For different guitar effects players, effects are a key ingredient in their tone. They can take your sound from zero to hero or, in some cases, just make it more listenable. Choosing the right pedals for your rig can help you achieve the exact sound you are looking for.
There are many different types of guitar effects, each with its own distinct sonic characteristics. Some effects are based on gain while others have a more ambient sound to them. The wah pedal is one of the most easily recognizable due to its signature noise it produces when you step on it. This is an effect that Jimi Hendrix and countless other rock guitarists used often.
Soundscaping with Strings: A Survey of Different Guitar Effects
Other pedals such as the delay or reverb are great for adding ambient texture to your guitar sound. Delay pedals repeat the original signal and can be set for different lengths of time. This can create a short delay for a “slapback” effect or longer delays for a more trippy sound that is common in certain styles of music such as Pink Floyd.
Another type of guitar effect that adds ambience is the chorus pedal. This creates a shimmering effect by doubling your original signal and then modulating the echo time. This gives the effect of a leslie speaker, and is an essential part of many popular songs including Nirvana’s ‘Come As You Are’. Other types of effects include pitch and frequency pedals such as the octave pedal which doubles your original signal to play a note an octave higher or lower than your original.