Trying Out Effects Pedals with Wind Instruments ①｜Effect Pedal Techniques Even Beginners Can Try - Introduction

Using effects pedals with wind instruments sounds difficult… Can you even use them in the first place?

• “I’ve always been kind of fascinated by effects pedals, but they seem complicated…”
• “I’ve only ever played classical music, but I’d like to experiment a little.”
• “I want to try creating a different sound for streaming or live performances.”

Have you ever had thoughts like these?
“I used to only perform in wind ensembles or classical settings, so I always played with a natural sound. I was interested in effects pedals, but thought of them as something that’s only just for guitarists.”
In this article, I am going to share my experiences as a beginner trying out effects pedals—how to hook them up, what effects I recommend, and my honest impressions.
(I’m still figuring things out as I go, so yes—planning! )

If you’re thinking, “I want to have fun with effects pedals even as a wind player,”
then I hope reading this article becomes your very first step forward!

So, What Is an Effects Pedal Anyway?

An effects pedal is a device that adds various effects to the sound of an instrument. For wind instruments, you can think of it like a mute—it alters the sound.
You can add echo, distort the sound with a twang kind of effect, or create a spacious, dreamy vibe that spreads out like whirl.
In short, it gives you the freedom to shape your sound however you like.

The kinds of things you see in live performances on TV, or on the street that look like this ↓, are effects pedals (or pedalboards).

(Things at a guitarist’s feet)

There Are (A Ton) of Different Types of Effects Pedals

Yep—there are seriously a lot of effects pedals out there. (As of now, there are 5,278 listed on Sound House…!)
That’s because people use different pedals depending on the effect they want, and they often combine multiple pedals to create unique sounds.
To start off, here are a few of the most common types of effects:

1. Reverb

An effect pedal that creates a reverberation sound, like when you play in a bathroom or a big hall.

Popular model: STRYMON / blueSky V2

2. Delay

This effect repeats the sound you play with a slight delay, like an echo in the mountains.

Popular model: BOSS / DM-2W Delay Pedal for Guitar

3. Chorus

This effect modulates the pitch slightly to create a richer, wider tone. It’s like multiple people playing the same note together.

Popular model: ELECTRO-HARMONIX / NEO CLONE

4. Octaver (Pitch)

Adds notes an octave above or below the one you’re playing, giving your sound more depth, weight, or variety.

Popular model: BOSS / OC-5 OCTAVE

5. Compressor (Comp)

An effect that evens out volume fluctuations in your playing.

Popular model: MXR / M102 Dynacomp Compressor

Lots of these terms sound like guitar-speak, don’t they?
This explains why they have those huge boards packed with pedals. Now it all makes sense!

What Do I Want to Do with Effects Pedals?

The reason I decided to try using effects pedals was this video:

♪ Theme from Lupin the Third '78 – Yuji Ohno

I could kind of tell, “Ah, they’re using some kind of effect here,” but I had no idea what exactly was being used.
So, I showed the video to our in-house Effects Pedal Guru.

Me: “What do you think they’re using to get this sound?”

Guru: “Sounds like reverb and an octaver.”

Me: “Yeah… if I get a pedal with those two effects and a mic, I can do this too?”

Guru: “Probably, yeah.”

Guru: “But getting all the separate pieces is kind of a hassle, right? If you buy a multi-effects unit, you can do it all with just one.”

Me: “!!!”

What’s a Multi-Effects Unit?

A multi-effects unit is a single device that contains multiple effects in one.

● Compact Type: Contains only one type of effect per unit

● Multi-Effects Unit: Combines multiple effects into a single device

Pros

• You can use various types of effects like chorus, delay, etc., all with just one device.
• It’s convenient for easily trying out a wide range of sounds.
• Compared to buying multiple individual pedals, it saves a lot of space.
• It’s also easier to carry around.

→ Since you can manage a wide variety of effects in one unit, it’s perfect for those who want to craft their sound efficiently!

Cons

• Because it’s multifunctional, it tends to be a bit more expensive than single-effect (compact) pedals.

I see! For a total beginner like me, who doesn’t know left from right, a multi-effects unit seems like the way to go.

Now that I’ve decided to go with a multi-effects unit, in the next article I’ll walk you through how to choose the right gear and how to set it all up!