Does anyone put their OD/Drive/distortion at the end of their chain?

[lidl e]

I want to get a plethora x3, but the lack of effects loop mean i have to put distortion wither before compression or after everything.  I deally I'd have comp->dist->eveythingis else. 

 

I dont really want to use another compressor as i want to keep this board small.

 

I suppose ill have to do drive before comp.

 

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

I like drive after modulation, but that's a matter of personal preferences, as is comp, which I like you prefer before drive.

 

However drive before pitchshifter/octaver effects, or after reverb and delay, can turn out problematic, unless you do it for special effects, I for instance got a reverb that I have placed before my drive effects, dedicated for a huge wall of sound effect.

 

I guess in the end it really depends on how you personally like your effects and the context they are used, as well as which drive effects and how you use them in specific.

 

In your case I'd probably place the drive before the Plethora, though if your drives are all low to medium gain overdrive I would consider placing them after instead.

 

I mean for those who use tube amps and like to drive them hard that essentially would be a case of drive after everything else.

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

My board has the overdrive last in the chain, however I'm only using a few pedals - no pitch/delay/modulation etc.

 

Mustang Bass -> [Boss TU-3 Tuner] -> [Boss SY-1 Synth] -> [SFX Thumpinator] -> [Boss LMB-3 limiter] -> [Boss ODB-3] -> Ashdown ABM 600 EVO IV

 

The LMB-3 is always on (as is the thumpinator). The grit & dirt in my sound comes from the Amp, and the OBB-3 is used as an extra boost punched in when needed, and never when using the SY-1.

[PaulThePlug]

Effects Order...

One thing from my guitaring days...

The convention of delay last means you get more of the same... repeats are the same.

Placing the delay earlier in the chain... before modulation, such as a phaser, means the delay repeats are changing...

[lidl e]

52 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

I like drive after modulation, but that's a matter of personal preferences, as is comp, which I like you prefer before drive.

 

However drive before pitch/octaver effects, reverb and delay can turn out problematic, unless you do it as a special effect, I for instance have a reverb that I have placed before my drive effects, for huge wall of sound stuff.

 

I guess it depends of how you like your effects and the context they are used, and also how and which drive effects you use in specific.

 

In your case I'd probably place the drive before the Plethora, though if your drives are all low to medium gain overdrive I would consider placing them after instead.

 

I mean for those who use tube amps and like to drive them hard that essentially would be a case of drive after everything else.

 

Thats an interesting response and a lot to consider. 

 

Ive always put drive first (bar comp) but then ive always ever really only used effects for noise making and soundscape kind of improv shite.

 

For the first time, in any kind of major way im having to use effects tailored to particular songs.

 

I would almost get a plethora x5 just for the insert, but i dont need that big 

[Baloney Balderdash]

17 hours ago, lidl e said:

Thats an interesting response and a lot to consider. 

 

Ive always put drive first (bar comp) but then ive always ever really only used effects for noise making and soundscape kind of improv shite.

 

For the first time, in any kind of major way im having to use effects tailored to particular songs.

 

I would almost get a plethora x5 just for the insert, but i dont need that big 

 

I meant of course

18 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

I like drive after modulation, but that's a matter of personal preferences, as is comp, which I like you prefer before drive.

 

However drive before pitchchifter/octaver effects, or after reverb and delay, can turn out problematic, unless you do it for special effects, I for instance got a reverb that I have placed before my drive effects, dedicated for a huge wall of sound effect.

 

I guess in the end it really depends on how you personally like your effects and the context they are used, as well as which drive effects and how you use them in specific.

 

In your case I'd probably place the drive before the Plethora, though if your drives are all low to medium gain overdrive I would consider placing them after instead.

 

I mean for those who use tube amps and like to drive them hard that essentially would be a case of drive after everything else.

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[BigRedX]

While conventional wisdom says distortion goes near the front of the effects chain, there are no hard and fast rules, and if an unconventional effects order gives you sound you want then it's the right order.

 

This is one of the big advantages with a modern programmable mug;ti-effects unit in that the effects can be in any order of your choosing and be completely re-ordered for the next patch, and called up at the press of a footswitch.