Effect pedal Facts for Kids

Tremolo and Chorus effects

An effect pedal is an electronic device that can change the sound of an instrument or the voice of a person. Typical effects include echo, chorus, distortion, tremolo, reverb and flanger. Effect pedals which are made to guitar typically use phone connector for connecting.

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A pedalboard allows a performer to create a ready-to-use chain of multiple pedals to achieve certain types of sounds. Signal chain order: tuner, compressor, octave generator, wah-wah pedal, overdrive, distortion, fuzz, EQ and tremolo.
Various type of guitar and bass effect pedals.
Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 overdrive pedal
An example of an effects chain. From the input [right] to the output [left]:
- Tuner [upper right] (tc electronic Polytune) ⇒
- Wah pedal [lower right] (Morley Bad Horsie Wah) ⇒
- Overdrives/distortion [lower row] (Rocktron Short Timer Delay → Danelectro CTO-1 Transparent Overdrive → Boss HM-2 → Boss MT-2) ⇒
- Modulations/delay [upper row] (Digitech Hyper Phase → Danelectro CV-1 Vibe → Danelectro CT Tremolo → Digitech Hyper Delay)
Rackmounted effects in road cases. These road cases have the front protective panels removed so the units can be operated. The protective panels are put back on and latched shut to protect the effects during transportation.
The Eventide HE3000 Ultra-Harmonizer pictured here displays the entire name of an effect or setting, which helps users to find their preferred settings and effects.
Multi-effects like this Boss ME-50 include many effects in one pedal.
Even in the 2010s, the vintage Fender Bandmaster remains a sought-after amp by guitarists (pictured is a 1968 model). Note the four inputs, two for regular sound and two which are run through the onboard tremolo effect unit.
A Fender Vibrolux Reverb amp and a ROSS amp
The Fuzz Face effect pedal.
Several Boss pedals connected together.
A rack of rackmount audio compressors in a recording studio. From top to bottom: Retro Instruments/Gates STA level; Spectra Sonic; Dbx 162; Dbx 165; Empirical Labs Distressor; Smart Research C2; Chandler Limited TG1; Daking FET (91579); and Altec 436c.
Peter Frampton's Talk box.
Thomas Organ Cry Baby Wah-wah pedal (1970) manufactured by JEN.
An MXR-101 Phaser pedal
An Electro-Harmonix Polyphonic Octaver Generator (POG).
A vintage Echoplex EP-2 delay effect
Folded line spring reverberation
An EBow guitar string resonator.
A Line 6 modeling amplifier shown from above. Note the various amplifier and speaker emulations selectable via the rotary knob on the left.
A rotating Leslie speaker in a clear plastic cabinet. Typically, the Leslie is mounted in a wooden cabinet.
A selection of bass effect pedals at a music store.
T-Rex brand "Mudhoney" overdrive pedal.
Some rock and pop guitarists and bassists use "stompbox" format electronic tuners.
This footswitch controls an effect (distortion), but it is not an effects pedal as the case does not contain effects circuitry; it is just a switch.

Effect pedal facts for kids

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See also