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http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/music-bookazines/the-guitarist-guide-to-effect-pedals/
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GUIDE TO EFFECTS PEDALS
PRINTED IN THE UK £6.99
4
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6The Evolution Of FX
Dave Hunter examines the history
of pedals to the present day
1450 Greatest Effected Guitar Sounds Our pick of some truly inspirational effects-heavy guitar sounds
on record
26Effects
ExplainedAn introduction to
each of the major
effects types, with
buying advice
52How To…
Pedal Order 101
What goes
where is crucial
to great tone
58How To… Buffers & Bypass
Buffering and True Bypass demystified
60How To…
Design & Build Your Own
PedalBoardCreate a gig-ready
DIY FX ’board
66How To…
SwitchingDevices
Advanced ways to switch in your
effects
68How To…
Power To The Pedals!
The vital role of batteries and
power supplies
GBZ13.conts.indd 4 7/23/13 12:44 PM
Contents
5
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Guitarist Guide to effects
82The 101 Best Stomp Boxes Of All Time… EverOur definitive guide to the best and most desirable effects pedals ever to brave a sticky stage
70Real-life
BoardsWe examine the pedal
setups of five real-life
pro gigging guitarists
114SubscribeTake up this
special Guitarist magazine
subscription offer
116Star SoundsThe classic effects that define six
of the most famous pedal pioneers
128Pedal CrazyA selection of
otherworldly pedals
intent on delivering
sonic chaos
130Memories, Man!
Effects-pedal ads through the ages
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Guitarist Guide to effects The 50 GreaTesT effecTed GuiTar sounds
20
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Minus The BearKnights
GuiTariST: Dave KnudsonEffEcTS uSEd: Line 6 DL4fiNd iT ON: Planet Of Ice (2008)
With the aid of a
pair of Line 6
DL4s running
independently,
guitarist Dave Knudson
triggers simple repeated
guitar loops like he’s playing a
separate instrument to
create the angular,
mesmerising intro to this
2008 track.
MudhoneyTouch Me i’m Sick
GuiTariSTS: Mark Arm, Steve TurnerEffEcTS uSEd: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, Univox Super-FuzzfiNd iT ON: Superfuzz Bigmuff (1990)
These fuzz
addicts ended
up naming a
compilation
after their two favourite
pedals. Turner’s Big Muff
provides the gnarly abrasion
in their defining song’s
opening riff, before it’s joined
by arm’s Super-fuzz and its
second dose of dirt (0.12).
Black sabbathElectric funeral
GuiTariST: Tony IommiEffEcTS uSEd: Colorsound wah, Rangemaster Treble Booster fiNd iT ON: Paranoid
The Dark Lord’s
first use of a
wah to colour
one of his riffs
into a darker shade of black
came on the band’s second
album, adding articulation to
each note with a
Rangemaster modified by his
roadies for treble boost.
BlurSong 2
BaSSiST: Alex JamesEffEcTS uSEd: Home-made distortion pedalfiNd iT ON: Blur (1997)
It might be one
of the most
air-guitar’d
songs of all
time, but the famous
‘woo-hoo!’ moment (and all
the distorted parts of the
song) are actually played by
bassist alex James, double-
tracking a clean bass part
with a monstrously filthy
distorted one to create a
headbanging wall of low-end
dirt. The fuzz came courtesy
of a home-made distortion
box that has “since got lost”,
according to James.
One morning in May 1965, at a Florida motel, Keith Richards awoke from a dream and – fuzzyheaded – fumbled around, grabbed a guitar and played an idea running through his head into a nearby tape recorder. “On the tape you can hear me drop the pick,” he recalled, “the rest is me snoring.” Yet this germ of an idea soon grew into the Stones’ biggest hit – and with the addition of an early Fuzz-Tone pedal, a hit that forever changed the way guitarists wanted to sound. Yet Richards wasn’t thrilled. “If I’d had my way,” he grumbles, “Satisfaction would never have been released. The song was as basic as the hills, and I thought the fuzz guitar thing was a bit of a gimmick.”
The roLLING sToNesSatisfaction
GuiTariST: Keith RichardsEffEcTS uSEd: Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1fiNd iT ON: 40 Licks (2002)
© D
Ez
o H
oFF
Ma
nn
/ R
Ex
FE
aT
uR
ES
GBZ13.50sounds.indd 20 7/23/13 12:47 PM
27
OUTPUT
28 | Overdrive29 | Distortion30 | Fuzz32 | Boost33 | Compression
34 | Wah 35 | EQ36 | Talk Box
38 | Chorus39 | Phaser40 | Flanger
41 | Vibrato42 | Tremolo43 | Rotary Speaker44 | UniVibe45 | Reverb
46 | Octave47 | Ring Modulation48 | Pitch Shifter49 | Tape Echo50 | Delay
Contents
For newcomers to the wonders of effects pedals, the jargon used to describe them, the sometimes obscure differences between them and even the sheer range on offer can be confusing. Here, we examine each of the main types of effects in turn, and explain what they sound like and the basics of how they work – plus, we offer some buying pointers for different budgets. Time to get stomping…
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52
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Which pedals go where? Here are some basic setupsto get you on the road to stomping success
The order in which you place your effects pedals can
have a big effect on your overall tone. This is because
different pedals react differently depending on what’s
coming into them, be that your pure guitar signal or the
effected signal from other pedals. While your pedals’
physical position on the fl oor has practical considerations for
you as a player, it’s their position within the signal chain that is
all to do with sound. The big question: which way is ‘right’?
It’s important to say from the outset that when it comes to
pedal order, no one way is universally ‘right’ or ‘best’. Instead,
it’s more helpful to start with some basic, standard approaches
that can act as a springboard to fi nding your own ideal setup.
Let’s refresh our memories about basic pedal types, in the
context of signal chain order.
Volume / dynamic e� ectsThese are volume pedals, tremolo, compressor; they take your
signal and affect its dynamics in terms of level. They tend to
come fi rst in your signal chain because you generally want
those dynamics to happen before more involved or extreme
signal changes. Some players will put their volume pedal last in
GBZ13.order.indd 52 7/23/13 12:47 PM
GUITARIST GUIDE TO EFFECTS
53
OUTPUT
line for a kind of ‘master volume’ control on the fl oor; indeed,
there are different kinds of volume pedals with different
impedances to better suit being either fi rst or later in line.
EQ & fi lter e� ectsMost commonly, this would be a wah-wah pedal. They tend to
be fi rst in line for many players (second if they’re also using a
volume pedal). As an experiment, try putting an overdrive and a
wah-wah on the fl oor. Start with the overdrive fi rst in line, then
swap them around and compare sounds. What you’ll notice is
that the wah tends to sound a great deal more pronounced
when it comes after the overdrive. Some players really like it
that way; most tend to prefer the wah before the drive.
Drive & distortion e� ectsThere’s a colossal variety of drives and distortions available.
‘Standard’ practise is that they come after volume and EQ
effects, but before modulations and reverbs/delay. There are
exceptions – vintage-style fuzz pedals can really struggle after
wah-wahs for example, but by and large, start by trying your
drives and distortions after wah wah. One extra tip that many
players fi nd useful is that if you’re using more than one drive or
distortion, put the most distorted pedals fi rst, and the least
distorted pedals last. This means the lower-gain sounds
effectively ‘boost’ the heavy distortions, whereas if you
put them the other way around, you just end up with an
over-gained, indistinct mess. Again, try it.
Modulation e� ectsThese are your choruses, vibratos, phasers, fl angers and so on.
This is where the biggest area of disagreement tends to occur
between players in that some prefer their modulations before
drive and distortion, and others the other way around. As a very
general rule, it’s often that more extreme, vintage-type
modulations tend to work better before drive and distortion;
more clarity, less mushy weirdness and so on. More modern
pedals – especially anything with a buffer or digital circuits –
generally works better after drive and distortion.
Reverbs & delaysThere are two common placements for reverbs and delays. If
you’re using them in-line with other pedals, put them very last in
line: the thinking being, you want to echo and reverberate the
sound of everything that’s come before. The other approach is
to use these pedals in your amplifi er’s effects loop, if it has one.
Most amps’ effects loops sit between the pre- and power-amp
sections. Patching your reverbs and delays in there keep them
clearer and cleaner sounding, instead of getting lost in a melée
of noise and confusion from other pedals. Again, plug in and
hear it for yourself.
Wet/dry rigsYou’ll often hear the terms ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ used when discussing
effects. Wet simply means ‘effected’, while dry means
‘unaffected’. Wet/dry rigs came to prominence predominantly
in the 1980s along with stereo rack systems. The essence was
that you’d have the middle, centre speaker/amp just putting
out your dry signal (usually including wah and distortion), while
a separate left and right, stereo rig would handle your delay and
reverb effects (diagram 5), and perhaps your modulations too.
It doesn’t have to be fully stereo – you can also achieve great
sounds by having a simple wet/dry two-amp set up, as shown
in diagram 4.
Whether you consider drive and distortion effects as part of
the ‘wet’ sound is up to you. Most players tend to think of drives
and distortions as part of their core tone, so leave them in the
‘dry’ rig. Nothing is set in stone – and experimentation is
defi nitely key to fi nding the order that suits you best. At the very
worst, it’s a whole load of fun fi nding out!
PEDAL ORDER 101
GBZ13.order.indd 53 7/23/13 12:47 PM
60
inPuT
Fancy building your own, custom-designed pedalboard? We walk you through the basic steps
GBZ13.build.indd 60 7/23/13 12:56 PM
Guitarist Guide to effectsHow To Design & BuilD Your own PeDalBoarD
61
ouTPuT
Before we start any of this, it’s worth saying that
buying a purpose-made ’board will be quicker, far
more convenient and potentially less expensive
than the DIY method. That said, there’s a good
feeling of achievement involved in making
something from scratch, so here goes…
First, decide what pedals you want on your
’board – it might be something completely custom and
specific, or you may want something with more versatility to
enable pedal changes over time.
Get your pedals and lay them out on a surface, including all
the interconnecting signal and power cables. Arrange them as
you’d want them to be on your pedalboard, making sure the
switch positions, pedal orientations and so on make practical
sense when you’re playing. Take care when placing pedals very
close together – can you get the jacks in and out? Do you need
to? Will there be room to upgrade any of your existing pedals?
When you’re happy, take a quick photograph or three to
remind you how it’s all arranged, and measure the extent of
your sprawl. Where is your power supply going?
You now know how big the ’board surface needs to be. Write
the measurements down! Now it’s time to design the ’board
itself in terms of materials, shape and structure. If doesn’t have
to be wooden and rectangular, but that is probably the most
practical/easy solution, especially if this is your first attempt
(and you’re not a welder).
Pre-Planning TiPsConsider this before you design your ’board
Are you planning on putting something under the
’board, such as your power supply? If so, you need a
way of creating space underneath, high enough to keep
whatever is under there off the floor.
If you don’t want to put anything underneath, it’s still a
good idea to have some feet on the bottom of your
’board to help stop it from slipping around the floor, and also
so you can get your fingers underneath when you go to pick
it up. It’s helpful to have the ’board angled up at you slightly.
Higher at the back, lower at the front.
How are you going to transport it? If you have a bag or
case in mind, in might influence the dimensions of the
’board right from the outset.
GBZ13.build.indd 61 7/23/13 12:56 PM
Subscribe and never miss an issue again…
It costs just £27.99 a year to subscribe to Guitarist’s digital edition, and you can complete your collection with our back issues on the next page…
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GBZ13.backissues.indd 80 7/23/13 12:51 PM
AUDIO & VIDEO From issue 364, Guitarist’s digital edition is packed with audio examples & video demos!
February2013 #364Arch Angels – Guitarist reviews the PRS JA-15 and Knaggs Chena Tier 3, we chart the history of the semi-acoustic guitar, plus interviews with Steve Lukather, Ed Sheeran and Soundgarden.
Summer2012 #358The Acoustic Issue – Our 27-page feature tells you everything you need to know about acoustic guitars, from how they’re made, to tips and tricks for making your playing and recording sound better.
March2012 #352Nuno Bettencourt – the Extreme guitarist talks about life with Rihanna. Plus reviews of the EVH 5150III, Rasmus Guthrie Govan and much more, while Eric Bibb and Rodrigo Y Gabriela are interviewed.
November2012 #361All About Amps – Without them we’d be playing very quietly, but just how do guitar amps work? And what are the best amps to buy for your needs? We tell you all this and more in our huge amp special.
June2012 #355Slash – We spoke to the Cat In The Hat about his second solo album, his approach to recording and why he loves his Les Paul. This issue also features our tribute to the late, great Jim Marshall.
October2012 #360Inside The Mind Of Vai – Guitar legend Steve Vai tells us all about guitars, tone, technique and his new album, plus we review the Joe Satriani signature Marshall, Strymon Flint and a wealth of other gear.
May2012 #354Rory’s Glories – 40 years on from the start of Rory Gallagher’s solo career, we got up close and personal with the Irish guitarist’s legendary gear. Plus we test the Kemper Profiling Amp and Marshall JTM1.
September2012 #359The Wisdom And Learning Of Robert Cray – The blues legend tells us his guitar philosophy, we review the Music Man Game Changer and Roland G-5 VG Strat, and Ry Cooder and Mike Stern sit down for a chat.
April2012 #353Son Of A Burst – We mark the release of Whitesnake legend Bernie Marsden’s PRS SE model by putting it up against his incredible original 1959 Gibson Les Paul. Can a Korean guitar compete with an icon?
January2013 #363Gear Of The Year – The best guitars, amps and effects of 2012, plus reviews of the Marshall DSL revamps, Manson E-series, interviews with Al Di Meola, Whit Smith and Orianthi, and much more.
August2012 #357Raising Standards – We sit down with the new 2012 Standard models from Fender and Gibson, and find out just how good they are, and whether they meet the needs of modern professional players.
February2012 #351Johnny’s Jag – Smiths legend Johnny Marr spills the beans on his amazing Fender Jaguar model, we review new products from Gretsch, ESP, Taylor and Bogner, and Steve Earle shows us his guitars.
December2012 #362The New Vintage – We get our hands on the gorgeous Fender American Vintage series guitar, talk to Richard Hawley and Dweezil Zappa, look for vintage tone for £100 and loads more besides.
July2012 #356Disraeli Gears: 45 Years On – We mark the anniversary of Cream’s seminal album by charting its massive impact on music and talking to those in the know about the record’s difficult birth.
January2012 #350We Can Be Heroes – We delve into the world of tribute bands to find out just how it all works. We also review gear from Charvel, Epiphone and Fender, plus Billy Gibbons talks tiny strings…
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Back issues
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GUITARIST GUIDE TO EFFECTS EFFECTS PEDAL ADS FROM THE ARCHIVES
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