Students used to come to me with Mel Bay books. I told them all to forget Mel Bay and to bring me their favourite song. I showed them the chords and told them to practice. All of my students could play quite well by the end of semester. Learning favourite songs makes people want to practice, Yankee Doodle doesn’t, in my experience.
If you want more of the phaser sound, always place it after. If you want more distortion, visa versa. Any pedals you run before drive or distortion are going to have their signals smashed and compressed by the drive. Having it after allows the phase to sit on top of the distorted signal.
I came to look if go before or after, yours was quickest answer - I got it right now guitar - tuner - muff - phase - distortion - amp ------------ muff sounds awesome the distortion not so great, so im try phase last --- couldn't hear much phase and I want phaseeeeeezzzzz but I also want the EVH
1:43: "me personally, I like putting them (phasers) after (distortion)" 7:15: "I like it (phaser) before." Really taking the "there is no wrong answer" sentiment seriously..
Phaser before overdrive. Think about it, Van Halen 1, all the drive is a marshall pushed to breaking point, with a MXR Phase 90 going in the front. I always find Phasers and Flangers to be too overpowering POST drive, much sweeter and controllable PRE drive. That's my experience anyway but, as we all know, there's really no right or wrong. If it sounds good, that's all that should matter.
I just tried putting my phaser before the drive, and it definately sounds better before the drive for me! After the drive the pedal sounded a bit weird, sort of thin and a bit uncontrollable. Putting it before the drive gave it a more full sound and made it, as you said, sweeter and more controllable. Thanks!
I've always wondered why I never cared much for phaser on my pedal board and I never thought to try it before drives and distortions. Phasers seem to be closer to auto filter and wahs than modulation pedals like chorus at least in principle. Groovy!!!!
To my ears, the phase effect is less pronounced when placed before the distortion than after. If you want a more subtle effect, put it in before the distortion, and after if you want it more pronounced.
Just clarifying; van halen (here on the vid) sounded better with the phaser before, Floyd sounded better with phaser after..? - Coz I felt that. I myself dick around with pedal order A LOT in the studio. Live, me rig is set, pinned to the material. What phaser(s) do you like & use?
What was I doing with my life. Clicked subscribe and have complete clarity now. Thanks! I always ran a phaser after but preferred the bottom end with the phaser before the distortion. Like I said clarity. Thanks for the videos! I love how you plug those that have gone before you. Isaac Newton 1675: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
Hey Brian, just wanted to say thanks for being so honest on UA-cam. I'm a bassist and a bit of a gear head, and I wanna get into pedal building soon, when I have enough for the initial investments. I also enjoy Andertons Music, for example, but your videos offer a different feel. You're so easy to understand and relate to. So thanks for being awesome.
I likewise prefer my phaser before any of my gain. I dont don't use it for trippy effects usually, I usually use it to just add some sort of movement to my lead sound so it comes through the mix more
I don’t know why I said after....I found out using before gave me a more classic VH tone, as he would go into the pre-amp of his plexi...when I did this too my traynor and before 5150 pedal and boom....I got that trebly edge that I love about VH classic tone.
Although I've placed the phaser before and after my distortion pedal I prefer to place the phaser before my distortion, much like my wah pedal. It's just a preference. All my other modulation effects go last. Another great video Brian!
Unbelievable, but I'm going to be the only dissenter so far. I definitely like the phaser (and most all modulation effects) after the distortion. Unbelievable, only because this is the classic placement, the way EVH and most classic rock songs have it. There is a reason for this convention: Disortions are most often placed pre-amp in order to drive the tubes harder. This typically homogenizes the somewhat spikey character of a typical pedal producing a smoother, creamier distortion overall. If you modify the signal as with a phaser or any other modulation effect before the distortion, those effects will also become more homogenized and it actually changes the character of many modulation effects by not allowing parts of the frequencies to come through. Not saying that's a bad thing, but in general sounds less organic because the overtones from these effects also get homogenized or "rounded out" by the distortion, effectively chopping off part of the effect. All sounds are valid however!
For sure a fuzz pedal before a phaser, but I can see the virtue of a phaser pedal being before or after a distortion pedal. It kind of depends on the type of distortion and whether you want the distorted signal to affect the phaser or vice versa. Usually I go with a compressor to fuzz to wah(actually it is Maestro Fuzz Phazzer which is deifferent than a normal wah) to ring mod to overdrive to EP2 to CE1 to a pair of Traynor YBA1. Sometimes I will add a phaser before or after the ring mod depending on my mood). If I was only using one distortion pedal, it would go before the phase pedal like you are saying. Fuzz for sure goes before a phase pedal, but the way I am using the overdrive/distortion pedal in my chain is more as a boost pedal(Black Arts Black Forest). The dumber part of the video is he keeps referencing Barracuda which was a homemade flanger pedal.
axe2grind911a ummm....I have one, and was having a hard time dealing in a proper VH tone with phaser.....until I put it after the dist. Why? Well cause I'm gonna go out on a limb and disagree with EVH placing it after his dist. In the 70's he was using it with a plexi, and until I put it before the distortion....I couldn't get that true VH sound. When I switched them.....it was a world of difference in how it reacts to my playing. Just to be sure I had my boss(another huge VH fan) take a listen and he agreed....that after was more plausible as being the way Eddie used it, as I don't know for sure.....but did plexi's come with an effects loop? If not then he would have had it before the amps dist, and he didn't use dist pedals. Obviously this is just my take on it.....but I definitely like it before the distortion.....amp or pedal. Cheers!
Adam King Effects loops were certainly a '70s invention, but I don't think Eddie was using them in the early days of Van Halen. I don't believe EVH had his plexi modded for an effects loop. For sure the early "pedal board" was just a hunk of plywood with some carpet glued on, and the effects held on by gaffer tape. For the early sound he apparently first went into a MXR Graphic EQ to the Plexi which was taken down to 90 volts of input power by a VariAc. This signal was then fed into a dummy load which then fed to the Flanger then the Phase 90 to Echoplex which then ran into an HH solid state stereo power amp into two cabinets. Sometimes he would switch the Phase 90 to after the graphic EQ and before the plexi. This was for the studio sound. Stage sound would have been a different set up entirely. I am not sure if he used the VariAC live after 78/79. Early on he was for sure using it and apparently recorded VH II with the Plexi power amp feeding the Marshall cabinets, so the effects would have been before the ampin this case. After that he reverted back to the aforementioned set up with HH stereo power amp. This makes total sense for how the early sound was achieved, but could be quite complicated to set up. Using a VariAC is typical for turning on older unused tube circuits and for burning in capacitors. Using one to play with the input voltage could be fraught with problems if you don't know what you're doing. I'm not a tech but have spent enough time around them to get why EVH would have arrived at this point n 1975-76. Lowering the overall voltage will make an amp more likely to go into overdrive(more voltage usually means more headroom and vice versa). Ritchie Blackmore did a similar thing by using Akai tube tape recorder amps as preamps before a Marshall Major. Randy Bachman also had a box that was essentially a tweed Champ that had a dummy load after the 6V6 to bring it down to line level. They were made in limited numbers by a Canadian company known as Garnet and were called "The Herzog" which became the sound of American Woman and other Guess Who & BTO songs.
I love when I'm in pedal position deciding mode, I can just find Brian demoing my exact questions, it's fantastic! Plus, i need to do it myself anyways, but great to hear "the man behind the tone curtain" give his two cents ;)
That intro cracked me up. That was the first tune I taught my son on guitar, some 15 yrs ago. Anyways I put all my modular effects including the Phase 90 in the effects loop, personal preference.
Ed also had a load box that attenuated his Marshall to a level he could run thru effects pedals into a solid state amp. Basically using the Marshall as a distortion box.
Every phaser video has to feature those 4 notes from certain 70's band who had a thing for insane jewelry. And you'd need a bit of delay. And a booster..comp...Strat ofc.. Well..maybe every *other* phaser demo.
the Tumnus Deluxe sounds like a pedal worth buying ...cool vids , i always had a thing for delay & wah OR wah & delay from guitar to amp , so hope you have a good week too...
Mostly I prefer the phaser BEFORE the distortion because the phaser can really accentuate the harsh high ends of the distortion. The distortion is great at taming the swooshing aspect of the phaser while letting a subtle bit of modulation come through. If you have your rate and depth set just right for the song, it gives it an effect of almost talking. Then again, I actually own 2 phaser pedals - Boss and Hardwire - and I have one set up before the distortion pedals and the other one after, so I can mix and match to my tastes. Because there are those times when I really want to twist the distortion into new realms of sonic weirdness. Same thing with my Vox Wah, btw. I usually prefer it PRE-distortion, but there are times I want a more apparent effect which you get post-distortion. Now ... throw in a phaser or 2 with that wah and, yeah ... total sonic weirdness.
I use both. One MXR phase 95 before my overdrive and amp gain, and another 95 in the effects loop. Quite a different sound but I like them both for different applications.
Old video, but love it. I personally like phase, flanger, as well as wah pre-gain in my rig simply because to my ear, it can add a more subtle sonic character, and interesting harmonic overtones throughout the sweeps in your gain stage/s, that in turn can be used more as an accent than a real bold in your face effect. It's just a personal taste thing though, and I do use them post gain when I really want the effect to stand out in a bold way. That's what makes them so versatile, and such an enduring effect to this day. Use 'em how you like, and switch them up every now and then.
Going to make me break out my ds1. Sounds great with the phaser, I like it with a crunchy amp, what do I know? I would have to remove an overdrive? Not sure about that? Thanks for the Wampler Bell pedal, that thing is so yummy! I can no longer play clean without it!
I used to have my Phase 90 and PickleVibe after all dirt but about a year ago moved them to before. Much more warm and subtle. After was just too much whack.
I used to have all mod effects after my distortion. But lately I've been using them in front. It's not as drastic a change to the overall sound. As for phasers I do use the EVH phase 90 as well. But I really dig the Danelectrco Chicken Salad Vibe, I have yet to find another pedal that sounds like it.
Everyone is talking about EVH and all I can think of is Early Rush phase sound. "Before and After" and even songs up to 2112 I think. Before and After would be his first use of it I think.
Since phaser is like a wah pedal it should be first, but it also sounds great after. Do you want your distortion phased or your phase distorted? Probably worth it to have one on each side of your distortion/gain/od
I put modulation effects: chorus, flange, phaser through the effects loop. I also use a line mixer so I can run the effects in parallel. It's cleaner that way. I usually put the distortion, wah and volume in series coming out of the guitar.
Thanks for this video! That teacher of yours did perhaps the worse thing a teacher can do especially to a little kid: he brought you down for being smarter and more talented than he expected you to be so he had to put his fist into your talent to attempt at showing that he was The Teacher! Anyway you are an amazing guitarist to me so it worked great for you I guess! :-) I don't know you were in a class with more students or if you studied alone, but if it was me I'd put that student on my chair and ask him to teach everybody what he learned and I'd say to everybody "Your class doesn't finish here, everything you learn you go home and try to expand from it to make it your own!"!
I got the Fender lost highway dual phaser. It can automatically switch between the two based on attack volume and It works best before distortion as a robo-wah.
I personally feel that you want to keep the chain straight as possible for as long as needed. I've put my Modulation(TC Flashback 2, Boss rt-20, Ibanez FL-9) in the loop of my JCM 900. Everything else goes thru the front(MXR command Preamp, Crybaby, Keeley DDR, Boss DS-1, Dunlop Volume, Boss DD-3, MXR Carbon Copy, Whirlwind Selector, Amps).
When do we get to see the selectable stage (2, 4, 6 selecto-stage) Wampler phaser? I’d love to get your take on it Mr. Wampler. I also have some innovative ideas if you’d like to hear them on what phasers should be able to do if anyone would be interested.
This is more in regards to a univibe type pedal, but it somewhat works for phasers too... if you have a phaser nestled between drive pedals (or after a drive and before a driven amp), with the drive before the phaser at a fairly low gain setting - you can get some great tones, and the guitar volume has an enormous effect. Drive before phaser gives a smoother sound, after is more biting. Combining the 2 sounds pretty cool when you use your guitar volume to get different levels of gain. I tried this after thinking about Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies tone. I'm pretty sure his Univibe is after his Fuzz Face, with an octave fuzz occasionally after the vibe...and of course his amp was cranked for the most gain possible on that amp.
To me, the phasing is much more in your face after the distortion. In most cases, that's just too much phasing for my liking. I like to use the Phase 90 to just keep the distortion "moving" so it sounds like feedback. The downside is that the Phase 90 is very noisy. That noise gets amplified when it goes through high distortion.
I use three boards, I put all the color type pedals after the distortion and over drive pedals. I seem to get the full abilities out of the distortion pedals. Pedals like Big Muff, Bad Money and my Fulltone 2 work the the best without adding color to them.
I'm an old keyboard player. My guitar friends always sounded like they were gigging on the Love Boat when they used phasers, so I had no interest. (playing in a Steely Dan tribute in recent years changed all that). I watched this video expecting post-phaser distortion to ruin the sound because the sound levels would not be consistent going through the distortion. I was shocked to learn how smooth and subtle it was, in a very usable way. The lesson - mustard and chocolate syrup. Both are good. One goes with hot dogs, the other goes on ice cream. Or not - you decide.
My preference is definitely before but I also have my phaser in between 2 overdrives so I have the choice, depending on what sound I'm after... Good videos sire!
I tried forever to get the “Waylon” sound with multiple phasers including the Phase 90, BOSS and a few others and couldnt even get close. Then an amp tech told me I needed to try the EH Small Stone. He said it was designed with the same circuits and design that were used in the Peavey amps the country guys used in the 70s that had the built in Phaser. I quickly bought one and within 10 seconds I had THAT Sound. Just flip the color switch up, set the rate to between 11 and noon and there it is! Invariably, the Small Stone cant really replicate the sound of a Phase 90 either tho. I also find that the Small Stone only sounds good before an overdrive pedal and it also has a small volume drop when engaged that you have to plan for but its definitely worth it to get that throb for those old Waylon and Jerry Reed songs!
I know it was an unintentional contradiction but at the start you said you prefer it after distortion, at the end you said you like it before. Could you please clear that up .
I actually liked the phase-before-distortion a little better. And since many of the sounds we are trying to emulate had the AMP as the source of distortion, all of the modulation fx would be before the amp in the chain. Example: EVH and the tape echo being BEFORE the amp. There were no fx loops in amps in the 1970s, so if we're trying to emulate many of those classic sounds, often it makes sense to have a gain/drive pedal nearly last in your chain.
I have an MXR phase 100 and micro flanger. I find both work better before distortion as I find they boost volume after, but because of the distortion compression it keeps the volume more uniform.
not trying to be a dick , but first u said ya like it after distortion, then before ? I know it's just a small mistake but curious to which one you really prefer ?
I just went and tried it to see which way I like it. I have always had it after the dirt, but I did an "A/B" thing and I think I still prefer it after the drive. That way you're phasing a distorted signal, no distorting a phased signal. That's kind of how my teacher explained it to me. Like "do you want to delay a chorused signal or chorus a delayed signal?" is how she had me thinking about arranging pedals. And for some reason the Phase 90 sounds like shit in my effects loop. It has to go into the front of the amp.
This was very helpful. I have a Joyo Vintage Phaser that is creating a lot of noise, it's before my gain pedals. The noise sounds just like it does in your demo. I was going to get the MXR Phase 90 but it seems phasers just add a lot of noise to the signal. Good to know. Wish there were more videos like this that show stacking gain stages and how pedals like a phaser add to all the noise.
1:43 you said you like them after, then 7:04 you like them before. You are not going to be cornered with an opinion here! I respect that. ha- personally that phaser before was way to noisy. Any woot. Great vid nice collection on the amps and great pedals. ty
Oh that Mel Bay book! I had the exact same experience only he asked me back once more to teach him some blues licks I showed him. Yes, that last lesson I actually paid to teach the teacher! I was 6 then but later in life I was the teacher with 70 students a week and not a Mel Bay book in sight!
After for swooshy phaser sounds before for Eddie's sound, he definitely used it before because he ran it into the front end of a cranked plexi which was load boxed and then run into power amps.
I really like this video. I'm looking forward to experimenting with phase 90 and distortion pedals now myself. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of your videos. I would have quit my guitar teacher if he said I couldn't learn anything outside of a book, too.
Mr why don't you use a greater and quieter distortion pedal.. I don't know, there's this brand called.. uuh.. WAMPLER I think... I have the PINNACLE DELUXE, I can tell ya, its great!! maybe you might get one...
Thank you thought it would sound cleaner that way... through the effects loop it has a huge mid boost that I can't stand so now I'm putting mine in the front before my distortion pedals
The noise isn't the DS-1. Or it isn't JUST the DS-1. The EVH Phase 90 is very noisy when run in front of distortion. Not sure why. It just is. So is the EVH Flanger. Both of those were the noisiest pedals on my board. I liked your story about your guitar teacher. I did something similar with mine. I was making horrible progress with the Mel Bay book and showed him something I learned outside of it. He tossed the book aside and said, "I think you'd benefit from just learning some songs." He kept his student and I learned to play. Now 30 years later, I'm going back and learning some of that theory as it applies to what I want to do.
You need a 2 amp system to get the phase 90 level correct ..Y cord the output of the DS-1 one side into the phase 90 (or phase 100) the other side into an echoplex
Phaser is an interesting effect because it's both a time-based effect and a filter effect. Common guitar knowledge dictates that time-based effects should be placed after dirt and filter effects should be placed before. Of course, ultimately there are no rules; pedal order depends on the sound you want as well as the characteristics of your gear. My MXR Phase 90 goes before all my drives, not only because doing so gets me that chewy, cutting lead sound, but also because the volume boost when placed after dirt is too severe.
the white noise and unnecesary noise floor phasers produce before dirt is why i put mine after these days. Interesting how guitar players percieve things and have different preferences.
@@djc5897 That's a great observation and it sounds like you really understand your gear. I too get white noise by placing my Phase 90 before dirt, but when I kick it on for a solo, I'm in the middle of playing my guitar so the white noise is not audible in a band context.
What Marshall head is that in the background? Also, if the JCM 900 reissue has 5881 tubes, is it still considered a British voiced amp like classic EL-34 Marshalls, or is it closer to an Americanish sound like Soldano that uses 5881’s? Cheers!
Eddie Van Halen told me once that there’s a DS-1 on the first Van Halen album, but wouldn’t tell me where it was. I think he used it with his phaser for the Atomic Punk whoosha-whoosha part.
The only song I can think of where it may have been after the distortion or overdriven is The Rover by Led Zeppelin. Other than that, It think most people put it before the distortion or overdrive.
I read an article on Van Halen and his sound and it said he used the Phase 90 script before amp and a Flanger after? Seems a bit odd as they're both quite similar pedals aren't they? Would that just be a preference thing or placed just so the phaser colours/boosts his lead tone and the flanger does the big swirly modulation thing?
I like yours much better distortion first. Personally my present head is an Orange TH30 and I run my distortion into the front and the phaser in the loop
I agree, before was better. What is that Fender amp just off your right hand? The shorter one with the darker tweed? I have a 1953 that looks a lot like that.
What about a for a guy like me who uses amp gain while still pushing a TS9 in front? Right now I guess you could say my phaser is in between drives. I also use the EVH.
I use mine in front before my amps distortion but after an overdrive pedal and it sounds great. Not as dramatic as if it were in the loop. So I guess it's between 2 distorted sounds. Maybe the best of both worlds!
Brian, at 1:37 you state your personal preference is phaser after distortion, then at 7:03 you say you definitely prefer phaser it before! This is confusing to say the least.
1:42 after
7:04 before
Did you do this on purpose?
No it was accident. I prefer phase before distortion most of the time.
10-4; thanks for clearing it up. Happy phasing!
3:07, after
5:17, before
Yeah....I noticed that, too...he completely reversed his preference...lol!
Some heroes do not wear a cape.
Before is more subtle... doesn’t do the wooossshhhh, but still modulates the voice of the ds.
Thanks anyway
Ur my hero
Students used to come to me with Mel Bay books. I told them all to forget Mel Bay and to bring me their favourite song. I showed them the chords and told them to practice. All of my students could play quite well by the end of semester. Learning favourite songs makes people want to practice, Yankee Doodle doesn’t, in my experience.
If you want more of the phaser sound, always place it after. If you want more distortion, visa versa. Any pedals you run before drive or distortion are going to have their signals smashed and compressed by the drive. Having it after allows the phase to sit on top of the distorted signal.
Steve Brodsky of mutoid man/cave in runs his after.
I came to look if go before or after, yours was quickest answer - I got it right now guitar - tuner - muff - phase - distortion - amp ------------ muff sounds awesome the distortion not so great, so im try phase last --- couldn't hear much phase and I want phaseeeeeezzzzz but I also want the EVH
1:43: "me personally, I like putting them (phasers) after (distortion)"
7:15: "I like it (phaser) before."
Really taking the "there is no wrong answer" sentiment seriously..
I heard that, went back, heard it again, came here, read it, heard it back...
before or after?
yes
@@zhou_sei XD
He did the same with the Way pedal placement video! 8^b
Great Air Whammy Bar technique, Brian!!!!
Phaser before overdrive. Think about it, Van Halen 1, all the drive is a marshall pushed to breaking point, with a MXR Phase 90 going in the front. I always find Phasers and Flangers to be too overpowering POST drive, much sweeter and controllable PRE drive. That's my experience anyway but, as we all know, there's really no right or wrong. If it sounds good, that's all that should matter.
They can be in the fx loop, after the dist.
The "new phase 90s", EVH model included, are all analog!
Just J Both of those pedals are analog. Do some research before talking shit
I just tried putting my phaser before the drive, and it definately sounds better before the drive for me! After the drive the pedal sounded a bit weird, sort of thin and a bit uncontrollable. Putting it before the drive gave it a more full sound and made it, as you said, sweeter and more controllable. Thanks!
EHX Bad Stone sounds rad after my Muff. MXR better before
I've always wondered why I never cared much for phaser on my pedal board and I never thought to try it before drives and distortions. Phasers seem to be closer to auto filter and wahs than modulation pedals like chorus at least in principle. Groovy!!!!
To my ears, the phase effect is less pronounced when placed before the distortion than after. If you want a more subtle effect, put it in before the distortion, and after if you want it more pronounced.
My two cents: When the phaser's speed is slow, then before. When the phaser's speed is fast, then after.
Just clarifying; van halen (here on the vid) sounded better with the phaser before, Floyd sounded better with phaser after..? - Coz I felt that. I myself dick around with pedal order A LOT in the studio. Live, me rig is set, pinned to the material.
What phaser(s) do you like & use?
What was I doing with my life. Clicked subscribe and have complete clarity now. Thanks! I always ran a phaser after but preferred the bottom end with the phaser before the distortion. Like I said clarity. Thanks for the videos! I love how you plug those that have gone before you.
Isaac Newton 1675: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
Hey Brian, just wanted to say thanks for being so honest on UA-cam. I'm a bassist and a bit of a gear head, and I wanna get into pedal building soon, when I have enough for the initial investments. I also enjoy Andertons Music, for example, but your videos offer a different feel. You're so easy to understand and relate to.
So thanks for being awesome.
guitar teachers then "You learned outside the curriculum? BAD!"
guitar teachers now "You learned? Impressive."
I likewise prefer my phaser before any of my gain. I dont don't use it for trippy effects usually, I usually use it to just add some sort of movement to my lead sound so it comes through the mix more
And I have a boss phase shifter, with much more subtle settings than the mxr. haha
I don’t know why I said after....I found out using before gave me a more classic VH tone, as he would go into the pre-amp of his plexi...when I did this too my traynor and before 5150 pedal and boom....I got that trebly edge that I love about VH classic tone.
A univibe is great for that kind of thing
I like it after the distortion. Its much more wooshy and exciting. It just kinda makes the tone thinner when you put it on before.
Forget the phaser that DS1 sounds amazing!
Yep, I typically keep modulation and delay pedals after my overdrive and distortion pedals. Thanks for the demo.
love this. you're videos are always so helpful to me personally.
Although I've placed the phaser before and after my distortion pedal I prefer to place the phaser before my distortion, much like my wah pedal. It's just a preference. All my other modulation effects go last. Another great video Brian!
Brian, you are a gentleman and a scholar; the intro bit alone just puts me in a great head-space all day. Keep up the great work!
Unbelievable, but I'm going to be the only dissenter so far. I definitely like the phaser (and most all modulation effects) after the distortion. Unbelievable, only because this is the classic placement, the way EVH and most classic rock songs have it. There is a reason for this convention: Disortions are most often placed pre-amp in order to drive the tubes harder. This typically homogenizes the somewhat spikey character of a typical pedal producing a smoother, creamier distortion overall. If you modify the signal as with a phaser or any other modulation effect before the distortion, those effects will also become more homogenized and it actually changes the character of many modulation effects by not allowing parts of the frequencies to come through. Not saying that's a bad thing, but in general sounds less organic because the overtones from these effects also get homogenized or "rounded out" by the distortion, effectively chopping off part of the effect. All sounds are valid however!
Dude i agree after sounds much better, for the simple reason that the phaser is modulating a distorted signal
I agree, I prefer modulation effects after distortion.
For sure a fuzz pedal before a phaser, but I can see the virtue of a phaser pedal being before or after a distortion pedal. It kind of depends on the type of distortion and whether you want the distorted signal to affect the phaser or vice versa. Usually I go with a compressor to fuzz to wah(actually it is Maestro Fuzz Phazzer which is deifferent than a normal wah) to ring mod to overdrive to EP2 to CE1 to a pair of Traynor YBA1. Sometimes I will add a phaser before or after the ring mod depending on my mood). If I was only using one distortion pedal, it would go before the phase pedal like you are saying. Fuzz for sure goes before a phase pedal, but the way I am using the overdrive/distortion pedal in my chain is more as a boost pedal(Black Arts Black Forest). The dumber part of the video is he keeps referencing Barracuda which was a homemade flanger pedal.
axe2grind911a ummm....I have one, and was having a hard time dealing in a proper VH tone with phaser.....until I put it after the dist. Why? Well cause I'm gonna go out on a limb and disagree with EVH placing it after his dist. In the 70's he was using it with a plexi, and until I put it before the distortion....I couldn't get that true VH sound. When I switched them.....it was a world of difference in how it reacts to my playing. Just to be sure I had my boss(another huge VH fan) take a listen and he agreed....that after was more plausible as being the way Eddie used it, as I don't know for sure.....but did plexi's come with an effects loop? If not then he would have had it before the amps dist, and he didn't use dist pedals. Obviously this is just my take on it.....but I definitely like it before the distortion.....amp or pedal. Cheers!
Adam King
Effects loops were certainly a '70s invention, but I don't think Eddie was using them in the early days of Van Halen. I don't believe EVH had his plexi modded for an effects loop. For sure the early "pedal board" was just a hunk of plywood with some carpet glued on, and the effects held on by gaffer tape. For the early sound he apparently first went into a MXR Graphic EQ to the Plexi which was taken down to 90 volts of input power by a VariAc. This signal was then fed into a dummy load which then fed to the Flanger then the Phase 90 to Echoplex which then ran into an HH solid state stereo power amp into two cabinets. Sometimes he would switch the Phase 90 to after the graphic EQ and before the plexi. This was for the studio sound. Stage sound would have been a different set up entirely. I am not sure if he used the VariAC live after 78/79. Early on he was for sure using it and apparently recorded VH II with the Plexi power amp feeding the Marshall cabinets, so the effects would have been before the ampin this case. After that he reverted back to the aforementioned set up with HH stereo power amp.
This makes total sense for how the early sound was achieved, but could be quite complicated to set up. Using a VariAC is typical for turning on older unused tube circuits and for burning in capacitors. Using one to play with the input voltage could be fraught with problems if you don't know what you're doing. I'm not a tech but have spent enough time around them to get why EVH would have arrived at this point n 1975-76. Lowering the overall voltage will make an amp more likely to go into overdrive(more voltage usually means more headroom and vice versa). Ritchie Blackmore did a similar thing by using Akai tube tape recorder amps as preamps before a Marshall Major. Randy Bachman also had a box that was essentially a tweed Champ that had a dummy load after the 6V6 to bring it down to line level. They were made in limited numbers by a Canadian company known as Garnet and were called "The Herzog" which became the sound of American Woman and other Guess Who & BTO songs.
Pretty sure Barracuda is a flanger, still it sounds nice with a phaser.
yeah it is. But it's the first thing that came to my mind and then moved to mah fingah's! :D
it is a classic for sure :)
it's a phlanger
it is a flanger but flangers and phasers use the same bb chip.
Explain the difference then, genius.
I love when I'm in pedal position deciding mode, I can just find Brian demoing my exact questions, it's fantastic! Plus, i need to do it myself anyways, but great to hear "the man behind the tone curtain" give his two cents ;)
That intro cracked me up. That was the first tune I taught my son on guitar, some 15 yrs ago. Anyways I put all my modular effects including the Phase 90 in the effects loop, personal preference.
Ed's would've been before his distortion, which all came from his amp, no?
FX loop gives you an "after distortion" pedal positioning.
Van Halens amps back in the day wouldn't have had FX loops
As I've heard he originally ran the phase 90 and echoplex into his modded SLP, then some kinda attenuator? to reduce the voltage for 'brown sound'
hazelkingofrabbits
He used a Variac,for sag.
Ed also had a load box that attenuated his Marshall to a level he could run thru effects pedals into a solid state amp. Basically using the Marshall as a distortion box.
Every phaser video has to feature those 4 notes from certain 70's band who had a thing for insane jewelry. And you'd need a bit of delay. And a booster..comp...Strat ofc..
Well..maybe every *other* phaser demo.
the Tumnus Deluxe sounds like a pedal worth buying ...cool vids , i always had a thing for delay & wah OR wah & delay from guitar to amp , so hope you have a good week too...
Mostly I prefer the phaser BEFORE the distortion because the phaser can really accentuate the harsh high ends of the distortion. The distortion is great at taming the swooshing aspect of the phaser while letting a subtle bit of modulation come through. If you have your rate and depth set just right for the song, it gives it an effect of almost talking.
Then again, I actually own 2 phaser pedals - Boss and Hardwire - and I have one set up before the distortion pedals and the other one after, so I can mix and match to my tastes. Because there are those times when I really want to twist the distortion into new realms of sonic weirdness.
Same thing with my Vox Wah, btw. I usually prefer it PRE-distortion, but there are times I want a more apparent effect which you get post-distortion. Now ... throw in a phaser or 2 with that wah and, yeah ... total sonic weirdness.
The mel bay book was disappointing to a young man that wanted to learn vh ozzy riffs LOL
I use both. One MXR phase 95 before my overdrive and amp gain, and another 95 in the effects loop. Quite a different sound but I like them both for different applications.
great video. I had met you this year at summer NAMM 17. great guy with great products. always enjoy your videos .
Old video, but love it.
I personally like phase, flanger, as well as wah pre-gain in my rig simply because to my ear, it can add a more subtle sonic character, and interesting harmonic overtones throughout the sweeps in your gain stage/s, that in turn can be used more as an accent than a real bold in your face effect.
It's just a personal taste thing though, and I do use them post gain when I really want the effect to stand out in a bold way.
That's what makes them so versatile, and such an enduring effect to this day.
Use 'em how you like, and switch them up every now and then.
Going to make me break out my ds1. Sounds great with the phaser, I like it with a crunchy amp, what do I know? I would have to remove an overdrive? Not sure about that? Thanks for the Wampler Bell pedal, that thing is so yummy! I can no longer play clean without it!
I used to have my Phase 90 and PickleVibe after all dirt but about a year ago moved them to before. Much more warm and subtle. After was just too much whack.
I used to have all mod effects after my distortion. But lately I've been using them in front. It's not as drastic a change to the overall sound. As for phasers I do use the EVH phase 90 as well. But I really dig the Danelectrco Chicken Salad Vibe, I have yet to find another pedal that sounds like it.
Everyone is talking about EVH and all I can think of is Early Rush phase sound. "Before and After" and even songs up to 2112 I think. Before and After would be his first use of it I think.
Since phaser is like a wah pedal it should be first, but it also sounds great after. Do you want your distortion phased or your phase distorted? Probably worth it to have one on each side of your distortion/gain/od
I put modulation effects: chorus, flange, phaser through the effects loop. I also use a line mixer so I can run the effects in parallel. It's cleaner that way. I usually put the distortion, wah and volume in series coming out of the guitar.
Uhhhhhh, Ain’t Talkin Bout Love was with a flanger, not the Phase 90
Thanks for this video!
That teacher of yours did perhaps the worse thing a teacher can do especially to a little kid: he brought you down for being smarter and more talented than he expected you to be so he had to put his fist into your talent to attempt at showing that he was The Teacher!
Anyway you are an amazing guitarist to me so it worked great for you I guess! :-)
I don't know you were in a class with more students or if you studied alone, but if it was me I'd put that student on my chair and ask him to teach everybody what he learned and I'd say to everybody "Your class doesn't finish here, everything you learn you go home and try to expand from it to make it your own!"!
The effect used on Ain't Talkin' Bout Love, is the MXR Flanger, not the Phaser.
I got the Fender lost highway dual phaser. It can automatically switch between the two based on attack volume and It works best before distortion as a robo-wah.
Educational, makes great products and helpful videos - and seems scary bright and hilarious. Mint! Tx.
I personally feel that you want to keep the chain straight as possible for as long as needed.
I've put my Modulation(TC Flashback 2, Boss rt-20, Ibanez FL-9) in the loop of my JCM 900.
Everything else goes thru the front(MXR command Preamp, Crybaby, Keeley DDR, Boss DS-1, Dunlop Volume, Boss DD-3, MXR Carbon Copy, Whirlwind Selector, Amps).
When do we get to see the selectable stage (2, 4, 6 selecto-stage) Wampler phaser? I’d love to get your take on it Mr. Wampler. I also have some innovative ideas if you’d like to hear them on what phasers should be able to do if anyone would be interested.
Can someone please explain to me if there’s anything special to his right hand technique at 3:21, or does it just fancy strumming? Thanks in advanced!
This is more in regards to a univibe type pedal, but it somewhat works for phasers too... if you have a phaser nestled between drive pedals (or after a drive and before a driven amp), with the drive before the phaser at a fairly low gain setting - you can get some great tones, and the guitar volume has an enormous effect. Drive before phaser gives a smoother sound, after is more biting. Combining the 2 sounds pretty cool when you use your guitar volume to get different levels of gain. I tried this after thinking about Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies tone. I'm pretty sure his Univibe is after his Fuzz Face, with an octave fuzz occasionally after the vibe...and of course his amp was cranked for the most gain possible on that amp.
To me, the phasing is much more in your face after the distortion. In most cases, that's just too much phasing for my liking. I like to use the Phase 90 to just keep the distortion "moving" so it sounds like feedback. The downside is that the Phase 90 is very noisy. That noise gets amplified when it goes through high distortion.
I use three boards, I put all the color type pedals after the distortion and over drive pedals. I seem to get the full abilities out of the distortion pedals. Pedals like Big Muff, Bad Money and my Fulltone 2 work the the best without adding color to them.
I use mine before. That's why I couldn't have an all in one modulation pedal, because I like some modulation types before drive and some after.
I'm an old keyboard player. My guitar friends always sounded like they were gigging on the Love Boat when they used phasers, so I had no interest. (playing in a Steely Dan tribute in recent years changed all that). I watched this video expecting post-phaser distortion to ruin the sound because the sound levels would not be consistent going through the distortion. I was shocked to learn how smooth and subtle it was, in a very usable way. The lesson - mustard and chocolate syrup. Both are good. One goes with hot dogs, the other goes on ice cream. Or not - you decide.
My set up is phaser to SD-1 to BBE 427 toBBE Blacksmith all through to the front of the amp. Chorus to Analog Delay into the FX Loop.
My preference is definitely before but I also have my phaser in between 2 overdrives so I have the choice, depending on what sound I'm after... Good videos sire!
I just bought the same EVH 90.How about a video on how to get the "Waylon Sound" with it?
I tried forever to get the “Waylon” sound with multiple phasers including the Phase 90, BOSS and a few others and couldnt even get close. Then an amp tech told me I needed to try the EH Small Stone. He said it was designed with the same circuits and design that were used in the Peavey amps the country guys used in the 70s that had the built in Phaser. I quickly bought one and within 10 seconds I had THAT Sound. Just flip the color switch up, set the rate to between 11 and noon and there it is! Invariably, the Small Stone cant really replicate the sound of a Phase 90 either tho. I also find that the Small Stone only sounds good before an overdrive pedal and it also has a small volume drop when engaged that you have to plan for but its definitely worth it to get that throb for those old Waylon and Jerry Reed songs!
@@JimmyAdcockI have not tried that one yet.I will try and pick up a used one.Thanks!
I know it was an unintentional contradiction but at the start you said you prefer it after distortion, at the end you said you like it before. Could you please clear that up .
+Thom Vogan oops, sorry. I prefer it before distortion personally
My Take is Phaser/Univibe/RingMod/Wah/Filters work best before Gain stage
Chorus/Vibrato/Flanger/Pitch/Whammy work best after Gain stage
I actually liked the phase-before-distortion a little better.
And since many of the sounds we are trying to emulate had the AMP as the source of distortion, all of the modulation fx would be before the amp in the chain.
Example: EVH and the tape echo being BEFORE the amp.
There were no fx loops in amps in the 1970s, so if we're trying to emulate many of those classic sounds, often it makes sense to have a gain/drive pedal nearly last in your chain.
But chorus came after this era, but I've seen chorus both ways (??)
I have an MXR phase 100 and micro flanger. I find both work better before distortion as I find they boost volume after, but because of the distortion compression it keeps the volume more uniform.
not trying to be a dick , but first u said ya like it after distortion, then before ? I know it's just a small mistake but curious to which one you really prefer ?
+Bryan Bernas sorry, phase before distortion is my preference
I just went and tried it to see which way I like it. I have always had it after the dirt, but I did an "A/B" thing and I think I still prefer it after the drive. That way you're phasing a distorted signal, no distorting a phased signal. That's kind of how my teacher explained it to me. Like "do you want to delay a chorused signal or chorus a delayed signal?" is how she had me thinking about arranging pedals. And for some reason the Phase 90 sounds like shit in my effects loop. It has to go into the front of the amp.
Mine as well. I have an EVH LBX.
It's like an auto wah on slower & shallower to me. Agree with placing it before
This was very helpful. I have a Joyo Vintage Phaser that is creating a lot of noise, it's before my gain pedals. The noise sounds just like it does in your demo. I was going to get the MXR Phase 90 but it seems phasers just add a lot of noise to the signal. Good to know. Wish there were more videos like this that show stacking gain stages and how pedals like a phaser add to all the noise.
Get the mooer 90 orange
When you set your tele down....or should i say dropped it
1:43 you said you like them after, then 7:04 you like them before. You are not going to be cornered with an opinion here! I respect that. ha- personally that phaser before was way to noisy. Any woot. Great vid nice collection on the amps and great pedals. ty
I use a SStone before because it gets chewie enough, and a PH2 after, because it is so over the top, it deserves to be on top.
Godbless
It depends on the phaser and the OD/dist pedal I guess. Phase90 has way too much feedback to be placed after clipping, but SS is okay.
Oh that Mel Bay book! I had the exact same experience only he asked me back once more to teach him some blues licks I showed him. Yes, that last lesson I actually paid to teach the teacher! I was 6 then but later in life I was the teacher with 70 students a week and not a Mel Bay book in sight!
I've seen the phaser go into the FX loop. That solves the problem/question as long as you keep the distortion out of said FX loop.
After for swooshy phaser sounds before for Eddie's sound, he definitely used it before because he ran it into the front end of a cranked plexi which was load boxed and then run into power amps.
I really like this video. I'm looking forward to experimenting with phase 90 and distortion pedals now myself. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of your videos. I would have quit my guitar teacher if he said I couldn't learn anything outside of a book, too.
Mr why don't you use a greater and quieter distortion pedal.. I don't know, there's this brand called.. uuh.. WAMPLER I think... I have the PINNACLE DELUXE, I can tell ya, its great!! maybe you might get one...
Thank you thought it would sound cleaner that way... through the effects loop it has a huge mid boost that I can't stand so now I'm putting mine in the front before my distortion pedals
The noise isn't the DS-1. Or it isn't JUST the DS-1. The EVH Phase 90 is very noisy when run in front of distortion. Not sure why. It just is. So is the EVH Flanger. Both of those were the noisiest pedals on my board.
I liked your story about your guitar teacher. I did something similar with mine. I was making horrible progress with the Mel Bay book and showed him something I learned outside of it. He tossed the book aside and said, "I think you'd benefit from just learning some songs." He kept his student and I learned to play. Now 30 years later, I'm going back and learning some of that theory as it applies to what I want to do.
Karl Houseknecht they make no noise on my board
I can never decide which I like better so I'm always going back and forth. I do that with most of my effects (except reverb) .
Cool video. I'll be looking to see if you have a "Chorus" and a "Flanger" versions of this video. If not, could you make them please?
You need a 2 amp system to get the phase 90 level correct ..Y cord the output of the DS-1 one side into the phase 90 (or phase 100) the other side into an echoplex
Phaser is an interesting effect because it's both a time-based effect and a filter effect. Common guitar knowledge dictates that time-based effects should be placed after dirt and filter effects should be placed before. Of course, ultimately there are no rules; pedal order depends on the sound you want as well as the characteristics of your gear. My MXR Phase 90 goes before all my drives, not only because doing so gets me that chewy, cutting lead sound, but also because the volume boost when placed after dirt is too severe.
the white noise and unnecesary noise floor phasers produce before dirt is why i put mine after these days. Interesting how guitar players percieve things and have different preferences.
@@djc5897 That's a great observation and it sounds like you really understand your gear. I too get white noise by placing my Phase 90 before dirt, but when I kick it on for a solo, I'm in the middle of playing my guitar so the white noise is not audible in a band context.
Wow I actually want a phaser now. I've just been using phaser plug in if I need one and using a chorus for ain't talkin bout love.
wow, i actually almost like it more after distortion. but my problem is 3:10 when too much of the high frequency goes away.
i use mine before dist for a more pronounced phaser effect and after dist. for a more subtle effect, but i have a very old mxr phaser.
What Marshall head is that in the background? Also, if the JCM 900 reissue has 5881 tubes, is it still considered a British voiced amp like classic EL-34 Marshalls, or is it closer to an Americanish sound like Soldano that uses 5881’s? Cheers!
Eddie Van Halen told me once that there’s a DS-1 on the first Van Halen album, but wouldn’t tell me where it was. I think he used it with his phaser for the Atomic Punk whoosha-whoosha part.
The only song I can think of where it may have been after the distortion or overdriven is The Rover by Led Zeppelin. Other than that, It think most people put it before the distortion or overdrive.
These videos are excellent. Any chance we could see one on using the Faux Tape Echo to emulate the delay on the early VH records?
I read an article on Van Halen and his sound and it said he used the Phase 90 script before amp and a Flanger after? Seems a bit odd as they're both quite similar pedals aren't they? Would that just be a preference thing or placed just so the phaser colours/boosts his lead tone and the flanger does the big swirly modulation thing?
Mine has the high volume tgen low volume swoosh and I absolutely HATE IT. I’ve heard some others who had this with theirs. Does the R28 mod fix this?
To me it sounds better After. Alot less noisy . I use an Ibanez PH7 . 10Star General
i put my phaser in the effecs loop, right after my noise gate
I like yours much better distortion first. Personally my present head is an Orange TH30 and I run my distortion into the front and the phaser in the loop
I love the TXBA shirt. I'm a TXBA subscriber. Anthony is the man!
If you consider the phase a modulation pedal then it definitely goes after distortion. I consider it a modulation petal
I agree, before was better. What is that Fender amp just off your right hand? The shorter one with the darker tweed? I have a 1953 that looks a lot like that.
I thought you were gonna play Dueling Banjos in the beginning lol
I thought so too.
He was, but there's a Yankee Doodle tease in the Dueling Banjos slow riff, so he segued.
What about a for a guy like me who uses amp gain while still pushing a TS9 in front? Right now I guess you could say my phaser is in between drives. I also use the EVH.
My filosophy with any sound wise question i ask myself is. Are there rules? No. Does it sound sick? If so, why change
I use mine in front before my amps distortion but after an overdrive pedal and it sounds great. Not as dramatic as if it were in the loop. So I guess it's between 2 distorted sounds. Maybe the best of both worlds!
So the solution is to place it in between two distortion pedals?
Brian, at 1:37 you state your personal preference is phaser after distortion, then at 7:03 you say you definitely prefer phaser it before! This is confusing to say the least.
Wait ... did I miss something? Didn't Brian say he liked Phaser after Distortion at the beginning, but the reverse at the end of the video?
I like it before gain. Gives that vintage Little Feat sound I like. There or course is no right way to do it tho - depends on the sound you’re after.