Effects Processor Articles
Identifying Effects in the Signal Chain |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jan 16 2008 |
Has this ever happened to you? You are listening to a great solo, or killer riff by your favorite guitarist, and you wish you could reproduce the tone or effects that he or she has going on – but every time you plug in to your multi effects processor you just end up getting frustrated. With so many different options in terms of effects and how to place those effects in the signal chain, what is the best to go about duplicating their performance?
First, it helps to understand the terminology that is associated with certain types of sound. Most modern rock records feature a gritty, almost distorted guitar sound that feels full of energy. This is called an ‘overdriven’ sound, and can be accomplished with an overdrive pedal or by overdriving an amplifier. If you are looking for a more extreme distorted sound, such as found in metal, it is necessary to turn up the gain on your amp and employ a distortion pedal or multi effects unit. There are many kinds of distortion that can be dialed in – for a more crunchy sound, try using EQ to increase the mid range tone of the signal. For a more sludgy sound, you can turn down the mids and turn up the bass.
Sometimes the guitar sound you are looking to emulate might seem like it is being played by more than one guitar at the same time. There are a few different ways to reproduce this type of tone. A chorus effect can create the shimmery sound of multiple guitars with an emphasis on the upper range of each note. Nirvana’s breakthrough album ‘Nevermind’ frequently employed chorus effects of this nature. A more exotic effect like an Octavia pedal creates a tone that is one octave higher than what you are playing and then adds that on top of your note – a technique often used by Jimi Hendrix on both clean and distorted tracks.
Probably the most common effects you will encounter while trying to play like your heroes are delays and reverbs. Reverb is a ubiquitous effect that can resemble anything from a springy echo to a drenched, almost completely “wet” feeling such as that employed by surf music. Delay pedals are what create the seemingly endless sustain and repeat of several top guitarists, and are frequently applied to repetitive rhythm parts or over the top solos to create an epic feeling. One of the most famous examples of a delay effect is the intro to “Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2.
A good way to go about duplicating these sounds is to become familiar with the basic theory of how effects are typically routed. More of a guideline than a hard and fast rule, different types of effects usually have a specific role and order in their application. Distortions and overdrive effects are usually applied to a clean signal. Chorus-type effects can be placed after a distortion or overdrive effect, in order to make sure the full distorted signal is processed. Delays and reverbs are always placed at the end of the signal chain, and are rarely simultaneously used by a guitarist – it is almost always one or the other. Placing either of these 2 effects earlier in the chain can result in strange feedback loops – which may be what you are looking for – but is generally not recommended.
Once you get a feel for how these basic building blocks of EQ and effects can be assembled and re-assembled, you will find it easier to deconstruct the tone you hear on your favorite CD. Each effect has many different sub-settings that can be played with and tweaked, and can go a long way towards adding your own personal signature to your own sound.
Last changed: Jan 16 2008 at 10:10 AM
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