EFFECTS ORDER

Is there an accepted/tried & true order to putting your effects in line or is it all hit & miss. If there is, what would be one or more good orders to try for my stuff. Up to now it hasnt really mattered if i plug and unplug (a couple o these are tonesuckers - can ya guess which ones...?), but i'm starting to play more in a band setting so i need to figure this out...

1 - tuner
2 - EB vol (w/ tuner out)
3 - analog delay (used a lot for reverb rockabilly type sound)
4 - distortion (used a lot for mild overdrive)
5 - chorus (stereo - used mostly to split to two amps)

6 - octaver (rarely used)
7 - autowah (rarely used)

Oh yeah, i often but not always like to play two amps in stereo...

Thanks gurus!

The accepted theory is...

Distortion devices, modulation devices, time devices. Though this is not set in stone...

I think it should go.. 74652, and I'm not sure where 1 goes..

Yep. I'm with Phtot. I actually prefer some devices after the amp, like compression. It's very hard to set compression pre-mike since the mikes add compression after the speaker. Pre it sounds a tad squishy, post it acts more like a limiter and sustainer.

Tuners should be on separate loop since most brands have buffers.

One of my amps has a effects loop. How, if at all, does that change the equation?

I'm not sure, but my effects loop makes the effects not as pronounced, and it also cuts down quite a bit on noise.

My problem is when I've and an amp with a loop, the on-board reverb was always in the amps preamp. Since reverb is a time effect, I could not put it last in the chain. If I added a reverb pedal, it was ok, but I figure if you have reverb on your amp, use it.. so I've always put the chain in front of the amp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gris

1 - tuner
2 - EB vol (w/ tuner out)
3 - analog delay (used a lot for reverb rockabilly type sound)
4 - distortion (used a lot for mild overdrive)
5 - chorus (stereo - used mostly to split to two amps)
6 - octaver (rarely used)
7 - autowah (rarely used)

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Photoweb is right about the accepted order of things. Here's some other ideas to keep in mind (but you should experiment since your needs may vary):

* I put my tuner first (unless it's on a separate loop) so that it is only hearing the true guitar tune (without any added harmonics, etc. from some pedal). A Boss TU-2 also can cut off the signal going to the rest of the chain so you can tune without disturbing the audience.

* Unless you want it in the amp's effects loop, a compressor should come early (near guitar) since this will provide a smooth/consistent signal for the effects to come

* Things like Octave pedals, EQs, etc. should come next so that they are working with the cleanest signal (i.e., no hiss from overdrive/distortion, etc.)

* When using multiple distortion/overdrive pedals go from lower gain to higher gain (e.g., guitar > eq/boost > tube overdrive > full distortion)

* Many prefer distortion before a Wah but almost as many prefer it after the Wah

* Modulation (chorus, phase, flange, vibrato, tremolo, etc.) are next

* Noise gates should come next (i.e., BEFORE time/delay effects so they don't chop off the end of your reverb decay, etc.)

* Time (delay, echo, reverb) are towards the end of the chain (away from guitar/closer to amp)

* Volume pedal should be last so that it will take down ALL sound (including the time decay, etc.) and/or can be used as a final "noise gate" of sorts.

I have about "one of everything" on my board (see below / note I've flipped the EQ and Dist. since pic was taken) and the above guidelines have served me well for years. Also, here's a web site that may give you some ideas about effects order, effects loops, pre/post amp, etc.
http://www.amptone.com/index.html#effectssecn

http://www.mcquain.com/lespaul/pedalboard.jpg

mmquain, I agree except for the compressor and reverb. They should usually be on the house sound after the amp, post mike. I do pre-compress in my stage rig but only to add pop, not compression.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Offshore Angler

mmquain, I agree except for the compressor and reverb. They should usually be on the house sound after the amp, post mike. I do pre-compress in my stage rig but only to add pop, not compression.

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Good points. It's just that in my particular setup I'm doing the reverb with a pedal as I'm running direct out into our church system (they want no amps on stage!) so as I said before, they should experiment since your needs may vary.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mmcquain

* Things like Octave pedals, EQs, etc. should come next so that they are working with the cleanest signal (i.e., no hiss from overdrive/distortion, etc.)

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Plus, the Octaver tracks much better on a clean signal, so I'd place it close to the front.

Most people place the wah to the front, unless you've got something like a fuzz face, which I believe likes to see the signal directly from the pickups.

So:
guitar --> tuner pedal --> wha --> octavio --> tweak fuzz --> bad monkey --> soul vibe --> digidelay --> sonic stomp --> amp?

Here's how I would set it up:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gris

1 - tuner
2 - EB vol (w/ tuner out)
6 - octaver (rarely used)
7 - autowah (rarely used)
4 - distortion (used a lot for mild overdrive)
5 - chorus (stereo - used mostly to split to two amps)
3 - analog delay (used a lot for reverb rockabilly type sound)

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Thanks!

Used to use a lot of effects. Time based effects can go in the effects loop. My Mutron Octave Divider was first because as everyone else agrees, they do work better with a clean signal, then my distortion, chorus, phase shifter etc. Wah for me was a little different. Mine sounded better driven by the distortion as did my Mutron III, but that's all taste. If it's rarely used, I usually took it out of the signal chain until the set I needed it for. Some nights I never plugged some of the effects in at all.

Now my setup is a bit different. Guitar, cord, cranked lower wattage tube amp sometimes mic'd. I would experiment, it's a lot of fun.

After a bit of tweaking, I settled on:
Tuner pedal-->Soul Vibe-->Bad Monkey-->Tweak Fuzz-->Digidelay-->Sonic Stomp.
This is giving me the best "tone" so far, my Octavio is being modded (to run off of a wall wart) so I am sure the order will change once I start trying to squeeze that in some where...
Thanks again guys.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gris

Is there an accepted/tried & true order to putting your effects in line or is it all hit & miss. If there is, what would be one or more good orders to try for my stuff. Up to now it hasnt really mattered if i plug and unplug (a couple o these are tonesuckers - can ya guess which ones...?), but i'm starting to play more in a band setting so i need to figure this out...

1 - tuner
2 - EB vol (w/ tuner out)
3 - analog delay (used a lot for reverb rockabilly type sound)
4 - distortion (used a lot for mild overdrive)
5 - chorus (stereo - used mostly to split to two amps)

6 - octaver (rarely used)
7 - autowah (rarely used)

Oh yeah, i often but not always like to play two amps in stereo...

Thanks gurus!

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I would go with 2,6,7,4,5,3 and not use the tuner in-line.

I'd always run a fuzz before the Tuner the buffer in the tuner seems to change the tone to my ears, personally I run,

Double Muff -> TU2 -> Chorus -> Autowah -> Phaser -> Ehx wiggler (tube tremolo / vibrato pedal) -> Zvex Box of Rock

Delay is in the loop.

I like to be able to have drive at either end of the FX to it gives more flexiblity in the sounds you can create...

Definitely run your volume pedal in front of the delay. If you have tuner option on the EB volume pedal, then I think you should run your tuner through that option. This way it takes the pedal out of the chain.

On my setup, I have effect loops on my amps. I run my modulation and delays/reverbs in stereo through these, and run all my dirt/od and wah and phaser as well as the volume pedal in front of the amp.

I don't think there are any hard set rules, but that seems to work best for my ears.