Today I'm going to talk about effects and how to incorporate them into your playing.
If you already do this, very cool! Maybe you can help someone else out. If you need a little help, that's why I'm writing this post today.
I've been using effects for decades and have found that most guitar players struggle with getting good effects synced with their playing. That's not to say they're not trying, but often times it comes across as hair-pulling noise.
If you really want to get the most out of your effects, here's the good news: You gotta use them! And here's the bad news: That means, practice, practice, and yes, more practice!
Having had a Dad who used to yell at me about turning the volume down, I get it. However, you've got to find a time to practice and see what works and what doesn't. Also, find someone who has experience and ask them to help. It's not as hard as you think.
A couple recommendations -
Okay, now you may be thinking: 'He's going to tell me what to buy next'. Actually, no! What I am going to do is recommend you try out as many different setups as you can. This will give you an idea of what works for you and what doesn't. It's kind of like shoes, what feels comfortable will most likely work best.
You also need to consider whether analog or digital effects are best for your setup. They can be very different!
I personally like the Boss ME 80. It gives me what I need in a compact unit as an all-in-one solution. You can also download patches from the Boss website and update it.
There are great setups from Ibanez, Behringer, and numerous others. Doing a little research can go a long way.
Final thoughts -
There is an artistry as well as a science to using effects. My take is be judicious. Putting on reverb, distortion, EQ, compression, and delay all at the same time may sound like fun but may really turn-off your audience.
Knowing your gear, your ability, and your limitations will go a long way to getting the premiere sound.