Before answer the question of whether or not distortion pedals necessary, it is essential to get an understanding of what distortion is. Distortions are achieved by a massive increase in the gain of different amplified instruments. In the old days, people used many ways to achieve this effect. Some of the ways that were used include tube amps and now the creation of digital effect processing.
By looking at how to use a distortion pedal carefully, one will easily agree that they are the best way to get the most from guitar playing adventures. They are popular because they add a different and amazing sonic tone to what you currently have.
So are they necessary?
Guitar players who have never used distortion before ask themselves whether or not investing in distortion is a worth undertaking. Can you get by with just your tube amp distortion? If you are also asking yourself the same question, then you need to understand that buying the right distortion can take your guitar game into the next level.
They are particularly important when playing a lead part that requires more volume as well as more bite to the tone. This, however, is not the only benefit that you are going to get from using them as there are many other benefits of adding them to your pedalboard, as illustrated below.
Incredible Sound
The sound that comes from the guitar is actually what makes playing guitar interesting. The more incredible the sound, the more people would enjoy listening to music and enjoying every single moment. As long as you are going to get quality distortion pedals, you are assured of tight, focused, and distortions with minimal noise. The fantastic harmonics work in unison to bring out the best sound without interfering with the quality of your sound. With the right guitar effects pedal you get an advantage to use it for a wide range of genres.
Ease to Use
Whether you are a seasoned guitar play or you just getting into the game, they can work wonders for you. They are designed in such a way that anyone can easily make use of them. The controls are situated in an ideal position so that it makes it easy for you to dial the tone that you want within the shortest time possible. It is also good to note that the tone knob allows you to boost the bass frequencies at the same time, giving you the control of volume. All these are meant to ensure ease of use of the device.
Perfect Construction
When playing guitar, one needs to be careful to avoid pressing things accidentally and therefore messing up the sound. Quality distortion options are designed in such a way that you can’t make unwarranted mistakes. For instance, most types have a sunken knob design to make sure that you do not change anything by mistake. In addition to that, the pedals have indestructible tanks that are meant to protect the inner part from destruction. It is the quality of the materials that are used to come up with the distortion pedals that makes it long-lasting.
How to Choose A Distortion Pedal
Once you realize that distortion pedals are ideal for taking your guitar playing skills to the next level, the next course of action will be to try and identify the best in the market. Although this might sound a simple task to many, the truth is that the task of finding the best can be a daunting one. The fact that there are several brands in the market is actually one of the reasons why this is the case. Here are some of the best distortion pedals that you might want to give a different types of distortion pedals a try out there.
- Boss DS-1
- Ibanez TS-9 TubeScreamer
- TC Electronic MojoMojo
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
- Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive
When choosing the best distortion pedal, there are several things that one needs to consider. Some of them include your taste and preferences, music requirement, and levels of gain. If, for instance, you want to play crunchy heavy metal riffs with a good pedal for metal, then you will need to go for something that has high gain capabilities. In addition to that, the place where you buy your distortion pedal matters a lot. If you do not want to be exploited in any way, then it will be a good idea that you for a reputable online outlet. A reputable online shop is less likely to sell you a counterfeit product.
Lastly, you should always pay close attention to the gain knob to control the amount of distortion. It is this knob that determines the amount of distortion that you are going to get from your item. The other essential thing that you should look out for in the best distortion pedal is the tone knob. As the name suggests, the tone knob is significant in control of the type of tone that you want to use. It plays a vital role in influencing the quality of the sound that you will get from your guitar.