How do effects pedals work?

[phil_the_bassist]

Ok, now I'm getting more into the fx side of bass I'd like to start knowing how it all happens.

I know the basics e.g. signal goes in, passes thru some electrical components (sometimes via a foot-operated potentiometer ) and goes into your amp.

So how does this actually happen? do you just solder a load of doohickeys in series, pass the signal thru and hope for the best? What makes a flange sound flangy and not like a wah, or fuzz, or chorus etc etc etc?

If there are any books on this, then let me know and I'll stop botherin you!

Umph, I know you build your own pedals...would you be able to impart some of your wisdom to a lesser mortal?

[dangerboy]

There's a nice guide to the technology of basic pedal types at Geofex:

[url="http://www.geofex.com/fxtech.htm"]http://www.geofex.com/fxtech.htm[/url]

I learned a huge amount from there, even though I have no electronics background.

And if you want a book, I believe 'Electronics Projects for Musicians' by Craig Anderton is as good a place to start as any.

Edited July 1, 2008 by dangerboy

[bnt]

Wikipedia has some useful descriptions of what's happening at the sonic level e.g. their article on [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flanger"]Flanging[/url] explains where the name came from. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaser_(effect)"]Phasing[/url] is a bit odd, since it involves an all-pass filter that affects the phase of different frequencies differently. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorus_effect"]Chorus[/url] is basically a short variable-speed multi-tap delay, while Wah-Wah (Wah for short) is a band-pass filter (EQ) you sweep with your foot!

Edited July 1, 2008 by bnt

[Mr. Foxen]

Magic, also known as electrickery. Main important things:
More knobs = better
Louder colours = better tone
Large pedal = Electroharmonix
Small pedal = MXR
As used by [insert famous guitarist] = expensive

[dangerboy]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='230673' date='Jul 1 2008, 04:51 PM']Magic, also known as electrickery. Main important things:
More knobs = better
Louder colours = better tone
Large pedal = Electroharmonix
Small pedal = MXR
As used by [insert famous guitarist] = expensive[/quote]

You forgot 'brighter LED, preferably blue or white (or colour-changing!) = better'

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='dangerboy' post='231002' date='Jul 1 2008, 11:40 PM']You forgot 'brighter LED, preferably blue or white (or colour-changing!) = better'[/quote]

Blue LED = The future (treat with suspicion)
Red LED = Trad and reliable.

[Toasted]

They trap fairies inside the boxes, and the fair listens through a speaker connected to your bass for what you're playing, and then it sings the effect through a microphone into your amp.

Simple, eh?

[phil_the_bassist]

lol!

tea===>keyboard

I didn't realise the light/colour/LED/fairy technology had come so far!

[Toasted]

I forgot to mention about the little string for the fairy to pull to turn the LED on... and you definitely don't want to know what happens when you press the footswitch!! Poor fairy....

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Toasted' post='231133' date='Jul 2 2008, 09:54 AM']I forgot to mention about the little string for the fairy to pull to turn the LED on... and you definitely don't want to know what happens when you press the footswitch!! Poor fairy....[/quote]


are you sure the RSPF knows about this..? do they condone it?!