Guitar peddles

Which 5 guitar effects are the best starters for the electric guitarist?

Guitar effects offer a range of tonal variations, from pitch changes to dramatic changes. If you're just getting started with the electric guitar, it can be an effect that inspires you to experiment with sound and even develop your own unique style. Using effects also helps guitarists develop their hearing and learn how different sounds can work together in a complex context. It has an indirect impact on the control of their instrument and helps them to develop a better understanding of tone formation. Many iconic guitarists are known for their use of specific effects. By working with these effects themselves, beginners can feel connected to their examples and inspired to improve their own skills. There are a list of the 5 most commonly used guitar effects that can be used in combination with each other or not. I explain their detailed effect on the guitar's clean signal, as well as some examples of songs in which they are abundant.

Do you want to learn how to use guitar effects effectively or are you looking for guidance to take your first steps in playing electric guitar? Then consider taking electric guitar lessons with me and discover what suits your style and ambitions

Overdrive

Each amplifier has a gain knob that controls the volume of the signal entering the preamplification. When you open this gain knob more, power or drive is added to the pure signal, which is then further processed and ends up in the final amplification. The overdrive effect exactly simulates the sound of a tube amplifier with the gain increased. This creates a slightly distorted signal with a typical warm, gritty tone. The effect is often used to make the sound fuller and more aggressive, without the harsh raw distortion of distortion. Overdrive responds dynamically to the guitarist's playing: when playing softly the guitar sounds clean, while harder playing produces more distortion. It is an indispensable effect for classic rock, many blues styles and other genres where an organic, expressive sound is desired.

 

Gitaareffect Ibanez Tube Screamer

Well-known pedals: Ibanez Tube Screamer of de Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive.

Examples: Pride and Joy (Stevie Ray Vaughan), Sunshine of Your Love (Cream), La Grange (ZZ Top), Layla (Eric Clapton), Don't Look Back in Anger (Oasis), Lonely Boy (The Black Keys)  

Distortion

The distortion guitar effect amplifies the guitar signal so that it distorts very strongly, creating a heavy, aggressive sound with a sharp growling tone. Unlike overdrive, distortion provides a consistent, powerful distorted sound no matter how hard or soft the guitarist plays. The effect cuts the waveform of the signal, making the sound more compressed and saturated. Distortion is often used in rock, metal and punk to add unparalleled power and energy to the whole.

Gitaareffect MXR Super Badass Distortion

Well-known pedals: Boss DS-1 en MXR Super Badass Distortion.

Voorbeelden: Technical Difficulties (Racer X), I Cum Blood (Cannibal Corpse), Tornado of Souls  (Megadeth), Only for the Weak (In Flames), Enter Sandman (Metallica), Killing in the Name  (RATM), Basket Case (Green Day), Everlong (Foo Fighters). 

Reverb 

Reverb simulates the natural reverberation that occurs when sound reflects in a space, such as a room, hall or concert hall. Adding reverb gives the guitar sound a sense of depth and space, making it sound less dry or direct. It is very often used to create a warmer, fuller sound, both in solos and in rhythm playing. Most reverb pedals offer a range of different tonal textures, from subtle, natural ambiance to deep, dreamy echoes. The effect provides a more atmospheric and enveloping tone and is therefore built into many guitar amplifiers as standard due to its great popularity. It has been proven many times that those who have once tasted the reverb drug find it difficult to switch to the straight path of the clean sound. Lucky bags...Gitaareffect Nano Holy Grail

 

Well-known pedals: TC Electronic Hall of Fame en de the Nano Holy Grail.  

Examples: Hallowed be thy Name (Iron Maiden), Painkiller (Judas Priest), With or Without You (U2), A Forest (The Cure), Apache (The Shadows)

Delay

The delay guitar effect repeats the played sound with a time delay, creating echoes that are played a certain distance from the original. This again creates a spacious and layered sound, ranging from subtle echoes to complex rhythmic patterns, depending on the length and number of repetitions. Delay is often also placed behind reverb. It is important to know that in addition to analog delay pedals, which imitate a more natural echo through the use of connected capacitors, there are also digital delays. These do not have the organic warm sound of an analogue delay, but due to the digital processing of the original signal they can generate crystal clear and accurate repeats at longer time intervals. The additional functionalities are often more extensive, with tap tempo and modulation, for example.

Gitaareffect Boss DD 3

Well-known pedals: Boss DD-3 (digitaal) en de MXR Carbon Copy (analoog).  

Examples: Message in a Bottle (The Police), Eruption (Van Halen), Echo Etude (Yngwie Malmsteen), Purple Rain (Prince), Plug In Baby (Muse), Cliffs of Dover (Eric Johnson), Marooned (Pink Floyd)

Chorus

Chorus doubles the original signal and slightly shifts the pitch and timing of the duplicates, making it sound like multiple guitars are playing at once. This creates a full, expansive and floating sound, comparable to a choir of instruments playing together. The result is a warm, rich texture that gives the guitar sound a bigger and more powerful character. It is very commonly used to add subtle movement or depth to the original sound, without completely losing the immediacy of the signal. The effect is especially popular in genres such as pop, rock and jazz.

Gitaareffect Boss Super Chorus CH 1

Well-known pedals: Boss Super Chorus CH-1 en MXR M234 Analog Chorus.

Examples: Pretty Pimpin' (Kurt Vile), Under the Bridge (RHCP), Come As You Are (Nirvana), Windowpane (Opeth), Cemetary Gates (Pantera), Cause We've Ended As Lovers (Jeff Beck)

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