Does The Whammy Bar Have a Bad Rep Among Metal Players?

We know that in the 1980s, many Metal players used and abused of whammy bars. Some played it the way it was supposed to, others just used it as toy, nevertheless it’s got a bad rep. Here we have a video where guitar virtuoso Plini shows a thing or two about whammy bars and how to use them for “servicing the melody rather than to be just showy.”

He said:

“In my experience, [whammy bar] started to get a really bad name amongst metal players who are trying to play sort of with ‘modern taste,’ whatever that is. A lot of the guys that I teach or play with think of the whammy bar as this thing that you sort of had in the 80s as a way to… *plays something that resembles a Kerry King solo, moving the whammy bar up and in a disorganized manner down as if it’s his last day on Earth.”

“And that’s sort of it. You’re either shaking it wildly or you play a fixed bridge. But like all the other techniques and articulations available to guitar players, I think the whammy bar can be a really important and fun way to further expand your sound.”

Now watch the video: