the pedal board

---

Overdrive is an effect that emulates the warm, dynamic distortion of a tube amplifier being pushed into natural saturation. It adds gain, sustain, and harmonic richness to a guitar’s tone, making it a staple in blues, rock, and even metal.

• Gain (Drive) Control: Adjusts the amount of overdrive, from mild breakup to full saturation.
   
• Tone Control: Shapes the EQ, typically affecting treble presence or midrange focus.
   
• Level (Volume) Control: Sets the output level, useful for boosting an amp’s natural overdrive.
   

• Bluesy Crunch: Light overdrive mimics the warmth of vintage tube amps, great for blues and classic rock.
   
• Rock Rhythm & Lead Boost: Can add grit to chords or push an amp into a more aggressive tone.
   
• Stacking with Other Pedals: Often used in front of a distortion or fuzz pedal to shape tone and tighten response.
   

• Ibanez Tube Screamer (TS9, TS808, etc.) – A legendary mid-boosting overdrive, perfect for blues and rock.
   
• Boss BD-2 Blues Driver – A dynamic, touch-sensitive overdrive great for expressive playing.
   
• Fulltone OCD – A versatile overdrive with amp-like response, ideal for blues to hard rock.
   
• Klon Centaur/Klon KTR – A highly sought-after overdrive known for its transparent tone.

Distortion is an effect that adds heavy saturation, sustain, and aggressive harmonics to a guitar signal, creating a thick and powerful tone. It pushes the signal harder than an overdrive pedal, making it a staple in rock, metal, punk, and alternative music.

• Gain (Distortion) Control: Adjusts the intensity of the distortion, from crunchy to full-on saturation.
   
• Tone Control: Shapes the EQ, usually adjusting brightness, midrange, or bass response.
   
• Level (Volume) Control: Sets the output volume, which can be used to balance or boost the signal.
   

• Hard Rock & Metal Riffs: Thick, aggressive tone for palm-muted chugging and power chords.
   
• Sustained Lead Playing: Enhanced sustain and harmonics for solos.
   
• Punk & Alternative Grit: Adds rawness and energy to chords and riffs.
   

• Boss DS-1 Distortion – A classic used by Kurt Cobain and Steve Vai, known for its crunchy tone.
   
• Pro Co Rat – A versatile pedal with a gritty, fuzzy distortion, great for rock and alternative.
   
• MXR Distortion+ – A vintage-style pedal that delivers warm, classic rock distortion.
   
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi – More of a fuzz/distortion hybrid, perfect for thick, sustain-heavy tones.
   
• Mesa Boogie Throttle Box – A high-gain monster designed for modern metal.

Fuzz is a type of distortion that aggressively clips the guitar signal, creating a thick, saturated, and often buzzy or woolly tone. Unlike overdrive or distortion, which mimic amp-like saturation, fuzz completely reshapes the waveform, resulting in a raw, sometimes chaotic sound.

• Gain/Fuzz: Controls the amount of fuzz saturation, from mild to extreme.
   
• Tone (on some models): Adjusts the EQ, shaping the brightness or darkness of the fuzz.
   
• Volume/Level: Sets the output level, often used as a boost.
   
• Bias (on some models): Alters the voltage to create a gated, sputtery effect.
   

• Vintage Rock & Blues: Classic 60s and 70s tones, like Jimi Hendrix and Cream.
   
• Psychedelic & Garage Rock: Thick, lo-fi fuzz for raw, dirty riffs.
   
• Doom & Stoner Metal: Heavy, bassy fuzz for massive, sludgy tones.
   
• Experimental & Noise Rock: Extreme, glitchy, or gated fuzz for wild textures.
   

• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi – A legendary, thick, and sustaining fuzz used by David Gilmour and Smashing Pumpkins.
   
• Dunlop Fuzz Face – A vintage, round-bodied fuzz used by Jimi Hendrix.
   
• ZVEX Fuzz Factory – A crazy, gated fuzz with unpredictable oscillation.
   
• Tone Bender MkII – A British-style fuzz with biting sustain (used by Jimmy Page).
   
• EarthQuaker Devices Hoof – A modern take on the Big Muff with extra control.

Delay is an effect that records the incoming signal and plays it back after a short period, creating an echo effect. The repeats can be adjusted in time, intensity, and tone, making delay one of the most versatile effects in a guitarist’s arsenal.

• Delay Time: Controls the gap between the original note and its repeats, ranging from a few milliseconds to several seconds.
   
• Feedback (Repeats): Adjusts how many times the echo repeats before fading out.
   
• Mix (Level): Balances the blend of dry (original) and wet (delayed) signals.
   
• Modulation (on some models): Adds a chorus-like effect to the repeats for a richer sound.
   
• Tap Tempo (on advanced models): Allows setting the delay time by tapping a footswitch in rhythm with the song.
   

• Slapback Delay: A short, single echo for a rockabilly or country twang.
   
• Ambient Soundscapes: Long, feedback-heavy delays create dreamy, atmospheric textures.
   
• Rhythmic Repeats: Used in U2-style riffs (à la The Edge) to create syncopated patterns.
   
• Thickening Leads: Subtle delay can add depth and sustain to solos.
   

• Boss DD-3/DD-8 Digital Delay – Clean and precise digital delay with multiple modes.
   
• Electro-Harmonix Memory Man – A warm analog delay with lush modulation.
   
• Strymon Timeline – A high-end delay workstation with deep customization.
   
• MXR Carbon Copy – An analog delay with a dark, vintage tone.
   
• TC Electronic Flashback 2 – A versatile digital delay with multiple algorithms and TonePrint customization.

Tremolo is an effect that modulates the volume of a guitar signal, creating a rhythmic pulsating effect. It works by rapidly increasing and decreasing the amplitude of the sound, producing a "wavering" or "choppy" sensation.

• Rate/Speed Control: Adjusts how fast the volume modulation occurs.
   
• Depth Control: Determines how intense the effect is, from subtle to extreme.
   
• Waveform Control (on some models): Changes the shape of the modulation, from smooth sine waves to sharp square waves for a more stuttering effect.
   
• Tap Tempo (on advanced models): Allows setting the tremolo speed by tapping a footswitch in time with the music.
   

• Classic Surf & Spaghetti Western Tones: Think of the shimmering, pulsing sound in 60s surf music.
   
• Vintage Amp-Style Tremolo: Many old tube amplifiers had built-in tremolo circuits, and pedals replicate this.
   
• Experimental & Rhythmic Textures: Some players use tremolo for stuttering, almost synth-like effects in modern rock, indie, and electronic-infused music.
   

• Boss TR-2 Tremolo – A simple and widely used pedal.
   
• Electro-Harmonix Super Pulsar – A more advanced unit with customizable waveforms.
   
• Strymon Flint – A high-end option that emulates classic amp tremolo.

Vibrato is an effect that modulates the pitch of a guitar signal, creating a warbling or wobbling effect. Unlike a tremolo pedal (which alters volume), a vibrato pedal subtly or dramatically shifts the pitch up and down in a cyclical manner.

• Rate/Speed Control: Adjusts how fast the pitch modulation occurs.
   
• Depth Control: Determines how extreme the pitch variation is.
   
• Waveform Control (on some models): Changes the shape of the modulation, from smooth sine waves to more abrupt square waves.
   
• Latching/Momentary Modes (on some models): Allows the effect to engage only while holding the footswitch, useful for expressive playing.
   

• Vintage "Wobbly" Tones: Used in classic rock and psychedelic music for a dreamy, watery sound.
   
• Leslie Speaker Simulation: When used with a fast rate, vibrato can mimic the swirling sound of a rotating speaker.
   
• Subtle Detuning for Expressiveness: Light settings can add richness and movement to clean or overdriven tones.
   

• Boss VB-2W Waza Craft Vibrato – A reissue of the legendary 80s Boss VB-2, known for its organic pitch shifts.
   
• TC Electronic Tailspin Vibrato – A budget-friendly option with a warm, vintage-style vibrato.
   
• Walrus Audio Julia – A chorus/vibrato hybrid with lush, modern sounds.

A Phaser is a modulation effect that creates a swirling, whooshing sound by shifting the phase of a guitar’s signal and blending it with the original. This results in a series of peaks and notches in the frequency spectrum, giving a sweeping, spacey effect.

• Rate/Speed: Controls how fast the phase shift moves.
   
• Depth/Resonance (on some models): Adjusts the intensity of the effect.
   
• Stages (on advanced models): Determines the complexity of the phase shift (more stages create deeper, more dramatic sweeps).
   
• Mix (on some models): Balances the dry and wet signals.
   

• Classic Rock Swirl: Used in songs like "Eruption" (Van Halen) and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (Pink Floyd).
   
• Funky, Psychedelic Textures: Adds movement to clean guitar tones, great for funk and psych-rock.
   
• Slow, Dreamy Ambience: Creates a subtle, flowing modulation for atmospheric playing.
   
• Fast, Jet-Like Whooshes: Cranked settings can produce intense sweeping effects.
   

• MXR Phase 90 – A legendary one-knob phaser used by Eddie Van Halen.
   
• Electro-Harmonix Small Stone – A vintage-style phaser with a warm, organic tone.
   
• Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter – A digital phaser with multiple stage settings and tap tempo.
   
• Walrus Audio Lillian – A boutique phaser with 4- and 6-stage options.

Chorus is a modulation effect that duplicates the guitar’s signal, slightly delays and detunes it, then blends it back with the original signal. This creates a rich, shimmering, and spacious sound, similar to multiple guitars playing the same part.

• Rate/Speed: Controls how fast the modulation oscillates.
   
• Depth: Adjusts the intensity of the detuning effect.
   
• Mix (on some models): Balances the dry and wet signals.
   
• Tone (on some models): Shapes the brightness or warmth of the chorus effect.
   

• Clean, Shimmering Tones: Used in 80s rock, pop, and new wave (e.g., The Police, The Cure).
   
• Thicker Leads & Riffs: Adds depth and warmth to distorted guitar lines.
   
• Dreamy, Ambient Soundscapes: Works well in shoegaze and atmospheric music.
   
• Subtle Doubling Effect: Light settings create a natural thickening of the tone.
   

• Boss CE-2W Waza Craft – A reissue of the legendary CE-2 and CE-1 analog chorus.
   
• Electro-Harmonix Small Clone – A warm, lush chorus famously used by Kurt Cobain.
   
• MXR M234 Analog Chorus – A versatile, vintage-style chorus with EQ controls.
   
• Walrus Audio Julia – A chorus/vibrato hybrid with deep modulation options.
   
• TC Electronic Corona Chorus – A flexible digital chorus with TonePrint customization.

A Flanger is a modulation effect that creates a jet-like whooshing or sweeping sound by duplicating the guitar signal, slightly delaying one copy, and continuously changing the delay time. This results in comb filtering, producing peaks and notches in the frequency spectrum that move over time.

• Rate/Speed: Controls how fast the effect oscillates.
   
• Depth/Width: Adjusts the intensity of the modulation.
   
• Manual (on some models): Sets the starting position of the sweep.
   
• Feedback (Resonance): Controls how much of the processed signal is fed back, increasing intensity.
   

• Jet-Engine Sweep: A deep, swirling effect heard in songs like “Unchained” by Van Halen.
   
• Dreamy, Psychedelic Textures: Used in Pink Floyd-style ambient passages.
   
• Tight, Metallic Modulation: Adds movement to high-gain riffs, popular in metal and hard rock.
   
• Subtle Widening Effect: On lower settings, it creates a slight shimmer or chorus-like effect.
   

• Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress – A legendary analog flanger used by David Gilmour.
   
• MXR M117R Flanger – A classic, warm-sounding flanger.
   
• Boss BF-3 Flanger – A digital flanger with multiple modes and stereo output.
   
• TC Electronic Vortex Flanger – A modern, versatile flanger with TonePrint customization.
   
• ADA PBF Flanger – A reissue of the iconic 70s ADA Flanger, known for its deep sweeps.

An Auto-Wah / Envelope Filter is a dynamic, touch-sensitive effect that automatically adjusts a filter (like a wah pedal) based on how hard you pick. It creates a quacky, funky, or synth-like sound by sweeping the frequency spectrum in response to your playing dynamics.

• Sensitivity (Threshold): Determines how strongly the filter reacts to picking dynamics.
   
• Range (Frequency Sweep): Controls the frequency range the filter moves through.
   
• Decay (Release): Adjusts how quickly the effect fades after each note.
   
• Mode (Up/Down): Some pedals allow the filter to sweep up (for a bright, wah-like sound) or down (for a deeper, bassier effect).
   

• Funky, Auto-Wah Tones: Essential for groovy rhythm guitar, like in Parliament-Funkadelic and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
   
• Synth-Like Swells: Used in experimental rock, fusion, and ambient music.
   
• Touch-Responsive Expressiveness: Reacts differently depending on your picking strength, adding a dynamic feel to solos and riffs.
   
• Bass Guitar Effects: Often used on bass for funky, percussive grooves.
   

• Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron+ – A classic, Jerry Garcia-approved funky filter.
   
• Mu-Tron III (Reissue) – A legendary envelope filter used in funk and jam band music.
   
• Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah – A versatile auto-wah/envelope filter with multiple modes.
   
• Source Audio Spectrum Intelligent Filter – A high-tech, programmable filter with deep customization.
   
• DOD 440 Envelope Filter – A vintage-style, simple, and warm-sounding filter.

A Ring Modulator is an effect that combines your guitar signal with a high-frequency carrier wave, creating harmonically complex, metallic, and dissonant sounds. It produces an effect that often sounds like an alien-like "robot" or bell-like tones, adding a futuristic or otherworldly texture to your playing.

• Frequency Control: Adjusts the pitch of the carrier wave that is mixed with your guitar signal. This alters the tonal characteristics of the ring modulation.
   
• Mix/Blend Control: Balances the amount of the dry (unaffected) signal and the modulated signal.
   
• Depth/Intensity: Controls the strength of the modulation effect, from subtle to extreme.
   
• Range (on some models): Allows you to adjust the frequency spectrum over which the modulation occurs, adding more tonal variety.
   

• Alien, Robotic Tones: Often used for experimental, industrial, or electronic music where "non-musical" sounds are desired.
   
• Spacey, Dissonant Effects: Adds a sense of unease or abstraction, commonly heard in ambient or progressive rock.
   
• Unique Percussive Sounds: When used subtly, it can create metallic, bell-like overtones, perfect for experimental rhythm guitar.
   
• Noise/Avant-Garde Music: Creates intense, unpredictable, and glitchy tones.
   

• Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing – A highly flexible ring modulator with a wide range of sounds and additional features like adjustable frequency.
   
• Moogerfooger MF-101 Ring Modulator – Known for its lush, musical tones, often used in more expressive and tonal applications.
   
• BOSS RT-20 Rotary Sound Pedal – A combo pedal that includes a ring modulator with additional modulation effects, designed to recreate a rotating speaker sound but also capable of ring modulation effects.
   
• Red Panda Particle – A granular delay that features ring modulation and other effects, allowing for deep experimental manipulation.

Octave is an effect that adds one or more pitch-shifted copies of your guitar signal, typically in octaves above or below the original note. This creates a thicker, fuller sound by duplicating the original tone and shifting the pitch up or down, allowing for more harmonic richness and depth.

• Octave Up/Down Controls: Adjusts whether the octave effect is applied above or below the original note, or both.
   
• Mix/Blend Control: Balances the dry (original) signal and the wet (octave-shifted) signal.
   
• Tracking: Determines how accurately the pedal follows your playing, especially important for fast runs or complex chords. Some pedals are more accurate in tracking notes than others, especially on lower strings or fast playing.
   
• Tone/EQ Control (on some models): Allows for shaping the sound of the octave (e.g., more bass for a lower octave or brightness for a higher octave).
   

• Thickening Chords and Riffs: Adds depth and complexity to your sound, making single-note lines sound like multiple instruments.
   
• Lead Playing: The octave-up setting can add a higher-register voice to solos, making them sound more pronounced and brighter.
   
• Bass Effects: Octave-down can be used on guitars to mimic bass lines or thicken the low end.
   
• Synth-like Effects: When used creatively, octave pedals can produce otherworldly, synth-like sounds (especially when stacked with other effects like fuzz or delay).
   

• Electro-Harmonix Octave Multiplexer – A simple, versatile pedal that provides both octave-up and octave-down effects.
   
• Digitech WH-1 Whammy – Known for its advanced pitch-shifting and octave effects, capable of extreme pitch shifting and harmonizing.
   
• MXR M288 Bass Octave Deluxe – A great option for bassists or guitarists seeking smooth octave-down effects.
   
• Boss OC-3 Super Octave – A popular choice for both guitar and bass players, with multiple octave settings and polyphonic tracking.
   
• EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird – A unique pedal that combines octave effects with tremolo for an interesting harmonic sound.
   

• Classic Rock and Metal: Used for adding harmonic complexity to riffs and solos (e.g., Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine).
   
• Ambient and Experimental: Creating rich layers or lush, synth-like textures, often used by artists like Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine) or The Edge (U2) for atmospheric sounds.
   
• Funk and Disco: Often used for thickening rhythm guitar or bass lines.