Tremolo

To clear up any lingering confusion, the “tremolo” bar on some electric guitars is incorrectly named, as are many guitar pedals. The correct name for this device is a “whammy bar,” and its effect is more like vibrato, the plug-in discussed in the last entry.

Tremolo is a volume-based effect and the second type of modulation plug-in I’ll cover. It is often added during the sweetening stage of a mix, but it can be used as a songwriting tool long before the recording process begins.

Seasoned musicians will already be familiar with tremolo because of its inclusion as an optional effect on many electric guitar amplifiers and instruments.

Tremolo, like other types of modulation, operates by cycling through a particular set of values, but unlike vibrato, which affects a track’s tone, a tremolo’s values control the volume of the track on which it is used.

You can think of tremolo like an automatic volume fader that repeatedly turns the track down and then back up again over time. A tremolo plug-in will have at least the following parameters: “rate” and “depth.”

Rate determines how long it will take to complete one cycle, meaning that the volume has been turned down and then returned to its original value one time.

Depth, usually measured as a percentage from 0 to 100, determines the degree to which the volume will be turned down. A depth of 100%, for instance, will decrease the volume, such that the track is effectively silent for a certain amount of time each cycle. A lower “depth” value would result in a track that remains audible for the duration of the effect, though it would repeatedly get quieter and then return to its original volume.

Many tremolo plug-ins will have additional parameters for fine-tuning the effect. A “smoothing” parameter, for instance, might control the attack and release, or how quickly or slowly the volume goes up and down in the context of each cycle. A smoother tremolo, or one with a long attack and release, for instance, might sound softer and more natural, while a tremolo with a fast attack and release might sound choppy and artificial.

In addition to its use as an effect while writing or during the sweetening stage of a mix, tremolo can be used more subtly as a mixing tool to accentuate the rhythm of a song without compromising the perceived volume of the track on which it is used.

As with all “effects” plug-ins, be sure not to forget this handy tool, but remember to use it sparingly, as tremolo can truly alter the sound of your tracks.