Effects you like vs. Effects you actually use

[elevenstrings]

The one in the Big Sky & Mobius is kinda mild. EHX Talking Machine is the only dedicated one I can think of (oh and the Little Dipper from TWA)

[GardenoftheDead]

I think octavia-ish fuzzes and the one effect that I like to play with but never record with.

Otherwise Distortion+Delay+Reverb are must haves, though I usually use DAW plug-ins for the latter two in the recording phase

[neonblack]

So I think what I need is to find another guitar player who uses delay to do all the atmospheric stuff and let me do all the fuzzin and verbin.

I did play with the SEA a little more today and I do really like it. I found a couple settings that I like and I'm going to keep messing around.

I could totally get away with like 3-4 dirt pedals (for mah textures) and a reverb. And an octaver when I wanna scare people.

[blindrabbit]

I probably don't need as much variety in my dirt as I have, but I still like having all the options, and no matter what anyone else thinks, I know I can hear a difference between them all.

Same holds true for modulation. I use it rarely in my original band, but when I do, I want to have the right one.

Now, do I try to use them all because I have them, or do I have them because I need to use them all? Dunno.

I just love different stuff.

[oldangelmidnight]

Try playing less.
One strum or note per measure. Or per verse.
Let the noisemakers to the rest of the work.

[sergiomunoz74]

I've got a real small bored compared to most people Tuner>Boss PS-2>Rat>Pitchfactor>Boss PS-2>MF104m. I've decided that I may add a second dirt, a bit quest, and an expression pedal but I always stop myself. I just find that I have kept my bored the same for a long time because I don't need fancy bouncy digital delays, real modulation, or several fuzzes or dirts. I only use things that go with my song making and most of it is doing crazy pitch shifted guitar parts and looping them on infinity on the channel one and looping synths on channel two.

I feel like the more effects pedals you get the less you use because it either explodes the mix with too much shit, or in reality we only have a couple favorite pedals and the other are just stuff that sounds good but doesn't really work for whatever sound you are going for.

Edit: I have one PS-2 before dirt so I can switch to delay and do a ton of noise in between segments. I usually just do a lot of layering. The pitchfactor is an amazing pedals, I often create 4 part harmonies and play really staccato segments and add some octave up over it with a more legato style. I have a two drummer band, an ambient electronic solo project, and a Big Black style noise punk with an edge of grindcore band. I am pretty busy and rarely spend my days at home dicking around usually haha so I'm probably not the right guy to give my remarks to this on second thought

[Jwar]

Try playing less.
One strum or note per measure. Or per verse.
Let the noisemakers to the rest of the work.

I do this all the time! That's a great idea!!

I'm just a basement rocker but I can see how difficult effects can make it depending on the band and players. I wish I had time for a band. Damn life Hahahaha

[Jero]

Give me a delay + a good well rounded dirt box, and I'd be fine.

but...

[Clockworker]

Well, first, to answer the question posed by the title, I like most effects, but I usually just use distortion (noise artist here). Any other kind of effect is generally covered by my Zoom multi-effects. I see so many cool delay/reverb/mod pedals out there I'd like, but I just don't need them for what I do.

And now, the thread has talked a lot about how we make sounds. I have hella pedals, more than I need, I admit. I have favorites, and I have ideas as to which pedals can give me the sounds I am looking for, but I like being able to bring out other, less used pedals and try them out and see if I can get something cool. My creative process is pretty different from the rest of you guys from the sounds of it, so I can't really add much more than that. If nothing else, like someone said, I don't need all this stuff, but I can have it and it makes me happy, so that's what counts, really.

[psychic vampire.]

Part of my problem is that I make and listen to such different styles of music that it is hard to know which pedals will work for what. I play bass in a post-punk/synth/goth band, I play synths and drum machines in a techno duo with one of my partners, I write metal, noise, and ambient on my own. I kind of take a scattershot approach and hope that a pedal I get for one project will be useful or interesting in a different context. It doesn't always work.

Most of what I write involves dirt. On bass, on drum machines, etc. I like reverbs and delays, a lot. Currently tryna break into the world of cheap old rack units as my next step with these effects. I like to have crazier effects because a lot of the music I make, on my own at least, involves drones and pads. things that give movement or body at a low volume are cool?

[Jwar]

I think as a bass player, it's harder to use multiple stomp boxes. It takes away from the instrument too much. Unless of course, you're trying to make it sound completely different. That's another story. When listening to music, I like to be able to tell what the bass actually sounds like. It's funny. A lot of the bands I like, save for Tool, use mostly just a few things. Like a dirt pedal and delay. That seems to be about it. And some of them don't even use that. Just overdrive from the amp. I don't do that because it's too damn loud and my wife hates me when I do. LOL!! Tube overdrive is fucking amazing though.

Soooooooo I'm kind of rambling. I feel very restricted as a bass player sometimes. I'm not smart enough to do what Jean does, and I probably wouldn't even try because I'd just fuck it up. But he's an example of proper use of effects pedals with bass. I can't think of that many either. Which is kind of funny. At least not in a musical context that sounds good.

IMO a bass player could get away with NOTHING, but that's boring. So fuck that. I do believe you could get away with a OD, Compressor(yea I know!), Fuzz and delay. That's all I've ever heard that really sounds perfect with bass. Pitch shifters are fun, but man they just don't work that well with bass. The bass whammy is the best one I've tried and I love that fucker. I guess chorus is good too with bass, and phaser and trem and oh who am I kidding! PLAY IT ALL!!! hahaha

[JonnyAngle]

Bass players get paid the most-per-note!

[echoraven]

Dirt pedals I have and like:
Pigtronix: Disnortion
Pigtronix: Aria
Pigtronix: Polysaturator
Vox: Saturator
Way Huge: Fat Sandwhich
MXR: Fullbore Metal
EHX: Nano Metal Muff
EHX: Big Muff Pi (both full sized and nano)
EHX: Little Big Muff Pi
EHX: Soul Food (just got this one have yet to integrate it into my board)
Akai: Blues Driver
Boss: DS2
Screeching Owl Effects: Hydra

Ones I actually use:
EHX: Big Muff Pi Nano
EHX: Little Big Muff Pi

This is so lopsided that I've contemplated going from 2 different boards into just one large one with pre and post on the same board (with external jacks).

I was thinking on the dirt side Input>Tuner>Compressor>POG>Soul Food> all the muffs and be done with it.

Part of my problem was that I was looking for "my sound' and after reading an interview with one of the guys from Whores. I found what I was missing... Downtuning my guitars to C.

Current versions of my pre and post board

[casecandy]

Effects I like:

All of the effects ever
Mostly the fuzzes and reverbs
And octave effects

Effects I actually use:

OCD (always on pretty much)
PS-5
Alter Ego X4
Stargazer (always on pretty much)
FZ-2
TAFM
Octavia (sometimes)
Ditto X2 (obviously not "always on," but can't live without it)

I'm in the market for a new octave down (just bought a Blue Box, we'll see how it goes) and I'll probably upgrade to a Ditto X4

But anything else I buy ends up on a shelf TBH

Especially flangers

[Chankgeez]