Different Types of Guitar Pedals
BlogThere are lots of different types of different types of guitar pedals out there. But which one do you need? This article explores the different effects and how they work so that you can choose which ones are right for you.
Time-based effects such as delay and reverb are the most popular pedals. They can add a huge amount of atmosphere and dimension to your sound. You can control how long the repeats last, how much modulation is applied to them and more – creating a wide range of sounds from short, sharp slapback delays to infinitely soaring cavernous echos.
Unveiling the World of Guitar Pedals: An Overview of Different Types
Distortion pedals (like the MXR Distortion + or Boss DS-1) can alter your guitar signal in a variety of ways, from light overdrive to gnarly distortion. Fuzz pedals can do similar things but can also be more woolly and harmonic – or even gritty and nasty! And an octave pedal will change your guitar’s output to an entirely different pitch.
Gain pedals (like the famous Ibanez Tube Screamer) boost your amp’s bass response and mid-range to help you cut through a mix. Whether you want to emulate that slick Steve Vai blues tone or Stevie Ray Vaughan raunchy riffage, this kind of pedal can really help.
Modulation pedals are another big group – they can tweak the pitch, volume or other aspects of your clean guitar signal to create new and interesting sounds. Examples of these are chorus, tremolo and phaser. Chorus is a very distinctive sound that creates a series of notches in your signal, while a tremolo pedal can create a watery and sometimes stuttering effect by rapidly fluctuating your guitar’s volume. A phaser, however, will change your signal’s pitch in a more subtle way and can be great for adding some movement to your guitar solos.