BO DIDLEY talks about the Tremolo - LAST KNOWN INTERVIEW

[morelmatthew]

He didn't claim to invent the tremolo arm (a.k.a. whammy bar) he claimed to have invented the first tremolo unit (like a guitar pedal). You can read a more detailed account of this in Neil Strauss' excellent article 'The Indestructible Beat of Bo Diddley' which appeared in Rolling Stone magazine (it's now online at N.S.' website). Many of his recordings featured a lot of heavy electronic tremolo and occasionally vibrato (likely via a Magnatone amp). Not sure if he ever used a whammy bar.

[kassemir]

On behalf of all Strat players I believe it''s only fitting to say: "Thank you Bo, for your music, your inventions, and for your originality"!!

[peterthomas583]

Bo Diddley invented the tremolo originally using a clockwork mechanism (later electronic). The bar on a guitar is a vibrato arm, not tremolo. They are different sounds!

[Alchy00]

Thanks for your answer! I've just seen it on my message box. I've already put that information in the french wikipedia (with your link). I'm gonna read more deeply your answer and might answer too. And did you know Bo Diddley was a marine (run) cadence kind of composer? I've just remarked it and it's really impressive (on Deezer, just hear : Run to cadence with the U.S. marines, vol. II) . I really learn every day with Bo Diddley ^^

[Alchy00]

@philcr Ho ok, I learn every day with Bo Diddley.^^ But I'd like to know more about that. I'm writing the french page of BD on wikipedia and that information is important. Can you tell me a little more about how was that bar and what he experimented with? And any other things you have about it. Sorry for the irony I made but I really thought it was a pure confusion and I have the difficulty of the language (I'm French). Thanks for your answers and glad to meet U on the net!

[Alchy00]

He invented the tremolo effect (electric), not the tremolo bar!! You can ear that sound in the song Bo Diddley (1955). It has nothing to do with tremolo bar!! He also invented or was the first to use a lot of sounds : this is the B.S. (Bo Sound, Bo Style), like filtron (I call it gagacat), chorus, auto-wha and one of the first real saturation used on TV and radio (1955). The guitars he made also had a lot of electric functions (5 speeds) or elect pad, but no bar!!!.

[potterzebra]

Tremolo is variation in amplitude (loudness). Vibrato is variation in pitch. I think it was Leo Fender who mixed them up when describing his guitars and amps, and the confusion continues to this day. The Strat-type guitar shown has a vibrato arm, which everyone now calls a tremolo even though it modulates pitch, not amplitude. As for who invented the (whatever), where's Ellas McDaniel's proof? I'll betcha Paul Bigsby has an earlier patent.

[laservampire]

@philcr Doesn't sound like he says "bar" anywhere in that video. You'd think if he'd invented it he would have used one, and I have NEVER seen or heard Bo use a guitar with a tremolo arm. I'm all for giving Bo his dues but he didn't invent the guitar tremolo arm, although he did make a mechanical tremolo effect that gave him his distinctive sound (in addition to using a DeArmond "Trem-Trol" pedal)

[ZoardFilms]

ledge.

[BuddyKatt]

Don't bother bookmarking bo; the shit don't stay around.

[maydom04]

ya gotta download it, like I do

[AndrewJBoyer]

omg , i never knew that he made the tremolo!

[jojobug45]

he's the king