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Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. | Effects units are devices that affect the sound of an electric instrument or other audio source (such as recorded material) when plugged in to the electrical signal path the instrument or source sends, most often an electric guitar or bass guitar. They can also be used on other instruments or sound sources, like the Rhodes piano, synths or even the human voice. While some effect units transform the sound completely, others just color the sound picture in a minor way. Image File history File links Merge-arrows. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Effects unit. ...
Image File history File links Question_book-3. ...
An electric guitar An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ...
A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ...
A Rhodes piano A Rhodes piano is an electromechanical musical instrument, a brand of electric piano. ...
An effects unit consists of one or more electronic devices which typically contain analog circuitry for processing audio signals, similar to that found in music synthesizers, for example active and passive filters, envelope followers, voltage-controlled oscillators, or digital delays.
Effects units are packaged by their manufacturers, and used by musicians, in various sizes, the most common of which are the stomp-box and the rack-mount unit. A "Stomp box" is a metal box, containing the circuitry, which is placed on the floor in front of the musician and connected in line with, say, the guitar cord. The box is typically controlled by one or more foot-pedal on-off switches and typically contains only one or two effects. A second type of effects unit may contain the identical electronic circuit, but is mounted in a standard 19" equipment rack. Usually, however, rack-mount effects units contain several different types of effects. They are typically controlled by knobs or switches on the front panel, and often by a MIDI digital control interface. "Off-boards" are used by musicians who prefer multiple stomp-boxes; these may be simply pieces of plywood with several stomp-box units fastened to the plywood and connected in series. Rackmounted effects or off-boards can combine several effects in one unit, and can include analog controls such as pedals or knobs. The TS9 Tubescreamer from Ibanez, a popular stomp box adding vacuum tube-like distortion to the output signal from electric instruments. ...
Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is a system designed to transmit information between electronic musical instruments. ...
Modern desktop and notebook computers often have sound processing capabilities that rival commercially available effects boxes. Some can process sound through VST or similar plugins, such as RTAS or Direct X. With a decent sound card, musicians can play any instrument through a computer, emulating any effects unit or even an amplifier in a convincing way. Many VST-plugins are freely downloadable from the Internet. For the television term, see Virtual studio. ...
Types of effects
Dynamics - Compressor
- The gain of the amplifier is varied to reduce the dynamic range of the signal.
- Tremolo
- Tremolo produces a periodic variation in the amplitude (volume) of the note. i.e. A sine wave applied as input to a voltage-controlled amplifier produces this effect.
Audio level compression, also called dynamic range compression, volume compression, compression, limiting, or DRC (often seen in DVD player settings) is a process that manipulates the dynamic range of an audio signal. ...
In electronics, gain is usually taken as the mean ratio of the signal output of a system to the signal input of the system. ...
For other uses, see Dynamic range (disambiguation). ...
Tremolo is a musical term with two meanings: A rapid repetition of the same note, a rapid variation in the amplitude of a single note, or an alternation between two or more notes. ...
Tone - Overdrive and distortion
- Distortion is when the signal is amplified past the limits of the amplifier, resulting in clipping. (see Fuzzbox) Overdrive is when you amplify the signal from the guitar beyond the limits of the main amplifier.
- Wah-wah pedal
- An effect that gives the instrument an almost vocal effect, familiar as the wah-wah pedal. Examples include: "White Room" by Cream, used by Eric Clapton. Also popular in funk and psychedelic rock, i.e. Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.
- Ring modulation
- "Organic" effect that takes a "carrier frequency" and your guitar frequency, and outputs the sum and difference of the two pitches. Must be heard to be understood.
- Equalizer
- Adjusts the frequency response in a number of different bands of EQ. Variants include the parametric EQ which instead of flatly boosting and cutting frequencies, curves the frequency response to include changes in adjacent frequencies. As well the paragraphic EQ, which combines the visual interface of the graphic EQ with the flexibility of the parametric EQ, giving each band its own adjustable Q.
- Clean boost or any other "booster"
- Amplifies some aspect of the instrument's signal output. Generally used for preventing signal loss through long chains of effects units (pedals) and getting overdrive tones out of a tube amp. On stage, used for volume boosts for solos.
- Talk box
- A powered speaker that amplifies the guitar's output through a tube which is positioned next to a microphone. The effect is manipulated by vocal technique. Notable uses include Rufus's "Tell Me Something Good", Peter Frampton's "Show Me the Way", and Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion. Also used in many Bon Jovi songs.
Overdrive in the field of rock music, is a term used for an electric guitar amplifier when turned up, usually deliberately, to the point where distortion (clipping) is clearly audible in the output signal. ...
For other uses, see Distortion (disambiguation). ...
A 1965 Gibson Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1A, one of the first commercially available fuzzboxes. ...
This article is about the effect pedal, also known as a Wah. ...
This article is about the effect pedal, also known as a Wah. ...
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE[2] (born 30 March 1945) [3], nicknamed Slowhand, is a Grammy Award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. ...
For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ...
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. ...
Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American guitar virtuoso, singer and songwriter. ...
Pink Floyd are an English rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock music, and, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. ...
Ring modulation is an audio effect performed by multiplying two audio signals, where one is typically a sine-wave or another simple waveform. ...
For information about Canadas fiscal transfer system, see Equalization payments. ...
A talk box is a musical instrument effects device that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. ...
Rufus is a name meaning red in Latin that could refer to one of the following: People Several Saints Rufus Rufus (bishop), a bishop of London Rufus (actor), a french actor Rufus Hannah (aka Rufus the Stunt Bum), of Bumfights fame Rufus King, a pre-Civil War US politician Rufus...
Peter Kenneth Frampton (born April 22, 1950 in Beckenham, Kent) is an English musician, best known today for his solo work in the mid-1970s and as one of the original members of the band Humble Pie. ...
This article is about the band Aerosmith. ...
Sweet Emotion is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. ...
Bon Jovi is a hard rock band originating from Sayreville, New Jersey. ...
Time-based - Delay
- First used by Les Paul, e.g. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. (Modern digital delay units, the first of which was the Eventide Harmonizer, involve sound waves being converted from analog to digital signals, and clocked through large banks of RAM memory. Paul achieved time delay by stretching audiotape between two reel-to-reel tape decks spaced several feet apart.) The Edge of U2 is a notable user of this effect in his music. An obvious example of this is the song "Where the Streets Have No Name".
- Echo
- Uses short, effected delays to simulate an echo.
- Reverb
- Simulates reverberation in stadiums, halls, other performance areas. Even actual surfaces, such as plate metal and metal springs, are sometimes simulated.
- Chorus
- Splits the signal into a vibrato effect and a clean path. The output is the sum of these inputs. Creates a spacey sound, or if used subtly, a double-tracking effect.
- Flanging
- Uses very short variable delays to cause a changing comb filter effect. First notable uses were in "Itchycoo Park" by the Small Faces, and "Sky Pilot" by The Animals. It is often said that flange sounds like air planes coming in for a landing or the swirling sound of water going down a drain. The flanger was a studio effect at first. Old tape reels have flanges in the reel. The effect was created by poking a drumstick in and out the flange in regular time. This created the sweeping effect.
- Phase shifting (or phasing)
- Modulates the phase of the signal. Popular during the 1970s; examples include the guitar from the Three's Company theme, and keyboard part of Paul Simon's "Slip-Slidin' Away". High phasing speeds produce an "underwater" effect, as used by Jimi Hendrix in "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)".
Delay is an audio effect which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time[1]. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating...
This article is about the musician. ...
For other subjects called The Edge, see The Edge (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the Irish rock band. ...
The Joshua Tree track listing N/A Where the Streets Have No Name (1) I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For (2) The Best of 1980-1990 track listing Bad (6) Where the Streets Have No Name (7) I Will Follow (8) U218 Singles track listing Stuck...
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo (plural echoes) is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound. ...
This article is about audio effect. ...
The chorus effect is a condition in the way people perceive nearly the same sound coming from more than one source. ...
An audio recording technique, in which a performer sings or plays along with their own prerecorded part, for dramatic effect or to produce a stronger sound than with a single voice or instrument. ...
Flanging is a time-based audio effect that occurs when two identical signals are mixed together, but with one signal time-delayed by a small and gradually changing amount, usually smaller than 20 ms (milliseconds). ...
In signal processing, a comb filter adds a delayed version of a signal to itself, causing constructive and destructive interference. ...
Located in a London suburb known as Manor Park Itchycoo Park referred to the nickname given to a local park located in that area which went by the official name of Little Ilford Park. ...
This article is about the group Small Faces. ...
The US edition of The Animals self-titled debut album. ...
Definition of phase shift Phase shifting describes relative phase shift in superposing waves. ...
In music the compositional technique phasing, popularized by composer Steve Reich, is that while the same part is played on two musical instruments, one instrumentalist keeps playing in steady tempo, while the other gradually moves ahead of the first until it becomes out of and then back in phase (the...
Threes Company is an American sitcom that ran from 1977 to 1984 on ABC. It is a remake of the British sitcom Man About the House. ...
The layout of a typical musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers on a musical instrument which cause the instrument to produce sounds. ...
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, half of the folk-singing duo Simon and Garfunkel who continues a successful solo career. ...
Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American guitar virtuoso, singer and songwriter. ...
1983. ...
Frequency - Pitch shifter
- Also introduced by the Harmonizer which has a knob on the front to "change your pitch up." A notable example is the Digitech Whammy.
- Vibrato
- Vibrato refers to a variation in frequency of a note, for example as an opera singer holding one note for a long time will vary the frequency up and down. A sine wave applied as input to a voltage-controlled oscillator produces this effect.
Guitarists often use the terms "vibrato" and "tremolo" inconsistently. A so-called vibrato unit in a guitar amplifier actually produces tremolo, while a tremolo arm on a guitar produces vibrato. However, finger vibrato is genuine vibrato. See Electric guitar, tremolo, vibrato. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with pitch shift. ...
// The Digitech Whammy is a pitch-shifter effects pedal manufactured by Digitech. ...
Vibrato is a musical effect where the pitch or frequency of a note or sound is quickly and repeatedly raised and lowered over a small distance for the duration of that note or sound. ...
An electric guitar An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ...
Tremolo is a musical term with two meanings: A rapid repetition of the same note, a rapid variation in the amplitude of a single note, or an alternation between two or more notes. ...
Vibrato is a musical effect where the pitch or frequency of a note or sound is quickly and repeatedly raised and lowered over a small distance for the duration of that note or sound. ...
Other specific effects - Defretter
- It simulates a fretless guitar
- Acoustic guitar simulator
- Simulates an acoustic guitar.
- Rotary speaker
- A Leslie speaker simulation effect. One particular effect of this type (the Uni-Vibe) was made famous by Jimi Hendrix.
- Envelope Follower
- Uses the signal amplitude envelope to control one or more effects.
- Pickup simulation
- Simulates either a single-coil pickup if the musician has a humbucker or vice-versa.
- Ambiance modelling
- Creates an ambiance through an amalgam of effects.
- Guitar amplifier modelling
- Models instrument tone to imitate the tone produced by various amplifiers, especially to attain the valve sound with solid-state equipment.
These types of effects are usually digital, and can therefore be found as features of effect processors such as the Boss ME series and Vox multieffects. For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ...
A steel string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. ...
The Leslie speaker is a specially constructed amplifier/loudspeaker used to create special audio effects utilizing the Doppler effect. ...
Three magnetic pickups on an electric guitar. ...
This image shows three single coil pickups on a Stratocaster guitar. ...
Traditional Open Coil (uncovered) humbucker pickup A conventional humbucker (or Humbucking pickup) is a type of electric guitar pickup that uses two coils, both generating string signal. ...
A guitar combo amplifier A guitar amplifier is an electronic amplifier designed for use with an electric or electronic musical instrument, such as an electric guitar. ...
Valve sound is the sound either from a valve amplifier or a specially designed transistor amplifier. ...
Effect processors are devices usually electronic in nature used for the purpose of adding effects such as distortion, compression, reverb, delay or otherwise coloring, changing, or manipulating sounds. ...
Boutique Pedal Manufacturers Boutique pedals are typically handmade and designed by smaller, independent companies. Usually, they are mainly distributed online, through mail-order, or through a small number of music stores. In some cases, these products depend on "word-of-mouth" advertising. The prices of boutique pedals are too high to compete with mass-produced brands such as Boss or Digitech. Boutique manufacturers offer products and features for the more discriminating guitar player--features such as true-bypass switching, higher-quality components, and innovative designs. Other boutique companies focus on re-creating classic or vintage effects that are no longer available. For example, the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face and Dallas Rangemaster are classic effects that are produced in many variations by the boutique industry. Boss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. ...
This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...
Some boutique pedal manufacturers include:
Other Boutique Markets Analogman is a company that makes and modifies guitar effects pedals. ...
Ellis Guitars is a company based in Perth, Western Australia producing handmade acoustic guitars and acoustic stompboxes . ...
GoudieFX is a boutique pedal manufacturer for electric guitars in Ontario, Canada. ...
Lovetone is the name of a manufacturer of analog effect pedals in England in the 1990s. ...
Metasonix is an American audio equipment manufacturer, founded by Eric Barbour and located in Lakeport, California. ...
The Moog Music logo Moog Music Inc. ...
Robert Keeley can refer to one of the following persons: Robert Keeley (composer), British composer and pianist Robert Keeley (guitar pedal maker), Electrical Engineer and guitar pedal designer from Oklahoma Robert Keeley (comedian), an eighteenth-century English comedian Category: ...
The Z. Vex logo Z. Vex Effects is a boutique effects pedal company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ...
There is also a niche market for the modification of effects. Typically, mod vendors provide either mod services or new modded units of some of the more popular current designs. The Ibanez Tube Screamer, the Boss DS-1, and the ProCo Rat are some of the most commonly modified effects. Mods typically encompass value changes in capacitors or resistors, the substitution of higher-quality components, and the replacement of the unit's original operational amplifier (opamp) with a different value. A niche market also known as a target market is a focused, targetable portion (subset) of a market sector. ...
See also It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Effects unit. ...
An effects loop is a series of effects, that are connected between the preamplifier or preamp and the main amplifier of an instrument amplifier, most commonly a guitar amplifier. ...
Guitar effects are electronic devices that modify the tone, pitch, or sound of an electric guitar. ...
Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of movies, video games, music, or other media. ...
A guitar pedalboard is a container for electric guitar effects pedals and their power supplies. ...
The TS9 Tubescreamer from Ibanez, a popular stomp box adding vacuum tube-like distortion to the output signal from electric instruments. ...
Notable manufacturers BEHRINGER Spezielle Studiotechnik GmbH (Behringer) is a German audio equipment manufacturer, founded in its present form in 1989. ...
Boss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. ...
DOD Electronics or simply DOD is a Harman International company specializing in making guitar effects pedals, most of which are now discontinued. ...
The Jim Dunlop Logo Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. ...
The Electro-Harmonix logo Electro-Harmonix is a company that makes electronic sound processors based in New York. ...
For comic book character, see Korg (comics). ...
Look up lexicon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Line 6, founded in 1996 and based in Agoura Hills, California, is a manufacturer of digital modelling electric guitars, amplifiers and effects processors. ...
This article is about the legendary figure. ...
TC Electronic is a Danish audio equipment manufacturer, founded by two brothers, Kim and John Rishøj, in 1976. ...
Waves Audio Ltd. ...
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer formerly based in Britain, and now owned by Japanese electronics giants Korg, which is most famous for making the AC30 guitar amplifier and the Vox organ. ...
Zoom is a Japanese audio company that is distributed in the U.S. under the Samson family of companies. ...
The Z. Vex logo Z. Vex Effects is a boutique effects pedal company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ...
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