guitar effects

A

austexman

New member
Hello people....funny...i've been playing acoustic for 25 years and got my first electric last christmas...i'm trying to achieve a "particular sound" from my cyber-twin amp that i purchased...i also have a rack mounted pro pod...i KNOW that should be enough to get the sound i'm wanting...

sound=ambient, echoey

ala=radiohead, coldplay, u2, the doves, etc..

i know reverb and some delay helps, is there any other effects i can use to help create the sound i'm looking for?

thanks!
 
Delay is an essential effect for ambient guitar. Experiment with it's various parameters. You don't even really have to know what you are doing, sometimes just turning the knobs or buttons you can find great sounds.

Chorus, phase shifting, flanging, Leslie/rotating speaker, Uni-vibe, tremelo. There are so many choices. Try adding one of those with delay sounds, groups like U2 and Radiohead often use several effects chained together. Put the modulation effects first in the chain and the delay or reverb last.
 
For that 80's Edge delay sound you need a fairly clean & clear digital delay with mix, repeat(feedback) and speed controls.

For songs like With or Without you, Bad, Where the Streets, etc.

Mix: set it so the first echo is just at or below the level of the original sound.

Speed: between 425-485 ms, depends on how fast you want to play the song.

Repeats: set this so you get only one repeat, 2-3 repeats if it sounds too dry.

The trick is to play in time with the echo, so that it sounds like you are playing twice as fast as you actually are.

(BTW I got a deal recently on Ebay. An older Delay Pedal by Zoom, the 508 Delay. It is great for any and all delays and echos. I stole it for $26.00 + shipping)
 
Don't get caught up with to many effects. Then you will tend to use them to much. Try making effects with your fingers, hands. Do picking exercises. You will end up a better over all player.

And this will take years as you already know. When you are happy with your picking, then you can use a lttle effect here and there. Just my opinion. I have been practicing scales for 25 years, that is how you become a great player. Just my two cents worth.
 
thanks for all of your inputs

yeah guitar jesus...i agree that if your skills aren't there all the effects in the world wont do squat...i like to mix it up a little with extremely nonfx/dry tracks as well as ambient ones...all of your
inputs have been great....thanks!
 
guitarjesus said:
Don't get caught up with to many effects. Then you will tend to use them to much. Try making effects with your fingers, hands. Do picking exercises. You will end up a better over all player.

And this will take years as you already know. When you are happy with your picking, then you can use a lttle effect here and there. Just my opinion. I have been practicing scales for 25 years, that is how you become a great player. Just my two cents worth.
Click to expand...


...this is good advice-I think I've had just about every bell or whistle invented over the last, well a long time...I always seemed to end up going back to dry with a tad of reverb and natural tube overdrive...


...until I bought the GT-6, but it's still new but could end up in the "bone yard" with all the rest...
 
I doubt the Edge can play scales very well, and yet he came up with some great grooves. Many people consider him a great player. My approach to guitar is as you have stated, practise and get it from the fingers. However, there are some guys that are just so artful that they can produce the goods using effects without the need for technique. I have been playing guitar seriously for over 30 years and in that time I have worked with quite a few guys that sound great with an electric guitar and their pedal board. However, give them an acoustic and they can't cut the mustard. I believe an open mind is needed here.
 
the "musical" use of delay is generally dependent upon the tempo of the song...try this formula--60,000/bpm=Xms where X is the delay value in milliseconds…

60,000/beats per min=delay in milliseconds (ms)…that's 60,000 divided by the tempo (beats per min) to arrive at a delay time in milliseconds that will synchronize with the tempo…
for example, 600ms of delay will musically “fit” a song at 100 bpm—60,000/100=600…

if you have a stereo-effects processor, or you can add other delay devices into your signal chain, adding a second and third delay without compromising the tempo is easy and creates some very impressive results—for example, simply divide 600 by 2 for the second delay (300ms), and then divide 600 by 3 for the third delay (200ms)…
understanding and using this formula will keep your delay(s) in-synch with the tempo, preventing them from stepping on top of other content in the song "out of time"...
 
right on guitarjesus!!!

forget about effects if you're new with your 'electric', 'court' it first, you're probably on the 'getting to know it' stage. gadget dependence doesn't do you any good. i even know someone who's been playin for years now, using BOSS' digi-delay, overdrive and his martial's stock reverb, the sound he's able to come-up with is amazing! you wouldn't think it was possible with what gadget he only had. a lot of it is in his playing skills, 'loads of 'em. you'd think he had a multi-pad.
 
effects

my skills are fine...i've been playing for 25 years...i'm interested in using "some" effects....so no reason to forget about them...

thanks.
 
Just because someone plays electric guitar for the first time does not mean he's weak in his skills.
Austexman also check those TC-electronics toys. they got some nice processors for guitars. Enjoy!
 
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