Digitech says its latest creation, the HammerOn pitch-shifting pedal, is “seven pedals in one.” That left me pondering what constitutes a “pedal” in this scheme. I think the more accurate and descriptive term may be “modes.” But those seven pitch-shifting modes deliver in really fun ways.
Operationally speaking, the HammerOn is fairly straightforward. When you step on either of the sturdy-feeling footswitches, whatever note(s) you play morph instantly to a different pitch of your choice. But this simple premise still makes the HammerOn a compelling addition to the Wham’ Fam’.
Mode Mentality
Hammer-on mode, which I essentially described above, is the most straightforward application of the pedal’s potential. But there is also an Impossible mode, which alternates between two different pitches, making once “impossible” fretboard maneuvers much more possible. Sequence mode strings together multiple pitch changes in different ways. And with any of these modes, you can add in your unaffected signal using the dry+ button or force the HammerOn to alternate pitches on its own with the trill button. According to the manual, these three modes, combined with the dry+ and trill buttons, account for the seven different “pedals” mashed together here.
“I even came up with a pretty strange-sounding chorus so odd that I giggled out loud.”
HammerOn’s modes, if not exactly independent pedals, are nevertheless capable of cool tricks. Certain pitch shift moves can work like a harmonizer, others like an alien 12-string emulator, and some like a capo that extends your guitar’s scale. In hammer-on mode, you hear plenty of the digital-icious glitchiness from the Whammy algorithm. You can also build sequences that evoke synthesizers, and it’s great, perverse fun to set the HammerOn to an odd interval like a flat 5th and smear otherwise pedestrian licks with a footswitch. I even came up with a pretty strange-sounding chorus so odd that I giggled out loud.
The HammerOn has plenty of practical uses, but its real magic lies in how it nudges you into unconventional musical territory, encouraging you to loosen your grip on habits and familiar fretboard patterns—much like the original Whammy. Ultimately, it’s a great tool for shaking creativity loose.
