Vertigo siren?

[Edge_Orchestra]

I thought the pitch changes because Edge keeps strumming in between, hence breaking the signal and starting a new siren? Your video makes perfect sense though, it's Edge strumming and the fact that it always replicates the sound 1:1 that puzzle me. When you look at the strumming behavior in some videos, it looks like Edge has the control over the siren. Then again, that video you showed where he doesn't even touch the volume knob at the end does indicate that Dallas is involved to some extent.

By the way, awesome WH-1 at the end of the video

I haven't found a way where strumming regenerates the siren. Although, I suppose it's worth looking into.

One way could be if the siren was recorded and set up as a sample and the strum activates it? I suppose something like that is possible.

Ah yes... the Digitech WH-1. T'is a lovely beast.

 

[ewen]

Here is how I personally do the siren without touching the volume knob of the guitar but hand mutting the strings after the strums. Reverb and delay is needed with the fuzz gun. I'll upload my version on youtube.

Fender MIM Roadworn Tele with stock pups. set to bridge pup, vol and tone at max.
Boss NS-2 (threshold at max, decay at 11 o'clock).
DM4: screamer - drive at 12 o'clock, bass at 11, mid at 10, treble and volume 1 o'clock.
DBA Fuzz Gun: Oct - bias and fuzz at 11 oclock, density at max, filter at 12 o'clock, level just off min (tweak).
SDD 3000: 440ms, feedback at 3 (i.e 10 o'clock), balance at 10 o'clock.
Verbzilla: hall - mix and decay at 9 o'clock, tone and time at 12 o'clock.
Vox AC30 Amplug: volume at 8, tone between 7 and 8, gain between 5 and 6.

I start the strums (roughly 4 I think) beginning with an upstroke and then mute.

 

[Zooropa1310]

Unless it was noted from Dallas or The Edge, I actually think it is a Zvex Fuzz Factory.

I'm a huge Muse fan. Muse and U2 were touring together for sometime, and The Edge and Matt Bellamy have been known to "share secrets." Matt Bellamy is a HUGE fuzz factory fanatic, he has them installed on his guitars to control all parameters of the oscillation. You can see the edge scratching his strings to break up the siren, then it fades back in. The Zvex does that, it will interrupt, then slide back in.

 

[ewen]

Looks like a great pedal but I'm quite sure that Edge is not using that - only because it was not listed in the musicradar article (U2 Exclusive: The Edge's stage setup revealed | MusicRadar.com).

I think that the consensus is that it's the octo setting on the DBA Fuzz Gun. How he's using it, what he's using with it and how much Dallas is involved is the question. I've managed to get the siren without touching the volume knob and I find that success is heavily influenced with the use of reverb from my verbzilla; if I don't have any reverb, I need to use the volume pot.

Anyway, here's my attempt...

[youtube]xLqEblO8YYg[/youtube]

 

[ewen]

http://www.youtube.com/v/xLqEblO8YYg

 

[Zooropa1310]

Spot on! Great job

 

[ewen]

Thanks, it's close but probably no cigar just yet.

Here's a very interesting video of The Edge exchanging guitars at the beginning of Vertigo. The 'siren' is already sounding on the exchange. He then does two foot taps - perhaps one to end the siren, second one to select the first preset for the opening riff?

[youtube]LSLx2qyW2yA[/youtube]

 

[mick3b1g]

yea cool..my opinion is the Gretsch created the siren..it keeps ringing automatically and he then gets his Tele which is activated into the siren chain wireless and keeps it going hitting the strings and then changes preset for the main riff of Vertigo. I say this because the siren is on a half step tune guitar (sound half down from your clip) When he hits the Tele he is just muting which regen the sound but keeps ringing from that Gretsch. My quest is once the siren is on can you unplug a guitar or turn the vol down? Will the siren keep ringing? If so then this is whats going on in my opinion. I dont have this pedal so I cant try

Mick

 

[ewen]

I think your onto something, particularly since you picked up on the tuning. That's what I was struggling to get my head around when I tried playing it along with The Edge...my pitch was off, as you noticed. I think your theory is probably spot on...and now in retrospect it sounds so damn obvious! lol. I'm going to try. Btw Mick, feel free to borrow my Fuzz Gun...I'm in NYC.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Edge does own some Z-Vex pedals. But from all accounts I've seen thus far, I don't think any are in the rig presently.

While watching the U2.com vids during the making of the "No Line..." album, I saw a "Box of Rock" in one video and a "Fuzz Factory" in another.

Still think the siren is the DBA "Supersonic Fuzz Gun".

Unless it was noted from Dallas or The Edge, I actually think it is a Zvex Fuzz Factory.

I'm a huge Muse fan. Muse and U2 were touring together for sometime, and The Edge and Matt Bellamy have been known to "share secrets." Matt Bellamy is a HUGE fuzz factory fanatic, he has them installed on his guitars to control all parameters of the oscillation. You can see the edge scratching his strings to break up the siren, then it fades back in. The Zvex does that, it will interrupt, then slide back in.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

yea cool..my opinion is the Gretsch created the siren..it keeps ringing automatically and he then gets his Tele which is activated into the siren chain wireless and keeps it going hitting the strings and then changes preset for the main riff of Vertigo. I say this because the siren is on a half step tune guitar (sound half down from your clip) When he hits the Tele he is just muting which regen the sound but keeps ringing from that Gretsch. My quest is once the siren is on can you unplug a guitar or turn the vol down? Will the siren keep ringing? If so then this is whats going on in my opinion. I dont have this pedal so I cant try

Mick

But he did it with the Explorer during the soundcheck from Cardiff... but then again, I think he only activated it and didn't get the other 'regenerations' of it.

ALSO... have a listen to the middle bit of "Stand Up Comedy", that is where the 'siren' comes form initially. It was a sound that Dallas came up with and Bono loved it.

 

[mick3b1g]

I think it can be done with any guitar Its just the preset Dallas called up on that soundcheck. Once its ringing Id like to know if you can say turn the vol on the guitar off and will it still ring? Or even unplug the guitar will it still ring. If it does than theres your answer in relation to that U2gig vid. If its not possible then i think the Tele being wireless is activated into the same channel the Gretsch was upon the switch

M

 

[ewen]

....Once its ringing Id like to know if you can say turn the vol on the guitar off and will it still ring? Or even unplug the guitar will it still ring.
M

Yes to both. Also, after revisiting the pedal, the pitch at the "top" of the siren (i.e. when you're not playing anything) is affected entirely by the density control of the pedal. Perhaps he's pitch shifting after the output.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I think it can be done with any guitar Its just the preset Dallas called up on that soundcheck. Once its ringing Id like to know if you can say turn the vol on the guitar off and will it still ring? Or even unplug the guitar will it still ring. If it does than theres your answer in relation to that U2gig vid. If its not possible then i think the Tele being wireless is activated into the same channel the Gretsch was upon the switch

M

In Dallas' video he's striking the chord and then turning off the volume. That strips the guitar signal but leaves the oscillation.

 

[mick3b1g]

then I believe the question is answered. Edge can activate the siren ,let it ring, take that guitar off,go take a leak,have a beer whatever ,then put on his Tele engage it into the chain (already would be) then he can regenerate the sound with a muted chuck on the Tele even know its pitch was set by the initial strum of the previous guitar. Once ready for uno dos tres catorce he kicks in the new typical Vertigo preset and hes off...

M

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

then I believe the question is answered. Edge can activate the siren ,let it ring, take that guitar off,go take a leak,have a beer whatever ,then put on his Tele engage it into the chain (already would be) then he can regenerate the sound with a muted chuck on the Tele even know its pitch was set by the initial strum of the previous guitar. Once ready for uno dos tres catorce he kicks in the new typical Vertigo preset and hes off...

M

Hahahaha.... mmmm... beer.

 

[mirrorballman]

tthen he can regenerate the sound with a muted chuck on the Tele

It was my understanding though til now that the regeneration of the siren is not possible with the strumming of the guitar itself, but only by turning the knob on the Fuzz Gun? That was the whole debate whether Dallas is actually doing the siren under the stage or not, although Edge is striking the strings and "regenerating" it. Confused.

 

[mick3b1g]

this is tough because i dont have the pedal to test and really get a sense of what it does. maybe the Tele hit is just interuppting the siren while the whole time its on full tilt The sound really never goes away and never really restarts it just gets messed with when he hits the Tele muted strings? Again im guessing here

M

 

[ewen]

maybe the Tele hit is just interuppting the siren while the whole time its on full tilt The sound really never goes away and never really restarts it just gets messed with when he hits the Tele muted strings?

M

Yup, that's precisely what happens. The sound of the siren, including its pitch, is completely generated by the pedal. Strum something on the guitar and it breaks the siren. I thought you were onto something earlier about the Gretsch setting the pitch but having played with the pedal again it doesn't. Seems like the the only thing able to change the pitch is either a mod to the density setting on the pedal or some pitch changer on output. I'm beginning to think the Gretsch is a red herring. I'm going to try feeding a pitch shifted signal from my whammy through the input and see what that does.

 

[Rockhound252]

can someone write the lonk of the tow videos where appear fuzz factory and box of rock?