Some Stuff You Can Do with the Electro-Harmonix Attack Decay

In-depth demo of the new Electro-Harmonix volume swell/decay pedal. Full arrangement at 8:59.

[@AmerikkkaGuitars]

Finally a pedal review where user knows what he is doing and not playing boring blues, shredder riffs. Please more reviews!

[@gautamasakyamuni6688]

Apart that Blues is not boring but the scope of this pedal it's obviously "Ambient" oriented, you're not very smart.

[@AmerikkkaGuitars]

@@gautamasakyamuni6688 yeah boring old farts play blues.

[@dwz234]

@@gautamasakyamuni6688 blues is just overused in guitar pedal reviews. like dude reviews a metalzone AND PLAYS PENTATONIC LICKS

[@HukkitukkiUK]

So annoying watching any gear video when they just wank off all over it. the majority seem to do that and it’s a total bore and uninformative esp with effects.

[@yallimsorry5983]

@@gautamasakyamuni6688whatever you say blooze lawyer

[@demiansims728]

Is it just me or is this one of the most underrated pedals of all time? Is there anything else like it ?

[@tylerevans1700]

Holy crap, those "star sprinkles" almost exploded my brain.. Also, props for the Close to the Edge inside gatefold background!

[@nosleeptillhumboldt]

I've returned to this video so many times. Best demo of the Attack Decay I've found! Thank you.

[@doppelmeyer]

The fuzz on this bad boy is worth the price alone, absolutely blown away by how warm and saturated it sounds, knocked my Big Muff off my board in a matter of minutes. On top of that, swells, tremolo, momentary switching, bubbling, send/return... I can’t believe how cheap this pedal is considering. EHX really knocked it out of the park with this one

[@ToniDamnation]

Wanted to let you know I bought this pedal because of your stellar demo here.

[@markalbon9941]

same ;)

[@Ozymandias_1818]

Me too, got mine today.

[@timwold5127]

Excellent pedal demo video. The best I've seen for ages 🙏

[@kwamfit]

this is indisputably, one of the best demos I've ever watched. thank you!

[@aarcvault908]

Really intricate and comprehensive demo/study of this surprisingly versatile pedal; the mind reels at the possibilities that the effects send/return offers. Well done on all fronts; thanx for posting!

[@nerdebynature]

I've been planning on buying this pedal soon, and this demo will absolutely be a reference point for me to return to many times!

[@jamesguy66]

This review is absolutely phenomenal. So glad I found it! Thank you

[@lauraharmon6508]

This is the best kind of demo; a recipe video for a pedal. I too bought this pedal after viewing many videos and this video stands out from the rest. Great work!

[@CorbCorbin]

Excellent breakdown and choices to display the features. I’ve debated buying one since it was released, always choosing something else, and your video came up in my recommendations. I’m getting one now. You displayed all the features I wasn’t so sure about in other demos.

[@mattfleming2287]

Without a doubt, the best video of the pedal I've seen. Bravo!

[@berruccio]

Fantastic video. Thanks for sharing, was great seeing all the possibilities. This pedal is amazing.

[@thomasshugar5636]

YOU have the BEST video EVER, on this pedal! I'm going to be taking notes, and writing down settings. I REALLY need to study this pedal more, and your video has been waaaaay more helpful than anything that Electro Harmonix has put out. THANK YOU!!!!

[@Tom-en3ms]

This is one of the best pedal demos I’ve ever seen. I got this pedal for ambient swells, and I’ll only really ever use 2% of its functionality, but it’s great to see it properly explored! Nice one.

[@marcenciels]

It’s the next pedal on my GET list, wasn’t rushing it, was thinking like for summer but this demo is a gem of informations I wasn’t aware of!

[@ZachyStugotz]

Super thorough and informative! You've totally sold me on this pedal. Cheers!

[@FuadKyoto]

What an amazing video. Well done! Looking forward to your future ones.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Fuad Alhabshi thank you!! I will find time eventually :)

[@pvillez]

Great and imaginative review. Thank you very much.

[@Decoy303]

This pedal turned my Volca Nubass into an angry guitar with a side of acid. It also can take gear with lots of floor noise and create otherworldly ambience out of it. Pedal is gnarly.

[@khem_kid5299]

Best review online about this pedal, thanks!

[@erikwaagan1554]

Great way to show of the pedal, no unnecessary talking but lots of sounds. Nice use of coloured cables. Good job!

[@AxeandYouShallreceive]

Awesome job on the demo! The "Don't Worry..." bass line is my go to as well :)

[@adamredmer]

This jam at the end is so fun and cool!

[@Robdust]

Got mine a week ago and just starting to crack the surface. Thank you for the awesome tips, they really opened up the countless possibilities this pedal has to offer. It's worth the price of admission for the fuzz alone! Best pedal to come out in some time no question.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Robdust Thank you! So glad to hear it was helpful

[@kylehoupt1459]

Yeah this video is pretty great, thank you for the thorough demo!

[@TheJetsfan1221]

that bubbling section is amazing!!!

[@prospectnyc]

omg that bubbling sounds wonderful

[@ElliotGKnapp]

prospectnyc I know right?? Totally was not expecting to also get that functionality!

[@stevesmith3990]

Thanks for the demo, nice Yes album cover too!

[@sebastionhawk5565]

Excellent review and tutorial of this superb pedal. I WANT ONE. I WANT TWO.

[@MarcDLange]

Subbed because you do what I do! Experiment and have tasty tones! Love this channel

[@lull13]

Your playing is really enjoyable. At least as rewarding as the demo.

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

excellent demo!! LOVING the curtis mayfield bass riff at 4:48!!

[@drumnotdrum9262]

One of my favourite tweakers for sure. It’s great for both guitar and modular.

[@chinmeysway]

best demo on this pedal.

[@henriquecorreia9917]

wonderful demo

[@stevenvandemsky7290]

Man, you need more views and subscribers. This is by far the best demo of that pedal! Why have you disabled thumbs up?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thanks! Whoops, for some reason comments were moderated and ratings hidden automatically, I think I've got it fixed.

[@johnberg1326]

Steven van Demsky , you called it, brother. I’m in. Great demo of this box.

[@Mosilam]

Indeed ! The best demo for this fabulous EHX Attack/Delay ! BRAVO & THANKS, Elliot Knapp ! (I ordered one 7 weeks ago... another 2 weeks to wait before I get it ... soon a lot of experiments, with guitars, but with my vintage electronic organs as well...and voice ? Oh yeah !)

[@eronackerman565]

Agreed, great demo of a brilliant versatile pedal. I love Electro-Harmonix; how am I just learning about this one?!

[@joscarcary]

What a great pedal demo!

[@aliasdandavisofficial]

This pedal is complicated. The instructions are confusing. I needed to supplement them w/ some demo video. This is literally one of three that I've found at all useful. Thanks for posting this.

[@PilferMusic]

where are the other two? :)

[@patrickmcmurtry5398]

@@PilferMusic I thought this one was pretty good. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJzThZWBdql0kMk

[@coleemmersonhallman5329]

This is such a great video

[@MS-iq4eo]

Great demo!

[@HukkitukkiUK]

Nice to see some creativity on a demo video. Great job. A rarity for KZbin

[@bremki]

Awesome demo!! Thank you! :)

[@Lylodile]

Great demo, thanks

[@fabienb.5924]

thanks a lot for this video man. it's perfect!

[@eugenepabst343]

Super video/demo. I subscribed.

[@georgefromgreece4119]

No words for the demo and explanation, all is well said. Just wanted to note OMD's great lost track that starts around 09:00 haha. Stay strong, creative, inspired, untamed!

[@TheXxPSYCHO]

So nice of you to explain the button combos...

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Next time I’ll just film a video of me reading the entire instruction manual aloud

[@TheXxPSYCHO]

@@ElliotGKnapp It's just that some parts of the video go into detail about certain features but gloss over others...

[@vanessajazp6341]

Gotta be the most unique pedal I’ve ever seen!

[@MichaelUhler]

Good demo!

[@kimthompson5871]

Yeah thanks to this video I will definitely put this on my to get list !

[@freddytippen7764]

Love that pedal, I've got to get one

[@MYGAS21]

THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you! THis is the next thing I get. I got the "Philosopher King" but this is far better. The envelope of an instrument is fundemental to its sound.

[@4stringed]

This pedal is unbelievable!

[@GregF71]

thanks Elliot, that was really helpful (just got mine and was a lil' lost :) and kuddos for the Curtis bassline! peace from Paris, France :)

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Greg F Glad I could help a bit!! Curtis never gets old :)

[@nojuanatall3281]

Thank you for this video.

[@conanbrophy4406]

Thanks for this. Much appreciated.

[@rickhammel9541]

awesome, may be the coolest pedal ive ever heard. Great demo

[@johnporter7766]

Very cool!.. I have one and have just been using it for volume swells and bowing effects!.. back to the manual...

[@ElliotGKnapp]

It's a deep one...luckily, other than memorizing the combos for modes, etc., it's all fairly intuitive!

[@marcblum5348]

After seeing this vid, I had to buy this thing immediately. Currently it's driving my family crazy. Can't wait for the upcoming rehearsal to drive my bandmates crazy.

[@jarrilaurila]

Hahaha That's the spirit!

[@endlessmotion2255]

There are so many decent effects pedal companies out there doing great things. But EXH have always stood out to me since I was a teenager. They're just getting better and better at innovating and giving muscians the tools to make interesting music, without ripping them off with boutique pedal prices. Really good demo too by the way. Too often pedal companies just get a middle of the road rock/blues guitarist to demo pedals without even scratching the surface of what the pedals can really be used for.

[@lucasj7577]

Might need two of these.

[@JeighNeither]

Damn, great demo. This is more informative than anything EHX puts out. They should keep Bill Ruppert doing the playing demo's, (because he's amazing) but hire you to do an informative companion video.

[@sonicbootcamp]

You sold it to me, great pedal, even if it might has too many options...will take quite a while to explore

[@eddiegalon3714]

7:54 very Thom Yorke. Love this pedal. Want one.

[@Samana009]

I am serious, This is one of the best pedals ever made. Independently of the category you'd classified It. It is a must tool in your arsenal. I bought one and It is never leaving my board

[@goodbyepolarbears172]

I'm having huge problems getting useful sounds out of it. Particularly anything banjo like seems to defeat it. I have tried some banjo rolls but it seems that it can't keep up with my fingers. In mono mode it misses triggering certain notes and sounds terribly glitchy and in poly mode it just sounds horrible and digital. I wonder if I am doing something wrong or there are some deep internal settings that I am missing somehow?

[@Samana009]

@@goodbyepolarbears172 well, it will not give you a perfect banjo. It is just impossible. It is something that reminds of a banjo. About the other sounds, I never had a problem. Spot on. Always on poly mode. Keep tweeking

[@goodbyepolarbears172]

I'm tweaking like crazy but not getting any happier@@Samana009 . A few more days at it and then it may be for sale on ebay! I just went back to my Boss Slow Gear and, whilst it of course won't do the banjo thing at all, it gets pretty close to the EHX with cello sounds and backwards playing (without the cut off of course). I'm sorely disappointed at the moment but hope it's just my incompetence that's letting me down. It feels like a lot of money to have spent just to get a backwards tape effect that couldn't really be used more than a couple of times without becoming an annoyance. Perhaps it's just that digital sound of the poly mode that's putting me off going there much. I seem to be allergic to very digital effects - they make me a little queasy - so it may be that the pedal just doesn't suit my ears. I'll keep tweaking a little longer yet and may stumble into a zone that pleases me. I'm just starting to get my doubts that have always resulted in pedal rejection in the past!

[@Samana009]

@@goodbyepolarbears172 Danelectro has a delay that is perfect for the backward sounds. I think it is called back talk, but not sure

[@goodbyepolarbears172]

Yes that one's pretty expensive but TC Electronic have their Flashback that's pretty good at reverse delay too. Mind you, what I wanted was a reverse sounding envelope such as this EHX was supposed to provide but with each hour of owning it I am finding more and more flaws with it. I'm not finding a way to extend the length of a held note either. The ATTACK alters the SPEED of the attack and the DECAY alters the SPEED of the decay but I haven't found any way of telling the thing to not decay too soon after letting the note bloom, just a slower decay once it has. I'd like to be able to dial in a slow attack, plenty of held note and then a quick decay but I've not found that to be possible. I can't see it lasting the week with me! Shame, it promised so much.

[@oscarchuquillanqui8574]

You made me get this one

[@greg4272]

Thank you man! The only clear explanation on youtube without blablabla! You rule!

[@davidsummerville351]

Thanks so much. Great info.

[@waynesoper197]

Thanks for this !

[@MrCarameloso]

The Force is strong with this one ☝️

[@guitarguy07]

This is many things, but I never would have guessed this pedal would have been a legit alternative to the Rainbow Machine.

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Mine just arrived yesterday. Needless to say, I got up an hour and a half late this morning.

[@TapThePlanet]

Close to The Edge.

[@benjaminkibler5944]

Thanks for this...great!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thanks for watching!

[@DrRussPhd]

Great demo . . some of those later sounds around 7:38 almost sound like a Fender Rhodes . . . great post . . tyvm.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thank you! Actually, it IS rhodes! Sorry, I didn't identify it there but did call it out in the end section around 9:10

[@Justaguy11199]

Thank you so much man! Why does no one else show these features?

[@guitar9310]

Amazing vid! This pedal is way m0re than what it seems!

[@michaelrisberg5840]

I dig the close to the edge back ground

[@CTCAC2000]

ok sold. I want one now.

[@markhammer643]

I bought mine yesterday, and have been exploring its "morphing" possibilities. The send-return loop allows one to adjust the blend and attack times such that whatever is in the loop gets faded in over time. You don't get any sort of swell effect, but rather a gradual morphing from clean to whatever the alternate is in the loop. One possibility is inserting a pitch-shifting device of some kind, whether a simple octave-up or octave-down unit, or a full on pitch harmonizer that can insert a different interval. Adding some attack time allows for that other pitch to "join" you as you play. I also found that it could make sitar emulation a little more realistic. If you use an analog octave-up fuzz, and pick near the bridge using the bridge pickup, it can sound like an old Coral Electric Sitar. Adding just a small amount of attack time softens the "strum" and sounds a little more like the real thing. I suppose one could spring the dollars and buy the EHX Ravish pedal, that probably does a better job. But this unit will take you 65% of the way there.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Mark Hammer Great idea about the pitch shifter! I explore this type of envelope blending you’re describing at about 6:05 with a univibe, but I bet pitch shift would sound really cool. This pedal has a lot of utility beyond the obvious volume envelope “effect” sounds!

[@markhammer643]

@@ElliotGKnapp That it does. I generally make all my own pedals, and have made a few "auto-swell" units. But this thing offers a lot more control and options, that justified plunking down the money for a change.

[@markhammer643]

One of the other things it can do is a nice emulation of the old Gretsch Contrafuzz. The Contrafuzz yielded an interesting effect in that picked notes would start out clean and get dirtier as you held them. Gretsch used a pretty standard diode clipping subcircuit, goosed the bejeezus out of the signal and mixed it, out of phase, with a clean signal, but at a lower level. You'd hear the clean picked note, which would fade out as per normal, but the fuzzed signal would sustain longer, and come to be more audible as the clean signal faded. This can be easily mimicked by the AD by setting the attack time long enough, the decay time at max, the on-board fuzz set to whatever tone you like, and the Blend control set around 60/40 or so, depending on how you set the fuzz level. You'll hear the clean signal initially, and the fuzz will gradually fade in over top of the clean.

[@KevinHenkelMusic]

that Curtis Mayfield bass line is sounding good with this!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thanks...the first time I plugged my Bass VI into the pedal and punched the fuzz on it's what immediately sprang to mind!

[@PartyRockAdviser]

Great video! Please make more like this. I've been wondering if I'm missing out on cool ways to use my gear.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Robert Oschler Thank you! I actually have a running list of 20+ video ideas, it’s just a matter of fitting them in with full time work and making music. Demo production always takes so much longer than it seems like it should!

[@eronackerman565]

I think I'm in love

[@hassancehef2039]

Nice video ! I have one question , maybe you can help me: Can you use the EXP Port to control via midi Program change ? I want to connect an external midi controller to change Preset of my EHX attack decay.

[@MichaelUhler]

Good music too!

[@eddiegalon3714]

That background art looks like Roger Dean which makes me think of the cool sounds Steve Howe used on the Tormato album which further makes me wonder if he was using the original version of this pedal. Just wondering. This pedal would be amazing with a midi keyboard.

[@UMAMIMAMU]

4:48 Curtis Mayfield "If There's A Hell Below We're All Gonna Go".

[@j.maxsering3728]

the curtis mayfield riff was icing on the video cake

[@ScottSchleiff]

Amazing demo, thank you! Mine just came in and this is helping me dial in some different sounds very quickly. I'm also using it on bass, so your bass fuzz settings are suuuuper helpful. Also, what record is that in the background? It looks familiar but I can't place it. Thanks!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

I really like using it with the Harmonix Blend, though I did struggle a bit to find the usefulness of that setting with instruments other than bass...I think EHX deciding to make the LPF tone stack resonant was a great idea, since it really adds to the synth flavor. Mum's the word on the record sleeve--I like letting people guess. This one's from a master and a very popular slab so I'm sure someone will get it soon!

[@ScottSchleiff]

@@ElliotGKnapp cooooool well I'm not going back to this video every day to look for the answer and I 100% do not know what it is so whenever someone figures it out, could they please do me a favor and let me know with a reply here?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

@@ScottSchleiff Looked for contact info in your channel's About section to PM you but couldn't find it so....if you want to email me at mine I'd be more than happy to hook you up.

[@ScottSchleiff]

Elliot Knapp no worries, I asked a buddy and he knew the record! This will be my first dive into their catalog aside from radio single so I’m pumped to check it out

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Scott S nice! It’s a classic. I try to make at least some kind of connection between the pedal and the sleeve...the guitarist does some killer volume pedal work...especially 2 albums later

[@tendingtropic7778]

will it be a problem if there is a buffer pedal before this? (since there is a fuzz in it?)

[@ponkor]

Awesome work!. Quick question. I write electronic music, but use lots of Strymon, EH pedals. Mostly techno or slower dub techno. I'm intrigued by this pedal as I think it might play well with drum machines, samplers and synths... do you think so to, or is this one just for the guitarists??.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

ponkor Yes, definitely! Generally speaking, anything with an attack/decay envelope, so any sound that has an initial onset and lasts at least a little while (brief transients like drum hits will have a narrower range of time to work with since they don’t last very long) can be affected by the pedal. Things that sometimes already have natural fade-in like vocals, wind instruments, bowed strings, will be less effective since they already kind of sound like what the effect does. I think many synths have this kind of functionality already built in, but if it has immediate onset, the effect can change that to a swell of any duration. I’m an advocate of trying any effect on everything-you never know how it might turn out and inspire ideas!

[@ioannist.5568]

So far i've been using the Hazarai's reverse mode, but this one seems a great option with more features. Nice video!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

I don't have experience with the Hazarai but it seems like it's a delay that includes a reverse mode? The difference between a reverse delay and the Attack Decay is that it doesn't actually reverse any audio, it just simulates reverse by a fade-in volume envelope. Both are definitely useful! Thanks for watching!

[@krokus5714]

God job¡

[@ShaighJosephson]

EHX needs to implement stereo inputs/outputs in their pedals...

[@stuartgodfrey5000]

Just got mine. How do I dial in the bubble thing??

[@semmonemmo]

Say you put the attack just a little so that you get rid of the pick sound. How good is the tracking? Could you play really fast, such as this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXKaiYeHmNecr5o ? (Kurt's using a Hog2 which also has an attack slider, but it is really fast, as you can hear.) Can this pedal match that? Thanks.