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Proper Effects Chain


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I know the majority of guitarist here use computer based systems with interfaces and software.

Im also hearing that most record a dry signal and add their effects after the fact,but for us old school people that still use actual amps and actual effects,it would be Awesome if some of the pro's out there would explain the correct locations for different types of effects,as far as the order they should go in,and which should be in front of the amp verses in the effects loop.

I have a pretty good idea how I like my rig to run for the best sound,but that's just from years of trial and error,a lot of reading,and checking out a lot of the different musicians rig run downs on You Tube.

I'm sure with the wealth of knowledge on this site,there's some good advice to be given for players like myself that just arn't into the software setups yet,[besides quit living in the 80's],or information that could be used when playing out live.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

David

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Rob might be the better one to ask about floorboards

 

I like my stuff relatively clean http://forums.songstuff.com/blog/159/entry-1484-review-yamaha-thr10c-the-little-amp-that-can/

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I wasn't really intending this post to be directed towards anyone in particular Mike,but I do appreciate the response.

I was actually about to delete the post,due to lack of response.

You can read 10,000 articles about it and none are the same,just due to personal preferences.

I just thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion;to hear about different peoples setups,and their reasoning behind the order and placement of the effects in their chain.

As for myself I always run my wah and compression up front before any distortions.I keep a delay before and after distortions,and will use whichever one that seems to suit what I'm playing best,where as I know most people swear by putting delays and reverb at the end of the chain,as well as gates.

As far as modulating effects that's where the big question mark seems to be.I keep a Uni-Vibe out front also but pretty much everything else winds up in the middle of the mix somewhere.

Like I said in the original post,just looking for ideas.

Rock on everyone !!!

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Heck, I never knew people actually recorded dry and added the effects later. I always record with effects if I'm using them. It seems recording dry would take the fun out of it.  :drums:

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That's me also.

I need to know my "Finished Product" tone while Im playing and recording,as thats what gives the song its character.

It also lets me gauge my string attack as that is a huge part of the "Attitude" you get while playing,and in your finished product.

About the most altering I do after the fact is mess around with volumes on the different tracks in the mastering process.

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I hated recording dry AND though I've had to on numerous occasions.  Even slight feedback can beef a tone up and give it the sustain in the right places.

 

I really like the THR for the simple fact that I can hear the amp sim while playing/recording but don't need to use the amp simon the recording as the THR sends both a stereo dry channel and stereo wet signal to the daw.  If got quite a number of great effects in my daws and as vst's  they are fun to play with after the fact (recording)  and the THR even offers re-amping.

 

One thing I will say about noise gates.....I'll never get used to using one as much as I've heard them used to great effect by others.  I can't imagine how one could imagine them sounding while playing  

 

I've got a very nice Digitech RP400 collecting some very nice dust. Back in the 90's I got a lot of traction using a digitech RP-10 in the various rock/blues bands and gigs I was doing. It was easy to pull up familiar tones and easy on my ears.  I spent weeks and weeks trying to find something satisfying in the RP400  1000's of presets and not an easily identifiable sound in the bunch.

 

On the other hand my korg pandora mini  had familiar tones every time I turned around. And yet it was unbearably noisy.

 

I have friends who place setting up effects on a higher plane then playing. They dabble endlessly producing nothing but wasted time and occasionally a good recreation of a "sound" Personally I have no patience for spending all that time tweaking.  And it doesn't help that once I've dialed in the magical tone I forget to save it.

 

Mike.

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I do see that as a potential problem, but it shouldn't be. As a musician/songwriter, you should really know what effects you're going to use BEFORE you even think about recording, hence no reason to need to change them.

 

Of course when you record 100% on your own, you can get away with it. It'd be different if one was in a band, had a record label, producer, etc… that may hear it and say it needs to change.

 

Pretty interesting topic and I'm guessing at some point I will try the clean first thing to see how it goes.

Edited by Just1L
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I hear you. I think I understand … and then again I don't. Sounds like I'm going to have to try it to see how it works. I really didn't realize that if you record clean, no matter what effect you use, the timing of the delay, flanger, echo, etc… will all fall into place. Which, knowing that, it does make sense to record clean. Especially if you don't know what effect you're going to use but really want to lay down a track. Good to know, I never even gave that a thought.

Edited by Just1L
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Hmm...

 

I've been messing around with the current song I'm working on. I added a lead to it. Lo and behold, I may need to change the effects on one of the distorted guitars I started the song out with ... 

 

So the question:

Do Dave and Tom practice Voodoo? Are they psychic? Did I learn a lesson?

 

The answer could be Yes to all.

 

Randy

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  • 2 weeks later...

I hated recording dry AND though I've had to on numerous occasions.  Even slight feedback can beef a tone up and give it the sustain in the right places.

 

I really like the THR for the simple fact that I can hear the amp sim while playing/recording but don't need to use the amp simon the recording as the THR sends both a stereo dry channel and stereo wet signal to the daw.  If got quite a number of great effects in my daws and as vst's  they are fun to play with after the fact (recording)  and the THR even offers re-amping.

 

One thing I will say about noise gates.....I'll never get used to using one as much as I've heard them used to great effect by others.  I can't imagine how one could imagine them sounding while playing  

 

I've got a very nice Digitech RP400 collecting some very nice dust. Back in the 90's I got a lot of traction using a digitech RP-10 in the various rock/blues bands and gigs I was doing. It was easy to pull up familiar tones and easy on my ears.  I spent weeks and weeks trying to find something satisfying in the RP400  1000's of presets and not an easily identifiable sound in the bunch.

 

On the other hand my korg pandora mini  had familiar tones every time I turned around. And yet it was unbearably noisy.

 

I have friends who place setting up effects on a higher plane then playing. They dabble endlessly producing nothing but wasted time and occasionally a good recreation of a "sound" Personally I have no patience for spending all that time tweaking.  And it doesn't help that once I've dialed in the magical tone I forget to save it.

 

Mike.

Just thought I would say that I was in this shop yesterday (your link).

 

As for effects chains. I set one up on my aged GT5 before reading the advice in the manual. I had got it all wrong of course, but its one of my favourite patches and I use it extensively playing live.

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Quote : " I had got it all wrong of course, but its one of my favorite patches and I use it extensively playing live."

This is kind of the reason I started this thread . 

​i pretty much know the recommended order the effects should go in , but stuff like this is exactly what I was looking for .

Set ups out of the norm with good results that people would be willing to share .

I don't really know how this thread went from effect order to a whether to record wet or dry debate , and dont mind one bit .It made for excellent conversation that i must admit , some of it I absolutely agreed with and some I wasnt really on board with , but its all good and leads up to my next topic .

Thanks for everyones insight and info !!!!  

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Set ups out of the norm with good results that people would be willing to share

 

David,

 

I can take a look and see what that patch-chain is if you like. Just let me know and then give me a day or 2.

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That would be Awesome !!!!

Like everyone else Im allways looking for something new .

Appreciate it.

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ok. Done. I was unable to confirm the chain with a listing, but I'm pretty sure its right.

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Got it !!!

Thanks again .

Will try to program it into my processor over the weekend and let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again.

David

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  • 2 weeks later...

I use my Fender stratocaster (USA) and Messa Bogie Nomad, I don't like guitar processors, sometimes I use some analog Marshall pedals.

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I do use processors but I must admit 99% of the presets arnt worth a darn.

I typically take out the amp sims right off the bat if they are present.I have a few amps I really love and it would seem kinda stupid [for lack of a better word] to alter the main amps sound that I liked enough to purchase the amp to start with.

Next I always run in manual mode and tweek each effect I have on to my liking and am able to engage or disengage each effect individually as need be on the fly.

My main amps are a mid 80's Carvin X 100 B 4/12 halfstack , a Mesa Nomad 100 and a 1973 Fender Super Six Reverb [same head as a Twin but with 6/10's instead of 2/12's.

Between these three i can get pretty much anything Im shooting for.

I also run an ABY to run multiple amps at once for a very full stereo sound.

Last but not least I have two bass amps I use for monitors or doing bass tracks

My main processor is an old Digitech 2112 with the 2120 upgrade eprom chip.but I have four more that I use on occasion.

But under other circumstances I also use old school stomps ,my favorite probabbly being a Dunlop Uni-Vibe.Its awesome if your into the Robin Trower stuff.

When I hit the lottary Ill probabbly go for a Fractal Axe FX2. LOL

Edited by davidmichael
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