How To Set Up A Guitar Pedal Board

Pedalboards are unique to every guitar actor. They say something about your personality, inventiveness, and tin can even tell a story about how you grew intoyour guitar rig. At the same time, there are plenty of helpful guidelines and best practices that tin make your pedalboard setup more effective and helpful.

In this article, we'll look at absolutely everything there is to know most setting up guitar pedals and running an optimal pedalboard.

What you lot already know

I'chiliad assuming you have a bones understanding of the types of effects and what they sound like. For those needing a refresher, this best guitar pedal roundup covers a lot of the basics. In this slice, we'll go further in-depth and cover more unique questions/situations.

Guild Pedals by Effect Category

In this section we'll embrace everything we know nearly effects pedal order.

There are "types" of effects pedals similar chorus, distortion, delay, etc. Only what a lot of people don't realize is that those pedals can be farther sorted by effect categories.These categories are how we ultimately order furnishings pedals inside our signal chain.

Earlier we await at some best practices, here's a table with the most important effects categories and the pedals that become within each 1:

Gain

Proceeds is the parent effects category for any pedal that pushes volume higher at a preamp level. Any effect that allows you to manipulate gain or outputis considered a gain-based effect.

• Distortion
• Boost
• Overdrive
• Fuzz
• Preamp pedals
• Drive pedals

Modulation

Modulation is a type of effect that manipulates the waveform or the shape of the audio wave.

• Chorus
• Phaser
• Flanger
• Tremolo

Ambience

Ambient effects include all pedals that manipulate fourth dimension of your original indicate.

• Delay
• Echo
• Reverb

Filter

Filter effects create sounds by manipulating the tone or pitch of your guitar.

• Wah
• Harmonizers
• Pitch shifting
• Octave
• Synthesizer

EQ & Utility

Utility pedals deal with indicate processing functionality and aren't used to create a detail sound effect.

• Tuner pedals
• Volume pedals
• A/B/Y switches
• Loopers
• Noise gates
• Compression
• Equalizers

Almost every guitar pedal yous'll use volition fall into one of these five categories. And if you know how to social club the categories properly, it'll be much easier to order your pedals. Hither's the most common arrangement:

Most Mutual Guitar Pedal Arrangement past Category

The most common arrangement of effects categories in an electric guitar betoken concatenation.

1. Compression & Volume
2. Filter effects
3. Gain-based effects
4. Modulation
5. Ambience

In one case you have your categories arranged, each pedal you lot accept will get lined up based on those categories, like this:

Pedals go bundled based on their corresponding categories.

One time all your pedals are placed, you'll take an system that is consistent with the parent effects categories:

Both modulation pedals are placed in front of both ambience pedals.

While it's non necessarily "wrong," moving these pedals out of their chiselled guild might look like this:

The tremolo and filibuster pedals are switched, moving them out of categorical order.

Switching the tremolo and delay pedal breaks the category order of the effects. At present, this certainly isn't going toruinyour tone. But it is considered a more optimal pedal club to keep all pedals of a unmarried category together and avert mixing them with other categories.

• Conform by category first
• Pedals inside a single category don't need a detail order (for example, multiple modulation pedals - chorus, flanger, tremolo - can exist arranged in any club, so long every bit they're in their propercategoryorder)
• Ambient effects should be last in your pedal chain or in your effects loop (more on effects loops later on)
• Compressor and volume pedals should e'er be get-go in your effects chain

Arrange all pedals based on category

Let's expect at another instance with a few more than pedals. The following diagram shows how we've ordered our signal with 1 pedal from each category.

Filter, gain, modulation, and ambience pedal ordering based on categories.

• Avert putting a baloney pedal before a filter event, like a wah pedal
• Make sure distortion precedes modulation and ambient effects
• Arrange multiple modulation pedals - within their category - however you'd like

Put compressor pedals at the front of your betoken chain

In nigh cases information technology's considered a best do to run a compressor pedal (if yous have one) at the front of your betoken chain. You can read more than about optimizing compressor pedal utilise in this Sweetwater article.

Compressor goes in the front of your indicate chain, before any distortion.

Though information technology could be categorized as a gain-based effect, a compressor pedal should come earlierany baloney or heave pedals yous might be running.

• Brand sure that the compression level is set to match your distortion level
• Practice non use your compression pedal as a gain or volume boost
• As we cover in the post-obit section, only put a tuner pedal before compression

Put a tuner pedal before everything

If you have a chromatic pedal tuner like the Boss TU-3, make sure information technology'south the commencement place your signal stops after leaving your guitar. This means it'll get the cleanest indicate possible for the most accurate tuning.

Correct tuner placement.

Wrong tuner placement.

• Most tuner pedals can tune while muting your signal
• Use your tuner pedal as a muting mechanism instead of your guitar'south volume knob
• Pedal tuners are more accurate than amp-based tuners and even certain rackmounted tuners

Total Guitar Pedal Buying Guide

Looking for guitar pedal recommendations? We go along a list of the ones we've bought, tested, and like the best. Bank check 'em out here:

Optimizing Placement & Functionality

In this department nosotros'll go a piddling deeper into pedal placement and signal chain arrangement. We'll look at setting upwardly pedals in the correctlodgewhile as well setting things up to exist the almost functional for how we use our board.

Prioritize pedals you utilise the nigh

Well-nigh of united states of america accept pedals that we usea lotmore than any other. While observing a proper betoken chain order, we can setup our pedalboard to brand these particular effects the most accessible. For most people, that most accessible spot is going to be the lesser right-hand side of your pedalboard.

Read more: Best pedalboards for guitar players

For most guitar players, y'all'll want to have the following effects placed at this spot, or appreciably close:

1. Wah/volume
2. Distortion
3. Pedal switcher/aqueduct selector

Here'south how that might await on a typical-sized pedalboard:

Prioritize most used pedals on the lesser right side of your pedalboard.

Move compression and tuning to the dorsum row

This begs the question of where to put pedals that should come beforefilter and gain effects in a signal concatenation. For case, we've already covered that a tuner and compressor should be the first two pedals in your signal path but aren't necessarily going to exist the ones yous're using the nigh. If you don't want to put these in the bottom right side, y'all can cablevision them and so they're placed on the second row in a less user-friendly spot, leaving room for more highly used pedals like distortion and wah.

You tin can cablevision your signal in a detail lodge, even if the placement on your pedalboard looks different.

Setting upwards two rows of pedals

The in a higher place case shows that you can have ii rows of pedals, particularly if your pedalboard has a lot of vertical infinite like the Pedaltrain Classic does. Here'due south how y'all would add together modulation and ambient effects using multiple rows, while notwithstanding maintaining the categorical order we established earlier. Note the bluish lines and arrows represent the cabling and direction of the point path.

Signal path with optimal placement and correct effects pedal ordering by category.

I've put the "amp switch" in its own path, since this volition ofttimes be a MIDI cablevision or a direct line to the amplifier. This now gives you lot two rows of pedals on the acme and bottom of your board.

Front end Row (Frequently used & easily accessible)

• Wah
• Distortion
• Amp aqueduct switcher
• Filibuster workstation with iii buttons

Back Row (Less frequently used)

• Tuner pedal
• Compressor
• Modulation (phaser and flanger)

Using a pedal switcher

Another way to make your pedalboard dramatically more functional is to use something chosen a pedal switcher. This is by and large a long row of switches that engages each pedal in your lath from thefront end,allowing you to leave all the pedals on at once and perhaps even in a rackmounted drawer.

Here's one that Voodoo Lab makes:

The PX-8 is Voodoo Lab's flagship pedal switcher.

Here's how the connections work at a bones level:

Pedal switchers, like the PX-8, bring furnishings in and out of the loop via true bypass.

In this scenario, all the pedals are on just the chorus and fuzz pedal are bypassed going through the switch and cut off the loops. Hither'south how you would connect everything, including an external tuner:

Total setup example for a pedal switcher.

The most convenient aspect of this blazon of switch is that it puts all your effects straight in forepart of yous on the aforementioned box. This is especially helpful if you lot have a lot of pedals on the back row of your board or if you want to store them on a rack somewhere, maybe away from your performance surface area. A lot of professional guitar players employ these for rack-mounted systems and stage setup, so it'due south not necessary for everyone.

• Most pedal switchers will requite yous automated true bypass: With the connection that runs through the switcher itself, each loop can be cutoff which gives you lot true bypass aroundwhatever pedal is in that loop. If you appoint a loop with no pedal in it, that will intermission the sound connexion and you won't hear any sound
• Can these switch amp channels equally well? In most cases, no. Pedal switchers are not the same thing every bit a aqueduct selector on an amplifier. Well-nigh amplifier aqueduct switchers are designed and purchased for a particular amp.
• You do not have to use every transport/render in the switcher. Since each loop is hard-wired into the switch, you don't need to have a pedal connected to every single one for the switch to work. Only call up, if you don't have a pedal on a given loop, be sure to leave that loop off so it runs through the difficult-wired path and skips over the disconnected loop.
• Do I always leave pedals on when using the switcher? Yes. Whatsoever pedal that you run through a loop in your switch should always be on, so yous tin can use the bypass controls on the switch to engage them.

Guitar Pedal Cabling All-time Practices

In this section nosotros deal with everything pertaining to cabling guitar pedals.

Now that we've covered a lot about guitar pedal arrangement and categorization, I want to get into the more technical realm of guitar pedal cabling. This is an important part of guitar pedal setup that every player needs to understand, especially if you play live at all. Existence able to handle some of your own tech-related cabling concerns will make y'all more professional every bit a performer and tin can improve the technical quality of your rig.

Permit's start with a few of the about important cablevision terms in the world of audio/visual production that could concern your pedalboard:

• Instrument cables
• TS cables
• TRS cables
• XLR cables
• DI box

DI boxes and XLR cables will just apply in certain situations. It'due south the garden variety "musical instrument" cablevision that is going to be your biggest business organization. Permit's start there.

What are instrument (TS) cables?

Known to many simply every bit a "guitar cablevision" the musical instrument cablevision you might be familiar with is technically an unbalanced TS cable. These cables have a 1/4" jack and are used for a mono connectedness (single signal path) when connecting a guitar to a pedal, a pedal to another pedal, a pedal to an amplifier, or a guitar straight to an amplifier.

• Unbalanced
• Mono bespeak
• 1/4" jack
• Unmarried insulator ring
• Should be used with unbalanced inputs and outputs

A TS instrument cable or your garden diversity guitar cable tin can be easily recognized by the single insulator ring.

Patch cables (pedal to pedal)

Another term you'll often hear is "patch cable" which ordinarily refers to a TS instrument cable that is much shorter, designed to be used between pedals, like this:

Curt patch cables in betwixt three guitar pedals.

These patch cables tin can often be just a few inches long and are designed to minimize length and space betwixt guitar pedals.

Use pedal couplers and depression-profile right bending cables

In the above instance, I've used modest depression-profile correct-angle patch cables to make sure I accept minimal cablevision length between my pedals and that they're able to exist placed close together. We'd recommend using those or pedal couplers for improved conductivity and more efficient use of your pedalboard space.

Here are a couple examples of pedal couplers sold on Sweetwater:

Pedal couplers do the best job of reducing cable length, though depression-profile right angle patch cables are best at minimizing space between pedals.

And here'southward another await at the low contour patch cable, also listed on Sweetwater:

The depression contour patch cable pattern shown here is ane of the best for minimizing space betwixt guitar pedals.

In most cases, all the connections between your pedals tin can be handled by unbalanced TS patch cables or pedal couplers.

• TS cables are used for all the basics: Guitar to pedal, pedal to pedal, and pedal to amp are all going to use an unbalanced TS cable in most cases.
• TS cables tin be identified by the single insulator ring: The single ring near the tip of a TS cable is the easiest way to identify a TS cablevision and distinguish it from a TRS cablevision, which has two rings near the tip.
• Nigh connections are going to exist mono and unbalanced: Near guitar and keyboard connections are going to be mono and unbalanced. TRS cables (covered below) bargain with stereo and/or counterbalanced connections.

What are TRS cables?

Though they're almost identical in advent to TS cables, TRS cables take a 2dinsulator ring that allows them to handle balanced andstereo signals. This effectively gives it a positive usher, negative conductor and ground, meaning information technology can be used for a balanced line out connexion, similar going from a DI box or guitar amp line out jack to a PA system.

It'southward easy to run into the 2 insulator rings on the TRS cables.

TRS cables are generally not needed unless you lot have something like a balanced mono bespeak running from a line out or input on a mixer or sound interface. They can as well be used for connecting a stereo output to a stereo input.

What are XLR cables?

XLR cables are typically used for microphones or to connect a DI box to a aqueduct on a mixer. For example, I run an audio-visual guitar at church, for which I use an musical instrument cable going to a DI box, and then an XLR cable from the DI box to the mixer. As it concerns your pedalboard, XLR cables are by and large not going to be necessary.

Minimize cablevision length

An important office of cabling your pedalboard is minimizing cable length whenever possible. As we've already alluded to, a lot of this happens with pedal-to-pedal connections, which can be shortened by pedal couplers and patch cables. It's worth mentioning that not all guitar players adhere to this practice. Accept a look at ane of Eric Johnson's pedalboards:

Ane of Eric Johnson's pedalboard arrangements. We practice non recommend this.

It's hard to argue with Johnson's success as a guitar player, only I wouldn't recommend his cabling work.

• Avoid using long instrument cables for pedals: Use patch cables that are as brusque as possible between pedals.
• Don't cross musical instrument cables up with one another: Avoid your musical instrument cables overlapping or having to be coiled up to fit. If a line has to run in multiple directions, make sure the cable doesn't cease up lying on top of itself or another cable.
• Use tape and cable ties: When possible, use adhesive like record, cablevision ties, or fifty-fifty Velcro to fix your cables in place on your pedalboard.

Use cables with a potent jacket

If possible, use cables that embrace the ground metal piece in a jacket. This is just going to wait similar material that encases that part of the cable, which makes it less likely to neglect and helps to protect the most fragile function of the cable (where the tip is soldered to the wiring). Here'south how I'd break down your most typical options:

The thicker the jacket is over the connectedness, the meliorate.

Ability cable best practices

In addition to dealing with instrument cables on your pedalboard, you're likely to exist dealing with power cables for each pedal as well. The type of cable volition vary, but most look the same: They're small, blackness electrical cables with a ability jack on each end. I terminate goes to your ability supply and another goes to your pedal.

You lot're about probable to need/use the following types of power cables:

• 9V Air conditioning & DC
• 12V Air-conditioning & DC
• 18V AC & DC

These cables are usually included with a guitar pedal ability supply. For case, the Voodoo Lab ISO v includes the following cables:

• iii x 9V power cables
• 1 x  9/12V power cable
• i x 18V power cable

Here are some practical things to annotation regarding your power cables:

• Don't utilize higher voltage cables for lower voltage pedals: Avoid using an 18V cable or power source for a 9V pedal. This will run too much power into the device and risk frying the electric connection and ruining the pedal.
• If possible, avoid crossing ability cables over instrument cables: Electrical currents tin crusade noise and interference in an instrument cable, especially if the instrument cable is poorly shielded. On your pedalboard, endeavour to avert crossing the 2 types of cables over i another.
• Attempt to always use isolated sources of power: Isolated power supplies are ever better for reducing noise and unwanted interference. This means single 9V batteries or isolated power bricks like the Voodoo Lab power supplies are preferable to something similar a 9V daisy chain, which is notisolated.

Distortion Pedal and Gain Best Practices

Heavy and heavier. All nigh distortion in this section.

Nosotros've covered some nuts on how to utilize a distortion pedal. Simply here, I want to go more than in-depth about setting ane up and getting the most out of your gain-based effects in general. We'll look at distortion pedals, but also amp-based baloney, overdrive pedals, fuzz pedals, and how to ready them all upwardly on your pedalboard.

Outset, I'll define the most common types of gain pedals. Go along in heed, proceeds is the type of effect while distortion, overdrive, etc., are specific types of pedals within that effect category.

Distortion

The most common blazon of proceeds issue is distortion. However, the term "distortion" can also be used to describe a number of proceeds-related pedals, including overdrive and fuzz pedals. In that regard, baloney is ofttimes mistakenly causeless to exist the parent category and not a blazon of effect within the gaincategory. Every bit its ain effect blazon, distortion creates a heavy, saturated layer of high gain that covers the make clean signal and makes it sound distorted (hence the name). Distortion is increased gain along with decreased output. The higher the gain, the more distortion you'll hear.

Overdrive

Though similar to distortion, overdrive is a smoother, less aggressive form of proceeds that'southward oft meant to mimic - or be produced by - a tube amp. Overdrive pedals all the same create distortion, simply they sound warmer, smoother and less edgy than a typical distortion pedal.

Fuzz

The fuzz result is created by a flattercapover the increased gain, giving yous more of an edgy baloney sound that's less refined than regular baloney and the opposite of the smoothed out overdrive effect. Fuzz pedals are not as normally used as overdrive and distortion, though still a pop part of rock and dejection styles.

Boost

Boost pedals are in the gain consequence category and are often sold in the aforementioned sections equally distortion and overdrive pedals. However, they aren't really distortion because they "boost" gain without capping off output. This lack of an output cap ways you don't get whatsoever distortion from a boost pedal, but just an increase in decibels.

We'll cover how to set up and utilize all iv of these gain-based effects, as well equally some related all-time practices.

Can/should I put a baloney pedal in an effects loop?

In most cases we would recommend not placing a baloney pedal in your effects loop. As we'll discuss more than in the side by side section, a distortion pedal is effectively a 2ndamplifier, which means placing it in an furnishings loop isn't really necessary and doesn't brand sense.

The incorrect manner. Don't put your distortion pedal in your amp's effects loop.

Here's the right way:

The right way. Distortion goes later tuning, compression, filters, and before everything else in your chief betoken chain.

We'll practise more than on effects loops later. Let's go along talking distortion.

If possible, get baloney from your amplifier

Near professional guitar players use the distorted channel on their amplifier as their chief distortion source. This makes more than sense than a pedal because your amp already has a preamp and power amp handling gain and master output. This is why I said calculation a baloney pedal is similar adding a mini guitar amp to your signal concatenation with gain and output control.

If you have a nice amp, we would recommend first getting your distortion from that amp, and so adding the pedal if further tweaking is necessary.

Of form, this depends heavily on the type and quality of amplifier you have.

More often than not speaking, the nicer the amp, the better quality distortion you'll get.

A lot of pros utilize amp-based distortion considering a lot of pros (predictably) take really nice amps with a good onboard gain channel. Information technology also depends on the style of music you lot like and the type of amp that produces a distortion to friction match. For example, the Fender Deluxe has a good muddied channel for baloney, but information technology's very much blues and classic rock, non at all what you would consider a modern-voiced distortion.

To get that, you would accept to go to Mesa Boogie or Diezel for that heavy, percussive baloney sound.

With a distortion pedal, lucifer gain levels carefully

But let'southward say you exercise cease up using a baloney pedal. There's nothing wrong with that, because tons of guitar players withal do it. The first thing you demand to practice is make certain the proceeds levels on your amp and pedal are matched upward, or at least appreciably close. Remember, introducing a distortion pedal into your rig is effectively asecondpreamp and power amp, and then we've got to get them playing overnice together.

Here'due south how I'd recommend stepping through the procedure:

1. Use your amp's make clean aqueduct (don't use a distortion pedal on an already muddied aqueduct)
2. Set the preamp volume on the amplifier then set the main output (this becomes your volume template)
3. Set the main book on your distortion pedal to match the preamp or channel book on your amplifier
4. Plough the proceeds upwardly on your distortion pedal to your liking
5. If the gain control on the pedal adds also much book, turn the chief control on the pedal down to compensate

In other words: The output from the pedal should match the output from your preamp.This way, the master volume on the amp volition push everything up starting from the same spot.

Our goal in doing it this style is to avoid a big discrepancy in volume between using the distortion and not using it.

If you lot have volume command for a particular aqueduct, it should match the volume level coming out of your distortion pedal.

If y'all have multiple channels, like in the in a higher place example, you'll want to lucifer volume levels for each channel (which are all controlled at the preamp level), to the volume or "master" output of your baloney pedal.

In one case you lot practice that, the gain command on the pedal controls saturation (unremarkably without impacting volume) and the Mastervolume control - at the power amp level - controls the output of everything.

Later on you go volume taken care of, the proceeds control on the distortion pedal controls saturation levels (baloney intensity) and the MASTER volume on the power amp controls the "terminal" output and book of your signal.

Distortion pedal setup best practices

• Put all distortion pedals later on wah, compressor, and volume pedals: Per our effects category system, a baloney pedal should exist placed later on compressors, volume pedals, and filter furnishings - like wah pedals - but before all modulation and ambient effects.
• Apply a distortion pedal consistent with the mode of music you're playing: Distortion common in metal sounds a lot dissimilar than distortion in blues. If y'all're going to apply a distortion pedal, make sure that pedal'south voicing fits the mannerof music yous intend to use information technology for.
• Avoid over-saturating the natural tone of your amp: There's a bespeak where distortion pedals can go and then aggressive that they engulfthe natural tone of your amp. Regardless of musical fashion, this is when distortion gets to exist "likewise much" and should have its intensity dialed back. Knowing when this is happening isn't an exact science, but should be kept in mind when setting your preferred gain levels.
• Avert using batteries for distortion pedals (especially): A battery that's running out of power can really farther distort your signal, which tin be confusing with a distortion pedal that's already supposed to be doing that. We'd recommend using a power supply for all pedals, just specially baloney.
• Consider using a distortion pedal with a racket gate: High proceeds settings can often cause unwanted buzz and hum, especially when you lot're not touching the strings. Consider getting a distortion pedal with a noise gate congenital into the unit. The link higher up has several adept options we've curated and highlighted.

Overdrive Pedal Setup Suggestions

The overdrive is a smoother type of gain heave, commonly less aggressive than distortion and often used in blues or lighter styles of music. When setting upwardly an overdrive pedal on your board you tin care for it the same equally a baloney pedal, as the difference is a thing of fashion and not typically 1 of functionality.

A DOD overdrive pedal however has a gain and level control, just like we see on well-nigh baloney pedals. Flickr Eatables prototype via Terekhova

Most overdrive pedals withal have a preamp command and a master volume output, though often the overdrive pedal labels proceeds differently, sometimes using "drive" to signal the same function.

Here are some practical tips related to overdrive pedals:

• Utilise overdrive as a type of amp breakdown: Overdrive isn't meant to be a heavy or saturating type of effect. Instead, information technology's fabricated for shine, amp-like breakdown that'south particularly useful in classic stone and blues genres.
• Set proceeds or "drive" levels on your overdrive pedal lower to kickoff: Your "control" for testing an overdrive pedal should start lower and creep up as yous go. Even on lower settings, a good overdrive pedal tin can give your tone a nice thickness and smooth overdrive without bumping the proceeds level up likewise high.
• Position an overdrive pedal as a gain-related effect: Just like your distortion, overdrive pedals should be similarly positioned in your betoken chain.
• Overdrive pedals can be used in conjunction with amp-based distortion: Consider using your overdrive pedal for farther boosting an already distorted amp point.

Fuzz Pedal Setup Suggestions

Near fuzz pedals accept a volume, tone, and gain control, mirroring the typical baloney pedal settings we've already seen. I'd recommend using the volume knob on your electrical guitar to manage the intensity of the fuzz, while keeping the tone and level or volume of your fuzz pedal a scrap higher.

Here'due south a graphic that lays out these settings suggestions:

Use the volume knob to manage the intensity of the fuzz pedal

Here's a demo video I did with the Twin Bender fuzz pedal by Constitutional FX using this and other settings:

• Commencement with the volume knob on your guitar: Put the volume knob at most 50% or even lower, perhaps starting at 25%. This will cap the intensity of the upshot while still promoting the edginess of the fuzz effect. Past lowering the volume headroom, information technology'll sound more like a true fuzz pedal and not just loud baloney.
• Keep tone and book control on the fuzz pedal higher: By pushing your fuzz pedal harder than you might normally, yous'll go a more aggressive-sounding fuzz effect while using the volume knob on your guitar to cap it off.
• Apply fuzz over you amp's make clean aqueduct: Since fuzz pedals tend to be a little heavier, don't apply them over a distorted amp channel. Make sure yous set your amplifier to a make clean setting before tinkering with your fuzz pedal.

The above demo isn't a great case, merely because that particular fuzz pedal has a lot more control than most. A typical fuzz pedal, like the DOD fuzz pictured below volition only accept three controls, volume, tone, and proceeds or "fuzz" in this instance.

Typical fuzz pedal controls include volume, tone, and gain or "fuzz" in this instance.

Boost Pedal All-time Practices

Boost pedals are more than complex and versatile than they seem. How you use one depends on where y'all desire to increase volume. Unlike other gain and volume effects, you can actually put your heave pedal in an effects loop and oftentimes get a amend consequence than y'all would if you had it in your chief line. There are three primary placement options to consider:

1. Boost in the furnishings loop
2. Pre-pedal heave
3. Post-pedal boost

Boost in the Effects Loop

If yous accept an effects loop, it'due south a great identify for your boost pedal and will give yous a cleaner effect.

Pre-Pedal Boost

If you lot want your boost pedal to function more like a volume knob on your guitar or a baloney source, you can put it in the front of your bespeak concatenation, before everything, as follows:

A pre-pedal boost volition give you the volume bump earlier information technology can be impacted by more than pedals.

This creates what's called a pre-pedal heave, significant you're boosting your signalearlierinformation technology's being run through whatever additional processes. Depending on the pedals you lot're using, this can have a different effect when compared to apost-pedalboost which nosotros'll look at adjacent.

Mail-Pedal Heave

Boost pedals can be placed at the back of your pedal chain to boost an already effected signal.

In the to a higher place diagram the boost pedal is placed behind every other effect in the concatenation, right earlier it meets the amplifier. This - like the furnishings loop placement - volition get you a cleaner boost in volume and will always boost an already processed signal from all your other effects pedals.

The particular method yous choose will depend on the other pedals on your board and might crave a flake of experimentation.

The Spark Mini Booster pedal simply increases the decibel output of your signal.

Modulation Pedal Setup Suggestions and Best Practices

Modulation pedals are some of the easiest to use and the virtually straightforward to set up. To be categorized as a modulation issue, a pedal needs to create its sound past manipulating the waveform of your indicate. This tin exist washed by an analog circuit or an algorithm in a digital signal processor. Per our before recommendation, modulation effects should exist placed in the middle of your signal concatenation, right before your ambient effects.

In this article, we're going to specifically accost iv common modulation effects:

Chorus

Chorus pedals create several slightly off-pitch waveforms of your dry signal so layer them over the original dry betoken creating a slightly shifted sound that is usually adjustable by rate and depth.

Phaser

Phaser pedals create an out-of-phase sound that is layered back over the original waveform to create the swirling phase audio. Increasing speed on a phaser ways the swirl effect will consummate its circle (between the meridian and notch) quicker. Increasing depth will usually causer a deeper distinction between the in-stage and out-of-phase moving ridge.

Flanger

Flangers are like to phasers in that they're created past peaks and notches in the waveform, though a flanger processes the sound with a slight, gradually increasing delay betwixt each elevation. This creates a audio that's often compared to a jet flying over your head.

Tremolo

Tremolo pedals are the simplest of the modulation effect. At a basic level, it'due south simply the rapid increment and decrease of your point's volume in synchronized succession. About tremolo pedals will have at least a speed knob that allows you lot to control how fast the peaks and notches complete.

Modulation Pedal Setup, Tweaking, & Best Practices

We've already addressed placement in your signal chain. However, in that location are a few additional best practices that are helpful to go along in mind when it comes to modulation pedals in general. In well-nigh cases, these will utilise toallmodulation effects because they're then similar.

In fact, there are a lot of guitar players and musicians who would contend that there isn't a ton of divergence between chorus, phaser, and flanger sounds at all.

I wouldn't necessarily concord with that, just these all-time practices can exist applied to all four of the modulation furnishings mentioned in a higher place.

Apply to Layer your Clean Betoken

When y'all add together a chorus or phaser pedal to your rig, its master chore will be to add a layer of nuance and decoration to your clean signal. Utilise modulation pedals when you lot demand some thickness or a trivial moresubstancebackside a clean chord progression or melody line.

Here's what it might audio like with the Dominate BF-iii flanger pedal:

Read the review: Boss BF-3 Flanger

Test with Depth and Charge per unit around 12 o'clock

All modulation pedals should accept at to the lowest degree a rate and depth knob for control though some, like the MXR Phase ninety, only take a speed control. It'due south a good practise with waveform effects to start with these settings at the 12 o'clock position or whatever the middleposition would be. From there, you can arrange up or downwardly as needed.

Put Modulation Pedals in Your Effects Loop (if you accept i)

Along with ambient effects, modulation pedals are commonly put in an effects loop. If you have a send/return on your amplifier or from an furnishings switch, we'd highly recommend moving your modulation effects there to get a cleaner signal. The effects loop will besides aid modulation stay more consistent with your amp's book.

Be Careful to Avoid Settings that are Too Chaotic

Chorus and phaser pedals - in particular - can sound too chaotic if you push button settings also high. Information technology depends on the pedal, but be conscientious not to over-saturate your make clean sound with waveform manipulation. Ideally, you want modulation toflavoryour clean tone but not to the point where it'due south distracting from information technology or covering upwardly the clarity of your notes.

Here's an example of the settings I typically use on my Dominate BF-iii flanger, which came from the above sound sample:

Settings example for a Boss flanger pedal. Notation Rate and DEPTH controls.

Avoid doubling Up Modulation Effects

Though multiple modulation effects can be useful on a single pedalboard, using more than i at the same time isn't advisable. It volition typically audio too chaotic and will quickly overpower your clean signal.

Ambient Effects Pedals: Delay and Reverb Setup Suggestions

Ambient effects have a much shorter pedal roster, as they're limited to furnishings that manipulate time instead of book or waveform. The just two pregnant pedal types in this category would include filibuster and reverb.

Delay

Delay pedals record a sample of your original signal and so play it dorsum with a certain number of repeats.

Reverb

Reverb plays back an ambient persistence of your dry signal afterwards that signal is produced, pregnant yous'll hear a trail of audio after you play.

The other type of pedal yous'll see is echo or tape repeat, which is substantially the same as delay, albeit a more than vintage season. All ambient pedals - delay, echo, and reverb - should exist placed at the veryendof your signal chain, whether in the main pedal line or an effects loop.

We'll go over some best practices relating to delay and reverb.

Filibuster Pedal Best Practices

Delay can be a tricky upshot to implement because information technology manipulates the timing of your signal. Like an echo, it repeats a certain segment a certain number of times. Thus, you have to call back most the following properties:

1. How long of a segment do I want repeated?
2. How many times do I desire said segment to repeat?
3. How should I balance the mix between the dry and repeated (moisture) signal?

Other controls on delay pedals might include frequency, EQ, modulation controls, and more than depending on the pedal in question. But the 3 things mentioned in the above list are going to be the most important.

This makes how you tweak your delay a flake more important, given how it can affect your rhythm.

Here are some delay settings all-time practices to consider.

• If possible buy/use a filibuster pedal with a tap tempo: Many delay pedals have a tap tempo command, which means yous tin can dial in the time or rhythm sub divisions on the fly by tapping a push with your foot. Filibuster pedals with a tap tempo - in my opinion - are far preferable, especially if you play live.
• Avoid pushing repeats also far out: With as well many repeats, notes can start running into other notes. Usually, as low as 2 or iii repeats are enough to give you the full effect of a delay without playing notes over other notes and interfering with the main tune line or chord progression.
• Use delay as both a melody and rhythm tool: Since delay is rhythmic past nature, I've found that it's merely as constructive on that side of the guitar equally it is for pb guitar players. Over again, this is where the importance of the tap tempo comes in. You lot should use it to compliment rhythm and layer lines of melody.

Get Familiar with Timing Sub-Divisions

At that place is a way to calculate delay time based on timing subdivisions. First, let's look at the annotation durations nosotros'd be using:

• Whole annotation
• Half note (1/2)
• Quarter note (1/4)
• Eighth note (ane/eight)

We can summate delay based on beat and note length.

For example, the eighth notation sub division means yous repeat the note eight times inside each shell. This is what that subdivision indicator on a delay pedal would mean, which is sometimes displayed on a pedal, like this version of the MXR Carbon Copy:

The timing subdivision indicator on the MXR Carbon Re-create Palatial.

An even amend example would be this selector knob on the Strymon DIG:

5 different selectable subdivisions on the Strymon DIG filibuster pedal.

In the Strymon example, you might observe the dots behind the quarter and eighth notes. This creates a dotted quarter annotation and dotted 8th note, which is worth three quarters of a beat.

Read more here: Dotted 8th Notes

Reverb Pedal Best Practices

Though reverb pedals can become somewhat complex (take the Walrus Audio Descent for case) most are far simpler to use than delay. Instead of a rhythm repeat, reverb leaves a trail that is still based on time, but is a persistence of audio and more ethereal than rhythmic.

Many amplifiers, specifically Fender combo amps, accept been known to include a reverb effect.

If y'all have an amp with reverb and y'all're happy with the reverb tone, you may not need to add a pedal. However, if y'all desire a reverb effect with more functionality and versatility, you tin add reverb pedals that get extremely in-depth. Take the Strymon BigSky, for example:

The Strymon BigSky reverb pedal has a ton of versatility and multiple reverb algorithms.

Pedals like the BigSky requite yous access to different reverb algorithms, combined modulation, and multiple ways to mix and manipulate the reverb effect. You can fifty-fifty brand changes to specific aspects of the reverb's trail.

Within the ambient category, nosotros'd recommend running a reverb pedal behind delay, correct earlier your point reaches your amplifier. This goes for either a principal line or a ship/return loop.

• Combine reverb and delay: Unlike modulation, ambient effects can sound really good when layered together, especially if you're looking for an ethereal sound over a clean indicate. Experiment past combining reverb and delay together.
• Experiment with the wet/dry mix: Getting a reverb pedal with a wet/dry mix knob gives you the pick mix in a trail-only reverb sound, which can be perfect for creating those nuanced, ethereal tones. In most reverb pedals with a mix knob, keeping mix all the way up will completely silence your dry signal.

How to Setup and Use a Wah Pedal

As you may recall from earlier, the wah pedal is considered a filter consequence considering information technology manipulates your tone, merely like the tone knob on an electric guitar. However, wah pedals tin can do this a lot quicker and to a greater degree than your boilerplate tone knob, which gives y'all an well-nigh vocal-like sound that is ofttimes used in a lead guitar context.

In this department, nosotros'll become over the basics of employ and setup.

For more than detailed information, checkout our step-past-footstep guide on how to apply a wah pedal.

Engage the wah pedal with the bypass button

Virtually wah pedals volition engage via a bypass switch, just like other guitar pedals. The exception would be Morley'south switchless pedal serial, every bit they function just by stepping on the pedal and moving information technology, without a bypass switch.

Stride all the way down on your wah pedal to engage information technology.

One time you've hit the featherbed button y'all tin rock the foot pedal dorsum and forth to move the tone from high to low.

Once engaged, the wah pedal functions with a back and along motion.

Wah Pedal Should be Hands Accessible

In most pedalboards, a wah pedal is going to go the virtually active and frequent use, at least in terms of your foot actually touching a pedal.  To brand these easier, put your wah pedal in the most accessible role of your board, which - equally we mentioned earlier - is the lower correct-hand corner of your pedalboard.

Notice the Morley wah pedal in that spot of the post-obit ii pedalboard examples:

The Morley wah pedal occupies the most accessible portion of this pedalboard.

In the next example, Morley wah and pedal switcher are most accessible:

Again, you find the wah pedal in the bottom right manus corner of the pedalboard.

In most cases, this is going to be the almost comfortable place for your wah pedal, since information technology's one of the only pedals that your footstays onfor extended periods of fourth dimension. Otherwise, it'due south a fairly simple upshot to setup and use. Almost wah pedals don't have settings (some have what's chosen a profile knob), but if y'all make sure it'southward easy to get to and keep information technology in the front of your pedal chain equally a filter effect, the rest is pretty straightforward.

Use your Wah Pedal for Solos and Lead

Though it's not an unbreakable rule, nigh guitar players tend to use their wah pedal for solos and pb parts of a song. Godsmack's Tony Rombola does this a lot. A skillful case on the track "Greed" embedded below:

Put a wah pedal afterwards your tuner

If you have a tuner in your signal concatenation and a wah pedal, I'd nevertheless recommend putting the tuner before your wah pedal as your signal's first finish coming out of your guitar.

Put a wah pedal after your compressor

As we mentioned in earlier sections, compressor pedals are a bit of an anomaly in terms of where they should exist placed in a signal concatenation. They're one of the few pedals that we'd recommend puttingearlieryour filter effects, including your wah pedal.

Put your volume pedal before your wah

If you lot take a book pedal, it should go in front of your wah for the same reason a compressor goes in front. A volume pedal controls the ensuing output of your signal, just like the volume knob on your guitar.

Setting up and Using an EQ Pedal

The Boss GE-7 EQ pedal. Flickr Eatables image via Kuyabic

The positioning of your EQ pedal is harder to pin down since it doesn't necessarily have a default effects category. It's almost like a tiny amplifier, which means a good starting spot would be at the very end of your signal concatenation, right earlier your actual amplifier. Here'south how that setup might look:

An EQ pedal can be helpful for postal service-pedal configurations/corrections at the end of your signal chain, right earlier your amplifier.

However, at that place are a few different means to use an EQ pedal, which volition depend a lot on the style of music you play and the other effects in your rig. Nosotros'll cover a few options here.

Option one: Use information technology equally a Signal Heave at the cease of your Pedal Chain

Tom Morello has been known to use a DOD EQ pedal with all the settings fix to their mid point, but the decibel level control set higher to apply as a signal boost. The following is a diagram of Morello'due south lath, which he strangely places between his phaser and delay pedal.

Tom Morello places the DOD FX40B EQ pedal near the terminate of his indicate chain, using it merely for the book boost.

Option ii: Use information technology as Preamp for your Preamp

The most conventional way to apply an EQ pedal is to put it at the very end of your signal chain to mix the indicate coming out of your effectsbeforeit goes into your preamp. This makes it a kind of preamp for your preamp, where you get one last chance to tweak your indicate before the amplifier functionality takes over. This is the arrangement we covered in the first example.

Choice iii: Place at the commencement of your betoken chain

Some guitarists will put an EQ pedal all the way at the front of their signal chain to tweak the signal coming out of their electric guitar. This gives yous more control over the audio goingintoyour pedals.

This arrangement allows the EQ to tweak your tone before information technology goes into your pedal concatenation.

Selection 4: In relation to your gain effects

You tin besides place your EQ pedal in relation to how you lot accept your gain effects set upward. Since it can double every bit a booster pedal or as a tone manipulating effect, an EQ can assist you tweak or change what your signal is doing when it comes out of your gain-related furnishings. This means information technology tin be helpful aftera distortion pedal, but before ambient and modulation pedals.

Here the EQ is mail service-gain, be pre-modulation and pre-ambient.

Here are some additional all-time practices related to an EQ pedal:

• Avoid using information technology as an amplifier replacement: An EQ is non the same affair every bit a pedal preamp. While yous tin can apply information technology to tweak things like a preamp, it's not made to be a full amplifier replacement at the pedalboard level. Utilize it to tweak frequency levels and volume, only still rely on a preamp and power amp to finish the job.
• Apply it to correct tone-related extremes: EQ pedals can exist really helpful for dialing extremes out of your sound. For example, you lot tin can use it as a kind of hello-pass filter, if your tone is too vivid, or a lo-pass filter if your tone is too booming.
• Don't be afraid to go cheap with EQ pedals: An EQ pedal uses such basic technology that I wouldn't mind going really cheap when it comes to picking out one of these pedals. As we saw in the Morello case, even the really sometime DOD EQ boxes will get the chore washed.

Using MIDI Controllers

As we go into the more advanced aspects of pedalboard setup, MIDI controllers are one of our first and about helpful stops. While information technology's non common for beginner guitar players to incorporate these into their rigs, anyone who wants to setup an advanced pedalboard should at least exist familiar with MIDI connections and how they tin benefit your rig.

MIDI controllers are basically pedals that can controlotherMIDI capable devices. That means a MIDI-compatible rig tin can take the post-obit components:

• MIDI floorboard controller
• MIDI uniform guitar pedals
• MIDI compatible rack furnishings

Near any time you have some kind of a rack effects unit, you'll have a MIDI controller that switches between those effects. Hither's a really simple example of how that might exist set upwards:

A MIDI controller can be used to switch between sounds and settings in a rack effects processor. Image via Guitar.com

In the above diagram, you have a TC-Electronic G Major, which is a rack effects processor with MIDI ports that is controlled by a floorboard MIDI controller.

Here are some additional resources we've put together on these components:

• MIDI compatible guitar pedals
• Best MIDI flooring controllers for guitar
• How to setup rack effects for a guitar rig

MIDI connection in the back of a Strymon reverb pedal. Prototype via Strymon

In it's simplest form you lot'll have one MIDI controller for a unmarried MIDI-uniform device, similar the TC Electronic Yard Major. Still, y'all can also have a single MIDI controller for multipleMIDI-compatible devices and multiple settings within each device. This depends - of course - on the MIDI controller you're using and the pedals or devices that they're controlling.

I covered the connection process in item in this article on pairing MIDI human foot controllers with compatible devices, so I won't rehash that content here in full, but I volition go over some nuts.

Apply the Input/Outputs to Connect Multiple MIDI Devices

If you have more than ane MIDI device that you want to control, y'all can connect them in a sequence using the MIDI in and MIDI out on the dorsum of the device, simply like you would a chain of pedals. The deviation is that you'll need to use MIDI cables in between each one, as in the following diagram.

Use the i/o sequence to connect multiple MIDI devices

In one case you connect all of the MIDI devices together you tin utilise a single MIDI foot controller - assuming it's capable of recognizing and controlling multiple devices - to assign channels and presets for each device.

High end foot controllers like the Voodoo Lab Ground Command (pictured beneath) are capable of handling multiple MIDI units.

The Voodoo Lab Ground Control is capable of handling a higher book of MIDI presets and channels.

Always Cheque your Gear for MIDI Ports

Before you make up one's mind on a final MIDI configuration, bank check to make sure y'all don't already have devices that are MIDI controllable. Most rack furnishings systems have MIDI ports, though a lot of guitar pedals (as I've already mentioned) and a growing number of amplifiers are too controllable through a MIDI device.

A/B/Y Switches

The Morley ABY switch allows yous to mix input levels and route ane or ii guitars to two different amplifiers.

As your rig gets more circuitous you might want to contain multiple amplifiers or even multiple pedalboards depending on what you're playing or what kind of gig yous're doing. Once again, we look to a mutual tool of the professionals to brand this easier: The A/B/Y switch.

These switches allow you lot to exercise the following:

• Split your point into 2 paths
• Plug two instruments into i path
• Run 1 instrument into two amplifiers
• Run two instruments into one amplifier

Past far, the well-nigh common implementation of this device is to run a unmarried electrical guitar indicate and pedalboard into two different amplifiers. Hither'due south how that looks in diagram form:

The simplest form of an A/B/Y switch with ii amps and i guitar.

You can besides identify your A/B/Y switch at thebeginningof your pedal concatenation and run two different pedalboards to two different amplifiers.

ABY switch with 2 pedalboards and ii amps.

How y'all setup your A/B/Y switch is going to be unique to the rest of your rig. Hither are a few best practices to go along in mind:

• Don't use an A/B/Y switch if multiple amp channels will do the job: Most amplifiers already have multiple channels for a make clean and dirty tone. Don't become through the trouble of running a second amplifier if the same task can be accomplished by using the channel switcher on your first amp.
• Get a switch with truthful bypass: Truthful bypass switches volition help preserve your clean signal. Information technology'south worth investing in an A/B/Y switch that has it.
• Await for the switches with mixing options: Like the Morley switch above, the choice to mix in unlike levels depending on the channel is extremely helpful.

Determination

In this article nosotros've covered all relevant aspects of setting up your guitar pedals in the about optimal style possible. Even so, It's of import to keep in mind that these are simply best practices that might non be optimal foryourstate of affairs, depending on the specific brand-up of your guitar rig. What these guidelines tin can practise is requite you a starting point or a controlthat will allow you to make changes and tweaks every bit yous develop more creativity inside your ain rig.

When I was learning how to set all this stuff up, I found it helpful to know what the baseline looked like, and then over fourth dimension I was able to make changes based on my audio and make it my own.

That's the goal of this piece, to help you start at that baseline.

Your Questions

Do you have questions about setting up your guitar pedals or indicate concatenation? There's a lot of fabric covered hither, then I'm happy to take questions on an specific aspect of it and aggrandize the conversion. If you have thoughts you'd like to share, drop them in the comments department below and I'll jump in. See you in that location.

References and Works Cited

Source: https://www.guitarchalk.com/guitar-pedal-setup/

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