<\/span><\/h4>\nYour pedalboard size obviously depends on how many pedals you have, so you\u2019ll definitely be needing a larger one to accommodate more than 5-10 pedals. However you arrange them, it\u2019s important that the final pedalboard works for you and won\u2019t be an inconvenience to use, especially during live shows.<\/p>\n
Extra tip: If you\u2019ll be having more than a handful of effects pedals, you can always invest on a True Bypass Looper. It\u2019s usually a long strip of footswitch placed at the bottom or in the middle of your effects pedals, so it will likely eat up a lot of space on your pedalboard. However, it\u2019s particularly helpful for giving you easy access to a combination of effects into one footswitch so your signal doesn\u2019t have to pass through each and every pedal, thus giving you a cleaner and more solid long signal chain.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/span>Band<\/span><\/h4>\nIf you\u2019re part of a band that has another guitarist aside from you, you should also consider his pedals and how the two of you are going to work with each other in terms of sound effects in every song.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Unique sound per player<\/span><\/h4>\nGetting a guitar sound effects pedal won\u2019t magically turn you into your rock idol. Remember, pedals are just accessories and the overall sound that you will produce still greatly depends on how you play and use them.<\/p>\n
<\/span>15 Must-Have Guitar Effects Pedals<\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Distortion Pedal<\/li>\n
- Overdrive Pedal<\/li>\n
- Fuzz Pedal<\/li>\n
- Delay Pedal<\/li>\n
- Reverb Pedal<\/li>\n
- Wah Pedal<\/li>\n
- Chorus Pedal<\/li>\n
- Phaser Pedal<\/li>\n
- Flanger Pedal<\/li>\n
- Octave Pedal<\/li>\n
- Tremolo Pedal<\/li>\n
- Tuner Pedal<\/li>\n
- Noise Gate Pedal<\/li>\n
- Acoustic Pedal<\/li>\n
- Volume Pedal<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/span>1. Distortion Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nThe distortion pedal is one of the most popular guitar foot pedals among aspiring and professional guitarists. If you\u2019re at least somewhat interested in electric guitars, you\u2019ve most likely heard about this one, and in over a hundred songs. It\u2019s that heavy, aggressive sound that defines alternative rock and heavy metal music. The only arguable downside is that it ends up hiding the actual tone of the guitar.<\/p>\n
Why you need this:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0It gives your music an instant \u201crock\u201d sound by adding sustain and crunch to your guitar tones.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Chorus, Wah, and Delay pedals<\/p>\n<\/span>2. Overdrive Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nLike the distortion pedal, the overdrive pedal is a common favorite for its versatility. In fact, it\u2019s sometimes confused with the distortion pedal for producing a similarly crunchy and gritty sound that adds energy to your guitar tones. However, it provides more sustain and keeps more of the sound of your amplifier and guitar. It\u2019s often used for classic rock and blues, but is also good for pop, funk, and country music.<\/p>\n
Why you need this:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Professionals never go without overdrive and distortion pedals and effects, especially with the former providing a milder distortion that\u2019s perfect for light rock and solos (think Aerosmith).<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Echo-y pedals, such as Reverb<\/p>\n<\/span>3. Fuzz Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nLike the first two pedals, the fuzz pedal falls under the \u201cdirt\u201d category of guitar effects pedals. It provides the most extreme of effects as it produces that signature heavy metal rock sound and creates discreet buzzing sounds. It\u2019s comparable to heavy bass, but grungier, making original guitar tones harder to distinguish.<\/p>\n
Why you need this:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0If sounding like you\u2019re busting the amplifier is your thing (like Jimi Hendrix in the 1960s), then this pedal is for you.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Swirly effects, such as Delay<\/p>\n<\/span>4. Delay Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nThe delay pedal literally delays your guitar\u2019s sound signals and plays it back. The pedal typically offers control over the sound volume, the number of repeated sounds (playbacks), as well as the time intervals.<\/p>\n
Why you need this:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s great for creating experimental sounds and smoothing out your guitar solos. The sound it produces will probably be enough to convince you.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Fuzz, Distortion, and Phaser pedals<\/p>\n<\/span>5. Reverb Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nReverb creates an echo effect, but the sound is more natural than the Delay. Amplifiers normally have knobs to control this, but having a reverb pedal produces a more professional sound, especially for clean guitar tones. Unlike \u201cdirt pedals,\u201d the reverb is often used in conjunction with other pedals and effects to complement other tones.<\/p>\n
Why you need this:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0It effectively creates an atmosphere for your audience, whether you\u2019re playing a note or a full rhythm.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Dirt pedals, most especially Overdrive<\/p>\n<\/span>6. Wah Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nThe Wah pedal effect is one of the easiest to distinguish, due to the \u201cwah\u201d sound that it creates with every step of the pedal. Unlike other pedals, you manually step on the wah pedal for the higher pitched, obvious \u201cwah\u201d noise and release for the \u201cwu\u201d noise.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s one of the best guitar effects for those who like funk, soul, rock, and metal. No wonder Jimi Hendrix, Metallica, and a myriad of other rock legends used it profusely back in the day. While it deserves a place on your pedalboard, it should be noted that using the wah pedal may need some practice to achieve your desired sound.<\/p>\n
Why you need it:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0It serves as your treble bass filter that emphasizes your sound to make it more \u201cvocal.\u201d Some say it\u2019s specially made for memorable rock solos, but they also add significant improvement and drama for rhythms.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Distortion and Phaser pedals<\/p>\n<\/span>7. Chorus Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nThe chorus pedal is another complementary special effects device that gives your music a more dramatic effect. Simply put, it makes one pluck of a string or strum of a chord sound like it\u2019s being replicated by many other guitarists in the background, only slightly off-timing. The result creates a shimmering, swirling effect similar to a 12-string guitar, or the music that made Prince, The Police, and even The Cure popular in the 1980s.<\/p>\n
Why you need it:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0It creates a thicker and richer 12-string guitar sound that\u2019s perfect for rhythms.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Dirt pedals<\/p>\n<\/span>8. Phaser Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nThe phaser pedal sounds quite like the chorus pedal, except that it also creates distinct sweeping sounds with alterable peaks and roughs in the guitar tone. The speed or rate of the sounds can also be adjusted with the knob on the pedal surface. The phaser pedal effect is best noticeable when a single note or chord is played repeatedly.<\/p>\n
Why you need it:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0It creates that spaceship-y sound that Eddie Van Halen made famous in the 1970s onwards\u2014enough said!<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Distortion and Delay pedals<\/p>\n<\/span>9. Flanger Pedal<\/span><\/h4>\nThe flanger sounds like an automated Wah pedal, but the sound doesn\u2019t go that far. It\u2019s also like a phaser in the way that it produces swooshing sounds and makes the pitch go up and down, like a plane flying past. The sound is thicker and more obvious compared to the phaser. Also, instead of working on a phase delay, the flanger works on a time delay.<\/p>\n
Why you need this:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Van Halen also created his signature sound with the flanger, so it\u2019s bound to make your music stand out. It\u2019s perfect even for modern metal, grunge, and even funk.<\/p>\nWorks well with:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Dirt pedals<\/p>\n