What is a guitar pedal or Effects pedal?
The Simple Definition
Guitar pedals are a type of signal processor that sits between a guitar and amp, connected by instrument cables. When engaged, these pedals change the sound of the guitar by applying a particular effect either through digital signal processors or physical, analog circuits.
Guitar pedals can be understood simply as a type of sound effects processor.
When connected between an electric guitar and amplifier, they manipulate the sound, usually by applying or manipulating one (or more) of the following kinds of effects:
- Gain
- Filtering
- Modulation
- Ambience
These are the four biggest categories of guitar pedals.
Read more: Best Guitar Pedals Overall
Guitar pedals can be really simple, or really complex and advanced.
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Most guitar pedals produce an effect that falls under one of these categories. For example, a phaser pedal is a type of a modulation effect, while a distortion pedal is a type of gain effect.
Here's how a simple guitar pedal connection would look:
A guitar pedal sits in between the electric guitar and amp, connected by two instrument cables.
One cable goes from the guitar to the pedal, while a second cable goes from the pedal to the amp.
Components and Operation
Guitar pedals consist of several key components that work together to achieve the desired effect. These include
- Input and output jacks
- Control knobs
- Control switches
- Footswitches
- LED indicators
- Internal circuitry
When engaged by stepping on the footswitch, the pedal's circuitry processes the guitar signal according to its specific design, resulting in the desired effect or modification.
The control knobs allow users to adjust parameters such as level, tone, speed, or intensity, tailoring the effect to their preferences.
Each particular effect type can have a wide range of controls. It really just depends on the effect and the pedal in question.
Guitar pedals are usually shaped like a small rectangle, in a heavy metal case with knobs and switches.
Types of Guitar Pedals
Like we mentioned earlier, guitar pedals can be grouped into categories, but we'll just list some of the most common types of pedals here without separating them.
Read more: A Comprehensive Guide to Guitar Pedal Setup
- Distortion and Overdrive Pedals: These pedals add grit, crunch, and sustain to the guitar signal, ranging from mild breakup to heavy distortion.
- Modulation Pedals: Including chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo effects, these pedals add depth, movement, and swirling textures to the guitar's sound.
- Delay and Reverb Pedals: These pedals create spatial effects based on time, such as echoes, repeats, and ambient reverberations.
- Wah and Filter Pedals: These pedals alter the frequency response of the guitar signal, allowing expressive control over the tone.
- Compressor Pedals: Compression evens out the dynamics of the guitar signal, adding sustain and providing a more consistent sound.
Signal Chain and Pedalboards
Guitar pedals are often used in combination, forming a signal chain.
A look at multiple pedals in a signal chain (ignore the EQ pedal note).
The order in which pedals are connected can significantly impact the final sound. Musicians carefully arrange their pedals on a pedalboard, considering factors such as signal flow, power supply, and accessibility during performances.
Guitar players will often use pedalboards to carry all of their pedals and keep them organized in one spot.
Read more: Best Pedalboards for Guitar Players
Simple example of a small pedalboard with three guitar pedals and a power supply.
Bottom of the Voodoo Lab Dingbat pedalboard with an X8 power supply.
Conclusion
Guitar pedals are extremely important for electric guitar players.
Even acoustic guitarists and bass players can benefit from effects. Other utilities like tuners, EQ, and volume control are also most effectively implemented with pedals.
So if you're looking to get into electric guitar, effects are an important part of the equation.
If you understand the purpose, operation, and types of guitar pedals available, you can explore a lot of new sonic territory, experiment with different sounds, and ultimately use an electric guitar to its fullest potential.
Feel free to leave questions and thoughts in the comments section below, or even your own expertise if you have something to share.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Effects & Info
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Effects & Roundups
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