Guitar pedal jargon buster: all the essential guitar effects terms explained

Guitar pedal jargon buster: all the essential guitar effects terms explained
(Image credit: Future)

It's no secret that everyone here at Guitar World loves pedals. From overdrive to delay, fuzz to phaser, we simply can't get enough. Stompboxes have the power to thoroughly shake up your tone without you having to shell out for a new six-string or amplifier, and better yet, the right pedal can inspire a new song or killer riff. 

The birth of the guitar pedal can be traced as far back as the late 40s, with DeArmond creating the first commercially available tremolo unit. Now, while this may have been more of a studio tool, it set in motion the events that would lead to what we think of as the guitar pedal today. 

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Daryl Robertson
Senior Deals Writer

Daryl is a Senior Deals Writer at Guitar World, where he creates and maintains our 200+ buyer's guides, finds the best deals on guitar products, and tests the latest gear. His reviews have been featured in prominent publications like Total Guitar, Future Music magazine, and MusicRadar.com.

During his career, he has been lucky enough to talk to many of his musical heroes, having interviewed Slash and members of Sum 41, Foo Fighters, The Offspring, Feeder, Thrice, and more. In a past life, Daryl worked in music retail. For a little under a decade, he advised everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned pros on the right gear for their needs. 

Daryl is also a fully qualified sound engineer, holding a first-class Bachelor's degree in Creative Sound Production from the University of Abertay.