PHOTO BY HEINRICH KLAFFS VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
E F F E C T S: OBERHEIM VCF-1, SYSTECH HARMONIC ENERGIZER,
ELECTRO-WAGNERIAN EMANCIPATOR
One might feel that this entire article
could be written about Zappa, and that
same person might wonder why it took
this long for Mr. Zappa to be mentioned.
While Zappa made great use of almost
every piece of gear that crossed his
path, he has legions of obsessive fans
that have taken great lengths to procure
his tonal tools. His use of the VCF-1
and Systech Harmonic Energizer has all
but dried up the wild’s supply of both
pedals, enough to get pedal companies
to resurrect them—EarthQuaker’s
Spatial Delivery and TWA’s Triskelion,
respectively. Avid listeners might
remember the Oberheim VCF-1 (also
known as the Maestro Filter/Sample
Hold FSH-1) from Zappa’s “Ship Ahoy”
from Shut Up ‘n Play Yer Guitar and the
Harmonic Energizer from One Size Fits
All’s “Po-Jama People.” One of Zappa’s
biggest secrets, however, is the ElectroWagnerian Emancipator, designed by
Bob Easton. It’s essentially a harmonizer,
in which users can hand-select which
notes on a scale will harmonize with the
root. Zappa himself said that the effect
was too out-there even for him, which
is a terrifying thought. Even though he
never ended up using it, it’s a testament
to just how much thinking went into
Zappa’s compositions.
ToneReport.com
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