Multi effect pedals are an essential part of any guitarist's arsenal. They allow you to have a variety of different sounds at your fingertips. But what if you don't know how to set up one? The good news is, the process is actually quite simple. Follow these steps and you'll be on your way to having a pedalboard setup that's ready for action in no time.
A multi-effect pedal is a device designed to offer tone variations with the press of a footswitch. These pedals are most often seen in guitar players' rigs, but can also be used with keyboards and other instruments.
Multi effects pedals typically come in one of two varieties: stompbox pedals and rack mount units. The latter are designed for use on an amp head or cabinet, while the former are meant to be used on stage or in the practise studio.
Multi-effect stompbox pedalboards are small enough that they can fit right into your gig bag without taking up too much space. While rack-mount multi-effects units take up more space but can offer greater tonal variation at your fingertips.
The first thing you'll need to do is decide on what your pedalboard will entail. Do you want a wide variety of sounds or just one effect? Are you looking for something with more controls than what comes on the pedal itself?
Once you've decided on your needs, it's time to set up your pedalboard. To get started, plug your guitar into the input jack of your multi-effect pedal and then connect it to an amplifier or PA system. Power is important because the pedals require some juice to work properly. So don't forget to turn it on.
Next, make sure that all of the cables are plugged in securely. Place them at the back, so you can easily get to the stomp pedals without tangling in the cables. Be sure not to forget any cables. Otherwise, none of the pedals will work. If you're playing live shows, make sure you have enough cables to connect everything properly without tripping over them.
Now that everything has been accounted for, it's time to play around with some different effects settings. This is where experimentation comes into play. Start with a clean signal, to make sure everything is setup correctly. Then try some of the presets that are built into your multi effects pedal. These are already created and balanced by the manufacturer. You can then start to experiment by tweaking these presets.
Choosing a multi effects pedal is a big decision. Mainly because they're quite expensive. When you think about how much they offer a guitarist in terms of effects. Some pedals can provide hundreds, the expense is somewhat warranted. Never the less, you will want to make the right decision for you, your style of play and your budget. Our best advice is to use an online company that has fantastic return policies. Incase the worst was to happen and you wanted to change your mind.
Go to a music shop in person. Try out the pedals they have to offer. You can always choose to purchase online if the price in store is too much for your budget. Having that chance to play with the pedals in person is priceless when deciding on the right one. If this isn't an option or sounds like too much fuss. You can always use websites like ours, we analyse each of the options available online. Check current owners reviews and even test some of the prolific pedals out ourselves. Check out our buyers guide for multi effects pedals.
A multi effects pedal is a huge weapon to have as a guitarist. You rely less on your amp achieving certain sounds and styles. Instead you can carry your personal authentic sounds around with you and use them on almost any amplifier. They may be a significant cost. But they aren't overly expensive for the value they deliver. Many are quite straightforward to setup and come with good, easy to follow instructions. Overall a multi effects pedal is a fantastic purchase, even if you're single pedal mad. Having a backup that is far more portable is a clever idea.
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