Your guitar creates the sound, your amp heightens the volume of the sound, but what is used to change the sound? Effects pedals are pedals that you plug into your rig to manipulate your guitar’s sound. There are thousands of different effects pedals on the market, but let’s look at a few popular types of pedals and what they do to the sound.
Distortion Pedals
One of the most popular pedals for musicians is a distortion pedal. Essentially, distortion pedals take the signal that your guitar is sending off and distorts it, contrasting your guitar’s natural sound with volume and sustain. Listen to what our new Black Waves Distortion Effects Pedal can do to the sound in the video below.
Reverb Pedals
You know the echo you hear when a guitarist lets a note ring? That’s thanks to a Reverb pedal. Reverb pedals give your guitar a louder, stronger sound by holding an voluminous echo effect. One downside of reverb pedals is that their effect is often only suited for certain performance spaces. That’s why it’s important to get a reverb effects pedal with different settings, like our new Twilight Reverb Effects Pedal with six reverb settings.
Overdrive Pedals
Unlike distortion pedals which distort the signal, overdrive pedals amplify the guitar signal to create a heavier sound that highlights the natural sound of the guitar. However, since the pedal pushes the amp harder to strengthen the sound, this pedal is best compatible with tube amps. Check out the video below of our new Siren Overdrive Effects Pedal to hear what an overdrive pedal can do.
Delay Pedals
Like the name suggests, delay pedals take signal that enters through the input and delays it, creating a ripple effect in the sound. There are two types of delay pedals: analog and digital. Digital delay effects pedals offer a longer delay and a more accurate signal output, but some musicians prefer analog due to the subtle nuances you can get in the sound from not fully matching the input signal. However, some digital delay pedals, such as the new Allen Eden Soulmate Digital Delay Effects Pedal, include a toggle feature that mimics the imperfections of an analog pedal.
Fuzz Pedals
Fuzz effects pedals, which can hook up to guitars, basses, and keyboards, create extremely strong distortion effects that most distortion pedals can’t achieve. The static “fuzz” that comes from these pedals varies heavily on the pedal and setting that you choose. We can try to explain it, but it’s easier to hear for yourself. Take a look at the demo of our new Albatross Fuzz Effects Pedal to hear what these pedals can do.
Chorus Pedals
As you may have guessed from the name, chorus effects pedals could make your guitar sound like 10 different guitars playing at once. This sound is very popular in grunge and other alt rock subgenres, creating a full sound while staying true to the natural tones coming from your instrument. One downside of chorus pedals is that they can create a cacophony of notes if not adjusted correctly. That’s why it’s important to get a chorus effects pedal with multiple speeds, like the new Allen Eden Deep Dive Chorus Effects Pedal.
As we mentioned before, there are thousands of different effects pedals on the market to perfectly manipulate the sound to your liking. Visit our website to see our full offering of effects pedals and other gear.