Connecting an effect pedal

Video: How To Use A Guitar Effects Pedal

Content

To step
Method 1 of 2: Connecting one pedal
Method 2 of 2: Organizing a series of pedals
Tips
Necessities

Guitar Effects Pedals are devices that distort the electronic signal from an electric guitar, modifying its tone. These pedals can be used to produce a variety of different sounds, effects and echoes; from a heavy distortion to a psychedelic reverberation. It is important to learn how to properly connect pedals to prevent short circuits in your setup and to keep your pedals in good condition. Whether you connect a single pedal or a whole string at the same time, you can learn to do it the right way.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Connecting one pedal

Turn everything off. Every time you connect or disconnect an effect pedal, you will have to disconnect all devices in the chain from the power. While the power cables can and should be connected to each individual unit, the units themselves should be turned off. Make sure the amp and each pedal are turned off when you plug them in. However, there is one exception to this rule - if you have a tube or valve amp. In this case you will want to keep the amplifier on, but in standby mode using the standby switch.
- Attempting to connect live circuits can result in a short circuit, in addition to loud bangs and overdrive heard through the amplifier. It will shorten the life of all components in your setup. Do not do it.
- The most important thing to avoid is turning on a pedal, plugging it in, and then turning on the amp. This is the shortest route to a short circuit.
Connect your amp and pedal to the power. To make sure the pedals and amp are turned off before connecting them, they will need to be plugged in. Connect both to the mains and switch them on and off again so that you know for sure.
- Some guitar pedals come with a 9-volt AC adapter, while others run on batteries, but most have both. For most guitarists, batteries are nice because you have fewer power cables running, but are a lot of hassle because batteries run down and are expensive.
Connect your guitar to the input. Most pedals have no more than two contacts, one is the "input," and the other the "output." These contacts are usually found on both sides of the pedal cabinet, depending on the type, and are built to handle standard 6mm audio cables. Find the inputs and outputs on your pedal, then plug your guitar into the jack called "input."
- All those inputs and outputs can get a bit confusing for the beginner. Remember, the audio signal is generated by the pickups of the guitar, from where it travels to the amp through the cable. So, the guitar should always be connected to the input of the pedal, as this indicates the direction the signal is traveling. If you play a sound on the guitar, it travels “in” the pedal, after which it comes out “out” and continues “in” the amp.
Connect the output of the pedal to the input of the amplifier. Run another 6mm guitar cable from the pedal to the amp. The cable connecting the pedal to the amp should go into the same input you would use to connect a guitar directly.
- To connect a pedal you need at least two 6mm cables. If you connect multiple pedals together, you will need more cables to make everything fit without too much hassle. However, if you don't connect more than one pedal, two regular cables are enough.
First turn on your amp and then the levels. After you've plugged in all the cables, turn on the amp and set everything up to your liking. In general, when you first try out a pedal, it's best to adjust your amp relatively little to get an idea of what it sounds like, but feel free to experiment. If you've always set the amp the same way, leave it like that.
Turn the effect knobs to 0 before turning on the amp. Especially if you're going to hook up a super fuzz distortion pedal or some room echo, you want to make sure your eardrums don't get blown off the first time you hit the pedal. Set all settings to 0 before turning on the pedal. You can adjust this while you play.
Experiment with the pedal. Most pedals are activated with a button that you can press or a lever below the adjustment buttons that you can engage. Usually, a red or green light will illuminate, letting you know the pedal is activated. Carefully explore all the possibilities of the pedal, turning the various effect knobs up as you play to get a sense of the sound. Play around with the volume and direction of the different effects. Lots of fun.
- Most pedals are turned off by pressing the button again or turning the switch off, so that the signal goes directly to the amplifier via the pedal without distortion. Play around with the pedal on and off to get the kind of sound you're looking for.
Always disconnect the cables when you stop playing. Leaving the pedals plugged in will keep power flowing, which is especially important if you're using batteries to power your pedals. Whenever you have cables connected to the inputs and outputs of your pedals, power will be drawn from the pedal. When you are no longer playing, make sure all your pedals are disconnected and turned off. Then they last a lot longer.

Method 2 of 2: Organizing a series of pedals

Use patch cables. Patch cables are short in length and are used specifically for connecting a series of pedals.It would quickly become unmanageable to connect more than two pedals with 3m cables, so use your patch cables to keep your setup tidy and easy to manage.
- Patch cables are also recommended to maintain signal quality. The longer an audio signal has to travel, the worse it will sound in the end, so short patch cables help keep the quality of your audio signal as high as possible.
Always start with the tuning pedal. When you link a series of pedals together, the order of the pedals is very important. The first pedal is the one that is connected directly to your guitar and the last pedal is connected to your amp. Different rules apply to different pedals, but if one pedal comes first in a sequence, it is the tuning pedal, if you have one.
- Tuning pedals need a clear, clean, undistorted signal to work properly. If you put a distortion pedal in front of the tuning pedal in the range, the tuner will have to make do with a less pure, distorted signal. This may sound cool, but it will make the tuner completely unstable and the values you are reading incorrect. Place the tuner first so that your guitar can stay in tune.
Place compressors and filter pedals early in the series. A rule of thumb for the sequence of guitar effects: Pedals that create tone should be heard before pedals that manipulate tone. Wah-wahs, envelope filters, and other pedals that compress the natural sound of your guitar should be placed early in the signal path, after tuners you use.
Place the overdrive and distortion pedals second in the sequence. Some of the most common pedals in a guitar setup are the fuzz boxes. Distortion, overdrive and other types of pedals that produce great-sounding gain and distortion for controlled bursts of chaos in your sound come after the tuners and wah-wahs.
- The specific order of your distortion and overdrive pedals is up to you. When it comes to playing the guitar, the rules are there to be broken. Experiment with different positions of the pedals to see which sound you like best.
Place modulation pedals after the distortion. Flangers, phasers, and chorus pedals work by modulating the signal and creating a spatial effect in that sound. These work best in the sequence after any distortion pedals you may have included in them.
- You always place volume and reverb pedals last in the series. These work best when you are adjusting a rounded signal, and will not work properly if you place them in the middle of the range. Reverb pedals can react unpredictably when placed in front of distortion.
Play with the order of the pedals to get the tone you're looking for. There is no "wrong way" to connect pedals together. For some guitarists, looking for control, reliability and good sound quality, these rules of thumb are absolutely essential to get a "correct" signal. For others, it is important that you can create sound symphonies just by turning a few knobs, without ever touching the guitar. Spend an afternoon connecting the pedals in different order. Investigate what is happening.
- If something starts to sing around, look for the fault first with the modulators and the reverb. Anything that creates an echo and sound repeat, or loops a signal, is an obvious candidate to cause feedback, rather than the distortions, as you might expect. You can also quickly turn the effect knobs softly to regain control of the signal, if necessary.
Supply power to the pedals in the range. When you have connected the pedals together, it is always an idea to invest in a power patch cable, with which you can power all pedals with a single 9-volt adapter. This is better than connecting each individual pedal to the mains with its own adapter. This is often the most efficient way to power your pedals, unlike batteries or separate adapters. It's just a long cord with AC plugs on a single cable that you can plug right into your pedals.
Consider investing in a pedal board. A pedal board allows you to keep all your pedals organized on stage, in the order you want. If you've found a setup that works for you and produces the sound you've been looking for, it's a lot easier to arrange this on a fixed board and keep it connected in the same default order, rather than repeating it. have to reorganize every time you want to play.

Tips

Most effect pedals will continue to drain the batteries as long as a cable is connected to the input. To extend battery life, disconnect all plugs from the pedals when not in use.
Always make sure your amp is off when connecting or disconnecting pedals. If you leave the amplifier on, the internal components may be damaged.
Make sure you are using guitar cables and not speaker cables. Instrument cables are shielded, which prevents radio frequency interference. This interference will usually cause a high pitched screeching sound and a lot of static noise through the amplifier.