Guitar Pedals For Beginners - In Less Than 10 Minutes

Summary

Dave from Guitar Zero Hero simplifies the complex world of electric guitar effects pedals in a concise, 10-minute tutorial. He explains the function of each pedal type, from tuning with a tuner pedal to adding depth with drive, distortion, and modulation effects. Using a spaghetti bowl analogy, he illustrates the signal chain, emphasizing the importance of order and balance. Dave also touches on the versatility of multi-effects units and the appeal of individual stompboxes for real-time tone tweaking. His top three recommended pedals for beginners are overdrive, delay, and reverb, providing a solid foundation for shaping a personal guitar sound.

Takeaways

• 🎸 Effects pedals are tools used to shape a guitarist's personal sound and can seem complicated to beginners.
• 🔊 The video aims to demystify effects pedals and explain the most common types within 10 minutes.
• 🎶 Dave's setup uses a clean amp channel, with effects pedals doing the heavy lifting to shape the tone.
• 🍝 The 'spaghetti bowl' analogy is used to describe the guitar signal chain and the role of each pedal.
• 🎵 The tuner pedal should be first in the signal chain to ensure the guitar is in tune.
• 🌟 Drive and distortion pedals add 'meat or spice' to the guitar tone, making it bigger, bolder, and heavier.
• 🎶 Modulation pedals, such as chorus and flanger, add variety to the sound with their unique effects.
• 🔊 Tremolo pedals create a sense of motion by rapidly varying the volume of the audio signal.
• 🕒 Delay and reverb pedals are compared to cheese and garnish, enhancing the overall sound without overpowering it.
• 🔁 A looper pedal captures and repeats the signal, allowing the guitarist to jam along with themselves.
• 🔄 The order of the pedal chain matters and should follow a logical sequence for the best sound.
• 🔌 If using an amp with built-in drive, an FX send and return loop is recommended for time-based effects.
• 🛠️ Multi-effects pedals offer all-in-one convenience, but individual stompboxes provide easier tweaking and understanding.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video by Dave from Guitar Zero Hero?

The main purpose of the video is to demystify and explain how effects pedals work and to identify the most common and important effects types for electric guitar players.

What does Dave use as an analogy to explain the guitar signal chain and effects pedals?

Dave uses a bowl of spaghetti as an analogy to explain the guitar signal chain and effects pedals.

What is the role of a tuner pedal in the signal chain?

A tuner pedal ensures that the guitar is in tune and should always come first in the signal chain.

What do drive and distortion pedals do to the guitar tone?

Drive and distortion pedals are designed to make the guitar tone bigger, bolder, edgier, and heavier by clipping the signal and adding distorted grittiness.

How does the chorus pedal affect the guitar signal?

The chorus pedal splits the guitar signal in two and sets the second signal slightly out of tune and time with the first, creating the illusion of two instruments playing simultaneously.

What is the main difference between a chorus pedal and a flanger pedal?

The main difference is that the delay of the split signal is much smaller for the flanger pedal, resulting in a swooshing effect due to the cancellation of frequencies as the delay between signals moves.

What does a tremolo pedal do to the guitar's audio signal?

A tremolo pedal rapidly raises and lowers the volume of the audio signal, creating a sensation of motion.

How does a delay pedal function in the signal chain?

A delay pedal repeats the guitar signal, allowing the user to specify the mix, feedback, and time between repetitions.

What is the role of a reverb pedal in the signal chain?

A reverb pedal creates a complex echo by simulating the sound bouncing off natural surfaces in an environment, giving the guitar an atmospheric sound.

What does Dave suggest as the three essential effects pedals for a guitarist?

Dave suggests overdrive, delay, and reverb as the three essential effects pedals for a guitarist.

What is the difference between using individual stompboxes and multi-effects pedals?

Individual stompboxes offer simplicity and direct control over each effect, while multi-effects pedals combine multiple effects into one unit, which can be more convenient but potentially more complex to navigate.

How should the order of effects pedals be arranged in a signal chain?

The order should be tuner pedal first, followed by drive/distortion, then modulation effects, and finally delay and reverb. This order helps to avoid a messy sound and ensures each effect is applied correctly.

What is the 'four cable setup' mentioned in the video?

The 'four cable setup' is a method where the guitar goes into a tuner pedal, then into additional drive pedals, into the amp for distortion and gain, and then through an FX send and return loop for modulation effects and reverbs, before returning to the amp.

Outlines

00:00

🎸 Introduction to FX Pedals

Dave from 'Guitar Zero Hero' introduces a guide for beginners to understand the world of FX pedals for electric guitars. He explains that effects pedals can seem complicated due to the variety available but aims to simplify their function in under 10 minutes. Dave's setup includes an electric guitar, a clean amp channel, and various effects pedals to shape the tone. He uses the analogy of a bowl of spaghetti to describe the guitar signal chain, with the clean tone as the plain noodle and pedals as various toppings that add flavor. He emphasizes the importance of the tuner pedal for in-tune guitar playing and discusses the role of drive and distortion pedals in adding 'meat or spice' to the guitar tone.

05:10

🔊 Exploring Modulation and Time-Based Effects

The script continues with an exploration of modulation pedals, starting with the chorus pedal, which splits the signal to create an illusion of multiple instruments. The flanger pedal is similar but with a smaller delay, producing a 'swooshing' effect. Tremolo is introduced as a volume-based modulation that varies the signal's volume to create a sense of motion. Dave then discusses delay and reverb pedals, likening them to cheese and garnish that complete the 'meal' of the guitar tone but warns against overuse. He explains how delay repeats the signal and reverb creates a complex echo, both of which are crucial but should be used sparingly. The video concludes with a mention of a looper pedal, which captures and repeats the signal for jamming. Dave also touches on different setups, such as using the amp's built-in drive or an FX send/return loop for time-based effects, and concludes with a preference for overdrive, delay, and reverb pedals, inviting viewers to ask questions in the comments.

Keywords

💡Electric Guitar

An electric guitar is a type of stringed musical instrument that uses electronic amplification to produce sound. It is central to the video's theme as the host, Dave, discusses the various effects pedals that can be used to shape the sound of an electric guitar. The script mentions that the host's setup includes an electric guitar running through a clean amp channel, emphasizing its importance in the discussion of effects pedals.

💡FX Pedals

FX Pedals, short for effects pedals, are electronic devices used with musical instruments, primarily guitars, to alter the sound by applying different audio effects. In the video, Dave aims to demystify how these pedals work and help viewers understand the most common and important effects types, making it a key concept in the script.

💡Signal Chain

A signal chain in the context of guitar effects refers to the sequence in which the audio signal passes through various devices, from the guitar to the amplifier and effects pedals. The script uses the analogy of a spaghetti bowl to explain the guitar signal chain, emphasizing the importance of the order in which effects are applied.

💡Tuner Pedal

A tuner pedal is an effects pedal designed to ensure that the guitar is in tune before any other effects are applied. In the script, Dave mentions that the tuner pedal should always come first in the signal chain, illustrating its foundational role in setting up the guitar's sound.

💡Drive and Distortion Pedals

Drive and distortion pedals are used to add gain to the guitar signal, resulting in a louder, more aggressive sound with a distorted quality. They are essential for genres like rock, blues, and metal. Dave describes these pedals as adding 'meat or spice' to the guitar tone, using the analogy of pasta sauce to explain their impact on the overall sound.

💡Modulation Pedals

Modulation pedals alter the waveform of the guitar's audio signal to create various effects such as chorus, flanger, and tremolo. These pedals add depth and texture to the sound. In the video, Dave explains that modulation pedals are like additional ingredients in a dish, enhancing the flavor without overpowering it.

💡Chorus Pedal

A chorus pedal is a type of modulation pedal that splits the guitar signal into two, slightly detuning and delaying one signal to create a fuller, richer sound, as if multiple instruments were playing. Dave uses the chorus pedal in the script to demonstrate how it can add depth to the guitar tone.

💡Flanger Pedal

A flanger pedal is another modulation effect that creates a sweeping effect by introducing a small and rapidly varying delay of the audio signal. It results in a 'swooshing' sound, which Dave illustrates in the script by playing the flanger pedal and describing its unique sonic characteristic.

💡Tremolo Pedal

A tremolo pedal is an effects pedal that varies the volume of the guitar signal, creating a pulsating effect. It is used to add motion and rhythm to the sound. Dave explains and demonstrates the tremolo effect in the script, showing how it can be used to create a sense of movement in the guitar's sound.

💡Delay and Reverb Pedals

Delay and reverb pedals are time-based effects that simulate the sound of playing in different environments or add echoes to the guitar signal. They are compared to cheese and garnish in the spaghetti analogy, completing the sound but needing to be used judiciously to avoid overpowering the main tone. Dave discusses the importance of using these effects in moderation and their placement in the signal chain.

💡Looper Pedal

A looper pedal allows a musician to record a phrase or sequence and then play it back repeatedly, layering over it in real-time. It's like a 'bottomless bowl of pasta' as Dave describes, capturing everything before it and repeating it for the musician to jam along with. This pedal is placed at the end of the signal chain in the script, showcasing its role in live performance and practice.

Highlights

Dave from Guitar Zero Hero aims to demystify effects pedals for beginners in less than 10 minutes.

Effects pedals can shape a guitarist's personal sound.

A clean amp channel provides the base tone for effects pedals to work on.

Tuna pedal should be the first in the signal chain to ensure the guitar is in tune.

Drive and distortion pedals add meat or spice to the guitar tone by adding distortion.

Different drive pedals cater to various music styles, from mild overdrive to heavy metal.

Modulation pedals like chorus, flanger, and tremolo add additional ingredients to the guitar tone.

Chorus pedal creates an illusion of two instruments playing simultaneously.

Flanger pedal produces a swooshing effect due to small delay between split signals.

Tremolo effect rapidly raises and lowers the volume of the audio signal.

Delay and reverb pedals are like cheese and garnish, completing the guitar tone.

Delay pedal repeats the signal with adjustable mix, feedback, and time between repetitions.

Reverb creates an atmospheric sound by simulating echoes in large spaces.

Looper pedal captures and repeats everything before it for jamming.

The order of the signal chain matters for achieving a balanced sound.

Amps with built-in drive and distortion can be used with modulation and delay effects through an FX send and return.

Multi-effects pedals combine various effects into one unit for convenience.

Individual stompboxes offer simplicity and direct control over the guitar tone.

Dave recommends overdrive, delay, and reverb as essential effects for most guitarists.

Transcripts

[Music]

hey guys dave here from guitar zero hero

so if you're starting out on the

electric guitar or you're fairly new to

the world of gear and more specifically

fx pedals it all might seem a little bit

complicated especially with the sheer

number of pedals out there so in this

video i'm going to demystify and explain

in simple terms how effects petals work

and the most common and important

effects types in less than 10 minutes so

by the end of this video you'll be able

to go out there and understand which

effects pedals that you need to look for

in order to shape your personal sound so

in my setup today i've just got my

electric guitar running through a clean

amp channel and the effects pedals will

be doing all the heavy lifting here the

amp will just provide the bare tone or

the blank canvas for us to shape

so if you listen to my guitar right now

it's a clean tone nothing special about

it

[Music]

my favorite way to explain and describe

a guitar signal chain and effects petals

is by using a bowl of spaghetti as an

analogy

so our clean tone coming from our guitar

amp is our plain spaghetti noodle it's

fine to eat but at this stage it's just

a little bit bland first things first

before we add any toppings we need to

make sure that the pasta is cooked so

that's our tuna pedal in this case which

should always come first in our signal

chain to ensure that our guitar is in

tune next up are our drive and

distortion pedals which are designed to

make your guitar tone bigger bolder

edgier and heavier

they add meat or spice to our guitar

tone by clipping their signal and adding

that distorted grittiness that you hear

in rock blues and metal

so here i've got an overdrive i've got a

distortion and i've got a metal pedal

and they all work in a similar way the

only difference is how meaty or spicy do

you want your pasta sauce mild

[Music]

[Applause]

hot

[Music]

or face melting

[Music]

hmm

now the right drive pedal for you will

just depend on the style of music that

you're playing

after our drive pedals we typically get

to modulation pedals think of these as

our additional or miscellaneous

ingredients on our spaghetti things like

olives mushrooms sun-dried tomatoes

they're not to everyone's preferences or

tastes and you definitely don't want to

overdo them but in certain circumstances

delicious

the first modulation pedal i've got here

is the chorus which takes our signal and

splits it in two and sets the second

signal slightly out of tune and time

with the first creating the sound and

illusion of two instruments playing

simultaneously so let's take a listen to

chorus

[Music]

[Applause]

the next modulation pedal i have is the

flanger pedal which

operates almost identically to the

chorus pedal but the main difference is

that the delay of the split signal is

much smaller in this case for the

flanger and as a result you get that

swooshing effect which is the result of

frequencies being cancelled out as that

delay between the signals moves so let's

listen to the flange

[Music]

our next modulation pedal is tremolo a

volume based modulation so a tremolo

effect rapidly raises and lowers the

volume of our audio signal and that

creates the sensation of motion so let's

take a listen

[Music]

[Laughter]

[Music]

so that's it for modulation pedals

typically next up in our signal chain

are delay and reverb pedals i like to

think of these effects petals as the

cheese and garnish to our bowl of

spaghetti they really make the meal

complete in most cases but beware not to

use too much otherwise it will overpower

your dish and it'll be too cheesy delay

is first up and it simply takes your

signal and repeats it again and again

with the delay you can specify how loud

you want those delays to be that's the

mix

how long you want those delays to keep

repeating the feedback

and the time between those repetitions

which is typically called the delay

[Music]

now typically after the delay is a

reverb a reverb happens when sound

bounces off natural surfaces in an

environment to create a complex echo and

it's most notable in large empty spaces

like a churchill it can be used to give

your guitar an atmospheric sound and is

probably one of the most common effects

used on guitar so let's take a listen

[Music]

now remember delay and reverb are

important ingredients but don't overdo

them finally on my signal chain here is

a looper pedal i've got this at the very

end so it captures everything coming

before it and repeats it again and again

for me to jam along with think of it

like a bottomless bowl of pasta

[Music]

do

[Music]

so those are the basics of a standard fx

pedal signal chain and you of course

don't need all of them as well you can

just have one two or three it's

completely up to you now the order of

your chain matters as well

just like you wouldn't put your cheese

and sauce on the bottom of your bowl you

shouldn't start with reverb and delay

before the drive pedals that will just

result in a messy sound now this

particular setup assumes that your amp

is just providing a clean tone now if

you want to use the drive and distortion

built into whatever amp you have that's

absolutely fine too

in this case though if you wanted to use

modulation and delay and effects pedals

you would ideally run those through an

fx send and return which is a dedicated

loop at the back of your amp for these

time-based effects in a setup like this

your guitar would go into a tuner pedal

and then into any additional drive

pedals that you want like a boost

and then that would go into your amp

your amp would provide the distortion

and gain

and then at the back of your amp you

would have an fx send which would then

route to your modulation effects and

reverbs

and then out of there back into your fx

return that's what you would call the

four cable setup because you need four

guitar cables in order to actually get

that running in this video i've used

individual stompboxes for each effect

but you can also get multi-effects

pedals which have all these effects

combined into one unit those multi-fx

units are great some people find them

confusing though and individual

stompboxes is just a little more simpler

to understand what you see is what you

get right in front of you and a lot of

guitarists out there do enjoy just being

able to tweak their tone right in front

of them without going through any menus

or having to go through software in

order to do so so i hope you enjoyed

this fx pedal 101 guide obviously

there's other effect types out there but

the ones i outlined today are the most

common i've used the boss pedals in this

video but other brands will more or less

have their own versions of the same

effects if i had to choose three it

would be overdrive delay and reverb for

me personally if you have any questions

then leave them in the comments below

otherwise i'll see you guys next time on

guitars already hero cheers