Anybody here use an E-Bow?

[Lewguitar]

My wife has been bugging me to try one for years...so I bought one. It's cool. Sounds like a backwards guitar more so than a violin or bowed instrument. But I find it very difficult to skip strings with it. I tend to hold it over one string and just move up and down it with my fretting hand. I don't have much experence with it yet. Anybody have any tips on how to get the most out of this thing? Mine is a brand new one with the blue LED. Thanks! Lew

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

I have one and actually it's sitting right next to my computer monitor. I haven't played around with it in awhile however. There's alot of different ways to use it to get alot of different sounds out of it. I always liked slamming (for lack of a better term) it down on the strings to get the sound of a cello and violin. I actually have a song I recorded by using it in that matter. I used three tracks and used it with different harmonies. I got a Kashmir kinda vibe out of it by using it that way. As I stated, there's quite plethora of sounds which can be gotten by using them. Just read the manual over and over and over again, as it's really helpful. Have you listened to the cassette that came with it yet? I was amazed at some of the things that guy was doing with an ebow and the sounds he was getting.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

Here ya go Lew. I just uploaded this in case you want to hear a little bit of what you can do with an E-Bow. I also used a Heil Talkbox on this as well. It gets kinda boring without vocals, but I got a decent solo at the end.
http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/VirtualStudios/Listen/detail.php?eltid=18406http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/jollyjmusic.htm

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

Thanks Jolly! I bought it new but didn't get a cassette with it. Maybe I'll write them and see if they'll send me one if it should have been included. When you say you slam it down on the string to get a cello effect do you mean you actually hit the string with the Ebow? I've been trying like heck NOT to touch the strings with it. I just got it...like I said, I have pretty much no experience yet. So far, all I can get out of it is kind of a backwards "Kashmir" raga sounding thing played on one string. Lew

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

Thanks again Jolly...I found the cassette tape in the bottem of the box. Haven't had a chance to listen to the clip you provided...I'll check it out tho. Thanks again!

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

No problem Lew. If I'm not mistaken, these are the same songs that came on the casette http://ebow.com/ebow/sounds.htm . Yes, I meant to actually slam it down on the string. You almost do it somewhat like a pick scrape actually. You slam it down onto the string and kind push it fowards a tad. That's how I got the effect on the above song I posted. There's all kinds of ways to use it and it really can be fun. Another cool way to use it is by doing chords. Do some chords and (this is the only way I know to describe this) and act like you're strumming an acoustic....don't touch the E-Bow to the strings this time. It gives it kind of a cool sound. You are making sure you use it with the neck pickup only aren't you? Hopefully the instruction booklet came with yours. If it didn't I'll try to round mine up and scan it for you.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

Cool.....you found your cassette. You're gonna trip when you hear Eleanor Rigby and When I'm 64. The harmonica sound blows me away as well.

 

[Skullkrusher]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

I've seen those E-bows before, but never tried one. I'll have to give it a whirl.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

I love mine..its an early 80s chrome model, with the tooled leather case. The early ones take longer to sense the strings, and i like them that way. Add lots of delay and fuzz, and loop it...wonderful noises.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

I have the Ebow+, which has the two outputs: Normal and +5th ... I rarely use it, but when you need it, there's no effect that comes close! I like using it with my guitar synth, for strings and stuff. The effect is much closer to a bowed instrument instead of stomping on the "HOLD" switch.

Lew, it IS possible to do string skipping with it, as well as a host of other things, but you have to practice a LOT. It's practically another instrument. Steve Hackett is the Ebow MASTER ... check out his solo stuff from the 70's (like VOYAGE OF THE ACCOLYTE) and you will hear some incredible Ebow-age!!

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

Mincer, God of MIDI... I've always wondered... does it give a more convincing bowed string sound when using an Ebow on a synth-equipped guitar playing a string patch?

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

If u go to the Tips & clips section & click on my post, I used an ebow together with a slide to get this cool background sound that sounds like a synth, but earthier. (is that a word?)

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anybody here use an E-Bow?

Mincer, God of MIDI... I've always wondered... does it give a more convincing bowed string sound when using an Ebow on a synth-equipped guitar playing a string patch?

Actually no, its all how you program the attack of the synth patch..you can program it to have a slow attack...how the string is initially played (fingers, pick, Ebow) has no effect on how the synth sound is.