A step-by-step guide to the guitar effects used on a professional recording

A step-by-step guide to the guitar effects used on a professional recording

Following on from our recent series on guitar pedals “Which pedals do I need to start playing in a worship band? Part 1part 2 & part 3″ we were asked to go a little deeper and describe in detail the guitar effects that we used on the professional recordings of some of our backing tracks. You don’t need to “know” the tracks to find this useful of course, and if you click through on the links you’ll be able to hear a 30 second audio sample. The terms “Elec 1”, “Elec 2” and “Extras” refer to the instrument stems on our MultiTrack Player. The very precise descriptions of where in the song different effects are used are of course helpful if you are trying to replicate the exact sounds.

Desert Song

Elec 1 stem

On this stem you can hear the following effects all the way through the song

  • Single coil guitar
  • Amp set to crunch when guitar is turned up full, cleaner when guitar volume backed off to about 8-9
  • Effects: In order 1 – compression (2 overdrive if you can’t make the amp crunchy, otherwise let the amp do the drive work) 3 slight chorus (not much needed) 4 delay set to dotted 8th settings but its probably using memory man type delay that has a built in chorus effect

 Elec 2 stem

Introduction to verse 2

  • Humbucker guitar – bridge pickup – guitar volume full
  • 1 compression, 2 distortion or overdrive, 3 volume pedal (for the swells) analogue delay set low but at quarter notes to give the impression of sustain

Chorus 2 to end

  • Same Humbucker guitar as above  – effects = fuzz pedal or distortion pedal
  • Differences in distortion level achieved by turning down the guitar volume and picking the strings more lightly

Extras stem (Guitars)

  • As per Elec 1 including the overdrive pedal with volume swells achieved by the volume pedal again after the overdrive
  • Vibrato is by using the guitar whammy bar (Stratocaster)
  • Extra guitar on acoustic stem as per extras guitar

Revelation Song

Elec 1 stem

  • Introduction to Verse 4
  • Guitar played using a slide
  • Effects – 1 compression 2 overdrive 3 slight delay set to quarter notes

Instrumental on Chorus 3

  • Heavier overdrive setting or second overdrive added after main overdrive pedal.

Elec 2 stem

  • Bridge pick-up guitar volume on full
  • Amp on a slightly overdriven setting if possible
  • 1 Overdrive 2 volume pedal for swells 3 analogue delay set to quarter notes 4 second delay set low to dotted 8th notes
  • Vibrato achieved by using the guitar whammy bar (Stratocaster)

Introduction to Verse 4

  • Guitar played using a slide
  • Effects – 1 compression 2 overdrive 3 slight delay set to quarter notes

 

About the backing tracks

These backing tracks were recorded for use in the Worship Backing Band MultiTrack Player or any other DAW. The Player or DAW enables you to separate out the different instrument “stems” in order to isolate them to hear different parts, change the volume in the mix or to completely exclude them (for instance when you have a live musician in your team. You can find out more on the Worship Backing Band website.

Interesting article? Useful? Any questions or comments? Please comment in the box below.

 

Other posts you might like:

Which pedals do I need to start playing in a worship band? Part 1part 2 & part 3

Gear confessional- guitars

Andy’s Squire Telecaster

Flow chart – do you have too many guitars?

Small amp, great sound –  part 1part 2part 3part 4 and part 5

Gear confessional – amps