Question:
Why is it most players put the volume pedal before the rest of their effects?
Mine is: Gibson ES-333->Tuner (Boss)->Compressor (Cheap Rogue I'd like to replace)->Flanger (Boss)->Chorus (DOD)->Blues Driver (Boss)->VOLUME PEDAL (Morley, Active)->Reverb (ElectroHarmonix).
My logic is this: Why vary the input to the compressor when it's supposed to provide a more constant level for the other effects (Especially overdrive/dist.)? By putting the volume pedal before the reverb, any "Reverb trail off" is allowed to continue. It also helps to have a way to squelch any noise introduced by the other pedals.
Thoughts?
Answer:
well...
1) this would get a better response in the effects forums
2) generally a volume pedal is used to vary your signal path and squelch the signal right out of your guitar. the simplest argument would be that most would want a constant signal as long as possible. Also, the signal that hits your effects are going to change the way your effects handle it. I understand what you're saying about having the compressor in there and I would say that it might be better to run Guitar-->tuner-->compressor-->volume-->...
remember that your volume pedal isn't going to just squelch noise...it's going to squelch everything. in alot of ways it acts just like the volume knob on your guitar and may end up cutting a bit of lows or highs...when you're using an effect like a phaser or a chorus cutting in the wrong frequencies can dramatically change your sound.
Answer:
thesteve,
Thanks for the food for thought.
a) Maybe next time I'll look a little closer for the correct forum. I just got bi-focals last week, so for now, I'll blame things on them.
b) The "Post compressor" suggestion really does get to the heart of my logic. But with that configuration, doesn't backing off the input to the blues driver have the same effect as adjusting the threashold while you're playing? Maybe that's not such a bad thing.
Perhaps I should just look for a good noise supressor.
In His Joy...
Answer:
I've wondered that too...the only reason I see to have a volume pedal first is to adjust the input level your drive boxes are getting. I prefer my volume pedal after all the gain effects, but before time effects for two reasons 1) lets me swell with a constant drive amount, and 2) it's my drive effects that make the most noise that I want to be able to kill.
Answer:
What Lee said.
I like being able to swell an OD tone, but I don't see much of an effect of gain on chorus, delay, etc. My order is OD/Volume/Delay/Chorus.
Answer:
There are two reasons I could see why you would put an active volume pedal before a distortion (but after compression).
1: Lets you do gain swells... increase volume for more gain, back it off to clean up your sound... just like a guitar volume knob, only in a form that's easier to work with some times.
2: Being active, it will give you a hotter, buffered signal to drive the rest of your effects when the volume is at its max.
That being said, I agree with the other people here saying it should go after OD, but before verbs & delay. I'm just saying there are reasons it would make sense to put it at the begining.
Just always remember that there is no right way to hook up your effects. Some guitarists even put distortion after delay/reverb. You ought to try it if you haven't. it's kind of cool.
Answer:
Originally Posted by jbm222 There are two reasons I could see why you would put an active volume pedal before a distortion (but after compression)
I before E except after C .
Answer:
I just think of it as a master volume control for whatever comes before it. If I want it to act as a master volume for my guitar, i put it after the guitar, or if I want it to be a master volume for my distortion, then I'll put it after that, and etc.
Answer:
I have the volume pedal at the end of my chain but I only really use it with my Ebow so it probably wouldn't matter where i put it!
God Bless, Rich
Answer:
Originally Posted by smashing guitar I before E except after C .


nice



'nuff said
Answer:
"I before E...... always."
"No Brian, you're an idiot."
Ok sorry, I had to say that. If anyone recognizes it, thats 100 fake points to them.
But back on topic, I think that pedal order is so subjective, because different people want to obtain a different sound for different reasons. Ask 10 people, and probably anywhere between 7-10 of them will say, "Put wah near the front, delay near the end." Yet, right now, I have my set up the exact opposite. I have a DD-3 first going in to my Whammy 4, and then my wah. Of course, I do have a Rocktron Intellifex for delays, reverbs, and chorus in my effects loop, but with my pedals before my amp, I achieve an unconventional sound that I really like. This way, I can set a long delay, tremelo pick, and sweep the wah to acheive this huge, sweeping, almost synthesizer-ish sound that I really enjoy. Plus, I can do the same with the pitch shifting. If it were up to me, I'd have at least 3 or 4 delays in my signal, all in different places. Some might say that's excessive, but you get the point of what I'm saying? The order is totally up to you. If you can get the sound you want with the order you have, then do it. Who cares if it's not the norm.