Do you consider effects use to be part of technique?

[DaveAronow]

Yes although they can be used in conjunction, they are different kinda of techniques.

 

Technically knowing how to tweak your pedals, or being a good producer will not help you play guitar any more than technically knowing how to play guitar will make you a good producer, or tone finder, or pedal tweaked etc. BUT, they certainly can be used in conjunction to create an overall sound that cannot be accomplished by one component alone. But that still doesn't make it accurate to say that the ability to use a pedal,correctly has anything to do with the actual playing of your guitar. You still need to be able to "technically" be able to play your guitar, hit all the right notes, crisp, clean with good timing, weather your pedal is on or not.

 

If you are talking about the bigger picture of producing an overall sound, then yes, it,is all technical ability, but when you seperated out the individual components, the technique of playing the guitar is different and seperated from the technique of being able to use your pedals in a cool artistic and musical way. The music that results from combining the two is a result of combining individual but seperated techniques.

 

You don't have to know how to play guitar to find good uses for pedals but it helps.

You don't have to know how to tweak pedals to be able to play guitar, but it helps.

[1001gear]

As has been stated, inasmuch as the rig is the instrument, yes. One - or at the very least I, plays, yes I plays thank you, to make music with that sound. Technique is tempered to that sound. Inseparable.

 

That said I don't play the effects per se. Pointless and gimmicky. I wish all my drives had foot pedals instead of knobs but I lack at the manual end anyway. Not a problem as yet. I suppose if I cross over to a multi FX or VG board I'd have to experiment with the pedal.

[ugameus]

 

a song has to stand up under the most bare conditions. that could mean you totally change your playing to fit the new dynamic, but the "kitchen table test" is good process.

 

 

I agree. I can play all my songs on acoustic or electric. I don't use a lot of effects though, and the ones I do use are subtle, so I don't face the obstacles of having to dramatically change my playing. The biggest obstacle I have is that I like to run my amp on the edge of breakup so I can get clean and dirty sounds just by changing my pick attack. I sometimes struggle with the balancing of those dynamics on the acoustic.

[scolfax]

The sound your instrument makes changes how you play it. Effects change the sound in a seemingly infinite number of ways. I definitely agree that technique and effects (even if it's just dry overdrive from your amp) go hand-in-hand.

[IbanezJon]

YES.

 

It's like dialing in your amp EQ wise, or adjusting your tone and volume knobs.. or adjusting your hands for diffferent tones.

 

It's taking advantage of the versatility and tools that electric guitar has at it's disposal.

 

I cringe at the guys that like an amp with one volume knob. Back in the day that's all there was, but things have changed. Having more options is always a good thing, chosing to use them or not is another thing all together.

 

Pedals/effects are just an extension of that, especially dialing them in to sound good. And then being creative with them is another thing altogether, sort of like songwriting, but that's another sometimes neglected aspect of electric guitar.

[IbanezJon]

Edge is the obvious one, but here is one that involves physical hand technique plus delay technique..

 

[video=youtube;dJytlAIHIY8]

[Alecto]

Absolutely. Learning to play with effects is like learning to cook with spices; it's another technique to master. And delay is probably the toughest effect to play with because you hear every mistake you made again . . . and again . . . and again.

 

That's why The Edge is probably one of the greatest rhythm guitarists of all time. He can't afford to make a mistake.

[A Happy Crowd]

I've really grown to like the idea of thinking of the electric guitar as a "system" (guitar, effects, amp) rather than just an instrument. My goal as a guitarist is to add whatever I think works best to a song, so I'll often use effects just because I think it sounds better.

 

A guy like Kevin Shields obviously takes a very different approach to the guitar than a guy like Yngwie Malmsteen. It doesn't necessarily mean that one has more technique than the other, but rather they each chose to employ different techniques to the same instrument.

[Mike Fiasco]

There is some art and technique to being able to dial in a particular tone. Cover bands should be masters of this since their reportorie covers a large spectrum, and the audience expects that their version of "Smoke on the Water" should sound like the original Deep Purple version.

 

I agree with those who say that a player should be able to play well without effects. I guess I'm an OK player, but I don't really use effects. I would be at a disadvantage to the next guy who knows his pedalboard and can make his playing sound good 1000 different ways.

[TheFigurehead]

 

I read a post a while back, either here or TGP, and the forum member said that every once in a while they play their songs on acoustic guitar to make sure they are not just writing a pedal progression. I thought that was interesting.

 

 

This. I actually got the idea from C.C. Deville (of all people), in some guitar magazine interview, when I first started playing. He said something to the effect of: you can be the fanciest guitar player in the world, but if you can't play the song to your girlfriend on an acoustic guitar, it's not a good song".

 

Obviously, there are many, many, many exceptions to that... but I've written nearly every song I've ever done on an acoustic since. It works for me. I find it helpful as it forces you to be more creative. Power chords don't really cut it, and strumming "cowboy chords" gets old quick. I haven't touched an electric guitar at home in 20 years (recording or repairing something aside).

 

With the band, however, I do use a lot of effects. As someone else said, it's the seasoning. To me, electric guitar is half acoustic instrument, and half sound manipulation. You've got multiple pickups, volume knobs, tone knobs, pedals, the amp... why not use them to enhance what you are doing?

[nicholai]

guitar makes an excellent synth if done right. It's its own beast. Why knock the edge cause he sucks at guitar? He sold more anything than I ever will.