Guitar pedals have become an integral part of the music scene. Such is the guitar pedal’s role in creating modern music that there has even been a documentary called The Pedal Movie, which tackles the history, craftsmanship, and different usages of the equipment.
Though it has been used in many different genres, rock is arguably the guitar pedals’ staunchest user. This is because it helps produce the gritty and emphasized sounds that the genre demands. If you want to recreate the tones made by some of the most iconic rock artists, here are a few pedals you should consider getting:
Pink Floyd – ProCo Rat
Kicking off this list is the ProCo Rat used by the band’s famed member David Gilmour. Pink Floyd is one of the most influential bands within the rock genre, even spawning a rock opera using their music. Their trademark tone is achieved with the ProCo Rat, a pedal that has been offering amazing hard clipping capabilities since the late seventies. Unlike other pedals of its kind, changing the output volume doesn’t mess with its tone, which is a welcome feature for many guitarists. If your goal is to emulate the grittiness Pink Floyd is known for, then the ProCo Rat is the pedal for you.
Jimi Hendrix – Dunlop Fuzz Face
Jimi Hendrix is known for his amazing and unique guitar riffs, and his use of the guitar pedal was a big part of his sound. This pedal, created by Dunlop, is modelled after Hendrix’s original gear – the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face. It can produce a distinctive vintage tone. Though it emphasizes fuzziness, it still offers users distinct tones that do not fade into the background of a rock song. This distortion pedal is great for recreating the feel of a classic rock song.
Led Zeppelin – MXR M101 Phase 90
Led Zepplin, best known for their self-titled albums, owes their iconic guitar sound to Jimmy Page. Since 1975, he has been using the MXR M101 Phase 90 to create electronic tones using only a guitar. This pedal is also quite popular in the industry, becoming a staple for musicians of different genres and decades. Though it may not be as versatile as other pedals, its compact and easy to use nature makes it great for live shows and recording sessions. This classic phaser pedal is still widely used today, proving just how important it is.
AC/DC – SoloDallas Storm
While the SoloDallas Storm isn’t exactly what AC/DC’s guitarist Angus Young used, it is a very faithful recreation of the Schaffer. The company’s founder, Filippo Olivieri, wanted to recreate the crunch and crispy tones that AC/DC’s hard-hitting songs were known for and thus conceptualized this pedal. It has gain, boost, and limiter controls that help musicians tinker with the sound it creates. If you are looking for a superior quality compression pedal, you must look no further than the SoloDallas’ Storm.
Though rock music has certainly evolved over the last decades, musicians today continue to turn to the genre’s icons for inspiration.
Recreating the mood and feel of an iconic song can easily be done with the right tools and these are just a few of the pedals that can help artists do just that.
