Guitarists use pedal effects to change the sound of their guitar, but they used to have to lug a large unit on their stage with them. These units are called pedal boards and they allow guitarists to change the tone of their guitar by changing the frequency of the signal that goes to it. However, many guitarists have ditched their large pedal boards in favor of compact, individual pedals. Here are three reasons why.
A typical pedal board is a heavy piece of equipment that takes up a lot of space on your stage. It’s also heavy and difficult to transport, which can be problematic if you want to take your pedals on tour with you. Additionally, it’s tricky to make sure that all your effects are still functional after you’ve packed them up. Furthermore, the pedals on your board tend to take up more space than those on your foot pedals- so most pedal boards are significantly larger than the pedals they’re designed to amplify. This means that you’ll have less space for your other gear if you also want room for a large board.
It’s much easier to transport individual pedals since they don’t take up as much space and are easier to secure with straps or cases. Also, it’s much quicker and easier to change which pedals you have when you’re playing live since each one is portable and self-contained. This makes it easy to replace a problematic effect without needing to go through the trouble of unplugging everything and moving every pedal off the stage. Plus, it’s much easier to find the right effect for a song when there’s only one copy of each pedal.
Many guitarists feel that having all their effects in one place makes them look like a pro- but this is far from the truth for most fans. Instead, fans prefer seeing you using only one guitar instead of three- and that’s because each guitarist has their own unique sound. It takes about five minutes to find the right pedal for any song and that gives you enough time to apply your own style rather handpicked effects for each song. Individualization keeps your shows interesting for both fans and fellow musicians alike.
The world of pedal effects is exploding thanks to new innovations and endless possibilities thanks to individual pedals. Guitarists love being able run through their effects quickly so they can get back to playing their music without wasting time fumbling with their board. Anyone can learn which effects work well together and how to use them effectively with just a little practice time and thoughtfulness.
