Piano EffectTremolo
It moves the volume up and down periodically. It is the effect that defines the seventies Rhodes and Wurlitzer.
How to recognise it by ear
- The sound "pulses": every note gets louder and softer at the same time, at the same rate.
- The pitch does not change (that would be vibrato) and neither does the colour (that would be a filter or a phaser).
- In stereo, if the volume bounces from side to side, it is the Rhodes Suitcase panning tremolo.
Typical settings
Rate between 3 and 7 Hz; depth from 3 to 8 dB. Blues Rhodes runs slow (≈ 4.5 Hz); an accordion bellows imitation is fast and light (≈ 5.5–6 Hz, 3–4 dB).
What Piano Effect measures
The rate in Hz with its error margin, the depth in dB and the waveform (sine, triangle, square). LFO rates are the engine's most solid measurement.
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Library sounds that use it
- Cumbia accordion (synth)rate 5.5 Hz · depth 3 dB · sine wave
- Norteño accordion (organ)rate 6 Hz · depth 4 dB · triangle wave
- Blues Rhodes with tremolorate 4.5 Hz · depth 6 dB · sine wave
- Blues Wurlitzerrate 5 Hz · depth 5 dB · sine wave
- Neo soul Rhodesrate 3.8 Hz · depth 3 dB · sine wave
Frequently asked questions
What is tremolo?
It moves the volume up and down periodically. It is the effect that defines the seventies Rhodes and Wurlitzer. The pitch does not change (that would be vibrato) and neither does the colour (that would be a filter or a phaser).
How can I tell if a song uses tremolo?
The sound "pulses": every note gets louder and softer at the same time, at the same rate. The pitch does not change (that would be vibrato) and neither does the colour (that would be a filter or a phaser). To be sure, scan it with Piano Effect: it tells you whether it is there and with which values.
What tremolo settings are typical?
Rate between 3 and 7 Hz; depth from 3 to 8 dB. Blues Rhodes runs slow (≈ 4.5 Hz); an accordion bellows imitation is fast and light (≈ 5.5–6 Hz, 3–4 dB).