FX Pedals or a lack of them

[Mr White]

Alright people.
Im not a fan of the noises or anything (phaser etc) and at the moment, my amp seems pretty fine sounding. I play in a band and we gig and stuff. And I see a lot of players with the Digitech floorboards with the expression pedal on it. For a long time on here Ive seen people with all these fx pedals and I dont use any. I dont use a floor tuner or anything.
Im just wondering if I should be using them? Seems like a daft question but Im curious. My bass player has about 8 pedals, and apart from his tuner he doesnt really use them, but they're there if he needs them. Is this the general way?

James

[442w30]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

If you don't have any solos, then you probably dont need a boost or effect to bump the sound. If you don't do a lot of clean, then you probably won't need chorus or tremelo. If you are happy with your tone, then you may not need an eq.

You may want a tuner and an overdrive if your amp needs it and that's it.

[Mr White]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

I play solos but I generally run a lot more mids/treble (we have a loud bass player) and a little quieter than the other guitarist in my band. The solos cut through fine apparently.
I dont use any clean and that. Was considering an EQ to focus the mids to the upper frequencies for solos (Like someone said on here - cant remember who!).
So is it basically a case of buying what you think you need, and if you dont think you need anything, you dont?

James

[dannyr]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

You got it!!! If your happy with your sound and tone and everything sounds good in your band then there is no reason to change it. You know there a multitude fo effects out there if you want to experiment with your sound. Also, listen to some of your favorite guitars players and their tone and see what they are using. Then you may want to try it.

[markD]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

i am the lead guitarist in my band (the only guitarist actually) and the only effect i use is a vox wah pedal. no solo boosts, no delay...nothing. we have our own sound guy that works VERY hard for us, so i play dry.

so to answer your question, yeah, i think it's buy what you think you need or don't buy anything if you think you don't need it.

i personally HATE going to a show and watching the guitar players step on all these effects that sound like ass in front of the house. they maybe great on stage, but once everything gets bouncing around the club, the sound turns to mush. i am a strong believer in only use what is NEEDED, not what you think you need.

and before all the naysayers show and tell me i don't know what i'm talking about, here's this: i gig A LOT, that's why i don't have endless time to post. i don't play in a cover band, it's all original songs. we headline our own shows regularly, and when we don't it's because we open for major bands. i have NEVER had a problem cutting through the mix. my solos are always clear and upfront. my experience has shown me that any extra effects - especially delays sound great on stage but screws up the sound out front.

[Fragle]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

i also do not use any fx whatsoever. the only two pedals i have on stage are my boss tuner and an ibanez tubescreamer (tightens the sound right up...incredible). imho fx get lost in the mix anyways, unless you're playing in huge venues with a quality pa system.
having that said, i'm thinking about picking up a wahwah [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Mr White]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

Right, Thanks guys.
Thats exactly what I thought [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
As Im self taught, but pretty damn good, I was sure if Id missed a step out lol

James

[Chris_M6]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

I've gone through having tons of pedals, having no pedals, using the latest processor, and back again about 50 times. Finally settled on a Boss GT-6... this way, it's all there if I need it, but not in the way if I don't.

[Inazone]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

I use pedals, but only because my amp is a stripped down old single-channel combo. I use an ART Xtreme for distortion (also has a nice EQ section) and for some chorus ala Chuck Schuldiner. Beyond that, it's just a tuner pedal in front and a delay pedal at the end of the chain. I also have small half-rack EQ and noise gate units on my board, as my amp has no effects loop.

[bluebullet]

Re: FX Pedals or a lack of them

fx are like strippers there fun to play with but most of the time you just end up broke

[Firebird V]

less IS more.

That works for me anyways. Less is more...

[guitarsjb]

Re: less IS more.

I only use a Digidelay pedal and a Chorus for the intro to one of our songs..the rest of the time it's nothing. Oh yeah, I have a tuner pedal too.

[StarRider]

Re: less IS more.

Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Jon Roth, Frank Marino
David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, etc,etc,ect.........all use efx

I've always used EFX and always will [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: less IS more.

FX add dynamics and textures that are typically impossible to pull off with your fingers and a simple amp reverb tank.
The key to using effects units properly is to fully understand the how, when, where, and why of their place in any given song.

I've spent the last 10+ years using every type of effect available - from chorus to flange to phaser to delay to reverb to pitch shifters to wah. Your first instinct is usually to turn them all on and set the knobs to "10" on everything, but through experimentation and close scrutiny, you can learn to master each effect to the point that you can use them effectively (no pun intended) in a setting that traditionally they would not fit.

A typical ping-pong Delay setting in a large club/hall will be mud by the time it hits the front row. Set it for a tight slapback and the room itself will turn it to mush as well.
However, set it for a low-volume 300ms delay time with a 30% repeat (plays 3 audible "taps" after each note) on a song with a slow bluesy lead and you add a subtle reverb effect that sounds better than trying to match a reverb to the room.

Set a phaser or flanger for the slowest sweep rate/speed it has, and you have a slow-moving notch filter for solo boosts. Set a flanger or chorus for absolute zero speed and match the dry signal level on the output, set the depth to a comfortable mid-boosted position, and set the delay time to 15-30ms and you get a great way to make one guitar sound like a wall of doom if you use sustained chords or plodding palm-muted riffs. You'll hafta cut it off to do faster rhythms.

Take a reverb unit and set it so there's no dry signal coming out of it, and you get a nice reverse cathedral 'verb that's also great for slow bluesy licks, or doing "Whale Songs" for intros or interludes.

Set a phaser or chorus for a tremolo effect (phaser works best as you can usually cut the sweep to zero) and work out some tapping routines where you pick or tap on the "downsweep" (quiet) and hold it until the "upsweep". Slide around in tempo with the Rate and you'll get nice string/violin effects that can dress up an extended solo or jam.
Not to mention the classic tremolo effects these units offer - everything from "underwater" to "floating in space".

But it takes practice. That's why I have rack units - to program dozens of different effect settings for dozens of textures and enhancements. Most of them are only used for fun by myself, but many of them did end up in our live gigs, and not once did anyone say they were too much.

[Chuckracer]

Re: less IS more.

I run dry as a bone and let the soundman sweeten my sound from the board. He is in the room...he can hear what the room needs. I'm onstage...I can't. Simple as that.