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EBow

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An EBow
Using an EBow with a Telecaster

The EBow is an electronic device used for playing string instruments, most often the electric guitar. It was invented by the American guitarist Greg Heet in 1969 and introduced in 1976. The EBow uses a pickup and a magnetic feedback circuit to vibrate strings without touching them, allowing players to sustain notes indefinitely.

History

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The EBow was invented in 1969 by the American guitarist Greg Heet and introduced in 1976 at the NAMM trade show.[1] It has remained in continuous production since.[2] The first version was activated by plucking the guitar string. The second, introduced in 1983, added an on/off switch and a more powerful drive. The third, introduced in 1989, had improved sensitivity and faster attack. The EBow Plus, introduced in 1998, adds a blue LED and a switch to allow users to move between normal and harmonic modes (which sounds one octave higher).[2] The Ebow is powered by a nine-volt battery.[3]

Function

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The EBow uses a pickup and a magnetic feedback circuit to vibrate strings without touching them. Whereas guitars traditionally have fast attack and slow release, meaning notes ring immediately and then fade out, the EBow can sustain notes indefinitely and gives greater control over attack and decay.[2] The EBow can only play one string at a time, but can be moved across the strings to play arpeggios.[3] It can produce sounds similar to cello or violin.[2]

Use

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The EBow was particularly popular in 1980s music, used by acts such as Big Country, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets and Bill Nelson.[2] The Love and Rockets guitarist Daniel Ash said the EBow "changed everything for me ... [It] basically turns the guitar into a keyboard ... It completely opened up the sound of the guitar."[4]

The EBow has been used to create background textures or sustained notes similar to guitar feedback, as in "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (1976) by Blue Öyster Cult and "Heaven Beside You" (1996) by Alice in Chains.[2] It was used by the Edge on the 1983 U2 album The Unforgettable Fire and by Noel Gallagher on the 1996 Oasis song "Don't Look Back in Anger".[2]

The EBow was prominently used by the Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist John McGeoch on "Sin in My Heart", from the 1981 album Juju.[5] The EBow is used by the Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien for performances of songs such as "My Iron Lung", "Talk Show Host", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", "Where I End and You Begin" and "Nude".[6] Other users include Duran Duran, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Van Halen, Metallica and the Foo Fighters.[2] The Canadian-American ambient rock band Vision Eternel uses an EBow on nearly all their songs.[7][8]

In the 1980s, the Bongos used the EBow in the intro of their song "Numbers With Wings" and in "River To River", "Miss Jean", "Glow", "Flew A Falcon" and "Sweet Blue Cage". Frontman Richard Barone continues to use an EBow on his subsequent solo recordings and much of his production work including his songs "Love is a Wind that Screams" and his cover of T. Rex's "The Visit".[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mitchell, Ed (18 July 2012). "In praise of: the EBow". MusicRadar. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Gill, Chris (4 May 2023). "In praise of the EBow, one of the most under-appreciated yet influential guitar tools of all time". Guitar World. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b White, Paul (November 2020). "Why I love... the Ebow". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  4. ^ "There's Only One: An Interview with Daniel Ash". Collideartandculture.com. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  5. ^ Sullivan-Burke, Rory (April 2022). The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorised Biography of John McGeoch. Omnibus Press. p. 108. ISBN 978-1913172664.
  6. ^ Duxson, Eli (15 February 2024). "The story of the EBow in seven tracks". Mixdown. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  7. ^ Reed, Mick (21 January 2021). "Interview: Vision Eternel, Moments of Clarity a Mist of Memory". New Noise Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  8. ^ Mayo, Stitch (12 March 2024). "InterView: Vision Eternel – Dark and Depressive Phases". ReGen Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 February 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  9. ^ "From The Desk Of Richard Barone: My EBow And Me". Magnetmagazine.com. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
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