Table of Contents
Advertisement
Section 18
Tremolo/Pan
Rate
1 x Cycle
Time in ms
35
40
50
55
60
65
70
287.5
75
232.5
80
85
90
95
100
Yes. The rate of zero appears to do naff all with the levels
fixed in what seems to be a random result. Now, I first that
this was completely pointless. Cheers Roland. Buggered
that one up big time. But then I got thinking what if I set the
CTL PEDAL up to say zero the rate when I chose? By
doing so the tremolo/pan freezes the levels at the moment
when it goes to 0! Maybe it's not so useless after all—think
of this setting as a 'level hold' feature.
The rate continues above 100 into the BPM synchronisation
modes to help you get a better synchronisation with the
music tempo. However, this can cause problems as the
keeps good time but the drummer is likely to vary. Craig
Anderton suggests in 'Guitar Gadgets' that using a rate twice
the song tempo will help make any variations between the
GT-3/5 and the drummer more hidden as the tremolo will
tend to catch up and slide back into place.
Depth
Depth determines what percentage of the input signal level
is available for alteration by the effect. In other words it will
determine the minimum volume level. So at 100 (%) the
whole volume is available for tremolo/pan so the minimum
volume would be 0. However at 50% the minimum volume
is half the input signal and again at 30% the minimum
volume level will be 70% of the input signal. A depth of 0
means the volume isn't dropped at all (on pan both channels
will be even). Pretty useless at this setting? Not necessarily
by doing so you can turn the effect on without it effecting
the signal and then by using the expression pedal say
increase the depth.
Right let us take a more specific look at the two modes
individually.
© Copyright 2000-2002 Barry S. Pearce et al.
Approx
Time in
seconds
1343
1000
1.0
660
535
0.5
435
355
0.25
190
155
125
88
62.5
Balance
The GT-5 includes a Stereo Balance parameter to both the
Tremolo and Pan functions, and defaults to a 50R /50L
setting.
In both effects, the balance control moves the
relative centre-point of the signal, making it more "right-
centric" or "left-centric" as desired. This is exactly like the
Pan knob on most mixers. Remember that the parameter
values are percentages, and therefore the right and left
values must add up to 100.
Tremolo
OK. With the tremolo left and right channels are treated
identically and the volumes are changed in the same manner
at the same time. So both channels are at the same volume
level at any given point in time.
Whilst similar to the GT-3 Slicer which only uses a square
wave type on/off cycle (albeit with different patterns) the
variable wave shape of the tremolo provides a smoother
sounding transition between on fully and off fully.
Looking at rate, a fast rate will create a slicer effect almost
regardless of wave shape, although a triangular wave will
appear smoother than the slicer, whereas a slow rate and a
triangular wave produces an ebbing effect, and with a
square wave produces a slicer type effect.
Right then, let's start to look at some patches. First up is
''JC-120 Trem'. To create this patch copy 'Clean, turn on the
preamp as set the preamp type to JC-120, set the volume to
be about 35 and master level 67. Then Turn on the
Tremolo, mode will be tremolo, [GT-3]wave shape=0/[GT-
5]modulation wave=Triangle, rate=90, depth=50, and on
the GT-5 make sure the balance is L50:50R. This will give
you a medium tremolo effect. Next up a distortion patch
called 'Metal Trem'. To create this patch copy 'Metal Dist*'
and again turn on the tremolo. Mode is tremolo, but this
time set the [GT-3]wave shape=55/[GT-5]modulation
wave=Square, rate to 92, depth to 100, and again GT-5
owners should set the balance to L50:50R. This will give a
slicing type effect.
Pan
As I said previously this is a stereo effect. Let's say that the
left channel is in the standard tremolo pattern. The question
is what happens on the right channel? Well, the easiest way
to describe this is via a formula. OK, clam down. We aren't
talking advanced complex arithmetic here, just a simple bit
of algebra. So the formula is:
Left Volume + Right Volume = 100
Simple eh? What this means in practice is that if the left
channel is at 100 then the right channel is at 0; when the left
channel is at 80 the right channel is at 20; and when the
88
Advertisement
Table of Contents
