more easily.
Fast Runs
When playing two or three notes per string in quick passage
across the strings, keep the EBow close to the HotSpot.
Don’t wait for each string to sustain. Just tap the notes with
your left hand while you follow with the EBow across the
strings. This gives you a nice, clean guitar string sound
without the conventional attack of a pick or ngers. For the
best response, hammer-on ascending scales, snap-off de-
scending scales and apply pressure on the EBow. Bounce
the EBow every now and then for accents. Remember to
keep the GuideGrooves aligned with the strings.
Imitations
When imitating other instruments with the EBow, use an
equalizer or tone controls to mimic the tone of the instru-
ment. Play within the true register of the instrument (ute
lines played on the low E string won’t sound much like a
ute). Imitate the playing style of the instrument. Wood-
winds do trills, horns play slow arpeggios, clarinets and
trombones can bend notes.
Flute
Turn your guitar tone knob all the way down to its darkest
tone setting and play above the 12th fret on the D, G, B and
high E strings. With the tone knob at this setting, you can
sustain nearer the HotSpot. Single coil pickups might need
a little help from your amplier for this sound. Add mids or
bass if necessary.
Cello
Add bass and cut mids on your amplier. If you have a
double-coil (humbucker) bass pickup, cross-string bow over
the coil nearest the fretboard for a rich cello sound. Bowing
strokes and spiccato are especially convincing on a slightly
mufed low E string with the EBow tilted. Also, try tuning
your guitar down a fth.
Horn
For a muted horn sound, leave your tone knob all the way
down. Slightly mufe the string with your right palm behind
the EBow. A little extra pressure on the EBow helps drive
the mufed string. Press the EBow with each note you play.
Stay over the HotSpot for the best response. Vibrato adds a
vocal quality to the sound.
For a bright horn sound, turn your tone knob up to half or
full. Hold a chord as you move the EBow from string to
string. Lightly press-and-release the EBow over each string
as you cross for a nice brass sound. Cross in a straight line
over the HotSpot. Press-and-release a bar chord on the
fretboard as you cross to enhance the effect. Minimal use of
a volume pedal can also help this imitation.
Harmonica
Notes played above the 12th
fret on the D, G and B strings
sound the most reed-like. Glide
the EBow to and from the pickup
quickly, in a small sawing motion.
The idea is to mimic a harmon-
ica’s vibrato. The EBow should
be about 1/4 inch away from the HotSpot at its closest ap-
proach. A little extra pressure helps drive the strings when
playing in the higher reaches of the fretboard. Use a phase
shifter set on a light, slow phase to enhance the harmonica
imitation.
Energy Slide
Be sure to begin with
the EBow away from the
pickup. This can get loud!
This effect uses the EBow
like a slide above the
fretboard. It works best on
the E and A strings. Position the EBow slightly back from
the pickup over the open low E string. With the E string
vibrating, slowly glide the EBow toward the pickup as you
gently press the front end of the DriveChannel against the
E string. Now the string is vibrating between the LED end
of the DriveChannel and the bridge, so the frets don’t affect
pitch. The resulting high-pitched screaming note can be slid
around by gliding the EBow to and from the pickup, which,
of course, also changes the volume. Bend and vibrato the
low E string in tandem with the energy slide for a wild ampli-
er feedback effect.
Distortion Pick
Using lots of distortion with the EBow sounds more like a
regular pick attack. Notice that the volume doesn’t change
when you move the EBow to and from the pickup. You can
sustain, play lightning-fast arpeggios, and use the Energy
Slide directly over the HotSpot and still achieve an even
volume. Expect a quicker high E string response as well.
Also, the harmonic mode works great with distortion. When
crossing strings, play directly over the HotSpot to minimize
the sound of the EBow rubbing across the strings. Remem-
ber to keep the EBow off the strings and away from the
pickup when not playing.