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There’s no doubt the guitar is an instrument that provides you with a huge opportunity for creative expression. However, if you truly want to see what you can accomplish as a guitarist, following the footsteps of some of the greats, then you ought to give the pedal accessories a chance. Mind you, these are not just any accessories – think of them as tools that can assist you with shaping the sound of music your guitar produces.
Whether it’s crafting a range of interesting tones that aren’t your typical, or playing with textures and atmospheres, guitarists have used these essential tools to their advantage, which is one reason why you should give them a try too. Ideal for recordings as much as live performances, the premium quality pedals for guitars are exactly what you need to take your guitar music journey to the next level.
Sure, beginners may not require them to master the skill right away, but having one can certainly be of assistance in establishing one’s own style, and signature tone, offering the chance to experiment with adding some effects of distortion and modulation, depth and variety to an otherwise simpler result. Whether for recreating tones of the past, or creating your own modern music, the positive role pedals have is evident.
How to Know What Guitar Pedal to Get?
It’s okay to be a little confused as there’s a world of pedals for guitars to browse from. To know you’re doing this purchase process right, it’s advisable to focus on what matters, i.e. the basics. In terms of pedals, this would be taking three basic steps, such as:
Understanding the Types of Pedals
To be able to take your pick from a range of available options, it’s first crucial to know what you’re choosing from. Based on the effects they’re designed to help create, you can pick from:
Gain Type Pedals
This type of guitar pedal also goes by the name “boost” since it’s helpful with providing effects that boost the guitar’s volume and signal without affecting your amp. Ranging from a subtle difference, to a heavy distortion, this is where you can select from overdrive, compression, distortion, and fuzz pedals.
Time-Based Type Pedals
As indicated by the name, these are guitar pedals that are helpful with the timing of the signal. The two options here are: delay, and reverb. The first is useful for creating echo and repeated sounds, whereas the latter is great for adding atmospheric feel in the form of depth and space, kind of like you would get in different environments (e.g. rooms, halls).
Modulation Type Pedals
If you want to get something entirely new with your sound, like giving it some movement and variation, you should consider getting one of the modulation pedals. For a richer sound, you have the chorus which duplicates more of the same, for a higher or lower volume you have the tremolo, and for whirring sound there’s the phaser.
Frequency Type Pedals
Tweaking the signal, much like the modulation alternative, the frequency pedals are unique in the way they create peaks, providing you with a unique solution. The wah pedal is one such example of a filter effect that changes the guitar’s frequency and tone. There’s also the EQ (Equaliser) pedal that shapes the spectrum of the frequency, allowing you to experiment with bass, treble, and mids.
Multi-Effects Type Pedals
Any player who’s keen on experimenting with more effects than just the one pedal can offer should buy guitar pedal with some of the favourite sounds in the one single unit. This is an option that’s especially helpful for those who don’t want to deal with many cables.
Knowing Your Musical Needs
There’s nothing worse than spending on a pedal only to find out it doesn’t suit you. To avoid this kind of scenario, and money wasted on something you don’t want or need, it’s necessary to ask yourself some crucial questions. What’s your favourite music genre? What type of music do you prefer playing most of the time? What is the sound you wish to create? This would pinpoint the characteristics you’re looking for in a pedal, and help you out with determining your ideal type.
Considering the Quality and Price
Although you may not think of the budget too much, it’s one of the essential factors that can assist you with making the right choice, along with the type that suits your style and music. So, it’s important to give the purchase some thought, and see how much money you can spend on this tool. This is where you ought to consider whether you’re willing to risk investing in a used pedal that may or may not be in perfect condition, or perhaps you’re more inclined towards investing more and buying a brand new one.
Getting quality as is offered by some of the top-notch brands in the market, such as Boss, Reland, and Line 6 among others, means getting pieces and details that are long-lasting, from the enclosure material, all the way to the footswitch and knob and jack. This however also means you’d get to pay more upfront, but it’s something that pays off eventually.
