Vibrato Pedals

Whereas the tremolo effect involves subtle variations in volume, vibrato pedals produce slight variations in pitch, not unlike the sound created when guitarist or other stringed instrumentalists add vibrato to a sustained note. Unlike a finger vibrato (which only involves taking a note up in pitch), a vibrato effects pedal produces variations in pitch both above and below the original note, sort of like a floating vibrato bar on the guitar. While extended use of a vibrato pedal lends itself more properly to subtle usage, a vibrato unit can also be used to create a brief "machine gun" effect. Guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Robin Trower have made the rich tone of a vibrato pedal a sought after effect for guitarists interested in a classic, vintage tone.