I mean, it's about like a hierarchy of tone needs. You have your bread and butter stuff that lays what you want to convey, and then the crazy shit that makes a passage/song/whatever stand out and makes you enjoy it.
But it's more than that. A lot of weird superfluous pedals do more than make that weird noise you use in track 8, they play back with you. They make you play things differently, which helps push your craft forward. Hell, I remember many times that I would write a part with an effect and then remove it and it sounds completely unlike anything I usually write and that's fantastic.
I miss having a pedalboard and this post turbo'd my gas.
Chankgeez wrote:
We should have a game show à la Name That Tune
Inconuucl: I can shoegaze that tune with 5 pedals.
other contestant: I can shoegaze that tune with 4 pedals.
Inconuucl: I can shoegaze that tune with 3 pedals.
other contestant: OK, shoegaze that tune!
Inconuucl:
I used to never keep pedals that wasn't on my board, mostly because I usually could need the money for other stuff.
Now I got a little more money and getting more into recording I don't mind keeping some extra pedals around.
What do I need?
I could do 95% of my gigs with 1 dirt and 1 delay without people really noticing that I was "missing" something.
So I guess everything else is because I want to have it on my board or that it is convenient, like a tuner and volume pedal.
If I'm want to buy something new, I usually ask myself these questions:
"Will it be a part of my main rig?"
"or an addition to main rig in some situations?"(like my Boomerang looper).
"will this have an impact on the music I'm making?"
"Will this make something I'm already doing easier/less of a hassle?"
"will this give me extra options when recording/mixing?"
"do I already got this available?"(When I want to buy another 412 cab, but remember I already got 2 of those....)
If it doesn't tick one or more boxes I could probably spend my money on something else.
