How Did I Never Know THIS

This is a detailed overview of the content of the YouTube video titled "How Did I Never Know THIS" by the channel Music is Win.

Overview

In this video, Tyler Larson explores a widely overlooked feature of the iconic DigiTech Whammy Pedal: the D-Tune (Detune) setting. While the pedal is globally famous for pitch-shifting, pitch-bending, and extreme harmony effects (popularized by artists like Tom Morello, Jack White, and Dimebag Darrell), it actually features dedicated chorus/detune capabilities that many guitarists completely ignore [00:00], [01:02].

Th

e Core Concept: D-Tune (Chorus Effect)

Tyler points out that the original marketing materials for the Whammy pedal advertised it as a controllable pitch and detune chorus unit [00:53]. Instead of shifting a note by whole intervals or octaves, the D-Tune settings layer a second note on top of the original that is just a few cents sharp or flat [02:43]. This creates a modulation effect without a traditional LFO, acting similarly to a doubled guitar track or an out-of-tune guitar string that adds thickness to the sound [02:28], [03:03].

The pedal features

two distinct D-Tune modes [01:49], [02:32]:

Shallow: A subtle, lush thickening effect comparable to a Boss Dimension C pedal [01:49].

Deep: A much more pronounced, shifting chorused sound where the wavering pitch difference is highly noticeable [02:32].

Applications and Comparisons

Randy Rhoads Tone: Combining the D-Tune setting with heavy distortion replicates a classic "Randy Rhoads in a box" double-tracked studio sound [03:17].

Andy Summers / The Police: The effect pairs excellently with clean, complex chord shapes like Add9 chords to give them a lus

h, expansive character [04:16].

Pedal Comparison: Tyler briefly compares the effect to the TC Electronic Mimic Doubler, noting that while the Mimic allows for up to three distinct overdubs [03:52], using the Whammy is highly advantageous because it gives you access to both the chorus sound and the classic wild whammy effects in one unit [04:06].

Inspiration: Tyler credits jazz/fusion guitarist Mike Seal (featured on the No Cover Charge podcast) for opening his eyes to this setting [05:04]. Seal noted that virtuoso Mike Stern and dobro master Jerry Dougl

as use the Whammy specifically for its deep chorus effect [05:14], [05:27].

Classic Whammy Features Explored

Towards the end of the video, Tyler revisits the more aggressive settings that made the pedal famous:

Pitch Bending: Demonstrating the wild, non-diatonic swoops favored by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai [06:22].

Dimebag Darrell's "Spaceship" Sound: Using the harmony section set to a double octave up [07:13]. When combined with a sharp pinch harmonic, it pushes the pitch entirely out of the standard sonic spectrum, creating a piercing, rocket-like cli

mb [07:42].

Visual Summary of the Pedal's Layout

+---------------------------------------------------------+

| DIGITECH WHAMMY PEDAL |

+---------------------------------------------------------+

| [ EXPRESSION PEDAL ] |

| Used to sweep between pitches or blend the D-Tune |

| |

| [ SELECTION KNOB & LEDS ] |

| |

| WHAMMY (Pitch Bending)

HARMONY (Dual Notes) |

| o 2 Oct Up o Oct Up / Oct Down |

| o 1 Oct Up o 5th Up / 6th Up |

| ... ... |

| |

| DETUNE (The "Forgotten" Chorus Section) |

| o SHALLOW (Subtle, Dimension C style thickening) |

| o DEEP (Heavy, rich pitch wavering) |

+---------------------------------------------------------+

How Did I Never Know THIS

Music is Win · 31K vie