Design-Build Team: Angelo Cabral, Trevor Hoffman, Stephen Phillips, Omari SpearsIn our DIY studio we first brainstormed many ideas for what to do. After narrowing down the list, we decided to make an accelerometer-controlled wah pedal. We thought this would be a good device to make, as we were taking an object that is usually used with a performer's foot, and instead would re-make it so that the performer would have to shake the guitar for the wah device to function.

The wah pedal (powered by an accelerometer) is used to produce the wah guitar effect when the user shakes the guitar. There is an on and off switch to change the guitars signal to clean (the sound you would get if it was directly plugged into the amp) and to the wah signal. The retrofitted device is attached to the guitar using bungee cords wherever the user chooses to put it, but the angles to produce the effect have to be modified depending on the location. Wah pedals normally use a potentiometer to produce the effect, but by replacing that with an accelerometer, the effect can be produced without using a foot. This allows the user more movement freedom when performing on a stage.

Adam Steinberg demonstrates how a musician can now manipulate the guitar to induce the "wah" effect by oscillating the guitar up and down: