Line 6 Distortion Modeler v Analog Originals

Classic old fuzz and overdrive pedals in shootout with Line 6 digital models. Vintage and rare verses modern technology.

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The Sound Effects of the Electric Guitar

When the electric guitar was originally created back in the 1930s, the main intent was simply to create an instrument that could be heard over the increasingly large jazz orchestras. It is highly doubtful that the instrument's inventors could ever have imagined the uses to which their creation would someday be put. The modern electric guitar is a source of an apparently unending array of tones, pitches and sounds. Artists have pushed the instrument's limits in an attempt to find new and innovative noises, and they continue to do so. The sounds of the electric guitar have become an art form in and of them selves, so much so that specific devices have been invented to create them. Such devices are referred to as guitar effects, and they modify the tone, pitch and sound of the electric guitar to help create the sounds that define some modern music genres.

It would be almost impossible to cover the wide range of effects used by electric guitars, so only the most widely used will be covered herein. One group of very popular effects is distortion-related effects. Such effects are produced by distortion pedals, which distort, or "clip" the guitar signal's waveform. Distortion effects fall into four main subcategories: overdrive/distortion, overdrive/crunch, fuzz and hi-gain. Some of these effects are often associated with specific genre or artists. Overdrive/crunch pedals, for example, produce sounds very similar to those in the music of Carlos Santana and Eddie Van Halen. Hi-gain pedals, on the other hand, create the sounds most often connected with the genre of heavy metal.

Then there are the volume-related effects. As with distortion effects, those related to volume are also created via a pedal. The guitarist is able to use this pedal to adjust an instrument's volume during a performance; it can also be used to make a guitar's notes or chords fade in and out. Such attributes are useful during human vocal sections, when the percussive plucking of strings needs to be softened or eliminated altogether. There are at least three different types of volume pedals, these being auto-volume/envelope volume, tremolo and compressor. Each type boasts specific attributes useful to different situations and musical genres.

Time-based effects include delay/echo, looping, and reverberation or "reverb." The first, delay/echo, creates a copy of an incoming sound, delays it slightly and then repeats it either once for a "slap" effect or multiple times for an "echo" effect. Looping involves recording a phrase or passage and then accompanying that passage as it replays. This technique involves the use of extremely long time delays. Finally, reverb refers to the persistence of a sound in a particular space after the original sound is gone. In essence, it is a large and extended number of echoes.

Modulation-related effects include several devices, including the rotary speaker, the rotary speaker simulator, the vibrato pedal, the phase shifter and the flanger. The rotary speaker and its simulator offer something known as a Doppler effect, which is a change in a wave's frequency and wavelength. A vibrato pedal reproduces the sound of the rotary speaker by synchronizing a standard speaker's volume oscillation, frequency-specific volume oscillation, vibrato, phase shifting and chorusing. A phase shifter creates a complex frequency response that results in a "whooshing" noise, similar to that of a flying jet. And finally, if an artist wishes to simulate the sound originally created by slowing a tape down by holding something against the flange and then allowing the tape to speed up again, a flanger can produce such a sound.

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Fender Blender fuzz pedal demo

A Fender Blender reissue effect pedal test by musictoyz.com, the much sought-after pedal used by Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine to create sonic mayhem (it can sound melodic and natural if you treat it right, though). Interesting, short, no blah-blah and to-the-point.

Bass Guitar Effects Pedals - 5 Effect Pedals For the Bass Guitarist

Overview

The effects that are described for each Effects Pedal are the same for both electric and Bass Guitars. However, for the Bass Guitar, the effect is often modified to suit the lower frequency range of the instrument.

Bass Wah Wah Pedal

As with the Electric Guitar Wah pedal, the Bass Wah effect is produced by the use of a rocking treadle type foot pedal. However, with this type of unit, the use of custom EQ circuitry is incorporated specifically for Bass frequencies and the result is a full fat bass tone with a smooth response. This is ideal for enhancing your rhythmic playing, from warm and subtle, to punchy.

Octaver Pedal

The use of the Octaver is to produce a note that is one full octave below the original note played - quite a useful pedal for Funk and R&B - and many are able to cope with two or three note chords. Due to its need to create the altered pitch 'live', the pedal needs to have a fast response or tracking capability suitable for use with rapid playing techniques.

Overdrive and Distortion Pedal

If you want gutsy sounds for playing Rock/Metal etc, then the distortion pedal is for you. These pedals enhance the signal to the point where the resulting sounds are anything between rich and warm 'clipped', to something which is a lot more aggressive. Pedals vary in complexity from a few simple controls to more complex versions incorporating control over harmonic content and tone shaping facilities. Often these pedals are criticised for introducing high levels of noise, and are quite difficult to use for studio recording. Considering the way the signal is being boosted and enhanced, it's not surprising.

Bass Chorus Pedal

Again this pedal is specifically designed for the Bass frequency range. These pedals emulate the effect of having multiple bass notes playing in unison where slight variations create the chorus effect. It is possible to emulate up to sixteen voices depending on the make, and voice randomisation produces a thickening of the sound.

Bass Compressor/Limiter Pedal

The Bass Compressor enables the Bassist to play over a wide range of playing styles - from normal rhythmic playing to greater dynamic styles such as 'slap' - while maintaining the same output or volume from the Amplifier. This enables the audience to hear all your playing, while maintaining a balance within the band. The Compressor is probably the most commonly used pedal, but is the most difficult to use. If not set up correctly, the pedal can produce a rather bland performance.

Conclusion

If you want to use a number of Bass effects, you may want to choose using multi-effect units which incorporates all or any of the above. However, many criticise these saying that having all effects in one unit compromises the quality and functionality of each individual effect. Although, with the advent of microprocessor electronics, a large range of control over the parameters and sound shaping facilities are available to the user, so whether these criticisms are valid or not is difficult to confirm. It is probably down to the opinion of the individual which will decide the method to adopt, and there is certainly an appeal to the ease of setting up at a gig - with fewer cables to worry about going wrong at the most inopportune time.

There are a number of these types of pedals on the market today, which can make deciding the type or make of pedal to buy a bit daunting. If you would like more information on what's available on the market today, plus some great YouTube videos on various pedal types, please visit Bass Guitar Effects Pedals for upcoming news, reviews and sales.

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MXR Distortion + vs Distortion III guitar effect pedal shootout

check out www.tunnelvisionmusic.com for lots of cool pedals! The MXR Distortion Plus verses the Distortion 3...both pretty gnarly boxes of dirt...fun though! King Bee Guitars relic telecaster into a Dr Z MAZ 18 210 combo

Bassfuzz.com Presents: Distortion Overview of the Human Gear - Animato

Bassfuzz.com Presents: Distortion Overview of the Human Gear - Animato

Distortion, Fuzz, Overdrive Pedals - Das Fuzz, Maxon SD-9, ZYS

www.dolphinstreet.com - a Das Fuzz, a Maxon SD-9, a Zonkin' Yellow Screamer. Guitar used Fender Deluxe Players Strat. Amp used: Reverend Hellhound.

How to Get Guitar Tone - Making a Punk Rock Sound

So, you're a guitarist that loves your punk rock, but not sure how to get guitar tone like the sound you're looking for. Well, there are actually a few factors that come together when figuring how to get guitar tone you want.

Not only do you have to think of the guitar, but the amplifier, how it's configured, and any pedals that may go along with it. Check out these tips on how to get guitar tone that will satisfy your punk rock edge.

* Use a guitar with a boost in its mid-range.

Most punk rock guitarists create a good tone starting from the instruments they own. Fenders and other "strat" style guitars supply a boost in their mid-range as opposed to Les Paul type guitars that boost the bass range.

* Play on amplifiers that supply less distortion.

Most of the time, punk rock guitar amplifiers are pretty modest with their distortion. How to get guitar tone you want may not be answered with a high-distortion Marshall amplifier. Check out the distortions on Fender or Mesa Boogie amplifiers for something smoother.

* Keep your distortion pure without the use of pedals to beef it up.

Punk rock players do not use a lot of pedals to alter their sound most of the time. Stay away from overdrive, delays, and metal-zone pedals to really keep your guitar tone authentic and thick.

* On your amplifier, boost the mid-level knob.

A lot of the tone for punk music is in how the mid-level is set on the amplifier. Keep your highs and lows floating around 50% and your mid-level closer to 75%.

* Try your sound with a compressor.

Although an overuse of pedals can alter a punk guitar sound a little too much, a good compressor can give it just the right amount of bite. Try hooking your guitar up to a compressor pedal or rack piece to give your guitar more attack on stage.

Figuring how to get guitar tone that you want should come easily when you really explore the spectrum of sounds that electric guitars and their gear have to offer. The main goal however, is to arrive at a guitar style that suits your personality and helps create your signature sound.

Are you interested in more fast guitar tips? Check out my guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune.