Ring Modulation: How to Begin

Ring modulation is a bizarre effect, but here's 5 practical ways you can use it without being weird for the sake of weird. Detailed info for each pro-tip is below. Stop-motion animation and drone footage by John Marty.

PRO-TIP #1: GREAT DISTORTION
Whichever ring mod pedal you have, try setting the frequency shift to somewhere a little above the halfway point of its range, and setting the mix to something like 40%. Then run it into an overdriven amp or into your dirt pedals, and it should fuse with the distortion in a really cool way. In my example, I'm using the Quadrature mode (specifically amplitude modulation) in the Strymon Mobius to do this.

PRO-TIP #2: THE BELL SOUND
Pick a single note that's in the key of whatever song you're about to play, and then turn the frequency shift up on your ring modulator until it sounds like it's on an octave of that note. Then play that note in various positions with a lot of reverb, and it will sound like bells.

PRO-TIP #3: THE UNIVERSAL SWEET SPOT
While turning the frequency shift, find the spot where it's right in between a simple tremolo effect and a weirder, telltale ring mod effect. Once you're in that spot, use an LFO to continuously move the frequency shift, so that it drifts in between tremolo and weirdness while you continue to play.

PRO-TIP #4: THE CARRIER SIGNAL=SYNTH
If your ring mod pedal can output its carrier signal, use that as an instrument on its own, with the frequency shift knob now acting as a simple pitch control. Note that in order to do this with Randy's Revenge from Fairfield Circuitry, which is what I use in the example, you will need to unscrew the back of the pedal and adjust the DIP switches inside. Make it so that only switch #3 (OSC) is activated, and the rest are deactivated.

PRO-TIP #5: USE AN EXP PEDAL FOR MIX
Set up an expression pedal to control the mix of your ring modulator. Then experiment by blending the mix in and out while you're playing. See if you can start to play phrases that incorporate this technique in ways that sound intentional.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:34 Pro-Tip #1: Great Distortion
01:37 Sound Example
02:12 Pro-Tip #2: The Bell Sound
03:02 Sound Example
03:56 Pro-Tip #3: The Universal Sweet Spot
05:18 Sound Example
05:51 Pro-Tip #4: The Carrier Signal=Synth
07:36 Sound Example
08:35 Pro-Tip #5: Use an Exp Pedal for Mix
10:09 Sound Example

[CyberattackWorld]

PRO-TIP #6: if you're thinking about buying any of the pedals in this video, you can use my affiliate links with Perfect Circuit to get them and support my channel in the process. I'll make a small commission on whatever you buy, if you click on any of these links:

STRYMON MOBIUS

SYNTAX ERROR V2

GFI SYNESTHESIA

FAIRFIELD CIRCUITRY RANDY'S REVENGE

RING MODULATORS IN GENERAL:

[edsavage]

0:15 that's actually one of the coolest sounds ever! XD

[ChefZak]

Never heard a better ring mod demo. You make them sound so beautiful!

[rahzark]

Sonic the Hedgehog's favorite modulation

[wychwoodmusic]

Damn. This is the kind of offbeat yet expert videos I and youtube need more of. (I swear to god, if the algorithm recommends one more pedal demo by some dude cranking out blues-rock cliches or bro-metal riffs, I’m quitting.) AKA more please!

[saadindassum]

Holy shit man, can you make a full cover of Bittersweet Symphony? That was sick af

[iMobinator]

ring mod with expression pedal is so cool! ia lways loved the unique growly expression ring mod has and it adds so much character to instruments when used dynamically!

[Ross-zeny]

Nice video. DnD maps are a perfect visualisation for ring mod

[FlankinspanK]

Coolest video on ring modulation ever.

[summerbrainrock]

LOL. Before I realized it was Bittersweet Symphony I was thinking, you need to record that and release it. That song resonates with me hard. One of my top 5 all time favorite bands.

[mokrodrigues]

This video is just pure gold and I'll never see ring mods the same way again. I thought they were just bizarre, but these tips, especially the last one, are just plain brilliant, and the sound examples too! Cheers!

[Gold---Mole]

Pro tips for certain effects rather than specific pedals, awesome! Would love to see more. How about where to begin using golden ratio delays, everyone just uses them for washy reverby sounds but there's totally more to it

[CaseyKoplinCk]

This is the best effect explanation video I’ve ever seen.

[keithklassen]

I've always been fascinated with the ringmod sounds ive heard on records, just as much as i hated the sounds i tried too make myself; after trying these tips, I found some genuinely intereting sounds for the first time in literal decades!

[CarlosCotalloSolares]

I use a lot of ring mod for crazy sounds and I love it, but I really appreciated the more subtle uses you came up with. It's kind of the anti cyberattack video: your normal pedals can make crazy sounds, but your crazy pedals can make normal sounds.

[ToneSherpa]

that was a pretty dope rendition of Young Lust there buddy

[JforJonas]

This takes me back to seeing your Sweet Fix video from 10 years ago. Cool to see that you're still making vids!

[SumangalSinhaRoy]

I love harmonics and spectral stuff. The ring modulator can create or soup up an existing harmonic. Thanks for tip number 2!

[SpaceshipEarthling]

Absolutely awesome tips, and musical references/jams. Appreciated!

[justink]

A T O N A L L A G O O N
Such a great video- awesome playing, succinct explanations and superb editing/visuals 👌 Anyone who doesn't enjoy this either doesn't know how to get weird with their guitar or they don't understand the artistry of those visuals