In today’s lesson, we will examine the 5 most popular effects pedals for playing guitar. Rock guitar is one of the most exciting guitar-playing styles. And the reason for this is because you get to use guitar pedals.
The Distortion pedal
The number one guitar that you need for playing rock guitar is a good-quality distortion pedal. This is what gives you the rock guitar sound that we love so much.
Now if you have a good amplifier (Marshall, Peavey, etc,) you can sometimes get this sound out of the amp.
These usually come with a footswitch to operate the distortion channel. But if not, you’ll need a guitar pedal.
There are many to choose from on the market so I recommend that you do some research. But for me, I choose the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal. This is a quality pedal that has been used on multiple rock recordings since its invention in the ’70s. Here is a review I did on it.
Having a nice distortion pedal in your arsenal is important because it allows you to color your tone as well as give it a little bit of a kick when needed. Make sure to get yourself a nice distortion pedal. There are many on the market. So be sure to do research.
The Fulltone OCD distortion pedal is also a very popular choice for getting a great rock tone. It has a very simple setup with just three knobs and provides a boost switch for extra tone enhancement.
This pedal can be used for playing rhythm guitar and can also be used for boosting your guitar solos. This along with the other pedals can spark your inspiration in multiple ways.
These guitar pedals will give you a great place to start. I recommend you look into them and see if they work for you and your style of playing. If not, find the one that does. There are many to choose from and if you look hard enough you’ll find the right distortion pedal.
The Reverb pedal
The reverb pedal is very popular and comes in second on the list. Sometimes the amplifier will have reverb built into it so in that case, you might not need it in pedal format. Nonetheless, the reverb pedal is a great one to have on your pedalboard.
The reason why it is an essential effect to have is that it adds depth to your sound. When it comes to playing guitar, you want to have depth. This is why it is installed in a lot of amps. Some amps come with spring reverb and some of the amps come equipped with digital reverb.
You also have the option of an MXR reverb pedal that offers the same kind of quality but in a bit of a smaller option. MXR pedals are a bit smaller than the Fender ones. The MXR M300 offers both 100% analog and true bypass.
Of course, there are many other reverb pedals to choose from as well. TC Electronics makes a great reverb pedal as well as Boss and a whole bunch of others. All in different sizes and colors. I recommend you do research online and look at some reviews to find the one that fits your style of playing.
The Wah pedal
Up next is the wah pedal. This pedal has been around since the ’60s and has been used by all the masters of rock guitar. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Kirk Hammett, Slash, and many, many, more.
It was designed to emulate a pedal used by an organ player. The first one created was by Vox and is soon to become one of the most popular guitar effects pedals to be used.
Wah pedals are cool because they allow you to add articulation, emotion, and color to your notes. By rocking the pedal back and forth you can get bassy sweeps to trebly highs.
They create a very unique sound. When you hear it, you know it’s a wah pedal being used. Great for all styles of music.
The infamous Delay pedal
If you haven’t tried one of these pedals, I highly recommend you do. This awesome guitar pedal can be used in multiple ways. If you’d like to see a review I did on how it can be used, check it out here.
This little gizmo can do wonders for your guitar-playing creativity. No matter if you want to enhance your rhythm guitar playing by doubling up your rhythm tracks or adding a bit of sustain. This pedal can do it and more.
And when it comes to playing guitar solos, this guitar pedal can make you sound like you're coming from another planet in outer space. With just the right touch, you can make some sounds that sound like they are out of this word! This pedal comes in both analog and digital formats, and here are a few to look into.
Last in the series
Now, for the last pedals on the list, this could be many. If you play lead guitar you might want a boost pedal for your guitar solos. Or you may want a flanger pedal for creating crazy effects for a whole song or only certain parts. Or even the phase 90 pedal which has been very popular throughout the years.
There are many, many guitar pedals to choose from. But for me, I say for our fifth pedal in this list, try the chorus pedal.
Chorus guitar pedal
This is a very nice and popular pedal that has been around for years as well. This pedal is neat because it gives a cool playing underwater kind of sound. It is great for when you play both rhythms and solos. Especially if you decide to arpeggiate your guitar chords.
The Boss chorus ensemble pedal gives you high & low-cut filters for shaping the tonality of the chorus. It produces a range of chorus effects from subtle to the extreme for creative control. With mono input and stereo output, this chorus pedal can be hooked to dual amps for studio use.
Lesson conclusion
When it comes to guitar pedals there are more to choose from than you can think of. Made by many, many different mfg companies. They come in all different sizes, shapes, colors, and sounds.
The ones presented are the ones most popular and suggested to look into first. With enough research, you might find one you like that is not on the list. That’s ok. As long as it is what will work for you.
If you feel you need help with your guitar learning, be sure to visit and subscribe to my YouTube video Library for a lot of great FREE guitar lessons and product reviews.
Remember also, that I offer private instruction. In areas of rhythm guitar, lead guitar, and understanding music theory. Customized lessons that are taught Online worldwide through Zoom, Google & FaceTime. As well as in-person throughout the Denver, CO Metro Area.
If you feel that either of these two options might work for you, contact me today for a Free Consultation. Taking private lessons can improve your learning experience and get you to your desired goal quickly and easily.
Try out some guitar pedals today and take your creativity to the next level.
Until our next guitar lesson, take care.
Sincerely, Dwayne Jenkins
