The Subdecay Vocawah is an envelope filter built around two parallel resonant filters that Subdecay describes as inspired by the human voice. Like other envelope filters, it uses your playing dynamics to drive the modulation, but here the two filters move in opposite directions at the same time. Subdecay calls it a Vowel Shift Filter, and the result is a more intense and emotive effect than a typical wah or filter pedal, similar to running two wah pedals at once.1
It sits in the wider family of filter pedals, and its two-voice approach is what separates it from single-filter designs1.
How the two filters work
An envelope filter opens and closes a filter in response to how hard you play. The Vocawah does that twice. Subdecay explains that the pedal uses your playing dynamics to modulate two filters, and because they are in parallel and sweep in opposite directions, the two voices move against each other as your signal changes. That opposing movement is the basis of the vowel-like character and of the maker's comparison to running two wah pedals together.1
Controls
The Vocawah keeps its panel small: a voicing switch and two knobs.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Band-pass / Low-pass switch | Sets filter voicing. Low-pass retains lower frequencies, which is often useful with bass guitar. Band-pass typically works better with guitar, particularly when used with overdrive. |
| Manual | Manually sets the opening (or frequency) of each filter. |
| Depth | Adjusts the sensitivity of filter modulation. |
The Manual knob is worth noting: because it sets the opening of each filter, it shapes where both voices sit before your dynamics take over, so it is the main starting point for dialing in the sound1.
The Band-pass / Low-pass switch is the control to reach for when changing instruments. Subdecay's guidance is Low-pass for bass and Band-pass for guitar, especially with overdrive in front of the Vocawah.1
Guitar, bass and pickups
Subdecay designed the Vocawah for electric guitar and bass, and says the knob ranges and filter sweep are tuned to work well with guitar or bass, single coils or humbuckers.1 That makes it a filter you can move between instruments without relearning the panel, and it sits alongside the maker's other filter designs such as the Subdecay Prometheus DLX and the Subdecay Proteus.
Analog circuit and availability
The circuit is 100% analog, which Subdecay says gives warm sound and great headroom.1
Videos
Subdecay
Guitar Chimp
The Rolling Store
Questions
Is the Subdecay Vocawah analog or digital?
Subdecay describes the Vocawah as a 100 percent analog circuit, which the maker says gives it warm sound and great headroom. That makes it an analog alternative to digital filter and synth-style pedals: the filtering happens in the analog signal path, driven by the dynamics of your playing rather than by digital tracking or processing.
Does the Vocawah work with bass?
Yes. Subdecay designed the Vocawah for electric guitar and bass. The knob ranges and filter sweep are tuned to work well with either instrument, and the Low-pass position of the voicing switch retains lower frequencies, which the maker says is often useful with bass guitar. Players of single coils or humbuckers are also covered by the tuning.
What does the Band-pass / Low-pass switch do on the Vocawah?
It sets the filter voicing. In Low-pass, the pedal retains lower frequencies, which Subdecay says is often useful with bass guitar. In Band-pass, the filter typically works better with guitar, particularly when the pedal is used with overdrive. It is the main control for matching the Vocawah to your instrument and drive setup.
Is the Subdecay Vocawah like a wah pedal?
It is related to a wah but goes further. Subdecay says the Vocawah creates a more intense and emotive effect than a typical wah or filter pedal, and describes it as similar to running two wah pedals at once, because the two parallel filters modulate in opposite directions as you play.
Does the Vocawah work with single coils and humbuckers?
Subdecay says the knob ranges and filter sweep are tuned to work well with guitar or bass, single coils or humbuckers. So the pedal is set up to respond properly whether your instrument has lower-output single coil pickups or hotter humbuckers, without needing internal adjustments or different settings for each.
Sources (1)
- Vocawah- Vowel Shift Filter- Guitar Effects by Subdecay, Subdecay, 2018-05-04
