AKARSH SHEKHAR
Five Ways to Stack Your Distortion Pedals
If you ’ ve used more than one distortion pedal at a time , you ’ ve officially stacked pedals . It ’ s that straightforward . Depending on your pedals and settings , your experiments may have met with mixed results , but the basic idea is solid ; use one gain pedal to boost or color the sound of another . Stacking overdrive / gain / boost / distortion / fuzz pedals can accomplish a variety of goals . One option is to set them up to be multiple gain stages . A clean amp with a light-heavy gain pedal stacking is quite common . When dialed-in correctly , these can be four distinct sounds : clean , dirty , heavy , or saturated .
Fuzz pedals add a different color palette to your overall sound , but they work the same way as any other drive pedal . For example , if your fuzz pedal sounds better to you at high gain , treat it as a heavier gain pedal . If it sounds better at a lower gain setting , treat it like a lower gain pedal .
You can also use stacks of drive pedals to change the overall character of your existing gear . For a different set of sounds , start with a pedal that has the tonal characteristics of a specific amp , ideally one that is different from your amp . Then stack that pedal with another flavor of gain , and you ' ve got
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34 highonscore . com two distinct amp tones that can be overdriven .
Starting off with a clean amp sound will offer more variety and flexibility if you ' re stacking gain pedals ; the differences will be more audible . However , the concept can also work with a dirty amp . Obviously , the less distorted your amp setup is , the more you can influence the sound with the drive pedals .
Tips for Stacking Pedals Here are 5 tips to understand when starting to stack pedals :
• The last pedal in the stack has the most influence on the overall tone .
• A clean boost can be used as a gain boost versus an overdrive pedal , or a volume boost if placed afterward .
• Some pedals are great for specific jobs . Transparent units are great for adding gain or boost to a sound you don ' t want to alter , such as a second channel or gain stage . TS-style units boost mids , lower highs and lows , and add some compression and some clean , distortion-free signal to the mix . These are great for making a soloist stand out or for reinforcing a thick rhythmic sound .
• It is important to find the optimal gain setting between pedals . Too much gain or level can cause excessive hiss or hum , weird handling noise , EQ , and compression , and can make your sounds appear smaller . Of course , there are times when sheer cacophony may be exactly what you ' re looking for .
• All drive pedals have an inherent EQ curve and sound . Knowing what that curve is will help you know how and where to stack a pedal . To find out what your pedal sounds like , try these steps :
• Start with the EQ controls set to flat ( usually 12:00 ).
• Set the gain control to 9:00 or 10:00 , lower if the pedal still responds correctly .
• Match the volume control so that the level is the same when the pedal is on / off .
• Play a chord with the pedal turned off . Turn on the pedal and play the same chord . Listen to the EQ differences in the two sounds . Are there more or less means ? Does the low end change noticeably ? Are the maximums the same ?
• Increase the gain incrementally and toggle between on and off . Does the character of the pedal change ? Is it a good thing ?
• Use the volume control knob as well . Some pedals sound better turned up or make the amp louder .