Simplicity vs complexity in pedals

[colossus]

As I've been searching for some new reverb for my board, it came to me that I really tend to avoid complex pedals (i.e., super "versatile" pedals with 5 - 20 knobs, various presets, and so on). While I'm getting an HOF in a trade, I keep going back to the Supermoon or Ghost Echo or even Spring Chicken. The Trinity/Supernatural/RV-x/Holiest Grail/Blue Sky/etc/etc/etc are all awesome but something is just more alluring about the limitations of a 3-knob pedal that does one thing really, really well. I suppose the music I make is experimental so part of me feels that having endless options should boost my creativity, but in practice it seems the opposite; I feel more creative with more restriction. Limitations seem to create the possibility for greater play, almost like a game that has rules.

Anyone else feel similarly? Maybe it's just a matter of literacy, of knowing how to truly take advantage of the complexity, but something just clicks with me when I see 3-knobs (TWSS?)

[skullservant]

I know what you mean. That's why I got rid of my Timeline, and my Timefactor. I realized I didn't need all that stuff and that I only really used one thing. Hell even with the Hall of Fame I usually left it set in one setting, but with recording I definitely put it to good use with all of its modes.

My favorite is just rocking out with 2-3 super simple pedals and having a great time.

[retinal orbita]

I sold my Whetstone and bought a PH-1r

I couldn't handle that much choice, man....

[colossus]

I suppose recording is a totally different beast. I definitely fiddle more when I'm recording, but for live or even just recorded improv sets, a few pedals with some basic controls and I'm good to go. Then again, put me in front of two Pedaltrain PROs full of Moog gear, and I'm sure I'd have a blast too...

[smallsnd/bigsnd]

5-20 knobs is a pretty wide range, though i feel like a pedal with more than 5 is more than most folks are interested in - in general for most pedals. i know lots of the ILF crew can happily handle up to 10 though. (TWSS)

for live use with my band i don't use many controls at all - set and forget for the most part.
studio use is a different animal, as are other types of music.

[colossus]

I just looked at my pedalboard and realized everything has 4 to 7 knobs, and I'm very comfortable with all of it. How about complexity equating > 10 knobs?

[skullservant]

[OddKnowledge]

I'm more of a set it and forget it kind of person, but then i realized that i set and forget a few pedals with a lot of knobs and switches

i like to use complex pedals... simply.
maybe i need to rethink a few things...

[chuckjaywalk]

For me, it depends on the effect. Some pedals work magic with one knob: BAT Ritual and Destroyer, EHX Little Big Muff, MXR Phase 90. I certainly wouldn't want my 2 knob CE-2 or 3 knob DM-2 to be more complex, as it is easy to dial in exactly what I want from them as they are. That said, I couldn't imagine the Pitch Grinder with less than 10 knobs and I wish it had more. The Ring Thing needs 5 knobs to do its job properly. Don't even get me started on the amazingness that is the Belle Epoch, which needs all 5 of its knobs, as well as a trimpot and an internal switch, to unleash its fury.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I'm with you on this colossus, as cool as complicated pedals are and the crazy sounds a lot of them have, I'm much more comfortable using pedals that have fewer controls largely because it's SO much easier to get settings back. I do have a flanger hoax, for example, and while I like a lot of what it does, I can basically never replicate any of the cool sounds I find... I like pedals which make it easy to dial in the sound I'm looking for.

[01010111]

When I'm playing live or playing with a band I like to set it and forget it, but when I'm by myself I want it as complex as possible. Simple pedals make changing settings in a live situation easier, but if the complex pedals have presets it's even easier than using simple the simple pedals live.

Bottom line: when I'm playing with other people I want something that's easy to dial-in fast, and when I'm by myself I want to be able to make weird sounds without limitation.

[Casavettes]

i think there's something special about turning on a pedal with just 2 or 3 knobs and falling in love with the character of it
rather than having endless controls to achieve the sound you're looking for.

[Seedy]

I like everything simpler in every walk of life. Of course simplicity is relative. For example I have an M9 which has hundreds of options but I use it pretty exclusively for the looper, tuner, tube compressor, octave down and reverse delay. That doesn't even occupy one whole scene on the M9, so while it is inherently more complicated than a normal pedal, for my purposes its very simple. Limiting one's self is good for creativity anyway.

[goroth]

Meh, I don't think you can measure complexity in terms of numbers of controls. The Elements has 6 knobs and 4 switches, three of which are three-way switches, and I think it's one of the most intuitive pedals out there. On the other hand there are a lot of two and three knob fuzzes out there that have a lot of interactivity, and where changing one parameter doesn't necessarily have a predictable effect on the total sound. I'd say the level of complexity, when it comes to getting a given sound, there is a lot higher than with something like the Elements.

[rfurtkamp]

I learn what the things do and can tweak on the fly, even complex rackmount stuff.

Even during all-improve live sets, tweaking knobs and patches is second nature after twenty-some years.

I'd rather have choice and not use it than two knobs that the pedal designer gunning for the metal/blues lawyer/SNES crowd thought was all I'd ever need.

Exceptions granted for some dirt boxes but even there, I'd rather have choice and knobs.

I'm also partial to the 'turn a bunch of random things on on random settings and force myself to do something with it' approach on occasion, and frankly, it's not as much fun with "level" and "amount of dirt" being my only two choices, especially on dirtboxes that only sound good in a narrow range.