Why I love/hate effects

[JimmyM]

I still struggle with wanting to use effects. I've found some very cool uses for them, and yet I still feel like I'm fooling myself and nobody cares. So I will make a list of the what I like and dislike about them to help me decide:

LIKES:

--cool sounds
--shiny lights
--I look awesome stepping on pedals

DISLIKES:

--extra cables
--power supplies
--batteries
--knobs
--weight and size makes pedalboards a PITA to travel with
--having to reset every effect before every show, then getting it wrong anyway
--Lack of programmability in good effects
--Lack of good sounds in programmable effects
--Guitarist uses them as an excuse to turn up and add more distortion
--Drummer gives us all dirty looks for ruining his perfect beats
--Can anyone even tell they're on?
--Cliff Williams never uses them
--"SOMETHING JUST ******* QUIT WORKING AND I'VE GOT NO IDEA WHAT!!!"

I think it all boils down to this one:

--I look awesome stepping on pedals

The effects are in the show.

[RCCollins]

In certain types of music effects are not only noticed, they're impossible to ignore and/or a player's signature sound. What kind of pedals do you use with Bowser? RC recommends a Bass Blogger haha

[OriginalCrash]

I agree. Sometimes effects are instrumental to the song/player/tone... But not always. There's just no simple formula for it. One person maybe in an ensemble band where the sonic space is so filled that there's just not a lot of room to try fitting in different toys. Another guy may be in a little three-piece with plenty of room to experiment. But another guy may be in a different three-piece... that just doesn't call for anything more than a little drive/fuzz (be it from a pedal or the amp) because of what they're playing. The disadvantages with effects are there and they're here to stay (power supplies, something quits working, finding the right settings... and then finding them again when things get changed). But some of those can be alleviated (Voodoo Lab Pedal Power, choosing well built products, taking note of your settings and/or becoming intimately familiar with your effects) NOT entirely cured, and some of 'em you just have to live with. I'm lucky; I don't really do much traveling with my gear and I've never had a pedal fail on me (yet). But to each his own, and you just gotta do what you gotta do... I think that covers my cliched statement quota for the day.

Brian

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

In certain types of music effects are not only noticed, they're impossible to ignore and/or a player's signature sound. What kind of pedals do you use with Bowser? RC recommends a Bass Blogger haha

Ya, right! With Bowzer, I only use the VT. I use it on "Born to Hand Jive" and the end of "Shout." With my regular band, I use the VT, and the phaser, envelope filter, fuzz, and octaver in the Zoom B2.