Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

[Jay 77]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

What kind of gigs are you playing? For guys in cover bands, sometimes you absolutely need certain effects to hold close to the original recordings. Drunks in bars love it.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

i let the other fool, i mean guitar player cover all that stuff. he likes to use pedals, i dont

 

[ErikH]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

What kind of gigs are you playing? For guys in cover bands, sometimes you absolutely need certain effects to hold close to the original recordings. Drunks in bars love it.

I play in a cover band. The effects mean little to me compared to the band as a whole sounding tight and putting on a good show.

i let the other fool, i mean guitar player cover all that stuff. he likes to use pedals, i dont

LOL.. Same here. I like pedals, just not a lot of them. The other guy has a fair amount, but still less than he used to use.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

i let the other fool, i mean guitar player cover all that stuff. he likes to use pedals, i dont

I think that's actually the perfect scenario for a 2 guitar band. If guitarist one uses very minimal to no pedals and guitarist two use a few to a handful, that's a great mix.

This way for cover songs, they're closer to the song (ie Green Day's - Blvd for broken dream won't sound the same without a tremolo). As well as, the music in general can be layered and pieced individually. More over, the mix sounds better without two guitarist going effect laden into mush.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

This way for cover songs, they're closer to the song (ie Green Day's - Blvd for broken dream won't sound the same without a tremolo).

But then again, who wants to be in a band playing Green Day songs? :eyecrazy:

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

But then again, who wants to be in a band playing Green Day songs? :eyecrazy:

I hear that. I'm not a fan but it was the only example I could think of spur of the moment.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

lets face it, for cover bands ideally an amp modeler is the way to go! how else are you gonna switch from Dick Dale or U2 reverb delay and rotator, to teh uber br00tz!

if u dont need the proverbial swiss army knife and are doing original music and make your own direction instead of copying someone else's, then u can persue teh wonderful world of DIRT TONEZ with awesome amps and awesome dirt pedals

 

[SoPhx]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

I carry a modded BD2, an old block logo MXR compressor, a Boss analog delay, and a clean boost (various kinds) to most gigs...and never use them. Guitar into tweed/BF/Ampeg amp + a little reverb. OK, trem onct in awhile...I really don't need much more them for what I usually play.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

I hear that. I'm not a fan but it was the only example I could think of spur of the moment.

Geez, I'd think I'd wait until I could come up with a better example. :14: How about a wah being needed for the intro of Voodoo Child?

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

Blueman, I'm sure you're joking but I wouldn't mind covering a few Green Day songs. They're excellent songwriters and you could really make some of their pieces your own.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

Several magnets later.......Boulevard of broken A8s!

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

People have way way way too many pedals today....most sound like a bloody Nintendo game.....some use it cool...but as usual it is the few who can make good use of it!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

i was playing a gig and someone wanted some floyd which was way off the list but we can nail it, so sure why not. gilmour solos dry are hard! with out the delay and modulation its pretty naked. im sure it sounded good but as the player you are used to hearing it a certain way and it felt terribly sparse

 

[Bludave]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..
I have been pondering the though if gigging one night without any effects. Just a boost, tuner, wah, and an overdrive. And by effects I mean anything like chorus, phaser, delay, reverb, or modulation. I am gonna try this weekend with a complete dry signal to maybe help my playing and become a "cleaner" player.

How may of you play with a dry signal?
Does it help you become a better player?

My effects are pretty sparse, but dry! well no. I use a Boss CE2, a DD3, a TS9, wah & tuner. I typically use Chorus when playing chords or Rhythm. I turn them off when I solo & use a TS9 just as a boost and to add some sustain.

 

[phoenixguitar]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

I have four pedals. A wah that gets very little use, a reverb and delay that i set to be barely noticeable just enough for a little depth and a chorus pedal for that shimmery sound I like sometimes when playing clean.

For the better part of 20 years I used zero effects. I only bought the few pedals I do have about a year ago when I just couldn't take that dry clean tone out of my Mesa Recto and just wanted to soften it a bit, provide some depth and not make it sound like I was playing out of shoe box.

I do the same thing! Chorus for some clean if needed, Little delay for depth on some solo's here and there. I also use a EQ flat thru loop as a boost if needed. A lot of good sound engineers will help sound, soloing etc. if you give them a good dry signal they can work with. Sometimes I play more dry and others more wet.

My advice is go with what you like. Every guitarist is different and all combinations of equipment. Find what works for you and your concept of music.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

lets face it, for cover bands ideally an amp modeler is the way to go! how else are you gonna switch from Dick Dale or U2 reverb delay and rotator, to teh uber br00tz!

if u dont need the proverbial swiss army knife and are doing original music and make your own direction instead of copying someone else's, then u can persue teh wonderful world of DIRT TONEZ with awesome amps and awesome dirt pedals

Funny you bring up modelers because that is exactly what I use, a Vox AD50VT combo to be specific. I use the Soldano model primarily and the JCM 800 model, add in some reverb and that's it. I don't use any other model and I play in a cover band. We do all sorts of stuff. I make it work. I get my "cleans" by rolling back the guitar volume. Yeah, I'm old school. Never could get used to the "tap dancing" with lots of pedals.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Using effects or not using effects... That is the question..

I love effects. I try to be tasteful when using them though, and I don't plaster a heavy effect on just because I feel like it. It has to work with the song.

I'm also very picky about what effects I'm keeping on the board. I tried five different phasers before I settled on the Maxon PT999. I can't even remember how many delays I test drove.

We do songs where I'm just straight into the amp, songs where I have four or five effects engaged at once, and everything in between. I go to great pains to create a sonic texture that fits what I'm playing, and what the rest of the band is playing.