Effects loop: Why?

[mike.sartori]

Ok, so I have a bunch of stuff, including some modulation effects, delay, chorus, and tremolo; what is the benefit of using my effects loop for these? I am reluctant to do it, because I often run in stereo. I mostly run clean amps with dirt up front from pedals; would my tone be improved by using the loop at all?

[pedalboard]

I think a common response would be "it depends on how good your amp's effects loop is. Does it suck tone?"

I've never really used mine. It's helpful if you're using your amp's preamp distortion. If you distort your delay and modulation effects, you may be getting a result that you'd like less than the signal from those effects running in the loop. It's just a way of incorporating your amp's distortion channel into your signal chain. And, as we know, signal chains are a matter of preference.

[Jules-RM]

I use mine for my modulation/delays, and I don't use amp distortion either. I just don't like the sound of modulation in front, apart from my Micro Vibe.

Both my amps have good loops, so why not use them?

[petejt]

Ok, so I have a bunch of stuff, including some modulation effects, delay, chorus, and tremolo; what is the benefit of using my effects loop for these? I am reluctant to do it, because I often run in stereo. I mostly run clean amps with dirt up front from pedals; would my tone be improved by using the loop at all?

 

 

I don't really understand it, but the placement of your effects in the signal chain can alter how that effect will sound. The effects loop is an alternative place to position your effects, especially delay and modulation.

[petejt]

Hang on, here's some info I've found, from GuitarPlayer presents: Do-It-Yourself Projects for Guitarists. I don't believe all of it, but it is something to take into account.

 

 

Compressor before distortion: increases sustain and gives a more consistent distortion timbre.

 

Distortion before compressor: tends to be a bit noisy but provides a somewhat "gentler" sound compared to compressor before distortion.

 

Distortion before flanger or chorus: Flangers and choruses gives the most intense effect when they are fed a signal with lots of harmonics (overtones). Preceding them with distortion makes for a harmonically rich sound that enhances the flanging or chorusing effect.

 

Flanger or chorus before distortion: Distortion pretty much masks the subtlety of the flanger or chorus effect [i personally find that hard to believe in some cases].

 

Distortion before echo: gives a clear echo sound.

 

Echo before distortion: gives a muddy echo sound since the echoes all meld together when distorted.

[gambit]

with the distorted-delays or delays-distorted preference aside, i do like my modulation in the fx loop when playing clean.

its just seems logical to have your sound eq'd etc before it 'sees' the effect, so the effect is just swirling the sounds you already have.

the opposite is finding your amp sound then adding fx before it which seems to result in all sorts of additional tonal colouration from each different pedal. its like all the hard work getting your amp sound goes out the window because now you have some modulation messing with your amp tone (and dynamics if you are on the edge of break-up).. that can be a good thing aswell, but then you get into the finer tonal differences between pedals and then that becomes some giant quest to find the pedal that doesn't affect tone!

[V]

It's where you put the fuzz when you don't know the point of it.

[Jules-RM]

I know a few bands that prefer delays before dirt, and they don't sound "muddy".

Not their best recording but for example:

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[Zachman]

Ok, so I have a bunch of stuff, including some modulation effects, delay, chorus, and tremolo; what is the benefit of using my effects loop for these? I am reluctant to do it, because I often run in stereo. I mostly run clean amps with dirt up front from pedals; would my tone be improved by using the loop at all?

You've been here for 2 years, and you are asking this question. I know- it's got to be that you're just bored

[homestar_kevin]

You've been here for 2 years, and you are asking this question. I know- it's got to be that you're just bored

 

 

I bet 90% of people active on this board don't touch their effects loop, regardless of how long they've been here.

 

it's a fair question, I started using mine recently because I bought a boss DM100 delay which is essentially vcr sized. so that sits on top of my amp now and is in the loop. I've actually really enjoyed using the loop so far, even though I've only been doing it for 2 weeks or so.

 

Effects really do sound different plugged into your effects loop, you really just got to try them out and see if you dig it or not

[Zachman]

I bet 90% of people active on this board don't touch their effects loop, regardless of how long they've been here. it's a fair question, I started using mine recently because I bought a boss DM100 delay which is essentially vcr sized. so that sits on top of my amp now and is in the loop. I've actually really enjoyed using the loop so far, even though I've only been doing it for 2 weeks or so. Effects really do sound different plugged into your effects loop, you really just got to try them out and see if you dig it or not

 

 

True but in 2 years- I propose that one would have likely learned to use the search function, and/or seen a few topics on using effects loops.

[homestar_kevin]

True but in 2 years- I propose that one would have likely learned to use the search function, and/or seen a few topics on using effects loops.

Also true, but in the little more than a year I've been here I've learned that if it's not on the front couple pages then I kind of go "ehhh {censored} it." and as long as it's not which is the best chorus pedal, then no one really minds so mehhh

[petejt]

with the distorted-delays or delays-distorted preference aside, i do like my modulation in the fx loop when playing clean. its just seems logical to have your sound eq'd etc before it 'sees' the effect, so the effect is just swirling the sounds you already have. the opposite is finding your amp sound then adding fx before it which seems to result in all sorts of additional tonal colouration from each different pedal. its like all the hard work getting your amp sound goes out the window because now you have some modulation messing with your amp tone (and dynamics if you are on the edge of break-up).. that can be a good thing aswell, but then you get into the finer tonal differences between pedals and then that becomes some giant quest to find the pedal that doesn't affect tone!

That's true. My Visual Sound H2O pedal adds a characteristically mid-"squawk" to my distorted tone when I use it in front of my amp/s. So instead of the chorus effect being masked by the distortion, it tends to stand out a lot.


On the other hand, the chorus of my TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus/Flanger seems virtually non-existent when I use it in front of the amp, until I use it in the effects loop to split the signal to two amps. When I set it up that way, the chorusing is prominent, but doesn't sound squawky.

[Zachman]

Also true, but in the little more than a year I've been here I've learned that if it's not on the front couple pages then I kind of go "ehhh {censored} it." and as long as it's not which is the best chorus pedal, then no one really minds so mehhh

It struck me like a Walters9515 post

[echodeluxe]

my ac30cc2 has an EXCELLENT effects loop. however, i dont bother usually. its just easier to plug everything into the front. less cables, less setup time, less stuff to worry about.

 

however, when i go on tour this summer, im going to be getting a pedalboard with a hardcase going again, and im thinking about sticking my delays and reverb back into the loop. my friend made some cables that he taped together to make a custom snake that made all that really easy. i may try something like that.

 

like everyone said, it depends. if you have amp distortion going on but you use delay, sticking that in the effects loop will help for sure.

[bowlingshirt]

Using your effects loop allows you to insert effects between the pre-amp and power amp sections.

[IvIark]

I've never used delay or reverb before an amp and been totally happy with it, even when the amp is being used clean. It doesn't sound anything like as clear to me and does muddy up too easily. I wouldn't own an amp without an effects loop because I know when push comes to shove I wouldn't end up using the amp.

[Small Stone]

When you use the effects loop, you get less pedals in front, so you get a more in-your-face tone in the preamp.

[3red]

it gives more flexibility you can use a different preamp than the one built into your amp

[Philly Fuzz]

Distortion before echo : gives a clear echo sound.

Wow, this is an embarrasing question, but when one says a pedal is before another in the chain which direction is meant? Before as in closer to the amp in the chain? Or, the opposite?

Sorry, you can tell I mostly play with just a RAT pedal...

[rydia is hot]

Wow, this is an embarrasing question, but when one says a pedal is before another in the chain which direction is meant? Before as in closer to the amp in the chain? Or, the opposite? Sorry, you can tell I mostly play with just a RAT pedal...

before in terms of signal flow (so right to left pretty much all cases).

[smurphy28]

The short answer: It all comes down to personal preference. My guitarist swears by his effects loop as do a bunch of people on these forums.

 

Personally, I do not use the effects loop on my amp. I figure I have about 40 ft of cable already going from guitar - effects - amp that adding another 40 ft for the effects loop really doesn't help my signal all that much. In addition, it takes more time to setup live which is a hassle.

 

I've asked this question to a few guitar techs and guitarists and it seems a lot of them don't even use the effects loop. This includes Radiohead (got an email from Plank their guitar tech), David Grissom, Earnie Bailie (Nirvana and Foo Fighters guitar tech) and AJ Dunning (The Verve Pipe). None of those guys use it and get great tone so I figure why should I?

[Armoredfist316]

when I was running stereo I used the effects loops in both my amps. It sucked having to run 6 cables but it sounds the best.

That being said, there is no benifit that I have found unless you are using amp distortion. the whole point is so the time based effects go after distortion. If you are only using pedals for dirt, then you can just put the dirt before and not worry about it.

[musikerochan]

can anyone post an effective diagram for my pedals? i have a spare board and plan to keep purely behringer pedals there (i have 7 of them in fact; all works perfectly). so here they are:

 

compressor

GDI

overdrive/Distortion

Tube OD

chorus (stereo)

delay (stereo)

noise reducer

single looper

 

the thing is, i dont want to use the amp's effects loop esp. when i need to travel to different studios, saving me weight for two guitar cables. i just want to utilize the full efficiency of the Noise reducer's send/return feature and at the same time without defeating the purpose of my single looper i use to isolate some pedals. please do post possible placement of the effects in the chain esp. in jpeg form, im really not quite good in images. thanks a lot.

[willburford]

The only reason (IMO) to do so is if you use your amps distortion a lot, because it would be the same effect as putting a delay in front of a distortion pedal, which just isn't pleasing in my opinion.