A Guide to Guitar Pedals - Sean`s E

A Guide to Guitar Pedals
By Sean Lopez
Table of Contents
iii
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ iii
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... v
Chapter 1 ......................................................................................................................... 9
What is a Guitar Pedal? ................................................................................................ 9
History ......................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter Two .................................................................................................................. 13
Distortion Pedals ........................................................................................................ 13
Overdrive Pedals......................................................................................................... 13
Distortion ................................................................................................................... 14
Fuzz ........................................................................................................................... 15
Chapter 3 ....................................................................................................................... 19
Modulation Pedals ...................................................................................................... 19
Phase.......................................................................................................................... 19
Flange ........................................................................................................................ 20
Chorus ....................................................................................................................... 20
Tremolo/Vibrato ........................................................................................................ 21
Chapter 4 ....................................................................................................................... 25
Delay Pedals ............................................................................................................... 25
Reverb ........................................................................................................................ 25
Delay ......................................................................................................................... 26
Loop .......................................................................................................................... 27
An Afterword ................................................................................................................. 28
Using Guitar Pedals .................................................................................................... 28
Index ............................................................................................................................. 29
Introduction
v
Introduction
Have you ever wondered what makes a guitar sound the way it does? Ever since the
invention of the electric guitar by Les Paul in 1931, guitar makers, players, and enthusiasts
alike have marveled over the tone, timbre and versatility of the instrument. Over the years
hundreds, perhaps even thousands of electric guitar design have gone into production with
many more never coming off of the drawing board. Every guitar is different. From shape to
materials, colors to components and even player to player, every guitar has a unique and
colorful personality. However, it can be hard to tell
one player from the next on sound alone, especially if
they play similar guitars. So how do they separate
themselves from the rest? Sometimes it’s a special
guitar, like the way Jack White's famous Airline will
be hard to forget, or sometimes it’s a special amplifier,
but many times, the thing that separates and defines
every guitar player is their guitar pedals. These
electronic "stomp boxes" are the driving force of
almost every modern guitarist. From distortion to
Jack White's famous Airline guitar
reverberation, both analog and digital, these small
packages of diodes, transistors, drivers, resistors and capacitors are the brushes that paint a
song. In this manual, we’ll look at the most popular guitar effects covering topics like
history, sound, and who uses them. At the end of the manual, you’ll know about more than
a few pedals and how to best use them.
Chapter One
The Basics of Guitar Pedals
Chapter 1
9
Chapter 1
What is a Guitar Pedal?
A guitar pedal is a foot operated electronic switch that takes an electrical guitars signal and
alters it through a series of electrical components to create a sound that cannot be created by
a guitar and amplifier alone. Through arrangements of transistors, capacitors, drivers,
resistors, and diodes, the signal of your guitar can begin to take many different shapes.
There are many types of pedals, and even more models of pedals, each with their own
purpose, design, and specifications. While some pedals only attempt to refine or enhance a
guitar’s output, the more popular pedals attempt to change the sound entirely. These main
types if “effect” pedals are distortion, modulation, and delay. The distortion pedal will give
you guitar a crunchy or rough sound. Most rock songs have some form of distortion. There
are many kinds of distortion pedals such as fuzz, overdrive, and plain distortion.
Modulation pedals essentially take your guitar’s signal and alter its sound waves. For
example a phaser pedal will split the guitar signal in two and then alter both of those until
they are “out-of-phase”, which is to say that the sound waves cancel each other out, creating
a swooshing sort of sound. Delay pedals essentially take your guitar signal and play them
back at certain intervals and speeds. With all sorts of guitar pedals to choose from, it’s clear
to see how easy it is to create your own unique guitar sound.
History
The first guitar pedals ever made were the Dearmond
Tremolo pedals, manufactured in the mid-1940s. The pedal
was designed to give a certain shimmering effect to the guitar
and many ballad type songs from the 50s and 60s utilized this
effect. The Dearmond Tremolo pedal changed the game, and
even though the next type of pedal wouldn't be made until
1962, the impact is undeniable. Before pedals the only way to
achieve certain sounds was by either changing the settings on
An original Dearmond Tremolo Pedal
your guitar or the settings on your amplifier, or using large,
cumbersome machines that stacked on top of amplifiers. However, running to your
amplifier to change settings in the middle of a song doesn't exactly make for a smooth
transition. So when the first stomp box (pedal) came out it became apparent that the most
elegant solution would depended on the skill of players’ feet and not their hands. Before
footswitches artists had to get creative with a single guitar tone for the entire song, which in
turn created some impressive musicianship. But the ease of a foot pedal meant that there
were literally endless possibilities for tone, expanding the creative license guitarists had to
work with. From mellow and warm tremolo tones, to fat chunky fuzz tones, artists were
able to more accurately represent the sounds in their head, without taking their hands off
their guitars.
Chapter Two
Distortion Pedals
Chapter 2- Distortion Pedals
13
Chapter Two
Distortion Pedals
The three basic types of distortion are overdrive, distortion, and fuzz. The different types are
sometimes hard to differentiate but are all unique. In terms of sound, overdrive is the
mellowest effect of the three, and fuzz is generally the most distorted.
Overdrive Pedals
In the late forties, a new type of guitar driven music was beginning to form; rock and roll.
Not quite blues, not quite doo wop, and not quite
country, rock-and-roll was an upbeat and even hard
hitting take on blues, country and swing. Iconic
musicians like Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley were
turning the world upside down with pompadours, insane
fame, and music with a bite. Edgy and cool, fresh and
wild, rock and roll captured the classic American music
styles like country/blues and swing/doo wop, while still
breaking all the rules. As rock and roll became more
easily defined as time went on, guitar bands like The
Beatles and The Kinks rode in on the British Invasion,
The ever famous Kinks
turning rock and roll into a guitar-only show. With loud
amps and uncanny showmanship, The Beatles and The Kinks became radio favorites and
superstars unlike any before. This is where the overdrive was born. Bands were playing huge
concerts, some even in stadiums.
A Boss BD-2
Guitarists began cranking up the volume on their amps, and eventually
the tubes inside the amps would “overdrive” and create little bits and
bumps in the tone. This was the birth of the overdrive tone, and for
some time the only way to achieve it was to turn a tube amp up all the
way. Some famous guitar players, like Dave Davies of The Kinks, tried
to distort their amps by other means. Davies famously made rock
history when he cut the speaker of his guitar amp with a razor and
poked it with a needle, creating the iconic sound heard in the hit single
“You Really Got Me”. Others would emulate this technique, but it
wasn’t until the mid-1970s that an overdrive pedal first came out. In
fact there is plenty of debate as to who made the first overdrive pedal,
but most agree it was sometime in the early to mid-70s. Now, overdrive
pedals have become the bestselling pedals in history. Pedals like the Boss BD-2 have had
tone enthusiasts raving for the past few years, praising its extreme versatility of tone. The
14
A Guide to Guitar Pedals
BD-2 is a good mix of subtle, classic blues overdrive and hard,
destructive distortion tones, all controlled with a single knob. The
Pork Loin by Way Huge is also a modern favorite, known for its
versatility and exceptional, analog tone. While not so new, the most
iconic overdrive around is the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer,
currently the bestselling pedal of all time.
Popularized by the blues legend Stevie Ray
Vaughan, the TS-808 has captured the sound
of a tube amp in a small and simple package. If
A Way Huge Pork Loin
you’re looking to emulate the sounds of Stevie
Overdrive
Ray and other blues artists, rock artists, or
indie artists alike, then an overdrive is the pedal you want.
Distortion
Distortion pedals have a bit more bite than overdrives do. Though
An Ibanez TS-808 Tube
Screamer Overdrive
pretty close to overdrive, distortion is fundamentally different in
sound. Achieved in a number of ways, distortion is notably punchier in sound, and gives a
more tight and controlled feel than overdrive does. Utilized by many artists, distortion tone
was popularized by metal bands and hard rock outfits like AC/DC. Many times, especially
with successful, well-funded bands, the distortion tone is achieved without a pedal. Take
guitarist Angus Young of AC/DC for example. His iconic distortion tone on any of the
AC/DC tracks is really a very tight, very controlled overdrive. Through his Gibson SG
guitar and famous Marshall Amplifier, Young is
able to produce a more intense, yet controlled
version of overdrive. This however, is done with a
fair amount of money invested into his amp and
guitar. Other artists like Foo Fighters, Jeff Beck,
Sonic Youth, and even the Eagles have found their
ideal distortion tone in
A ProCo RAT 2
a pedal. One pedal in
particular is used by
all of the
Angus Young with his Gibson SG
aforementioned
artists. The Pro Co RAT 2 pedal is the follow-up to the
insanely popular RAT pedal. The RAT 2 was created in the
late 70s and became very popular in the mid-80s with almost
everyone. The RAT 2 features crunchy, chunky, and punchy
tone can’t be beat when it comes to hard rock. Other distortion
Chapter 2- Distortion Pedals
15
pedals have had success, like the Boss DS-1 a simple, cheap, and effective
distortion pedal popularized by amateur players, especially in the metal
genre. If you’re looking to create metal, hard rock, or just get that tight,
gritty tone you hear in most rock song, a distortion pedal should be near
the top of your wish list.
Fuzz
In 1962 the first ever fuzz pedal was created. The Maestro FZ-1, designed
by audio engineer Glen Snoddy, was the first ever
A Boss DS-1 Distortion
commercially produced fuzz pedal. Beforehand fuzz Pedal
was achieved through various methods with amps and guitars, but the
FZ-1 changed the game. Many believe that the first intentional use of
fuzz tones were to emulate the reedy sound of a saxophone. When
touring guitar bands wanted to play a saxophone solo live, but didn’t
have a saxophone player, they would use a setup that would allow
them to recreate the saxophone’s sound. However, when the FZ-1 was
invented, the sound of fuzz was slowly being recognized as a good tone
for the guitar itself, not as an electronic attempt at the saxophone. In
fact in 1963 the Beatles were seen using the FZ-1 in the recording
studio. In 1965 the Rolling Stones used the
FZ-1 in their #1 hit (I Can’t Get No)
Satisfaction. Fuzz became so popular after
this song that literally hundreds, possibly
thousands, of fuzz pedals have since been
created. From the iconic sound of Jimi
Hendrix’s Fuzz Face pedal by Arbiter
Electronics, to the time-tested sound of an
Electro-Harmonix (EHX) Big Muff, fuzz is
the most widely used effect of all. Fuzz can
The Rolling Stones
A Dunlop remake of the
be harsh and metallic,
Fuzz Face
or warm and juicy. From thick, chunky chords, to soaring
“octavizing” solos, fuzz is the number one tool in rock music. If
you’re looking to make any kind of rock music, a fuzz pedal is for
you. Some well tested and highly acclaimed fuzz pedals are the
Octavia and its clones, which fuzz your guitar’s signal and also copy
the notes an octave higher. The Zvex Fuzz factory is a widely used
and well-loved pedal, due to its ability to sound like many other fuzz
pedals as well as give its own unique tone. In fact, Matt Bellamy of Muse had a Fuzz
Factory built right into his guitar, and Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins has also
Original Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz
16
A Guide to Guitar Pedals
made use of the pedal. Lo-fi rocker Beck has used a variety
of fuzz pedals, most notably the EHX Big Muff, which is
noted for its smooth, thick, and bass heavy fuzz tones.
Other famous fuzz pedals include the Way Huge Swollen
Pickle, which features a screaming high end and tight
controlled low ends, and the
An old Tycho Brahe Octavia
handcrafted Frantone Peachfuzz,
which uses sweet and mellow fuzz as
well as beefy, thick fuzz, while still
maintaining smooth and controlled
sound. There are many types of fuzz
pedals out in the world, some are
made to specifically create random and A Big Muff Fuzz Pedal
harsh noise and interference, which you may never use, but when it
comes down to it, a fuzz pedal will be an essential part of your setup.
A Zvex Fuzz Factory
A Way Huge Swollen Pickle
A Frantone Peachfuzz
Chapter Three
Modulation Pedals
Chapter 3-Modulation Pedals
19
Chapter 3
Modulation Pedals
Like distortion, modulation works in many ways. Modulation essentially makes creative use
of the waves of your guitar’s signal. The different types of modulation pedals are phaser,
flanger, chorus, vibrato, and tremolo. Each of these changes your guitar signal in their own
way.
Phase
Phase Waves
Phaser pedals work in a fairly basic way. Consider
the shape of sound waves. Most are sinusoidal,
which look like waves. When the magnetic pickups
in your guitar send a signal to your amp or pedal, it
is sending the unaltered wave from your guitar.
When your guitar sends its signal into a phaser
pedal, the pedal splits the signal into two identical
signals, let’s call them Wave A and Wave B. Wave
A is your guitars primary and original signal. Wave
B is a copy. The pedal will alter both of these
signals to send them “out of phase”, meaning that
the waves are exactly opposite of each other and
cancel each other out. The signals are constantly in and out of phase creating a “swoosh”
sound. Originally, this effect could only be produced in a studio using reel to reel recording
techniques, but by the mid-70s phase was available in the form of
An Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
an effects pedal. The most prominent phase pedal of the early
years was the MXR Phase 90, which saw a wide usage due to the
growing interest in psychedelic music. Many classic rock songs
also make heavy use of the phaser pedal to give their songs a
radiant, sweeping sound. If you’re looking to recreate the sounds
of Pink Floyd’s The Wall album, Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin’s
Achilles Last Stand, or, most famously, Heart’s Barracuda, then a
phaser pedal, like the Electro-Harmonix “Small Stone”, should be
on your wish list.
20
A Guide to Guitar Pedals
Flange
Originally created as a byproduct of reel to reel recording,
the flange effect has been described as sounding like a
drainpipe. When phasing and flanging were only
available in studios, the method used by audio engineers
was to record one track on two reels, then record both of
those reels onto a third reel. Because of the minute
differences between the two reels’ rotation speeds the
phase effect would be created. The flange technique came
about when audio engineers would place their finger on
the “flange” or rim of the tape reel to intentionally slow
down or speed up the rotation, thus the flange technique
was born. Flange is like the big brother of phase. It takes the same idea as a phase, but while
the phaser could only capture the sounds of a few points where the signals were “out of
phase”, powerful and complex electronics can capture hundreds of these occurrences.
Because of its radical effects on the sound of a guitar, only a few have
dared to use its wild sound. Songs like Itchycoo Park by The Small Faces,
Keep Yourself Alive by Queen, and most famously (and tastefully) Head
over Heels by Tears for Fears have made clever and reserved use of the
flanger pedal. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with
the dangerously crazy tones a flanger is capable of. A popular,
inexpensive flanger pedal, like the Boss BF-3 Flanger is a good place to
start sending your guitar into the far reaches of the galaxy.
Chorus
A Boss BF-3
Chorus pedals are also similar to phase pedals. Chorus pedals were first
designed to imitate the “chorale” setting on fancy Hammond organs. The
idea behind a chorus pedal is to give whatever you are playing a sort of
embellishment by giving it a “second voice”. When you send a signal
through a chorus pedal it splits the signal in two. By ways of a fair amount
of complex electronics, the copy signal is slightly detuned, and delayed,
mimicking the natural effect of any two singers performing the same part.
By copying the effect of natural difference of two voices, a chorus pedal can
give your guitar a large, ensemble-esque sound. If you listen to any new
wave band of the late 70s on through the early 90s, you’ll have a 100%
chance of hearing a chorus pedal at work. Bands like The Smiths, Depeche
A Catalinbread Callisto
Mode, Tears For Fears, The Cars, Men With Hats, Dag Nasty, The Cure,
The Pixies, The Sugarcubes, Pavement, Devo, Duran Duran, New Order, The Talking
Heads, Blondie, Erasure, Joy Division, Soft Cell, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Police and
Chapter 3-Modulation Pedals
21
many, many more have utilized the timeless sound of the
chorus pedal. If you want to give your guitar an “umph” or
a shimmering sound of pure 80s new wave, your ideal
pedal is the timeless sound of a chorus pedal. Try an
Electro-Harmonix Clone series pedal, or a Catalinbread
Callisto Chorus pedal.
Tremolo/Vibrato
The first ever tremolo devices were invented soon after the
first electric guitars were invented. Basically, a tremolo
device was a rotating speaker, and as the speaker rotated it
An Electro-Harmonix Clone Theory
would create a Doppler Effect, similar to how a car horn
appears to change pitch as it drives by. While they were effective, and extremely popular,
they were cumbersome, and were soon replaced by the Dearmond Tremolo pedals, the
world’s first stompbox. By using electronics to create the Doppler Effect, the pedal creates
the same sound as the old rotary speakers. Also called vibrato pedals, tremolo pedals have
been used by many artists over the decades. Old country musicians, blues musicians, early
rock and rollers, and almost every ballad played by a modern band have all used tremolo
pedals. Artists like Radiohead, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tom Petty, Buddy Holly, The
Cramps, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and many countless blues artists have used the pleasant
tones of tremolo over the ages. If you’re looking to give
your guitar a warmer, classier, and overall juicier sound
check out a tremolo pedal, like the Earthquaker Devices
Hummingbird, to bring life to your guitar.
An EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird
Chapter Four
Delay Pedals
Chapter 4 - Delay Pedals
25
Chapter 4
Delay Pedals
Delay pedals come in three flavors, reverb, delay, and loop pedals. All of them have the
same idea; repeat the original signal. Reverb pedals mimic the sound of “reverb”, the tiny
echoes that you hear when you speak or clap in a room. Delay pedals can play long, drawn
out echoes, or short, quick echoes, but always have a definite amount that they can play
back, like the way a canyon will eventually stop sounding back. Loop pedals can save, store,
and infinitely repeat sound bites, with some pedals being able to remember and playback
multiple minutes of sound. Simple and endlessly entertaining delay pedals are some of the
favorite tools of countless musicians.
Reverb
Reverb was one of the few early effects that came before foot operated
hardware. Invented by the legendary Laurens Hammond, inventor of
the Hammond Organ, the first reverb effects were spring reverb
devices. With a transducer at one end of a spring and a pickup at the
other, guitarists could use their guitar’s signal to create reverb within
the spring and then send the entire thing through an amp. This
created a pleasant and full feeling to guitars, even if the venue didn't
have natural reverb. As time went on, technology allowed for the
large and cumbersome reverb machines to be placed in a footswitch.
An Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail
Most modern tube amps come with a reverb effect, but there are
plenty of reverb pedals to control all of the details about it too. Reverb is such a common
effect, through amps or pedals, or even studio production, that you may not even realize
A Solid Gold FX Surf Rider
that you’re hearing it. To list prominent artists that make
use of the effect would be just as easy as listing every
artist, so as a general rule, reverb is one of the pedals that
should be in every guitarist’s setup. Check out the
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Plus Reverb pedal, or the
SolidGold FX Surf Rider Reverb pedal to get started with
this essential tool.
26
A Guide to Guitar Pedals
Delay
Delay Pedals are somewhat of a big brother to reverb. The idea is to
create an echo that long outlasts the normal sounds of a room’s reverb.
Sometimes used to give songs canyon-like vastness, the delay finds the
most use as a tool that gives songs a “spacey” sound. Utilized by postrock guitarists and metal-heads alike, the delay pedal has so many uses
that learning to play with one can be as much of an accomplishment as
learning to play a guitar. Delay pedals have endless possibilities when
you combine their powers with inventive guitar work, and if you make
use of the residual echoes, you can create lush layers of sound all from
A Boss DD-7
one instrument. Delay pedals are
not used as often as reverb pedals are, but the creative
challenge and endless possibilities lend themselves to
be used by a lot of artists. Bands like Explosions in the
Sky, This Will Destroy You, Muse, Pink Floyd, U2,
Bloc Party, and many more have used this effect to
give their songs far reaching spaciness or lush
soundscapes. If you’re looking to start experimenting
with some fun and chillingly luxurious sounds, check
out some delay pedals. The Boss DD-3 or DD-7 are
fun and highly capable digital delays, while an
A Disaster Transport Sr.
Earthquaker Devices Disaster Transport Sr. will deliver warm and natural sounding analog
delay. Other great delays are the Way Huge Aqua-Puss Analog Delay pedal, the ElectroHarmonix Memory Man, the infinitely experimental Line 6 DL-4, and the MXR Carbon
Copy.
A Way Huge Aqua-Puss
A Line 6 DL-4
An MXR Carbon Copy
Chapter 4 - Delay Pedals
27
Loop
Loop effects were first invented as a reel to reel playback
machine in which you could record a track and have it
played back indefinitely. The mastermind behind this
idea, was also a pioneer for multi-track recording, a
technique that revolutionized recording and is still used
today. The guitar legend Les Paul worked on many
things, including inventing the first electric guitar,
designing the first 8-track recording deck, and many of
the earliest of amplification systems; however it was the
loop effect that is most astonishing. Well before its time,
Music-Comedy Icon Reggie Watts
Paul’s loop effect, created in the late 40s, could record and playback up to 10 tracks
simultaneously. The use of such an effect is obvious, and has been used in many creative
ways since. In fact many artists have begun to use the loop effect to essentially transform
themselves into a one man band. By recording small parts and having them repeated over
and over, you can create entire songs, all by yourself, in minutes. The endless layers of
sound can be used for whole performances and provide artists with an efficient way to write
songs. Popular with singer-songwriter artists, the loop has also found its way into
experimental, psychedelic, math, and post rock. Artists like Tera Melos, Reggie Watts,
Explosions in the Sky, Ed Sheeran,
and many one-man acts use the
utilitarian power of the loop effect. If
you’re looking to write songs
quickly, play solo, or create some
trippy, experimental sounds, then a
loop pedal like the Boss RC-30 Loop
Station pedal will be a good option
for you.
A Boss RC-30 Loop Station
28
A Guide to Guitar Pedals
An Afterword
Using Guitar Pedals
It can be a lot of fun window-shopping for pedals, and once you have one, there’s nothing
quite like the first time you plug it into your guitar and start messing around, but what it
really comes down to is how your use your pedals. There’s an infinite amount of sounds
that you can create with pedals, and experimenting is the key to getting the tone that you
want. But experimenting only works if you know what you have done and how you have
done it, so learning the basic controls of a pedal is essential.
Pedals usually operate with a basic set of controls. First, and most obviously, is the volume
control, also called the level control. This will control how loud the effect is playing. Second
is the gain control, also called the mix control, which is found most often on distortion type
pedals. The gain controls how much power your pedal receives from your guitar. In the case
of distortion, the higher the gain, the more distorted the sound. Third is tone, which controls
the equalization levels of your guitar. Next, the rate control, which is found on modulation
and delay pedals, which controls either the rate of phasing/flanging/chorus/tremolo or the
rate of reverb/delay/looping. Last is the feedback control, found on delay pedals, which
controls the amount of repeats that are fed back to the signal. There are many other controls
on pedals, proprietary and otherwise, but most pedals have the basic set of controls. By
playing around with these controls and knowing what each of them does, you can begin to
effectively create the perfect sound for you. Remember, guitar pedals are as important as
playing the instrument, but shouldn’t be the focus of your musicianship. First and foremost,
pedals are there to enhance the sounds of your guitar.
Well, that’s it. Now you know a bit about the different types of pedals and how to use them.
You’re next move is to make a purchase and get to experimenting. Good luck!
Index
Index
chorus, 19, 20, 28
delay, 9, 25, 26, 28
distortion, v, 9, 13, 14, 19, 28
flange, 20
fuzz, 9, 13, 15
loop, 25, 27
overdrive, 9, 13, 14
phase, phaser, 9, 19, 20
reverb, 25, 26, 28
tremolo, 9, 19, 21
29