Ideas spring from experimentation. Try something wild and see what happens.
I love to play with guitar effect pedals. In the world of guitar pedals, there are certain generally held principles that should be observed, or at least understood. For instance, filters, like wah or auto-wah should be up front. Then you move into the distortions usually. Then time based effects like delay and reverb. Ideally, time based effects are used in an effect loop of the amp, so that time effects can be applied to the amp distortion.
Usually.
But once you know they why's and what's, then you can really change things around. For example, what if you put a massive reverb after distortion but before delay? Now your guitar can sound almost synth or string like.
I spent a long time getting my personal "tone" down to 3 pedals. Distortion, phase and delay. Thats it. That's the chain I love.
But then... I got a Boss Slicer. And an EHX Ring Thing, and a Source Audio Hothand Wah, and a Source Audio Multiband Distortion, and a looper, and, and...
This is a result of experimenting. This is the first time I've played with the Ring Thing and Wah so part of the experimentation is just seeing what happens. Its crazy, its fun, has a vibe to it... I'm not the best player around but I can crank out some great harmony and melody. Here is the chain:
- Gibson SG Guitar
- EHX RingThing with an Expression pedal for pitch effects
- Source Audio Hothand Wah using the wireless accelerometer ring for wah effects (this pedal is AMAZING) plus expression out to MODULATION IN on RingThing
- Source Audio Multiband distortion (with ring daisy chained through the wah)
- Boss RC-50 Loop Station
- Renovo Tejas
Then captured with an iPhone. I know. Awful, but it was more for me to capture an idea, not meant to share.
