Effect Pedal Soirée

[Alan W]

A few weeks ago, a close friend (non musician) asked if I’d be interested in hosting an afternoon get together, based on my explaining what “all the pedals do”—how could I refuse? There were only two musicians in attendance, a talented but very much hobbiest jazz singer, and an accomplished folk musician (guitar, fiddle, some banjo). I decided not to invite my guitar playing friends, and didn’t give that decision enough real thought to be able to explain why. I thought about ways of presentation, general organization, etc. I decided against making an outline.

It was both enjoyable (for everyone, I think), and really interesting to me, to need to think about how to explain this whole mess we’re living in. It’s the old “if you need to teach something, you’ll learn more than anyone else” situation. Not that I learned anything specifically, but it made me think a lot more about gain staging, and how I use pedals with the effect basically turned off, just to enjoy the subtleties that the engaged circuit brings to the total.

I was hoping to demonstrate different guitars, how the structures and electronics in each gave them a unique sound, and how different picks can affect the overall sound, etc.—but we went through around 2 1/2 hours and I hadn’t really talked much about reverbs yet. (Chorus was probably the lengthiest segment, people were full of questions. Go figure.)

I was also asked about the whole hobby—did many people do this, what the legal implications we’re, etc.

Anyone else do something similar?

 

[coltonius]

A few weeks ago, a close friend (non musician) asked if I’d be interested in hosting an afternoon get together, based on my explaining what “all the pedals do”—how could I refuse? There were only two musicians in attendance, a talented but very much hobbiest jazz singer, and an accomplished folk musician (guitar, fiddle, some banjo). I decided not to invite my guitar playing friends, and didn’t give that decision enough real thought to be able to explain why. I thought about ways of presentation, general organization, etc. I decided against making an outline.

It was both enjoyable (for everyone, I think), and really interesting to me, to need to think about how to explain this whole mess we’re living in. It’s the old “if you need to teach something, you’ll learn more than anyone else” situation. Not that I learned anything specifically, but it made me think a lot more about gain staging, and how I use pedals with the effect basically turned off, just to enjoy the subtleties that the engaged circuit brings to the total.

I was hoping to demonstrate different guitars, how the structures and electronics in each gave them a unique sound, and how different picks can affect the overall sound, etc.—but we went through around 2 1/2 hours and I hadn’t really talked much about reverbs yet. (Chorus was probably the lengthiest segment, people were full of questions. Go figure.)

I was also asked about the whole hobby—did many people do this, what the legal implications we’re, etc.

Anyone else do something similar?

My wife suffers from chronic headaches that always kick in right about 7 o’clock as I start playing in the music room. It’s so weird! Anyway, I doubt she or any of my non-musician friends would care to hear about effects philosophy from me.

On a similar note, though, I do find that having real, in person gear conversations provides the kind of opportunities for self-reflection you’re describing. I’ve had some super nerdy ones with the guitar instructors at the music studio when my daughter was taking lessons!

 

[jwyles90]

I haven't had an entire event planned around it, but my partner will ask for little showcases of the pedals I acquire or build on occasion. I realized very quickly how challenging it can be to explain to someone who knows nothing about gear, guitar, or circuitry what exactly is happening and why the signal sounds the way it does. She, too, is most intrigued by modulation.

My favorite was turning a compressor on and going "do you hear that??" and her responding with a polite and gracious shrug.