FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Guitar Effects Order

Question:
I'm a bit confused... Is there any web page explaining the usual order in which certain effects go? For example: Is the compressor the first or last thing before the amp? Should I put a Chorus before or after the preamp section of an amp...? Etc...

Answer:
Here's my idea on the subject: For a commerciallish metal sound, 1- Compressor At the source, to get the dynamic range I need to drive correctly the remaining effects. And before the EQ, cause comp affect frequency response inherently, so I want to correct this right after. 2 - EQ In order to cancel at the source anything I don't want and to be sure boosted frequencies will be part of the signal for the subsequent effects. I think it's a good idea to place the eq before the distortion because usually, distortion boxes and guitar amps, that will come later in the chain, already have some kind of EQ that will be post-distortion. 3 - WAHWAH I've found that wahwah can be placed before as after the distortion unit. Just after sounds more smooth, like Jimi Hendrix. B ut I like more the Metallica-like screaming thing so I would put it before! 4 - DISTORTION I would put distortion unit here. Fuzz and clipping devices such as Boss MT-2. Overdrives don't do distortion at all they just amplifie the signal in order to put into clipping the following unit. So It will be a good idea to put an overdrive here just before the amp if the amp got a FX loop to reach the following units. ---- Preamp of an amp fx loop equipped ----------- ( so in this case, units 5 and up are in the fx loop ) 5 - PITCH It really can be before that, but after the distortion it ca n get real crazy! Though I almost never use pitch anyway... 6 - CHORUS, FLANGER, PHASER In any order, anyway who will use those 3 simutaneously??? The idea is to put them when the gain structure is complete, so after distortion, overdrive and preamp. Inverse that and the results are not really pleasing.... 7 - DELAY To include most things into the slapback. 8 - NOISE GATE To clean a little the noise added by all this electronic. 9 - REVERB At the end of the signal process, as if it was really a p iece reverberation. It helps to make the delay more natural sounding an d to smooth the noise gate 'click'. And then the return of the loop, or the input of a straitghforward ampflifier.