From the overdriven sounds of Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi to the out-of-this-world prog tones of David Gilmour and Alex Lifeson, the Seventies were pivotal in creating some of the guitar sounds that are still being ripped of today's class of rock guitarists. Whether you're putting together the ultimate Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin tribute band or just trying to add a bit of vintage flare to your modern-rock masterpiece, the pedals on this list are sure to help you recapture some of that groovy Seventies magic.

When working on writing melodies for my original compositions, my standard approach is to examine the chord progression in order to determine which scales or modes would best apply. A mode is the notes of scale, such as the major scale, oriented around a different root note and chord; Modes offer great flexibility in terms of the way they relate to a set of chords within relative keys.

This Friday, Chris Beardshaw of BBC Radio 4's Gardener's Question Time will tell listeners about his recent horticultural experiment. His findings? Blasting Black Sabbath in a greenhouse works wonders for plants. Playing easy-listening music kills them.