Q&A for How to Use a Guitar Pedal

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  • Question
    How can I change the tone of my guitar?
    Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA
    Professional Guitarist
    Carlos Alonzo Rivera is a guitarist, composer, and educator based in San Francisco, California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from California State University, Chico, as well as a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Carlos specializes in the following genres: classical, jazz. rock, metal and blues.
    Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA
    Professional Guitarist
    Expert Answer
    Alter the pedal signal chain. This is the order of the pedals in between the guitar and the amplifier, and it can drastically affect the sound you produce. A common signal chain order would be the guitar, then the compressor pedal, the volume pedal, wah pedal, overdrive, chorus, tremolo, delay, reverb, and then the amplifier. Always put the compressor pedal right after the guitar.
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  • Question
    I've been to a bunch of rock concerts and I've never noticed pedals being used, and the guitar players seemed to be able move all around the stage while maintaining their FX sounds. Does a player have to keep his foot on the pedal at all times in order to achieve the desired effect?
    Community Answer
    There are certain pedals that can act a like a light switch, and others act a lot like a sewing machine pedal were you have to apply pressure constantly. Usually at rock concerts they tend to use the pedal as a looper (meaning you loop a certain sound you have to play and sound sequence); the pedal acts as a switch to record it when you hold and when you let go it plays for you and just sit back and watch or the pedal can be used to filter sound as the desired effect.
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  • Question
    Are the pedals already programmed with the effects, or do I have to program them?
    Community Answer
    Some pedals have just one effect, like a distortion pedal, and some have more than one. In general, only a multi-effects unit needs any kind of programming, but this is really just turning knobs and saving the sound once you're happy with it. There are many different levels of complexity for this kind of thing, but most are pretty accessible and easy to figure out.
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  • Question
    Make sure the guitar's volume is at max? But it sounds like you're using the pedal to control the volume.
    Jelke de Jong
    Community Answer
    The guitar usually has a volume knob of its own. It should be on the guitar body, just under the pickups.
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  • Question
    Do I need to put the sounds on the amp a certain way so that my pedal will actually make its sound? Because everything is plugged in properly and my pedal is on, but the sound remains the same.
    Logan Reilly
    Community Answer
    Make sure the guitar's volume is at max, and that the effects on the pedal are turned up to a point of hearing. Also, be sure the input and outputs are plugged in properly.
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  • Question
    How can I make some guitar effects or pedals by myself?
    Community Answer
    That is not advised and would be very hard to do without the advice of a professional.
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