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rfurtkamp wrote:Pedals or no pedals, at the end of the day I still sound like me.

I can get by with a Strat into any cleanish amp if I have to. I still sound like me.

It's not a case of 'vs' in any realistic way - it is possible to write music, play songs, whatever without falling into 'all pedals are TGPevil except transparent overdrive' or 'I must have seventeen on at all times' camps exclusively.

Given a choice, I'd rather have seventeen *available* because, well, I can choose to not turn them on - but if I don't have 'em, I lose that option.

theavondon wrote:I used to be of the mindset that different pedals impacted how I played my instrument. I switch this on, it sounds different, and it kinda inspires me to attack the instrument more, or back off, generally like playing the effect as much as I'm playing the instrument. This changed how I wrote songs, I had to have this pedal for this song to work right, etc. And, that was the time when I had like, over a dozen pedals on my board. And, it sure was fun.

Now, I tend to just look at pedals as either "LOUDER" or "WEIRD". I've moved down to having two or three distortions that I really, really like for two or three different levels of distortion (and combinations between pedals therein) and then having usually just a delay to give things a bit of space and depth, or at my most decadent, having two or so pedals to just make a really crazy sound. Primarily though, it's just LOUD and WEIRD. And this has opened up my mind to focusing a lot on how I'm playing the instrument, instead of interacting with the effects as much. Lighten up the touch, get slightly further away from the amp, and the overall sound gets quieter and more crisp, then lay into it and get louder, blah blah blah. I can get by with whatever seems to be around if I've left my Rat and Bluebeard at home, and I have something else in the car, or even just turn up the amp all the way and back off to get clean tones. And, thus, my parts are much more focused on how I'm playing them, and what I'm playing. I find that now I have much cleaner technique, and I'm writing songs that are more unusual and honestly, more difficult for me (thus, lots of band practice now). And that sure is fun.

I've been inspired by a lot of friends that are at the previously mentioned point of not having effects. And, as a result, they've focused on playing in order to make the sounds they want. Tremolo picking weird chords instead of using a big washed out reverb to gaze, or playing incredibly aggressive music with a completely clean tone.

I dunno. Just, do whatever, man. That's my advice. There is no wrong, and that's the beautiful thing.

EvilCatBucky wrote:I think the most interesting thing about threads like this isn't the discussion, it's the glimpse into other people's process. Sometimes you forget there are so many other ways to approach a song. You get that tunnel vision and sometimes you need to get away from or switch up the pedals to hear something new.

kbithecrowing wrote:

theavondon wrote:I used to be of the mindset that different pedals impacted how I played my instrument. I switch this on, it sounds different, and it kinda inspires me to attack the instrument more, or back off, generally like playing the effect as much as I'm playing the instrument. This changed how I wrote songs, I had to have this pedal for this song to work right, etc. And, that was the time when I had like, over a dozen pedals on my board. And, it sure was fun.

Now, I tend to just look at pedals as either "LOUDER" or "WEIRD". I've moved down to having two or three distortions that I really, really like for two or three different levels of distortion (and combinations between pedals therein) and then having usually just a delay to give things a bit of space and depth, or at my most decadent, having two or so pedals to just make a really crazy sound. Primarily though, it's just LOUD and WEIRD. And this has opened up my mind to focusing a lot on how I'm playing the instrument, instead of interacting with the effects as much. Lighten up the touch, get slightly further away from the amp, and the overall sound gets quieter and more crisp, then lay into it and get louder, blah blah blah. I can get by with whatever seems to be around if I've left my Rat and Bluebeard at home, and I have something else in the car, or even just turn up the amp all the way and back off to get clean tones. And, thus, my parts are much more focused on how I'm playing them, and what I'm playing. I find that now I have much cleaner technique, and I'm writing songs that are more unusual and honestly, more difficult for me (thus, lots of band practice now). And that sure is fun.

I've been inspired by a lot of friends that are at the previously mentioned point of not having effects. And, as a result, they've focused on playing in order to make the sounds they want. Tremolo picking weird chords instead of using a big washed out reverb to gaze, or playing incredibly aggressive music with a completely clean tone.

I dunno. Just, do whatever, man. That's my advice. There is no wrong, and that's the beautiful thing.

Yeah, man. This was a good read.
Any links to that incredibly aggressive music with clean tones?

sergiomunoz74 wrote:Simplicity is good, complexity is good, making good music is good, having fun is best.

ChetMagongalo wrote:

sergiomunoz74 wrote:Simplicity is good, complexity is good, making good music is good, having fun is best.

YEAH BROTHER