United States · Est. 1984
DigiTech
Digital processing pioneers. Creators of the Whammy, one of the most iconic pitch pedals in rock.
About the brand
DigiTech was founded in Salt Lake City in 1984 and became one of the first manufacturers to bring digital signal processing to affordable pedals. Their Whammy, launched in 1990, revolutionised the use of pitch shifting in live rock. Tom Morello made it an essential part of his sound.
The Whammy's ability to shift pitch in real time — over a range of up to two octaves in either direction — gave players access to sounds that were previously only possible in a studio with tape manipulation. Morello, Jack White, and Jonny Greenwood all exploited its unique character.
Though DigiTech's fortunes declined in the 2010s amid changing tastes and company ownership changes, the Whammy remains a staple of alternative guitar playing. The current Whammy 5 and the compact Ricochet carry that legacy forward.
Key facts
- Whammy: the reference pitch pedal since 1990
- Used by Tom Morello to create his signature Rage Against the Machine sounds
- JamMan: one of the first widely available looper pedals
- Pioneers of affordable multi-effects units
Iconic pedals
Whammy
The most iconic pitch-shifting pedal in rock. Its ability to shift pitch in real time up to two octaves in either direction made it an essential alt-rock tool.
JamMan
One of the first popular compact loopers, with storage for multiple phrases and an SD card slot to expand memory.
Whammy Ricochet
A compact Whammy without an expression pedal, controlled by a single switch that performs the pitch-shift automatically with adjustable speed.
Notable musicians
- Tom Morello · Whammy
- Jack White · Whammy
- Dimebag Darrell · Whammy
- Vernon Reid · Whammy