guitar: WEEK7 OPTIONS

This week, I write about the guitar’s options. Electric guitar’s sound can be made by effects units. Let’s know the variety of effects unit.

EFFECTS UNIT

Effects unit is the tool which changes the sound of the electric guitar or adds other effect to the sound of the electric guitar. Effects unit expends the range of the electric guitar’s expression. The number of kinds of effects unit is roughly divided into 5 kinds.

The five kinds are distortion, modulation, time based, filter, and other.

・Distortion

Distortion is classified into 3 types by the level of distortion. The 3 types are Over Drive, Distortion, and Fuzz.

Over Drive tenderly and snugly makes sound distorting. Over Drive sound can be used in all genres of music. Over Drive is used when player simply wants distorting sound or wants to make sound’s volume higher. OD-1 (from BOSS) and T Scream (from IBANES) is famous.

Distortion violently makes sound distorting and used in hard rock and heavy metal. Distortion is often used when the used amplifier doesn’t have the function of distortion.

Fuzz sound is distortion which contains humidity. Fuzz is used for guitar solo or special effect. Some Fuzz makes sound too distorting to recognize what step the sound is. Fuzz is also famous as the effects unit James Marshall Hendrix the god of electric guitar used.

・Modulation

Modulation effects unit is classified into 4 types. The 4 types are Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, and Tremolo.

Chorus mixes the artificial sound which is almost same to original sound with the guitar`s sound so that the sound made is thick and waver comfortably. NIRVANA (the 90s legendary band)s vocal guitar, Kurt Donald Cobain cherished Chorus.

Flanger makes sound waving. When Flanger is applied strongly, the sound becomes like wheeling.

Phaser sound is like the sound which is more metallic Flanger sound.

Tremolo effect is cyclic ups and downs of sound`s volume. Tremolo produces sense of special reverb.

・Time based

Time based effect is classified into 2 types. 2 types are Reverb and Delay.

Reverb effect is like the echo used in karaoke. Reverb gives place depth. The famous Reverb Holy Grail (from E – Harmonix) is used by John Anthony Frusciante the guitarist of Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Delay mixes sound which is little late to original sound to the sound, and the made sound is heard like echo. Delay produces the sense of reverb which is almost same to sound in large hall. Delay is famous as the effects unit the edge the guitarist of U2.

・Filter

Filter effect is classified into 3 types. 3 types are Wow, Pitch sifter, and Whammy.

Wow is effects unit by whose pedal`s angle the level of frequency changes. Some guitarist uses Wow in solo. The trigger of popularization is that Wow was used among blues guitarists.