Effect Pedals For Your Beginner's Electric Guitar
If you're looking for a little flare to go along with your starter guitar, consider an effects
pedal (also referred to as a "stomp box") to add a whole new dimension to your unique sound.
Generally speaking, effects pedals adjust the signal that your guitar sends to the amplifier, and
each type of pedal changes the signal differently. Effects pedals help you get that perfect tone
out of your guitar and increase the fun of playing. But it can be confusing to try and pick the
best pedals for your play style.
Which Effects Pedals are Suggested for a Beginner?
Distortion pedals: The distortion pedal is by far the most commonly used effect by
today's guitar players. These pedals work by increasing the harmonic qualities of the guitars
natural sound, creating the "hard" guitar tones commonly associated with rock, punk and metal
music. The Boss DS-1 distortion pedal is a great option for the beginning guitarist. It offers a
wide range of possibilities and allows you to adjust the volume, tone, and level of distortion. The
DS-1 helps you easily find a distorted tone to match your play style.
Chorus pedals: Another great pedal to use with your in your starter guitar is the
chorus or flange effect. In the simplest terms, this effect repeats your guitar's input signal,
allowing you to make it sound as though more than one guitar is playing. But the best chorus
pedals, such as the Ibanez CF7 Tone Lok Chorus and Flanger Pedal, give you control of the speed,
depth and delay of the your guitar's output signal, helping to transform your guitar's natural
sound into lush soundscapes of complimentary tones.
Reverb pedals: Reverb is another great type of effect for a beginning guitarist.
Reverb pedals layer your guitar's natural sound to simulate echoes. Units like the DigiTech
DigiVerb Reverb Pedal allow you to create the sound you would hear while playing in a wide variety
of locations – from small, intimate jazz clubs, to full sized arenas, to deep, echoey caverns. The
reverb pedal may be considered subtle compared to effects like distortion, but it is a crucial tool
used by many guitarists to craft their desired tone.
Multi-effects pedals: If you can't choose which type of effect pedal to use with
your beginner's electric guitar, you may want to try a multi-effects pedal. Multi-effects pedals
include many of the most popular effects used by guitarists in a single unit. The DigiTech RP155
Modeling Guitar Processor has 83 settings, including several types of distortion, reverb, chorus
and other popular effects. It also allows you to change your guitar's output to mimic the sound of
a variety of amp models.
It's important to keep in mind that exactly how these effects pedals sounds depends on many
different factors, including the guitar and amp you're using and the genre of music you want to
play. Multiple effects pedals can be used at the same time to craft a sound that is 100% unique.
Once you have time to experiment with the wide variety of effects available, you'll discover a
whole new dimension to creating your own music.
