Guitar Tone Using Pedal Effects Within a Multi Pedal Board

PART 2 of 2
Let's dive right into Part 2 of building your own multi pedal effects board. Have you actually built a pedal effects board only to discover that your guitar tone has changed drastically? Believe me, you are not the first to run across this problem. In fact the majority of pedal effects boards will change your tone, and most of the time is it not for the better.
There are many things to consider when designing and building your pedal board. If you're careful to address these critical issues during this process you'll end up with a great guitar tone. If you're not careful, you may end up with a guitar tone that is less than desirable.
Here's a few more things that will affect your guitar tone when designing your pedal board.

• Types of Pickups
• Batteries
• Power Supplies
• Pedal Order
• Hum & Noise Testing

There are still more things to examine when it come to guitar using pedal effects, but for now this will get you on the right track to killer guitar tone when designing your effects pedal board.

1. Types of pickups - If you are using passive pickups, you'll need to design your pedal board with those pickups in mind. If you're using active pickups, then design your effects pedal board according to those. The reason being that these different pickup types will react differently throughout the entire signal chain. If you designed your pedal board to be used with a vintage stratocaster, it will not react or sound the same if you plug a Les Paul with EMG's into it.
2. Batteries - Make sure that all of your pedals are equipped with fresh batteries with correct voltages. This may not seem like a big deal but it is. In fact, you can experiment with this and see the results immediately. I know of some big name artists that prefer to use old batteries in certain effects to get a bogged down sound on purpose. I'm not recommending this, I'm only letting you know that it does alter your sound and it's usually not to your advantage.
3. Power Supplies - This is another option instead of batteries and can work well if you do it right. The trick is to avoid any ground loops. This can be done by using a regulated power supply that can handle all of your pedals, and isolated power taps. This will allow you to use all sorts of different types of pedals from different manufacturers including the old vintage ones as well. Power supplies such as Voodoo Lab's pedal power have isolated taps with no common ground. It's like have multiple individual power supplies.
4. Pedal Order - This is another personal preference, but a critical step in your pedal board design. You must know that all pedals will react different and sound different depending on where they are placed in the chain. Example: Try using a wah pedal in the first position of the effects pedal board chain. Then try using it in the last position of the effects pedal board chain. You should notice a night and day difference in the response and the tone. You'll need to do this with all of your pedal to find the best combination for you. Keep in mind where you put your delay, because the effects before it will effect the delayed sound after it.
5. Hum & Noise Testing - If you've done all the above steps properly, you should not have any hum or noise issues. However when you are testing for hum and noise issues be sure to test into a really high gain amp. This makes it easier detect any problems and track them down much quicker.

Hopefully this will give you some great insight when building your personal guitar effects pedal board. If you carefully design and construct your pedal board, your pedal effects will sound great every time you plug in for years and years to come.
If you have any questions or comments see details below.
Thanks, Bob Molton

Confused By Guitar Effects - What Is the Difference?

Since Guitar Effects Pedals are so abundant now, how do you know what to use for your next gig! What is the difference between the flanger and the phase shifter and the Tremolo.
Guitar Effects Pedals are difficult to categorize due to the multitude of sounds. In this article I will be discussing pedals that affect your pitch and frequency. These pedals include the following types: Chorus, Flanger, Phase Shifter, Pitch Shifter and harmonizer, ring modulator, Tremolo, and Vibrato. I'll focus on a few of these.
Chorus Effect: If you have ever heard a choir sing or an orchestra play then this is what chorus effects are like. The only difference is in the timbre and pitch. A chorus effect adds vibrato to part of the signals.
Types of Chorus Effects include: Dunlop Uni-Vibe stereo chorus, Erockson Chorus Pedal, BOSS Chorus Ensemble, Visual Sound Liquid Chorus, Dunlop MXR stereo chorus pedal, MXR Micro Chorus pedal.
Flanger Effect: Flanging is produced by 2 identical sounds which are mixed together and 1 is delayed. Some describe it as a jet plane sound. The what is now called Flanging sound was in use for more than 20 years before the first portable stompbox was made to be used by guitarists.
Types of Flanger Effects Pedals include: Dunlop MXR Flanger, Dunlop MXR Micro Flanger, Erockson Flanger, Boss Flanger
Phase Shifter: Filters a signal causing peaks and troughs in it's frequency. Phase shifters are similar to flangers but they have a more out of this world type sound.
Types of Phase Shifter Effects include: Pigtronix Envelope phaser pedal, Garagetone Oil Can Phaser Pedal, BOSS Phase Shifter, BBE Soul Vibe, Electro-harmonix small tone phaser shifter, Erockson Phaser pedal, MXR phase 90 and phase 100
Pitch Shifter: Does exactly what it says. It changes the pitch. It can raise a note or lower a note to a different pitch that you choose.
Types of Pitch Shifters: Dunlop's MXR Blue Box Octave Fuzz, Dunlop's Jimi Hendrix Octavio Effect
Tremolo Effect: Makes a trembling type sound by causing a rapid change in the volume of a note.
Types of Tremolo Effects include: Dunlop MXR Tremolo stereo effect, BBE Tremor Dual Tremolo pedal, BOSS Tremolo, Garage Tone Tremolo Pedal.
Musicians have been using Guitar Effects for decades to take their music to the next level. Can you imagine music without them today? Wow, what a difference Effects Pedals have made!

The Benefits Of Using An Oil Free Air Compressor asd

The most important essential element that every person needs to survive, is fresh clean air to breathe. Be it for industrial applications or for homes, the need for air dehumidifying systems has comparatively increased due to the constant fluctuations in climatic conditions and excess humidity. Choosing a dry air system can be very difficult, if you do not possess much knowledge about them. Though all kinds of air compressing units offer competitive advantages over each other, oil free air compressors also known as piston compressors, offer a whole range of benefits which makes them one of the finest air drying systems.
Scientifically designed to compress air, these systems have a unique design and mechanism which prevents oil from getting in contact with the internal screws. Preventing the risk of oil spills, an oil free air compressor is less pollutant, compared to compressors which use oil. Technically, air compressors are available in three different variants, i.e. reciprocating air, rotary centrifugal and rotary screws. Though all the three kinds of compressors can function efficiently without the use of oil, the rotary screw air compressor continues to be the most widely used model. Constructed with a high level of precision, the oil free screw compressors have a compression system, which is not lubricated and has screws which are contact-free.
Oil free air compressing systems are extensively used in industrial applications, for the level of safety and efficiency that they offer. However, they are also used in and around houses, as they are flexible and convenient to use. As oil free units compress air with the aid of the screws, they have a lower discharge pressure compared to the air conditioning systems, which use oil for compression. Multistage oil free compressors often use several screws which makes them achieve maximum discharged pressure, covering more than 57 cubic meters per minute. These dehumidification and cooling systems are also used for research purposes and semi-conductor production, as these applications do not allow aerated oil to carry-over. asda
Oil free air compressing systems are less durable compared to the ones which use oil. However, quality maintenance can increase the life of the system, making it last as long as the oil based ones. The power consumption of the air dehumidification system depends upon the model that you choose. A smaller system will use less power compared to a larger system. As the speed of most oil free compressor models can be regulated, it also aids in controlling the amount of energy consumed. Before choosing an air compressing unit, it is always recommended to research about different brand models in the market. You can also seek the advice of an expert as the compressor you choose should best fulfill your needs.

Guitar Lessons On Simple Chord Construction

It takes a minimum of three notes to make a chord, and any combination of three or more notes - however "discordant" they may sound together they can be considered as a chord of some sort.
Simple three note chords are called triads, two note chords are called an interval.
All chords convey to the ear two important musical statements.
The first is the, "Key or Tone center"; this is the principle note of the chord and it is the one on which it is built. For this reason, it is called the root note.
The second is the "harmony"; this is the effect produced by sounding the other notes in the chord relating to the root note.
It is the particular sound of the chord, that is determined by the intervals of the root note and the other notes.
Take for example the three E chords - E major, E seventh, and the E minor. All three of these chords have the E note as the root note, but each has a different sound and therefore a different use.
E major is a simple three note triad chord built from these notes, the E, G# sharp and B.
Now when you play the E seventh, you are introducing another note into the chord, a D.
This is what makes it sound different from the E major.
If you play the E minor you will notice how it differs from E major. You will find it quite distinctive and full of tone.
Both of these chords have strong sounds, and both are three note triads, but the E major chord has a stronger stable sound, whereas the minor chord is full but gives a sadder sound.
In each of these cases, it is the interval between the root note and the third note in the scale of the chord that determines whether it is a major or a minor chord.
If you look at the construction of the C major chord you will see exactly how a triad chord is made from just three notes.
The first note is on the B string in the top fret, the second note is on the D string in the second fret from the top, and the third note which is a C on the A string and is three frets down from the top.
Now you can see and understand why chords which are constructed with three notes are called triads.

To find out more on how you can learn and understand simple, or more complicated chords and their construction and shape, click below now.

Why You Struggle To Attract New Guitar Students

Are you tired of struggling to fill your guitar teaching schedule with new students? This is a very common problem amongst teachers in the guitar teaching community. The reality is, you MUST know how to attract a lot of guitar students on a continual basis in order to make good money teaching lessons. However, this is NOT done by only advertising as much as possible. You need to clearly demonstrate to all potential guitar students that you are the number one choice for a guitar teacher in your local area.
These are the six things you need to do for/demonstrate to potential guitar students in order to get many new students very quickly:
1. Make it clear to potential guitar students that your guitar lessons are very unique and special when compared to any other lessons being offered locally
You will struggle to attract a lot of guitar students when your lessons are judged purely by price alone. When this happens, your students will view all guitar teaching as a simple commodity where the only point in working with one teacher over another teacher is to save a few bucks. In this case, they will always select whoever is cheapest. To overcome this objection, you must help them understand the major benefits they will get while working with you (that they cannot find anywhere else). Additionally, you must communicate to them that you will be able to offer them these things while simultaneously saving them time and money. The question is, how can you prove this? Here are a few ways:
Show any potential guitar students a list of the students you've trained to become excellent guitarists and musicians.
Explain how you've actually been 'trained' by an experienced guitar teacher trainer to get the best results for your students. Keep in mind that this is totally different than having a degree in music, since this kind of degree will not help you improve as a guitar teacher.
Don't teach exclusively one on one lessons - use a variety of unique formats that will bring your students tons of additional benefits and help them advance their playing faster.
Become the local expert a style your target students want to learn.
Once you do these things, the following will happen:
*Prospective students will see that you really are the best option for them.
*Other local guitar teachers will start losing students because their students will soon discover that YOU are the one who helps guitarists achieve their goals faster than any other teacher in the area.
2. Personalize your guitar teaching to meet the unique needs, goals and learning styles of your guitar students
Here's a question you should never ask: "What is the greatest method for teaching guitar students?". Instead, you should be asking the following question: "What is the best way to consistently get MASSIVE results for my students?". The answer to this question (as you might suspect) is very complex. However, it starts by using the following line of thinking:
The greatest, most successful guitar teachers do not merely teach 'guitar' they teach 'people'. What am I talking about exactly? Do not search for an all-encompassing teaching method. Instead, search for strategies that will help each of your students achieve their specific musical goals as quickly and effectively as possible (while keeping them highly motivated throughout the learning process).
3. Help your guitar students learn what they NEED (not just what they think they 'want')
You don't want to be that one guitar teacher who teaches his students only what they 'believe they should be learning.' It's very easy for students to distract themselves and stray away from their ultimate musical goals when they try to learn things that 'seem interesting', but have no real benefit for them. With this in mind, they will often try to convince you that they should be learning these kinds of things and this can be very distracting for you as well (if you allow it to be so). Truth is, the overwhelming majority of students have no idea what they should be learning and why they should be learning it. That is why they are the students and you are the teacher. You will attract many more guitar students once you turn your existing ones into truly great musicians. This only happens when they achieve their musical goals as quickly and effectively as possible, so don't let them get off course simply when they 'think' they should be learning something.
4. Work with a proven expert to improve your guitar teaching skills
#1 mistake made by most guitar teachers that ruins their local reputation (taking away their ability to earn good money): teaching guitar lessons with a trial and error approach. There is almost nothing worse than telling your students that you have learned how to teach guitar through trial and error. Many of them will take this as a sign of your own incompetence and will pursue lessons with someone else who seems more capable of helping them get results. Think about it. Would you pay someone to fill a cavity in your tooth if they were working on a trial and error basis? Would you sit down in that dentist's chair? Didn't think so! The same applies for your guitar students. They are not stupid, they can tell a hack teacher from someone who has really perfected the craft of guitar instruction. Don't overlook this point - find an expert guitar teacher who will show you exactly what you need to do to get the very best results for your students.
Chances are, you know that I offer training for guitar teachers. With this in mind, you may be under the impression that the only reason I wrote this article is to advertise this program... but it's not. Truth is, it really doesn't matter to me who trains you to become an excellent guitar teacher. I'm merely informing you that you need to do this in order to become successful in your guitar teaching business.
5. Enrich your students' musical lives by expanding their guitar playing goals to make them bigger in scope
In most cases, people who want to learn guitar from you either:
*Have no clue what can truly be accomplished with guitar. They have a very limiting understanding of how to set truly BIG goals.
*Don't have faith in themselves and as a result pursue very small goals based on what they think is possible rather than what they REALLY want to accomplish.
For instance, many of your guitar students might think that they merely want to learn how to play fast guitar licks, specific songs or styles. Fact is, if you showed them how much they could truly achieve, they would want to accomplish much more. Mediocre guitar teachers will simply help their guitar students learn songs, play cool licks or reach other small goals during their lessons. Eventually, the student will be able to do these things and will quit because there seems to be no reason to continue (since the teacher never made them aware of the greater musical possibilities beyond their basic objectives).
It is your job as a guitar teacher to open the minds of your students to a whole new dimension of musical possibilities. This will motivate them to continue working with you for a long time and tell everyone they know about your lessons. Make it a point to help your students build up their musical goals from very basic ones to bigger, more long term ones and help them grow into excellent musicians.
6. Truly care A LOT about helping your students (and show this to them!)
Once you prove that you truly care about helping your guitar students (more than any other guitar teacher could) you will be able to attract new students and keep them for very long periods of time. There are countless ways you can do this, however, to keep this article short I will only mention one: Rather than spending all the money you make teaching lessons on other things, use some of it to directly increase the amount of value your students get from having you as their teacher. Hold group jam sessions, parties, dinners or other events that can only be attended by your students. Do not charge them for this! Give it to them 100% free to let them know that they are part of something truly special and that taking lessons with you brings much more benefit beyond simply learning to play guitar. Most guitar teachers never do anything like this (making you really stick out in the crowd!).
Here Is What To Do Next
After reading this article you have discovered many ways to attract a lot of new guitar students. To get the most benefit out of this information, begin implementing these ideas into your guitar teaching business right now. Once you do this, you will quickly gain many new students, earn more money and develop a positive reputation in your local community as the best guitar teacher.

Different Kinds of Bass Guitar Effects

Bass guitar effects are equipment used to alter the audio signal from the instrument to the amplifier.
While bass effects could give you a new signature, it is always recommended to give it just a subtle twist so as not to overlap with the guitar section of the band. Effects made for bass guitars are similar to lead guitars, but is designed to fully optimize the distinctive tone of a bass guitar.
There are two types of bass guitar effects according to technology: analog and digital. Analog bass effects involve the physical alteration of parts and voltage to produce different sounds. Most analog bass effects are customized depending to the need of the bass player. Digital base effects involve microchips with computer programs and predefined algorithms to mimic particular sounds. It is more advanced and covers a wider range of audio effects. Today's bass players prefer the digital sounds because it is more convenient and cost efficient.
Bass guitar effects can also be categorized depending on their pedals: Multi-effect and dedicated. Multi-effect pedal or a rackmount is a unit that consists of several pedals. You can preset your effects and conveniently turn it off or on while on stage. While many agree of its flexibility and convenience, the more effects it houses, the less quality it produces. Dedicated effect pedal or stompbox produces a single sound and in much more quality compared with multi-effects pedal.
Fuzz box is another bass guitar effect most notably used by Paul McCartney in the song "Think for Yourself" in the 1965 Beatles album, Rubber Soul. It has a dirtier and edgier sound than overdrive and distortion. Bass compressors, as the name suggests compresses the sound to make louder or quieter. Manipulating the bass compressors will either give some volume or punch in the song or subtle and quiet texture. Funk bands of the 60's and 70's uses "wah-wah" pedal bass effects most notably Melvin Ragin. The late Cliff Burton of Metallica extensively used wah effects on several songs such as "The Call of Ktulu" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls".
Overdrive bass effects produce a "buzzing" or "growling" sound which can be heard on rock and heavy metal songs. Early bass players use guitar distortion pedals because bass effects are not commonly popular back then. Rage Against the Machine used bass distortion effects for their album the "Evil Empire".
Think of bass guitar effects as the dressing on a salad, nothing else. While it adds flavor to the music, it should never steal the real value from the main ingredients. There are many more effects out there, but a constant idea remains true: bass guitar's role in the band as provider of the beat and rhythm should never be compromised by introducing different sound effects.

Which Are The Best Swimming Ear Plugs?

There are many different types of ear plugs available to buy in the shops today. Which are the best for swimming? There are many factors to consider when choosing a pair to take in the pool or in the sea, you may want some for only a few uses or you may go swimming on a regular basis; this will affect which are the best type for you. There are two main reasons why people wear ear plugs. The first is to block sound; the second is to block water. In the case of swimming ear plugs the main reason for wearing a pair is to keep water out.
Water can cause damage to the lining of the canal, it washes away the waxy protective layer and causes water logging of the underlying skin. This reduces the protective effect of the squamous epithelium of the canal, allowing bacteria to penetrate into the underlying dermis and cause infection and inflammation. Swimmers' ear is the recognised name for this condition; the medical name is otitis externa. The best varieties are those which will prevent this condition. Foam ear plugs are not suitable at all as they are porous and sponge like so actively absorb water and hold it near to the skin in your ear canal. In this way it actively slows the drying of the ear and may make swimmers' ear worse.
The rough outer surface may cause abrasive damage to the softened water logged skin of the canal. This damage further increases the risk of infection and inflammation. The foam variety are also prone to accumulate dirt, debris, skin cells and earwax, making them unhygienic and more likely to cause problems. They can be washed and reused several times but this hardens the memory foam and reduces their life span.
Wax and silicon putty ear plugs are more suitable than foam for swimming. They are more water resistant and stick to the lining of your ear, creating a better watertight seal. However they are both prone to fall out and cause particular problems for people with long hair which tends to get caught in this variety. The lifespan of these types of ear plugs are only a few uses, making the cost per use high as the initial cost of the ear plugs is relatively high. It is also not possible to attach this type of ear plug to your wet suit or to each other using a cord or lanyard. Moulded ear plugs are the most suitable for swimming because they are usually made from hard silicon or thermoplastic, making them non-porous, hard-wearing, waterproof and because they are individually fitted they are more comfortable and highly effective at blocking water.
Some types of molded thermoplastic types contain an antibacterial compound which actively kills disease-causing bacteria, including those which commonly cause infections. This makes them very effective at preventing swimmers' ear. It is quicker and less expensive to mold your own at home from a kit, rather than visiting an audiologist which may be a time-consuming and expensive process. It is definitely worth getting yourself a decent pair of molded ear plugs if you are a regular swimmer. If you calculate the cost per use it will be dramatically lower than repeatedly buying silicon putty or wax versions. This is due to the number of times that they can be reused. They are also far more effective at preventing water entering and protecting you from swimmers ear.

How True Sine Wave Inverters Reduce Harmonic Distortion

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is a measurement of the difference between the harmonic frequency of an input signal and the harmonic frequency of an output signal. The greater the difference between the two frequencies, the greater the percentage of harmonic distortion. True sine wave inverters produce sinusoidal current that helps reduce harmonic distortion by delivering an input signal that, when measured against the output signal, results in less than three percent THD. THD of just under three percent is the maximum percentage of THD that sinusoidal power inverters produce. In many instances, the THD is a fraction of a percent.
How the Devices Work
The impact of true sine wave inverters is best understood by comparing them to their closest counterpart in the inverter family: modified power inverters. Whereas true sine wave inverters emit sinusoidal current, which is visualized as a smooth, undulating line of identical peaks and valleys, modified power inverters emit a non-sinusoidal current that is visualized as an angular line of evenly spaced squares. When equipment is designed to receive sinusoidal current -- which is type of current that utility lines supply -- receives non-sinusoidal current, a significant percentage of THD is noticed. Although many devices still operate when they receive non-sinusoidal current, harmonic distortion can significantly affect their operation.
Common Signs of Distortion
Signs of high THD vary by device but are unmistakable when they occur. For example, speakers exhibit distinct buzzing noises; fluorescent lighting ballasts emit a loud hum and contain lamps that flicker; computers have lines that roll across the screen; conventional telephone systems have static in the line; and circuit breakers switch off unnecessarily. The source of the distortion varies. In some buildings, it is created by solid state, non-linear loads, such as computers, which contain microprocessors that frequently create distortion. In other cases, the problem comes from an outside source, such as a building that shares the same transformer as the affected building.
Conclusion
There are several strategies for resolving harmonic distortion. If the problem comes from outside the building through the utility line, installing an inverter that produces sinusoidal current may be the best option. If the problem comes from within the building, using filtering devices or establishing isolated circuits may be helpful. When a building has equipment that demonstrates the effects of harmonic distortion, its manager should contact a provider of commercial power solutions for assistance identifying and resolving the problem.

Make Your Guitar "Cry" With a Wah-Wah Pedal

There are a million devices available to add various effects to the sound of your guitar. Choruses, flangers, distortions, delays, octave dividers, harmonizers and the like.
Most effects pedals work by pressing a button or a foot switch which actives the effect. Once activated, the device will "color" the sound of your guitar and be "fixed" according to how you have the parameters set on the effect.
The one effects pedal that operates differently is the wah-wah pedal. This pedal requires the user to activate it, and in addition, control it while playing, all in real time. It's truly an "interactive" type of guitar effect.
A wah-wah is an "old school" effects pedal and has been around since the sixties. One of the early users that brought the pedal to prominence was Jimi Hendrix.
Unlike many of today's digital based effects, a wah is an analog pedal that is nothing more than a glorified tone potentiometer mounted to a variable pedal controlled by the user.
When the pedal is in the upward position the tone is "rolled off" and will produce a muted sound. Advancing the pedal to the complete forward position will produce a high end, almost shrill, tone.
The pedal gets its name from the fact that when you advance it from the upward position to the most forward position while playing a note, it will produce a note that sounds like a "wah". This "crying" sound is the basis for the name of the most famous wah-wah pedal, the Dunlop "Crybaby".
Here are a few ways you can put your wah pedal to good use:
As a Lead Guitar Tool
The wah can be used as an "expressive" tool for leads. Used effectively you can almost make your guitar "talk". Listen to "Voodoo Child" by Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn.
As a Rhythm Guitar Tool
It can also be used as a rhythm effect and was closely associated with guitar rhythms of the disco era. Think Shaft!
As a Tone Control
One almost overlooked way to use the wah-wah pedal, however, is as a "set it and forget it" external tone control. By scrolling the pedal to find a slightly rolled off tone and leaving it there, and combining that with a touch of distortion or crunch, you can arrive at a nice Santana-esque sound.
Considering the amount of sweep in the pedal, the tonal possibilities using it this way are endless.
There is a bit of an art to using a wah pedal and it takes a little practice to learn how to use it effectively. But if budget is a consideration and you are limited to only a handful effects pedals in your arsenal, a wah-wah should definitely be one of your first investments.

Guitar Effects Pedals - Chorus

This is one you probably already intuitively know! You're likely familiar with the vocal term "chorus" -- as in "many voices singing at once". A guitar "chorus" pedal does the same thing -- it makes your guitar sound like two or more guitars playing in unison at the same time.
What makes chorus work is that it really does try to act like two or more players playing at the same time. In real life, two people playing the exact same thing will never be completely synchronized. They'll start each note at a slightly different time, perhaps pitch the notes slightly differently, hold them differently, etc. They'll be really close -- but it won't be exact. This slight "offness" is what makes a chorus sound different from a single voice -- the slight variances in the signals make the sound richer and fuller.
A guitar chorus pedal works by splitting the guitar signal into two pieces ... and then delaying one of those pieces a fractional amount. The delay is very slight -- too much would yield a reverb effect -- but it's enough to shift the wave form of one signal path so that it no longer exactly matches the original signal path.
Consider wave form as a sine wave graph. Now, take the exact same wave form, shift it just a fraction, and place it on the same graph as the original wave form. What will you see?
When one form peaks, the other will be slightly off. When one wave begins to rise, the other will be just a touch behind. The resulting tone will sound much like two guitars playing in unison in real time. The sound will be fuller, richer, and also have a slight "shimmer" to it.
A chorus is effective on a clean guitar signal as well as on a dirty or distorted one. A clean chorus will also fill a room better than a straight unaltered signal.
Note that a chorus effect doesn't really alter the pitch of the tone -- it doesn't try to sound like two guitars playing in harmony (octaves, fifths, fourths, etc). Again, while the chorus effect is slightly similar to a digital delay or reverb effect, it's very, very slight ... just enough to give the sound that typical chorus "shimmer". Also, most choral effects only add a second guitar signal to the mix ... but some can add the effect or three or more guitars at the same time.

Electric Guitar Effects Pedals - 5 Popular Effects Pedals For Guitar

If you want to enhance your Guitar playing experience and create rich and varied sounds for your performances, then the obvious means is by use of Electric Guitar Effects Pedals. Here are five 5 popular Effects Pedals in common use, with brief explanations of each.
1. Compression
This is an extremely useful pedal, which is probably the hardest to use, and the least understood. Effectively the Compressor enables the performer to play over a wide dynamic range - from soft rhythmic chords to blistering solos - while maintaining the same output volume of the Amplifier. This way the audience can not only hear those softer passages, but also the more dynamic lead work without drowning out the other musicians (and making your 'ears bleed').
Another effect put to good use, is the ability of the Compressor to enable long sustained notes, far beyond the natural ability of the instrument. Ideal for all those eyes closed, posing moments while stretching that note for as long as possible.
Care must be taken when using a Compressor, as improper use can lead to the introduction of noise,or lead to a rather bland dynamic performance.
2. Tremolo
A very popular Pedal used in the 60's and is still used today. The Tremolo Pedal produces a vibrato effect to the single note or chord by changing the amplitude (volume) of the signal, by a variation determined by the user. The Pedal allows control of both the signal depth and rate of the speed variation. On a technical note, a sine wave is applied to a Voltage-Controlled Amplifier, which affects the signal from the Guitar. It's the Frequency and Amplitude of the sine wave - which the controls alter - that effects both the rate and depth.
3. Overdrive and Distortion
These Pedals amplify the guitar signal to the point where the sound produced is anything between a warm rich 'clipped' sound to a dirty or gritty tone. The number of controls, and hence the available tone variations, vary from pedal to pedal from just a few simple pots and a footswitch, to more complex versions incorporating Tone Shaping facilities.
4. Wah Wah
Another extremely well known Pedal. This produces an effect, which sounds similar to a human voice saying - yep you've guessed it 'wah'. The effect is produced by a foot pedal in the form of a rocking treadle, and is great for enhancing your lead or rhythmic playing.
Getting a bit technical again, the Wah effect is produced by a low-pass filter whose cut-off frequency is control by the foot pedal. Interestingly, this type of low-pass filter is used often in modern Dance or Trance type music where the high frequencies of the song are gradually filtered out until only a kind of muffled beat is left. The effect is then gradually reversed until all frequencies are restored again.
5. Phaser
Finally the fifth pedal for this article is the Phaser, and is probably the best known. Basically, two signals are produced from the Guitar signal going in, and then they are mixed together but slightly out of phase. This is what produces the Phasing effect.
Conclusion
Guitarist set up their effect pedals in two ways. By use of mutli-effects Units that have various types of Guitar Effects in one 'box' - which range in price depending on the facilities available. However, as most are now microprocessor controlled, huge variations of range of tone and parameter are at the guitarist's disposal.
The second method is where individual pedals are 'daisy chained' together by short cables. Many guitarists have favourite individual pedals, which they prefer and know very well, therefore they adopt this method. Also, if you are on a low budget, pedals can be bought separately as time goes by, and added to the chain. The downturn is that the set-up time takes longer and more cables are involved (which always seem to go wrong at the gig).

Top 5 Bass and Guitar Tuners

The top five methods are done using an online guitar tuner, tuning with an electronic tuner, guitar tuning with a keyboard or piano, tuning in octaves and tuning with harmonics. There are different advantages of tuning the guitar using these different methods and we will look at each one of them in detail in order to get a correct perspective on the type we wish to use.
The first bass and guitar tune method that we can look at is using an online guitar software. Drop D, Open C, Open G, Open D, Open G, Half Step Down, Full Step Down, Open E or Admiral are the tuner methods that can be alternated and used in this. The second method that we will be looking at is tuning with an electronic one and you will be able to check the various models that are available in the market and you can buy one depending on your budget and requirements.
Some of the popular models that are available are Seiko STX1 Guitar and Bass Clip-on Tuners, Hartke HT12 Digital Chromatic Guitar and Bass, Ibanez PU10 Guitar and Bass Clip-On, Ibanez PU20 Large Guitar and Bass Clip-On, Peterson Virtual Strobe Rackmount, Planet Waves SOS Bass Guitar Strobe, Planet Waves PW-CT-09 Universal II Chromatic Tuner, Korg GA-40 Electronic Guitar and Bass Tuner, Korg CA-40 Electronic Chromatic, Matrix MPU2 Clip-On Microphone, Korg OT-120 Chromatic Orchestral, Ibanez RU10 Chromatic Guitar and Bass Jam Tuner, Yamaha YT150, Yamaha YT-250, Yamaha YT-240 String Instrument, Qwik Tune QT-9 Guitar, Qwik Tune Q12E Exogenic Chromatic and Node Chromatic Strobe, there all tuners. These models are available from less than twenty dollars to a few thousand dollars depending on the specifications you want.
You can monitor the frequency of each of the strings present in the guitar using the electronic guitar. You should tune the guitar till you get the correct reading on the meter. There is a visual frequency display that will show you as to whether you have achieved the desired result. Such tuners are very helpful to professionals while they are performing at a concert. The bass and guitar tuner methods can be learned at the beginner stage itself so that it proves useful when you turn professional.

The Top 4 Effects Pedals You Really Need

If you're building a house there are some "must have" tools you should keep in your toolbox. A hammer for driving nails, a saw for cutting wood, a tape measure, pliers and screwdrivers, just to name a few.
When playing guitar there are some great "tools" available to color the tone of your guitar in various ways. Some purists would argue that, with the right amp and guitar, no extra tools should be needed.
But let's face it, we guitar players love our toys. All the new fangled gadgets that produce and endless array of tones and sounds. But if money is tight, and we absolutely had to choose a handful of the most "important" effects pedals, here are my "hands down" top 4 picks.
1. Distortion - Unless your amp has a killer crunch with channel switching, a good distortion pedal is a must have. In fact, if I could only choose one pedal to own, it would be a distortion pedal. There are a ton a choices on the market and your choice will be largely dependent on your style of music and personal taste.
2. Chorus - My number two pick would be a chorus pedal. This is a modulating effect that produces a "sweet" swirly sound. It's a great effect for clean rhythms, as well as a nice touch for crunchy leads.
3. Delay - Most amps come equipped with reverb, and most times that will do the trick. But having the ability to add some "slap back" to your leads will bring a whole new dimension to your sound. This is one of those "a little goes a long way" effects, so use it wisely.
4. Wah-Wah - As an "old school" guitarist, I grew up with a wah-wah pedal and have used one as long as I can remember. They are great for adding a "talking" or "singing" effect to your leads, and are also a good rhythm tool for the funky stuff.
It's important to remember that any effects pedal is just a tool and should never become a crutch. I have seen too many new guitarists go out and purchase a plethora of pedals, only to become dependent on them. Take the pedals away and they suffer from guitar paralysis.
Keep your main focus on truly learning how to play guitar, and use the pedals only to spice things up. Use them sparingly and tastefully and you will become a well rounded player with a wide range of tones at your disposal.