Guitar Effects Pedals
Guitar effects pedals are to some the most important part of gear to create the sound your favorite guitarist is known. Guitarists such as Jimmy Hendrix, Slash, David Gilmore and Kirk Hammett all are known for having their individual sound. Some of this sound is defiantly from their pedal choice and a lot is from their fingers and how they play a guitar.
The creation of a pedal board is very personal depending on what your trying to achieve with your guitar sound. If your playing covers and your trying to imitate a particular sound then some pedals may be integral to achieving this important goal. Having your choice of effects pedals in your own pedal board is also very convenient as you go from gig to gig. They come complete in a box ready to plug into your amp for you to play with the sounds or color you want to add to your music.
Guitar Effects – What they offer!
Guitarists regardless of their effects pedals all are very distinctive in the way they play and sound. If you gave Slash or David Gilmore any guitar in a room and they payed it you will know they are playing without even seeing them.
This is important because the guitar effects pedals help to color their natural sound. The guitar sound we identify with many guitarists comes from their guitar and how they play it. The subtle way in which they play notes and chords sets them apart from the rest of us aspiring guitarists. Its simply why they are special. Its their feel that makes them great.
Guitar Effects Pedals and Multi Effects
If your new to guitar effects pedals there are two paths to consider. Its very much a personal choice when your considering what you want and how its packaged when it comes to guitar effects.
There are individual effects pedals for distortion, delays as well as the famous wah pedals made famous by Slash and Kirk Hammett. There is said to be a science to how and where you place these effects pedals. Some are placed in front of the amplifier so the guitar cable comes from the guitar direct to the pedal board then to the input of the amplifier.
Amplifiers also have effects loops which puts the signal from the effect in a different part of the amp such as bypassing the initial power stage of the amp. There are pros and cons for the placement of guitar pedal which we will look at.
Effects Pedals – Multi Effects
The multi effects units are very convenient for players gigging and want a compact all in one solution. These effects pedals are made by many companies and they have just about every effect you could ask for at your fingertips. They also incorporate side pedals allowing wah effects as well as volume control included in the one unit.
The multi effects units are easy to operate by plugging in your guitar to one side, run an output to you amplifier or PA if you wish. Just use a monitor to hear your guitar if that’s your thing. These also require a power source and generally do not have battery backup if there is an issue with power to the board.
Effects Pedals Is there an order?
There is a fiery conversation over what pedal should come first in the general order. Guitarists swear that this order makes a difference to effects pedals if not in the right place. There are so many different pedal effects from Wah to compressors, distortion and overdrives. The stable of rock guitar as far as pedals are concerned.
Adding additional color are the flanges and other pedals that change the modulation of the signal. Giving you a moving sound from right to left or moving around the room . Chorus is another effect giving you a boost with utilizing two more more amplifier channels of speakers which gives that wall of sound from a guitar amp.
The Effects You Need!
This is a very personal choice and will change with the music you want to play or the guitar hero you may wish to emulate. Overdrive pedals have been a staple in rock and blues music for many years. These give you that driving rock sound and if you need more than 11 on the overdrive then distortion is where you go next.
All the pedals we are discussing come with volume and intensity controls as well as tone and gain controls controlling the amount of effect you will achieve when you stomp on the pedal switch.
Wah The Most Popular Effects Pedal
Wah pedals are one of the most recognizable effects you will here. Against this there are many subtle ones that simply color the sound. The wah is a sweeping sound controlled by your foot on a rocking pedal. It is essentially like an equalizer that can be quickly swept from low to high frequency as you play chords or notes in a solo. It is unmissable but used well can make an enormous difference to how a solo or riff is heard. I would say you need one in your arsenal!
Guitar Effects – OVERDRIVE Pedals
These three guitar overdrive effects pedals are rated as the top of the stack when looking for this type of pedal. Combining great overdrive tones with easy to use controls that deliver what the genuine rock tones from the outset.
Guitar Effects – Phase Shifting Pedals
Phasers and other pitch shifting pedals can certainly add a real color to your music when used correctly. These can add swirling effects to your music making the sound grow in volume and move around the crowd.Great examples of Van Halens use of phasers are in Eruption, Aint Talkin Bout Love and and more.
Guitar Effects – Reverb / Delay Pedals
Reverb Pedals are great pedals to allow you to fill the room with sound. Reverb is like an echo in a room. It can be short or it can hang like a cloud in the air. They are great to give you a fuller sound and sustain notes subtly.
The Memory Man has become famous for its rich analog sounds and beautiful delays that fill the room. Now highly sort after this is one of the must have effects pedals according to the professionals. Most famously used by the Edge in U2 this pedal has been a large part of his classic sound.
Guitar Effects – Fuzz Pedals
Fuzz pedals take your guitar sound and both compress and distort it in a very unique way. They were made popular by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimmy Hendrix. A very versatile effects pedal they are certainly going to give you a completely different sound to a distortion or overdrive pedal. The fuzz face was Jimmy Hendrix’s Fuzz of choice – This has to be the one to consider.
There are literally thousands of effects pedals so I have chosen the top in these categories for you to consider. Amazon.com has a wide selection and this is where these are located. Look around and check out the effects pedals above by simply clicking on them.
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