Hey groovy guys and gals, I have stumbled upon a cool YouTube video about the genesis of the wah pedal, or Cry Baby, as some call it. Thanks to this video my friend Rory White sent, I now know the amazing story behind one of my favorite guitar effects of all time. Next to the tremolo effect, the wah pedal creates one of my favorite guitar sounds: a unique, frequency modulation effect added to the guitar that jumps out at the listener when used.
My first awareness of the Wah-Wah was on the record, Theme From Shaft, written and recorded by Issac Hayes in 1971. The guitar part was played by Charles Pitts (I was able to see that original "Shaft" wah pedal on display at the Stax Museum in Memphis, TN a few years ago!) I also remember Jimi Hendrix' use of it on the song Voodoo Child (Slight Return) and Clapton with Cream's White Room. As the disco period dawned, the wah was used excessively like with the theme song from Three's Company. It's one of those effects that, when used sparingly, can really be effective when you want both killer lead and rhythm tones to project through a dense mix.
Check out this great video and follow this crazy story yourself!
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