Effects...ugghhh, help!

guitar_chick · #1 03-21-2007, 01:40 PM

I'm am a novice to the electric guitar, but not to the guitar in general. My brain is about to explode trying to figure out parameters on my new Digitech RP 200 processor. What is a gate and why do I care if it is open or closed, reverb, sustain, delay, cabinet, uggggghhhhh. Is there a helpful book out there on effect parameters? I'm trying to not overly stress, and just focus on playing for now. I do tend to prefer a very clean sound, but want some fuzz and psychodellia for playing Hendrix and whatnot. To me a lot of these terms sound like the same thing. I need help, before I go certifiably insane.
Are stomp boxes better?

Batchimp RG · #2 03-21-2007, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar_chick

I'm am a novice to the electric guitar, but not to the guitar in general. My brain is about to explode trying to figure out parameters on my new Digitech RP 200 processor. What is a gate and why do I care if it is open or closed, reverb, sustain, delay, cabinet, uggggghhhhh. Is there a helpful book out there on effect parameters? I'm trying to not overly stress, and just focus on playing for now. I do tend to prefer a very clean sound, but want some fuzz and psychodellia for playing Hendrix and whatnot. To me a lot of these terms sound like the same thing. I need help, before I go certifiably insane.
Are stomp boxes better?

Hey GC, your questions are not easy to answer as you would probably need a little book on effects and some experimenting of your own.

Stomp boxes are generally better than all-in-ones.

My advice: look for cheap pedals on the bay, buy them, try them at home and resell the ones you do not like. That way you don't lose much money, if at all any. Oh, make sure they're used.

Alternatively, buy about 3 Behringer effect pedals (they're the new Behringer range of affordable plastic stomp boxes) and just play around with them at home and experiment with the different settings on the pedals; you know, just see what they do.

EDIT: To add to that, effects are not that complicated, in fact, there aren't that many. Your basic ones are Chorus, Delay, Reverb, Distortion, Overdrive, Flanger, Phaser (similar to Chorus and Flanger), Tremolo. There are alot of variations of these eg. Metal Zone, Ultra Metal etc is just a different type of distortion.

Then you get effects that change the pitch of your input signal: Pitch Shifter, Whammy Pedal, Octaver (add an extra octave sound to what you input through it, low or high notes).

ibanezlover · #3 03-21-2007, 02:17 PM

You'll probably find some info on certain effects over the internet. Basically most of us just learn about them as we go along with tweaking and trying different combos out. I'm not sure but I'd check out Digitech's site out and see if you can get some user patches. Try some out and see what effects are being used.

sick-boy · #4 03-21-2007, 04:50 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_effects
That's a good place to start, just to give you a general overview.

If you're going for pschydelic sounds, you'll probably want fuzz and chorus, maybe reverb. And my hat's off to you for that. I love those swinging sixties sounds myself.

Chimp, you forgot to add compression/limiter to your list.

andy7jem · #5 03-21-2007, 04:53 PM

I would say try and figure your RP200 before just ditching it for stomp boxes.

sick-boy · #6 03-21-2007, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy7jem

I would say try and figure your RP200 before just ditching it for stomp boxes.

That's a good point too. I wish I still had mine. The headphone jack made it easy to practice anywhere without dragging an amp with me. My wife also like the silent aspect of it.

The digital pedal are nice for beginners because you get basically any effect there is. THis allows you to try out everything first, then you can narrow it down to the effects you use the most. That helps you figure out what you want to buy when you reach that point.
http://www.digitech.com/Downloads/
GO here to d/l your owner's manual. That will help you out, too.

guitar_chick · #7 03-21-2007, 06:12 PM

Thanks one and all for your input. Wow, Wikipedia really does have everything. I just came from the guitar shop nearby, and they had this awesome new Roland system w/ special Fender strat. that makes all kinds of cool effects. It even made Indian sitar sounds. I'm not buying it (expensive) but greatly admired it.

The guy at the shop told me I should not stress so much on effects, it will come through absorption with time. I do tend to soak up info. like a sponge. I guess I try to overlly push my limits constantly.

guitar_chick · #8 03-21-2007, 06:13 PM

I do really like my Digitech, and will not ditch it even when I start investing in stomp boxes.

newbieguitarmaker · #9 03-21-2007, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar_chick

I'm am a novice to the electric guitar, but not to the guitar in general. My brain is about to explode trying to figure out parameters on my new Digitech RP 200 processor. What is a gate and why do I care if it is open or closed, reverb, sustain, delay, cabinet, uggggghhhhh. Is there a helpful book out there on effect parameters? I'm trying to not overly stress, and just focus on playing for now. I do tend to prefer a very clean sound, but want some fuzz and psychodellia for playing Hendrix and whatnot. To me a lot of these terms sound like the same thing. I need help, before I go certifiably insane.
Are stomp boxes better?

i felt that way with my boss gt-pro but my dad works with many sound engineers and he studied it in college so he could help a good amt. Personally i usually play around with everything until i find something that i really like then i keep adding and adding to it until it is the sound i'm looking for

guitar_chick · #10 03-21-2007, 06:28 PM

Thanks newbie...I guess I can't really tear it up by just turning knobs. I shouldn't be so frightened of the technology I now possess. I should hit up my brother for info, he is an engineer and a good guitar player. He would be a pillar of knowledge, but he has told me recently that he has gotten away from effects and focuses on a clean amp. He lets the guitar do the singing.

newbieguitarmaker · #11 03-21-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar_chick

Thanks newbie...I guess I can't really tear it up by just turning knobs. I shouldn't be so frightened of the technology I now possess. I should hit up my brother for info, he is an engineer and a good guitar player. He would be a pillar of knowledge, but he has told me recently that he has gotten away from effects and focuses on a clean amp. He lets the guitar do the singing.

yeah your bro should be able to help, and my dad is kinda like your brother he likes clean amps, but for the reason of modeling without any interference from the amp itself

TongueShredder · #12 03-21-2007, 07:20 PM

That is the reason why I enjoyed using pedals especially BOSS pedals. I first started playing guitar using BOSS MT-2, just that single pedal. I played around with it for a few months with it, learning how to tweak and get the tone that I want one. When I am very much comfortable with it, I bought my second pedal, BOSS DD-6 (Digital Delay). I used it with my Metal Zone and learn how to tweak with it and trying to understand its uses and getting the tone that I want. Once comfortable with it, I got my third pedal, BOSS Chorus pedal. This way, I learn how to tweak different pedals, understand what each pedal is for and learning to get the specific tone. The process of learning is cumulative. Probably next time around if I decide to buy A BOSS GT-8, I roughly know which knobs to play around in order to get the tone.

**elcid** · #13 03-21-2007, 07:38 PM

I like stomp boxes a hundred times better but there is nothing wrong with the RP200. Do you have any specific questions?

JJEMMER777 · #14 03-21-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar_chick

I need help, before I go certifiably insane.
Are stomp boxes better?

1st: You're already certifiably insane by joining a forum that is 99.9% dirty old men!!!

Just kiddin

Welcome aboard

2nd: I prefer Stomp boxes 100000000 times more than the all in ones (that I've tried) Not to mention the price difference. It really is going to depend on the type of music and sound you are looking for. All I have is a delay, wha, volume pedal and an Keeley Modded DS-1. And of course I've got the dirty and clean channels. With the above I can pretty much get ANY sound/tone I want.

What you really need to do, after getting some direction by all the brilliant minds on this forum (myself excluded

) is to just start experimenting with the different effects yourself on your rig

guitar_chick · #15 03-21-2007, 09:06 PM

What is sustain? The duration of the soundwave signal? The guy at the music shop told me these terms are pretty common sense, but my sense does not seem to be too common. Why do the terms reverb, sustain, delay, etc...all sound like the same thing to me? Maybe, I'm just such a girl.

My understanding is that reverb is the type of environment you are playing in? Arena vs. carpeted room? There is just so many terms. Then flanger? YaYa vs. WahWah? Then it gets real fuzzy about gates and cabinets. Cabinet is the different types of amps you are synthetically playing through?

I'm liking the idea of a single stomp box more and more, but I do like my Digitech; just a little flummoxed.