Other Cool Features
The Wahoo can be controlled with a MIDI input or it can be used as a controller (e.g., to control a synth or synchronize LFOs to a sequencer). I’m a bit ‘green’ when it comes to MIDI applications (it’s been a few years since I’ve dabbled with it), and so describing all it can do in this mode is best left to the manual and promotional materials on the Sonuus site. But there are several other features that make this pedal worth having, including an LED display to let you know what patch you are on (you can provide a unique name in the user-altered patches, and more than three letters if you use the software… more on that exciting feature later). And then there’s the future-proof upgradeable firmware – simply plug in a USB to your computer, and receive the latest pedal technology in no time flat.

The Windows/OSX Desktop Editor is a real kick in the pants, for those who enjoy seeing a graphic representation of a signal’s level, frequency, curve shape, etc., for that visual tweaking – besides controlling the Wahoo like it was a VST plug-in! In effect (no pun intended), you can adjust any of the aspects described in this review, all on one layout… make any changes to any patch (including altering the vowel sounds), then save it in your user patch section. And through the software you can save all your settings, which means storing all your patches to your computer and re-installing them to your Wahoo in case of a mishap. If you love to tweak and create unique tones, you will love the free downloadable software as it saves a lot of bending down, playing around with buttons and knobs, etc.

Check this link to see what some of the Editor’s windows look like:

http://www.sonuus.com/products_wahoo_editor.html


Sound
Patches are easy enough to edit, but with the software it is a no-brainer. The sounds you can achieve, just by manipulating one patch is enormous. I put together various sound files to demonstrate a few simple ideas. The first sound file keeps the frequency settings of the Crybaby wah (drive set half-way for some grit), but each time the riff repeats the vowel range varies (The low frequency remains between ‘oo’ and ‘aw’ as each riff repeats and shifts from ‘u’ to ‘er,’ ah,’ ‘uh,’ ‘ae,’ ‘e,’ ‘I,’ and then ‘ee’).

http://soundcloud.com/brian-johnston...ampler/s-iqI1A

Imagine changing the low frequency to any other vowel sound, and then altering the high frequency once again and you can imagine how diverse the Wahoo is for nothing more than a wah.

Being a guitar player, with tastes ranging from classic to modern rock, the use of the Wahoo as a wah is my main preference, and this is by far the most diverse wah you could own. I won’t bother rewording what Sonuus has stated so eloquently:

“No more complaining that the filter sweep is too wide or not wide enough. The Q, or peakiness, of the filters can also be adjusted, and indeed this has become common on a lot of pedals. Where the Wahoo differs is in making this Q dynamically variable: you simply set two Q values (hi and lo) and the filters will morph between them. Not only does this let you tailor the sound more precisely, but it lets you emulate other wahpedals more easily: for example a typical Wah’s Q drops as the filter cutoff increases.

“Perhaps the coolest adjustment is the filter response curve. A common problem with wah pedals is that the sweet spot in the pedal travel, that point which gives you the most interesting sonic variation, isn’t always where you want it to be. This can mean that there’s too much pedal movement before anything interesting happens. The response curve lets you change how the pedal position maps to the filter so that this sweet spot can be closer to the heel or toe position, or spread evenly across the full pedal travel.”

Is there anyone out there completely happy with any particular wah pedal? For the most part, I suspect guitarists are content, but there’s always certain songs or the use of certain equipment that will allow a particular wah pedal to shine one moment, then fall a little flat another. Now you can create your own wah catalog without having to buy several models that would take up excess room and excess investment.

From smooth to aggressive wahs, to more synth-like sounds, the frequency range is huge! Any stringed instrument or keyboard can make use of the Wahoo, but this is matched easily by its digital diverseness and excellence in sound – high quality analog tone with zero noise coming from the workings of the pedal.

This next sound file selects the LFO mode (100% mix) with the same frequency settings, but while altering the wave shape every repeating riff… from sine to triangle, square, saw up, saw down, and trapezoid(bear in mind that no other setting is altered, including bpm, steps [16], response curve or filter type):

http://soundcloud.com/brian-johnston...ampler/s-uVXp2

With the Envelope mode I kept sensitivity, punch, attack and decay, etc., the same, but changed the frequency; I also used both filters to add a touch of wah to enhance the envelope:

http://soundcloud.com/brian-johnston...ampler/s-jYj8R

And here is an example of the Pitch mode, while messing around between pitch-track (first riff) and pitch-bend (the riff repeats three more times with altered ‘bend references’ of bottom, center and top – all other settings remained constant):

http://soundcloud.com/brian-johnston...ampler/s-U3P0W

These are only a few examples, and most transition in a subtle way (listen to the final example in this review for more over-the-top sounds), but realize that there are hundreds of possibilities since you can combine the foot pedal wah as one filter along with a LFO, Envelope or Pitch mode in another filter… or any other combination… or any one on its own… and while altering any number of elements, from frequency to drive to filter type, etc.!
This next piece is an actual composition using various stock patches on the Wahoo. There are some ‘wah’ moments throughout the song, but the use of modulation throughout is apparent. The equipment includes a JEM custom guitar (Casper Guitar Technologies, with Sublime Pickups), a Pritchard amp (clean channel) and a Boomerang delay:

http://soundcloud.com/brian-johnston...e-to-a-dawning

And finally, here is a sound file that plays around with some exaggerated settings on the Wahoo, to give an idea of some ‘odd’ possibilities in tone shaping:

http://soundcloud.com/brian-johnston...amples/s-zIyma