The rules of stacking dirt

[Ugly Nora]

I know there are no rules, but what are the rules? Bear with me, what I mean is why do some pedals attenuate the other pedal in one order, but not when you reverse them? Does the pedal that has more natural output need to be 2nd to avoid this? Should one of the pedals typically have the higher gain setting compared to the other? Etc.

Thanks for your help during this transitional period.

Nora B.

[weed_killer]

my rule is whatever has the largest range goes at the end. For me that's the mini, so any other dirt goes before it (used to be a hotcake clone, right now it's a dirge rat) so that I'm able to have a large degree
of tonal options to try out.

[fungalattack]

All peddies react uniquely when stacking, but there are some general guidelines and preferences of mine. Some sound better stacked others sound like shit unless they are independent. i like jucing up a dirt pedal with an overdrive - gives me more sustain and ... DIRT!!! more compression too which I usually like. Or you could put an overdrive after to make your main dirt louder and not change its characteristics as much. When stacking dirt you gotta think, "do I want to alter the characteristic of this pedal? Do I want to preserve its tOOANNN? Do I want to just achieve the heaviest tooooaaaaan of all time?" Whatchu tryin to do?

EXPERIMENT!!! rats and muffs like eachother -rats like crawlin into muffs. I like puttin a landmine and a superfuzz together oh yesss it sounds so full when i step on that superfuzz like it took a big cocktail of speed and steriods.. YUMMMMMM!!!! I loooovvvee my muff and superfuzz together....mudhoney was on to something.

Some TGP nerdzzz like low gain pedals goin in to high gain pedals. Fuck em high gain into high gain!!!

[O Drones]

I don't know what the rules are either, but I go Elements on an overdrive/distortion setting with loads of mids--Demo Tape full gain (main fuzz sound)--Pharoah medium gain, but really loud, so when I put it on (it never god on alone) it adds huge volume and lows to whatever's before it. I generally start songs with either Demo or Elements on and then add one or the other on top for choruses or leads. Then the Pharoah on top of that for end of the world tones.

[Ugly Nora]

Thank all of you team members for your responses so far.

So regarding Rats into Muffs...that is a classic example I hear people say always sound great. Is there a scientific reason for it? Or is like that Homer Simpson line "I don't know the scientific explanation, but fire made it good."

Ragged- I just got a Demo Tape fuzz that other day, and i love it. I can see that being my main fuzz. Although I typically run it lower gain.

[fungalattack]

I believe the rat into muff thing works this way - muffs are wooly and bassy and big and rats are mean and snarly and they just compliment eachother so nicely. What one lacks the other puts back in the signal. To me both sound pretty good on there own but together it is just like . But you can definitely achieve this harmonious union of toaaaannnn by finding two dirt pedals that do something different that form to make this godly toan. But at the same time when you try to stack some pedals they are like "fuck you i'm a loner and will only be good by myself" and will sound like a big flubby mess of doodie.

[Chankgeez]

Rule #1: You do not talk about Stacking Dirt Club

Rule #2: You do not talk about Stacking Dirt Club

Rule #3: If someone says "stop!" or goes limp the stacking is over

etc.

etc.

[neonblack]

If it's your first time here...you have to stack.

[rfurtkamp]

Some pedals have more or less headroom than others is my best guess as to the 'why' in some respects, which can result in good or bad things happening.

I put things early in the chain that have to be early in the chain, otherwise, it's yolowhateversoundsgood.

Sonic Destroyer-type pedals usually sit about middle of my wall of gain - sometimes they benefit from stuffs hitting them, and they often like the softening up or sheen of a little more control on top of the chaos.

[Ugly Nora]

If it's your first time here...you have to stack.

Am I doing it rite?

[rfurtkamp]

None of the footswitches are touching.

Do you think they derive *any* pleasure from that voyeuristic positioning?

[Ugly Nora]

Some pedals have more or less headroom than others is my best guess as to the 'why' in some respects, which can result in good or bad things happening.

I put things early in the chain that have to be early in the chain, otherwise, it's yolowhateversoundsgood.

Sonic Destroyer-type pedals usually sit about middle of my wall of gain - sometimes they benefit from stuffs hitting them, and they often like the softening up or sheen of a little more control on top of the chaos.

See that makes sense regarding the headroom. This is why I seek your counsel.

[Uncle Grandfather]

#1 rule is....more.

also nice acid fuzz

[neonblack]

If it's your first time here...you have to stack.

Am I doing it rite?

Ask rule #8: When it comes to stacking, there are no rules.

Except rules 1-7.

Try to get it stacked taller, though. Everyone knows that diodes clip better at higher altitude. Must be the thin air.

How is that Black Sheep? I can't get past how much I dislike the graphics.

[Ugly Nora]

#1 rule is....more.

also nice acid fuzz

Now that's the first sensible suggestion in this thread.

Yeah, I bought that Acid Fuzz after seeing your demo. Fine work young man.

How is that Black Sheep? I can't get past how much I dislike the graphics.

Yeah the graphics are a bit Easter-eggy. It is ok, I am not in love with it, but I am sure I can use it. Definitely needs to be run LOUD. That pedal is actually one of the reasons for this thread. It seems if that it doesn't stack well (to my ears) as 2nd in the chain. Seemed to also cause volume drops in that position. So again, it made me start wondering about this shit.