Should you go with overdrive, or get distortion? Maybe fuzz would work better. Perhaps reverb might do, or maybe even delay?
Chances are you probably have had thoughts like these whilst looking at the vast amount of guitar effect pedals out there, and if we’re being honest here, it can be pretty overwhelming. If you’re just starting out and have no idea what guitar effect pedals you need, here are a few of the most essential, novice-friendly ones out there.
Distortion.
Distortion pedals are great for rock and all of its sub-genres, like metal, punk, classic, hardcore, or indie. These pedals work by increasing the harmonic qualities that are already there in the sound of the guitar. Basically, they recreate the distortion heard when an amp is overdriven, which ensures that you won’t blow your speaker trying to get a good tone. Overdrive pedals are basically a kind of distortion pedal. The main difference is that distortion pedals are a bit simpler to use.
Reverb.
Reverb pedals provide a really nice echoing sound that’s rich and full because the notes reverberate (hence reverb) after they’re played. These are great for recording or writing music, but not quite as good live. The beginning musician will greatly enjoy the way a reverb pedal can flesh out the guitar’s tone, and is especially fun to use in tandem with other pedals.
Chorus.
Chorus pedals can make a guitar’s tone sound bigger by emulating the sound of multiple guitars playing the same notes all at once — like a chorus of guitars, if you will. The pedal achieves this effect by repeating the guitar’s input signal. Of the guitar effect pedals on this list, the chorus is perhaps the most advanced.
Besides having musical instruments for sale, online guitar shops have tons of great sound equipment for sale, too. The trouble is that with so many different kinds of guitar effect pedals out there, it can be hard to find the effects that you want when you’re first starting out. With this short guide, you’ll hopefully be able to configure the setup of guitar effect pedals you need. If you have any questions about guitar effect pedals, feel free to ask in the comments. Continue reading here.
