[For Students] How to Create Compact Pedal Sounds with the ZOOM G3n!! - Fuzz Edition

Hey! All of you students out there!!!!!!!
You want to be recognized as a soloist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“wooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!”

And as usual, I started with a call and response. My name is S. and I am a high school guitarist.

This time, I would like to make a fuzz sound, as this is the third installment of making sounds with the ZOOM G3n multi-effects pedal!

Fuzz can be used for flying or for powerful performances. Although it doesn’t look like much, it is an effect pedal with surprisingly many uses: it can be used for backing if you reduce the amount of distortion, or it can be placed next to the main distortion to go wild in a solo.

Now, before we get into creating fuzz sounds, let me first introduce a little more about fuzz.

History of Fuzz

The history of fuzz is a long and deep one. This effect pedal with its buzzing sound has a special feel to it. In fact, it was the first distortion effect pedal ever created.

Before the introduction of the fuzz effects pedal, distortion was done with a vacuum tube amp, but a while later, a fuzz effects pedal called “Fuzz Face” appeared in 1966. This was used by Jimi Hendrix and other famous guitarists, which led to the widespread use of effects pedals.

In the 1960s, many effects pedals were produced. In other words, it was the peak of the effects pedal era.

In the 1970s, BOSS produced many famous models such as the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and the OD-1 Over Drive, and many famous effect pedals such as the Tube Screamer were influenced by these models, and continue to exist to this day.

In the end, what I am trying to say is that effects pedals originated from the fuzz pedal.

You will definitely want to try this one, don't you?

Creating a Fuzz Sound with the G3n

Now that you know about fuzz, it's time to create a sound.

To tell you the truth, I was quite worried about what sound to make this time. There are many “classic” fuzz models, such as the BOSS FZ-1w and the TB-2w, the ZVEX Fuzz Factory, and the VEMRAM Myriad FUZZ, and it was quite difficult to choose one.

Among them, I chose three models this time for their practicality and romance.

The BIG MUFF is synonymous with fuzz and is used by many guitarists. The FUZZ FACE, which is the origin of fuzz so to speak, and the tone bender, which is considered a legendary fuzz that I talked about earlier.

In this article, I will create these sounds.

Let's start with the sound creation of BIG MUFF.

electro-harmonix “BIG MUFF“

OctFUZZ is the basis of sound creation.

As before, G3n has the NYC Muff” a modeling of BIG MUFF Pi, but NYC Muff is an additional effect, and OctFUZZ is used this time to reproduce a sound with the originally equipped sound.

To create the roundness and thick core characteristic of the BIG MUFF, the EQ is used to lift the overall sound, focusing on the midrange and bass frequencies.

At this time, leave the guitar on the front pickup. This helps to create a rounder sound.

But still, when creating a fuzz sound, you want to make it sound bombastic. I really like the strumming sound of the bass strings.

By the way, I have seen three effects boards with three different BIG MUFFs on them at a live performance where I was working as staff.

JIM DUNLOP “FUZZ FACE“

The distortion used is the same as before, “OctFUZZ“.

No EQ, lower the tone and shave the treble a little.

The FUZZ FACE has a wild sound, so pick up the sound with the rear or center pickup.

It may be interesting to use the FUZZ FACE as the main distortion pedal.

The rounded body of the FUZZ FACE is charming, and it is an effect pedal that I have come to love at once because of its unprecedented characteristics that you wouldn’t even imagine just by judging by its appearance.

SOLA SOUND “tone bender“

The effect used is TB MK1.5, a tone bender modeling effect.

Basically, I raise all the tones and use EQ to support the midrange and make the bass sound more prominent.

As you would expect from a “legendary fuzz”, it is modeled after all. As a jumping-off point, I felt this was the most promising.

I am ashamed to admit that I had never heard of this effect pedal until I started researching fuzz pedals. However, when I listened to the sound, I found that it had a very warm sound among fuzz effects, which was a gentler rocking.

Summary

How was the fuzz section?

I had a lot of trouble this time, partly because I don't use fuzz very often. I hope you like the sound. I managed to finish this in such a situation.

Fuzz is an excellent prop, and it is often found at the feet of various artists. Why don't you try using this great tool?

Have a great guitar life!

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