FX Help !!

GrahamG

Hi,i have no idea where to start with this,but here goes.
I have been playing Guitar(gigging),since the late '50's & in all that time i have never been able to get to grips with using or setting effects.
Over the years i have bought a few echo/reverb units & have always switched off or unplugged them after a couple of songs(or less).
I have in recent years even bought a couple of multi effects units GT100  &  POD500HD(actually i've bought them twice)& still failed miserably with them.
I think the problem stems from playing just rhythm for the 1st 10 years of my playing,so when i switch on any effect,in my head it just sounds like i'm swamping my guitar sound,but i hear lots of players use them live & they sound great,for instance we regulary go to watch a young band who have no on stage amps whatsoever,just processors of some sort( i've also tried to do with the Multi Effects units),but their Guitar sounds are sometimes brilliant,for instance the sound on Queens(want to break free)is as near to Brian May as i have ever heard,so it is possible
I suspect the main problem is i have no idea what i'm doing setting the parameters or which effects are being used to create any given sound,maybe i should buy a better quality unit(Helix?) & give it one final try before i die.
But where/how do i learn how to build/program a required sound,ala Brian May(without aiming too high )
I think i'm beyond help,but if anyone could,point me in the right direction with how get to grips with any of this,i'd owe you at least 1 pint,maybe even 2.

professorben

I think the new breed of multi fx

Helix
Helux LT
AX8
FX8

whilst pricey, are much more user freindly than units of yore, It's fairly easy to imagine a virtual 'pedalboard' and tweak it as such. 

Setting up a basic tone, and adding fx as needed is key in my opinion, trying to adjust and edit presets is on a hiding to nothing as they mostly have been designed to impress in a music shop. 

I'd suggest doing some research on what Brian Mays set up is, then pop down to a shop that sells Line6 Helix and ask to have a demo, ask the sales guy to make a new patch with 

Driven Vox AC30
Treble Boost
Harmoniser
Delay

and see how close you can get. 

GrahamG

Thanks,i think i'm ok with Amp sounds,it's knowing the effects types & what to do with them that's the problem,a good suggestion to get 1 of the whizz kid sales guys to build a patch,i don't play Queen songs,it just seems like a good place to start to build a sound.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Sporky

Also, while I feel a little dirty saying it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with guitar - lead - amp.

GrahamG

Well,it's done ok for me for nearly 60 years of playing,but the latest numbers we've added could do with a bit extra & even though i'm old,i i'm still a Guitar player & always want a bit more.

Jonathanthomas83

Sporky said:

Also, while I feel a little dirty saying it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with guitar - lead - amp.

We don't tolerate remarks like that around here. Get out. Now.

ESBlonde

Perhaps if you gave us some examples of a sound you want to have we could suggest ways to get it. remember some effcts sound better when you adapt your playing style to suit, a chorus is more defined when playing arpegios rather than just thrashing (but that can work too).

As someone that has gigged for many decades I can tell you that Joe Punter has little clue what he's lstening to. Having a small number of pre set effects and adding them as and when needed will give the illusion of a very expensive and extensive set up. Consider some basic boss pedals because they just work. You would be hard pressed to hear a difference to some esoteric boutique branded effects in a typical live gig setting. A good 'pedal platform' amp can make a lot of difference.

Gassage

I'd start with a really good analog multi fx.

If you want that May sound, then the Carl martin quattro has all the things you need and sound stunning.

I'd TOTALLY avoid the modelling suggestions above- if you've struggled with aGT100 then the Quattro will be perfect.

They are stunning, but get the Mk2 with Chorus.

Gassage

Or a Keeley Dark Side...

GrahamG

Thanks for the suggestions,i'm not really looking to go for a particular sound,i mentioned the Brian May/Queen song,because i wouldn't have a clue what relevant effect pedals i would need to build that sound,let alone how to adjust the parameters to obtain it.
The only echo sound i really understand is the Rock & Roll slapback,which as far as i can tell is a very fast repeat of the original note,i think i'm struggling at a basic level of knowledge way below normal,especially for someone with my gigging experience.
I just have no clue about the basic parameters of even simple delays/reverb/chorus & when i try to get to grips with them,it just makes my sound worse.
Is there an idiots guide on effects & there use i could read,or am i lost .

sgosden

GrahamG said:

Thanks for the suggestions,i'm not really looking to go for a particular sound,i mentioned the Brian May/Queen song,because i wouldn't have a clue what relevant effect pedals i would need to build that sound,let alone how to adjust the parameters to obtain it.
The only echo sound i really understand is the Rock & Roll slapback,which as far as i can tell is a very fast repeat of the original note,i think i'm struggling at a basic level of knowledge way below normal,especially for someone with my gigging experience.
I just have no clue about the basic parameters of even simple delays/reverb/chorus & when i try to get to grips with them,it just makes my sound worse.
Is there an idiots guide on effects & there use i could read,or am i lost .

I'll probably get blasted by their haters but...

Have you tried watching 'that pedal show' on youtube? they go through the basics of a lot of things on there

Sporky

http://monkeyfx.co.uk/guides.html

GrahamG

sgosden said:

GrahamG said:

Thanks for the suggestions,i'm not really looking to go for a particular sound,i mentioned the Brian May/Queen song,because i wouldn't have a clue what relevant effect pedals i would need to build that sound,let alone how to adjust the parameters to obtain it.
The only echo sound i really understand is the Rock & Roll slapback,which as far as i can tell is a very fast repeat of the original note,i think i'm struggling at a basic level of knowledge way below normal,especially for someone with my gigging experience.
I just have no clue about the basic parameters of even simple delays/reverb/chorus & when i try to get to grips with them,it just makes my sound worse.
Is there an idiots guide on effects & there use i could read,or am i lost .

I'll probably get blasted by their haters but...

Have you tried watching 'that pedal show' on youtube? they go through the basics of a lot of things on there

Sporky said:

http://monkeyfx.co.uk/guides.html

Thanks,sgosden,i'll check them out.
Thanks for the link Sporky,i'll check that out too.

professorben

Gassage said:

I'd start with a really good analog multi fx.

If you want that May sound, then the Carl martin quattro has all the things you need and sound stunning.

I'd TOTALLY avoid the modelling suggestions above- if you've struggled with aGT100 then the Quattro will be perfect.

They are stunning, but get the Mk2 with Chorus.

I didn't even know they were a thing. 

Gassage

professorben said:

Gassage said:

I'd start with a really good analog multi fx.

If you want that May sound, then the Carl martin quattro has all the things you need and sound stunning.

I'd TOTALLY avoid the modelling suggestions above- if you've struggled with aGT100 then the Quattro will be perfect.

They are stunning, but get the Mk2 with Chorus.

I didn't even know they were a thing. 

Ben, one of the best units out there...the delay is amazing.

EricTheWeary

One possibility is just to buy a very cheap multi fx (
like a Zoom), read the manual and then play around with the effects. I'm not saying they will sound great but they shouldn't sound awful and you will get some sense of how things work. So, delay for example has three basic parameters and you can mess around with what happens when you adjust each up and down and then what happens if you do other stuff like add modulation. If you want to spend more money then you will have a better idea of the sounds you like and how to adjust them.

If you are chasing a very specific sound there's often a chance someone else has worked on it so google can be your friend there. As it happens the solo on the original of I Want to Break Free not played by Brian or on guitar at all, it's a synth imitating a guitar so even Brian has issues with that one and on the live versions I've listened to he doesn't sound much like the record (I think he just uses a wah).

Drew_TNBD

GrahamG said:

Hi,i have no idea where to start with this,but here goes.
I have been playing Guitar(gigging),since the late '50's & in all that time i have never been able to get to grips with using or setting effects.
Over the years i have bought a few echo/reverb units & have always switched off or unplugged them after a couple of songs(or less).
I have in recent years even bought a couple of multi effects units GT100  &  POD500HD(actually i've bought them twice)& still failed miserably with them.
I think the problem stems from playing just rhythm for the 1st 10 years of my playing,so when i switch on any effect,in my head it just sounds like i'm swamping my guitar sound,but i hear lots of players use them live & they sound great,for instance we regulary go to watch a young band who have no on stage amps whatsoever,just processors of some sort( i've also tried to do with the Multi Effects units),but their Guitar sounds are sometimes brilliant,for instance the sound on Queens(want to break free)is as near to Brian May as i have ever heard,so it is possible
I suspect the main problem is i have no idea what i'm doing setting the parameters or which effects are being used to create any given sound,maybe i should buy a better quality unit(Helix?) & give it one final try before i die.
But where/how do i learn how to build/program a required sound,ala Brian May(without aiming too high )
I think i'm beyond help,but if anyone could,point me in the right direction with how get to grips with any of this,i'd owe you at least 1 pint,maybe even 2.

Hey Graham,

What amp are you using?

Luminous

If I may suggest a left field idea, book a couple of lessons with a local teacher who has FX and knows what they do and know how to use them. I've had a few people come to me for a couple of lessons in that and it's saved them a huge amount of money because they can then just get what they need.

professorben

Luminous said:

If I may suggest a left field idea, book a couple of lessons with a local teacher who has FX and knows what they do and know how to use them. I've had a few people come to me for a couple of lessons in that and it's saved them a huge amount of money because they can then just get what they need.

This is a great idea. 

ennspek

Of the mainstream digital stuff the Helix is by far the most intuitive to use but it assumes you know what pedals you want.
Google is probably your friend on this regard. As @Sporky said though, nowt wrong with a guitar into an amp.

timhulio

If you've not got on with multi-fx in the past, why not start simple? Get some good-sounding analog overdrive or distortion with only a few controls so you don't get bogged-down fiddling with settings. See if it adds anything to your playing experience and go from there. No fuss, no muss.