Pedal board order: show off your know-how!

[Godbody]

ok, I have all the pedals I need to start a board, but I haven't decided what order to put them in yet, so I'm looking for suggestions.

Here's the pedals I have to use: chorus, spring reverb, a strong overdrive, echo (noticeably different from reverb, no high-end rolloff), compressor, fuzz, and gain ("metal") distortion.

I don't need to use all of them, since a few are a touch redundant. I'm welcome to all suggested setups, and if you could explain why you would put it that way, it'd be really helpful!

Thank you in advance, my colleagues.

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by Godbody

Here's the pedals I have to use: chorus, spring reverb, a strong overdrive, echo (noticeably different from reverb, no high-end rolloff), compressor, fuzz, and gain ("metal") distortion.

Overdrive > Distortion > Fuzz > Compressor > Chorus > Echo > Reverb.

Although the order of distortion and fuzz depends... see which sounds best, and your overdrive might sound better with more gain going in, so the distortion could go either first or last of those three. And you might want to mess with the chorus/echo/reverb order too. Again, personal taste.

[Godbody]

As far as my taste goes, I'm going mostly for a post-hardcore sound. My guitarist uses no pedals whatsoever, just amp distortion. He even keeps the eq dialed flat to let the guitar's sound come through (he plays an SG). All the spice in the music comes from me, so I'm not competing with anyone. I plan on getting experimental.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by kevteop

Overdrive > Distortion > Fuzz > Compressor > Chorus > Echo > Reverb

+1

[kdog15]

I've also been wondering about the order of pedals. Can someone explain the reasoning so that it can be used by others.

[tomhanzo]

experiment experiment. i keep finding new ways to order stuff to get cool sounds. try the echo before the dirt pedals. i put my delay before one of mine and just put the shortest time possible and it makes the craziest feedback sound ever. you need to do it to see if you like it

[newbold]

Overdrive > Fuzz > Compressor > Distortion > Reverb> Chorus >Echo >

will get you more control over your tone, as you can restrict or let flow your drive/fuzz before you distort it. If your distortion brings out qualities in your tone, this will be a good thing.

As well, the rvb/ch/echo will let you use your reverb as a tool more, and really fatten your sound up. It's a trick the dub producers started using before anyone caught on.

Also, putting the chorus between them lets you shape the wet tone even more...and make it sound a bit more sterile when you need it.


This is a very standard line...which makes sense to vote for it, but it's not the most flexible use of your line to have working with 2 or more pedals at a time.

Overdrive > Distortion > Fuzz > Compressor > Chorus > Echo > Reverb

definitely a usable line, but restricting and shaping tone at key points in your chain will give you so much more control and wide range of texture.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by kdog15

I've also been wondering about the order of pedals. Can someone explain the reasoning so that it can be used by others.

I believe there are some links/info in the FAQ that cover this, but the bottom line is that there are really no hard and fast rules.

But here are some guidelines:

Pedals that may have tracking issues should be first: octavers, pitch shifters like the whammy, synths etc

Dirt (OD, distortion, fuzz) generally goes before modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser). If using multiple gain pedals, many people like to go from less to more clipped (OD then distortion then fuzz).

Delays, tremolos and reverbs are also modulation but normally go at the end, after the modulation I just mentioned.

Tuners can go wherever but generally end up first, last or in a separate loop.

Compressors likewise can go anywhere. Some people like it last so all the effects benefit. Some like it first to feed the compressed signal through their other pedals, but this will make touch sensitive pedals (filters, some dirt) less effective.

Envelope filters (and manual wahs) are generally found close to the front of the signal chain. Some people like them before dirt and some like them after. I like them after as the sound of fuzz into filter is something I really dig.

I'm sure I'm missing some, but that's a quick rundown.

For reference, my signal chain goes:

Bass
Synth
Pitch Shifter
Overdrive
Blender
Distortion (in the loop of the blender)
Envelope filter (in the loop of the blender)
Compressor
Phaser
Tremolo
Delay
Amp

[newbold]

What've you tried so far, godboy?

[Snakeman1066]

Originally Posted by Godbody

ok, I have all the pedals I need to start a board, but I haven't decided what order to put them in yet, so I'm looking for suggestions.

Here's the pedals I have to use: chorus, spring reverb, a strong overdrive, echo (noticeably different from reverb, no high-end rolloff), compressor, fuzz, and gain ("metal") distortion.

I don't need to use all of them, since a few are a touch redundant. I'm welcome to all suggested setups, and if you could explain why you would put it that way, it'd be really helpful!

Thank you in advance, my colleagues.

http://users.chariot.net.au/~gmarts/fx-order.htm

give this a read it is worth the few minutes it takes...but simply echoes what the Big O already stated...

[vegas532]

I noticed you said post post-hardcore. If you do any ambient effects in any of your songs, experiment with delays before some of your gain effects. You can get some really neat ambient textures this way...think Isis/Pelican.

[dancehallclasher]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Dirt (OD, distortion, fuzz) generally goes before modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser). If using multiple gain pedals, many people like to go from less to more clipped (OD then distortion then fuzz).

It depends on the pedals you're using of course, but lots of people like to use lighter OD to simulate amplifier breakup and run the heavier stuff in front to simulate how it would interact with an amplifier. Also, fuzz pedals can be especially affected by any buffers in the signal chain before them.

I'm a big FUZZ FIRST proponent!

[Jared Lash]

I agree.

I think that's why it's so frustrating for a number of TBers that want the "right" answer to how to order their effects. The only real answer is play with them and see.

FWIW, when I first got it I had my SansAmp in the middle of my chain because I was told it was an overdrive and thought that's where overdrives belonged. Though I don't currently use it, putting it at the end of my chain changed everything.

[sonic assassin]

compressor, strong overdrive, distortion, fuzz, chorus, spring reverb, echo

thats what my years of guitar tell me. maybe bass is different with compressors into drive or drive into compressors.

[Godbody]

Ok, I've been away for a few days. Here's what my experiments garnered. Things got pretty interesting. (BTW, this is gonna be long and probably boring for ppl that aren't obsessed with effects.)

I decided to cut out the distortion and gain pedals, they were a bit redundant, just not different enough from OD to validate having them. Same with the echo pedal, its cool, but not different enough from reverb to justify(and it really sounds better with a guitar). That left me with a compressor, OD, chorus and reverb to play with.

I spent by far the most time putting the compressor in different spots. The setup I liked was OD>chorus>reverb, and I tried the compressor in the four spots it could fit.

When it was before the OD, the OD got super tight. When I hit a power chord, it felt like a punch to the solar plexus. I also cranked the OD's volume and dialed is just a litte breakup to use it primarily for leads and runs.

Compressor after the OD gave me more sensitivity to pick attack when OD was on, and made things a little creamier overall. I should mention that I don't use the OD at the same time as the other pedals.

When the compressor was before the chorus and reverb, the chorus had a thick, sterile sound (which is what I want), but again had less sensitivity to changes in attack. with chorus and reverb both on in this setup, self-oscillation was much less pronounced with the compressor on, and generally was too muddy.

Compressor in between the chorus and reverb just made the reverb sound like ass, and took away the tonal possibilities of compressed chorus.

Compressor at the end did smooth everything out very nicely, like a compressor stereotypically should. but, It had sort of slipped my mind that my amp has a built-in limiter instead of a volume control, to make is sound more like a tube amp at any volume (it doesn't sound terribly close to a tube amp, but I do love the tone it gives me). Based on that I had a compressor and a limiter working together, I decided that they should be as far apart as possible, to give me the most variety.

So, long story short, I went with compressor>OD>chorus>reverb. I use the OD to stand out at certain points (actually I kick it on during guitar solos to help fill in the space when the guitar stops playing rhythm). During a bass solo when guitar drops out, I turn off the compressor and kick on the OD and reverb to sound huge and mean, which is what bass is all about, right? For some songs I leave chorus on all the time, and I'll kick reverb and chorus on together when I need to make some weirdness (I did this once when my guitarist broke a string, just to kill time while he switched instruments. I think it would be a very cool way to cover mishaps live).

Was that even remotely interesting to anyone? It took me a good while to get this straightened out. I'm thinking of writing an essay on the sonic interactions that happen within our band, and how that shapes the actual music we make. Would anyone ever care to read such a little treatise?

[newbold]

I did and am glad.

Maybe I'll have to get 2 comps when i find a drive i like...

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by Godbody

...long story short, I went with compressor>OD>chorus>reverb...

That's my main setup also, except that you're missing one great tonal possibility with that -

There's a unique feel to OD>chorus>DISTORTION... I usually call it "Robin Trower tone".

I'd also suggest putting all but the reverb in the loop of an NS-2 remote-trigger gate (IN THE LOOP; not just in-series). This lets you use all the gain you want in hard distortion mode, with NO noise and NO feedback squeel.

My setup right now, for the Garage Psych band I'm in (The Unheard Of - Milwaukee Wisconsin USA) is thus:
Bass to NS-2 INPUT
- In the loop of NS-2:
NS-2 SEND> CS-3 compressor> LS-2 line switcher INPUT(switcher is in 'mix' mode); switcher OUTPUT> NS-2 RETURN. In other words "compressor to line switcher in the noise supressor loop".

- In LS-2 Loop#1:
OC-3 down-octave, in Poly mode
- In LS-2 Loop#2:
POG>Metal Muff
After NS-2 OUTPUT:
CE-5 chorus> RE-20 echo/reverb> Aphex Bass Xciter>AMP
5KHz high-cut on GK amp head.

This setup (with the appropriate knob tweekage, of course..) achieves the most killer Bass+guitar sound I've ever heard, as well as being very versitile for 'bass only' tones.

Joe

[katri]

i think the best thing to do with order of effects is to find a general rule as a starting point then try feeding it all different ways you might find some thing sound better
effect x>effect y than effect y>effect x

[Swimming Bird]

Little secret I stole from looking at Takeshi's feet when I saw Boris last summer: run a fuzz either last in the chain or at least post-reverb. It does wonders for any sort of post-rock/doom music. Try adding your fuzz to the end of your current chain.

However, if you wanted a traditional post-hardcore bass tone, get a chorus a la Jeff Caxide of Isis.

Oh, and I wouldn't go around saying stuff like 'delay sounds better on guitar', you'll start a flame war