Effects reference

Tuner

Chromatic tuner. Shows note name and cents deviation. Always place first in the chain. Tune before every session.

Compressor

Reduces dynamic range — makes quiet notes louder and loud notes quieter. Threshold controls when compression kicks in. Ratio controls how much. 2:1 to 4:1 is typical for practice. Place after tuner, before drive.

Overdrive/Distortion

Adds gain and harmonic saturation. Overdrive (soft clipping) for blues/rock edge-of-breakup tones. Distortion (hard clipping) for rock/metal. Place after compressor, before modulation.

EQ

Three-band (low/mid/high) or parametric. Cuts or boosts specific frequency ranges. Place after drive, before modulation. Use to shape your tone for the room or to sit in a mix with backing tracks.

Delay

Repeats the input after a set time. For practice, a subtle slapback (80-120ms, one repeat, low mix) adds depth without masking your playing. Place near the end of the chain, before reverb.

Reverb

Simulates room ambience. For practice, use sparingly or not at all — reverb masks articulation details. If you use it, a small room or plate setting at low mix. Place last, before looper and recorder.

Chorus/Flanger/Phaser

Modulation effects that create movement and width. Chorus doubles the signal with slight pitch variation. Flanger creates a sweeping, jet-like effect. Phaser creates a swirling, phase-canceled sound. Place after drive, before delay/reverb.

Looper

Records audio and plays it back in a loop. Records everything before it in the chain. Place absolutely last (or second-to-last, before the recorder).

Recorder

Records the final output to a file. One click to start, one to stop. Files save automatically with timestamps. Place last.