January 31, 2010
Effects Pedals – Are They Worth the Trouble?
Guitar effects pedals (or “stompboxes”) have been a backbone in guitarists’ sound-palettes since the early 1960′s when engineer Roger Mayer is proposed to have built the first guitar effects pedals, the “fuzz” pedal (the precurser of the modern overdrive and distortion pedal) and the wah-pedal.
Mayer’s creations graced the stages of such rock notables as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix (supposedly, Mayer created the first pedals for his friend Page in the early 1960′s). Mayer’s legacy lives on, as guitar effects are used by guitarists across the globe.
Guitar Players use effects pedals to give themselves a deeper variety of sound choices to use during recording or live performances.
While distinct amplifiers can offer some of the options, not many amplifiers have built-in effects. Besides, guitarists would have to go to their amplifiers every time they wanted to make a change. Effects pedals are much more handy, especially since guitar players oftentimes change tones in the middle of a song.
So, just like the electric guitar and the amplifier offered guitar players a wider variety of tonal choices, effects pedals, too, give them even more choices in shaping their tone.
Electric guitarists are not the only ones to use effects pedals, however. Acoustic guitarists and classical players often draw upon them as well, but they tend to eschew the sounds of overdrive and distortion pedals enjoyed by electric guitarists.
Since the first pedals were created, rack-mounted guitar effects have become more standard. These were more popular during the 1980′s, thanks to companies like Yamaha and Eventide.
Since rack gear requires a more sophisticated and time-consuming approach (not to mention considerably more money) than pedals, most guitar players prefer effects pedals for their ease and tweakability.
So, with their effects usually mounted on pedalboards (a way to transport and store effects pedals), electric guitar players have only to “stomp” on the pedal box (hence the name “stompbox”) to immediately switch on or switch off an effect.
Volume and Wah pedals are usually mounted in such a way that facilitates their usage, since those pedals have to be “rocked” back and forth to affect their sound.
You’ll find, though, that most guitar pedals are pretty simple to operate. With a simple “stomp,” one can go from a loud rock and roll distortion to a beautifully clean sound. Some guitar players even use devices called “loopers” to chain groups of effects together than can be switched on and off at the same time.
Guitarists often spend a great deal of time adjusting their effects, amps, and guitars just to get the “perfect” sound that they’ve been searching for.
There are many different types of effects for players to chose from today: delay, vibrato, tremolo, chorus, pitch-shifting, flanger, overdrive, distortion, and the list goes on and on. Such effects can have substantial changes on a guitarist’s sound, which explains their ever-increasing popularity.
If you are guitar player who is wondering how you can shape your sound in new and exciting ways, then check out the above guitar effects. They might inspire you in ways you never thought possible.
If you are a guitar player who is seeking to expand your tone using Effects Pedals, then you need to visit Just Effects Pedals today. We have the broadest selection of effects pedals available on the Internet. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for the perfect distortion, chorus, or delay pedal, we’ve got what you’re looking for. Visit our site today!
Filed under Music & Music Players by R. S. Rasnick
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to comment