7 Best Effects Pedals For Synths & Keyboards ft. Electro Harmonix, BOSS & Jim Dunlop!

[@RetroPlus]

One thing a synth absolutely needs is a nice reverb, I love a good space reverb.

[@PMTVUK]

We agree!

[@boratezel]

@Rhizosphere Moog put a spring reverb in the Grandmother. A real spring reverb too

[@stratoleft]

I totally get this. Just because a keyboard player, not that I know one flippin' thing about piano, but the "synthesizer" moniker doesn't mean that the player has what he actually wants to have available from the stock keyboard or synthesizer itself. So, even though I use a guitar effect, for example, there are probably some settings I might use on guitar, that would actually sound better on a keyboard. So I can see how "guitar" effects would be very well suited for what you guys want to do in order to change and expand your sound.

[@creamydistortion]

You forgot the secret weapon against bad sound guys: the analog compressor!!

[@donaldfewell8908]

i miss my old Electro-Harmonix Soul Preacher compressor/sustainers!

[@vanessajazp6341]

ABSOLUTE necessities in my opinion: ~ Stereo in and out. ~ An ability to blend the dry with the wet Otherwise, it's just a guitar pedal. Hello, manufacturers. You listening?

[@christopherrusch]

Vanessa P I’m a guitar player and I completely agree with this. It makes me very upset when there’s no stereo in and only stereo out. And mix knobs are one of the most important part of any effects pedal

[@gpr4eva]

Im surprised there hasnt been a line specifically made for synths yet

[@joeharley3846]

Yall should read your manuals. Most 1 in/2 out pedals have a stereo in on the input jack....y cables are your friend.

[@christopherrusch]

Joe Harley hmm.. good point. Thanks for the heads up

[@wolfgangmarkusgstrein8522]

On point!

[@Iain0101]

Back In the days when I had a Juno 106 I hooked it up to my guitar player’s chorus and gave it new life.

[@Rudy-fi8yt]

D MD the more chorus the better

[@flynn_22]

I've been waiting for a video like this😏😏😏😏

[@PMTVUK]

Thanks Flynn! Feel free to give it a share! -Lee

[@xsm5525]

I use a boss CE-2 on my casio hZ600 synth, sounds amazing, but saying that, ce-2 sounds good on anything!

[@toddnoble1936]

Earthquaker has some great reverb and delay pedals. Chase Bliss also has some very interesting pedals too.

[@jarrod9052]

I plugged my An1x into a Alterego , was unreal

[@TheTerracide]

I think it's absolutely brilliant when a musician trying to sell me lots of gear is called GAS. You had me at "hello i'm GAS." 🤑 What i am missing is the Strymon Big Sky with it's shimmer reverb. There is not better pedal for synths.

[@adam872]

I would be going with an Eventide H9. Those things sound great on keyboards and are properly high fidelity (and stereo), with MIDI control.

[@kennylee5621]

The sound of the synth running through the flanger sounds kind of like a light saber.

[@scottfernelius9590]

*Nods in approval as synthesizer chorus pedal enhanced version Cemetery Gates is played*

[@graphene1487]

2:35 in love and sold

[@1dkappe]

If you don’t want to fry your pedals, a reamp box to bring synth line level (+4db) down to Instrument level (-20db) is essential.

[@Wheel333]

I have watched 5 videos in a row about using guitar pedals with synths and no one mentions this basic information. It is so important in getting the best sound from these pedals. A Palmer Daccapo reamp box is about £50 and does this fine. Chuck a DI box at the end of your chain or just go instrument in.

[@1dkappe]

@Wheel333 I’ve had good results with the red panda mixer pedal. Three ins, one out. Compact and very clean.

[@joaquinvelazquez913]

What do you mean by frying the pedals?? I have been using phaser pedals with my keyboard but i do not know about the thing you're talking about. I'd like to know more. Am i damaging my pedal??

[@Honking_Goose]

@@joaquinvelazquez913 Hes using a bad term a high signal is not going to damage your pedals its just going to make the sound from them clip

[@regulatedfreestylevideos]

ha! is this why my mf delay stopped delaying ??? shit

[@andreasnewitsch59]

Thanks for confirming what I was thinking is totally doable!!! Woopwoop

[@dr.papadopolis7171]

I'm getting more and more curious about using different "Synth" pedals with different Synthesizers, of course for more effects, but also for richer tone and warmth.. Anyone, have any good ideas they had that works well, I'm definitely drooling over the Hologram "Microcosm" pedal.. 💜

[@andreasnewitsch59]

I have been thinking about doing this. Don't know why I didn't think of this sooner?

[@ancientmartianunderground]

Small Stone! Memory Man! DS1! Great stuff and great playing

[@JamesIsCommenting]

Can you make an updated version of this video?

[@thejesterday70s56]

Fantastic video, thank you!

[@stevelemur6113]

Please pick one simple tune, play it once without any effect/modulation (dry signal), and then play the exact same riff with each pedal and each variation in settings so your audience can tell what the pedal will do. I am not in the least interested in what you can do with the pedal; I want to know what the pedal will do for me with my keyboard. As long as you add your skill to the presentation it is apples to oranges. Musicians generally seem unable to present an apples to apples demonstration without intruding their own skills into into it. Yes it is boring, and doesn't show you off; but it does show off the effect (which is the point of the whole presentation).

[@kenkinnally6144]

And I would only add that using a synth as the basic sound is even more pointless in a way because a synth can sound like almost anything to begin with, so as you said it's hard to judge what exact effect the pedal is having. Whereas with just a straight piano or simple organ sound it would really show the difference. And then use it with a 'synth' sound if that's a better application of it in general use.

[@avantgardenovelist]

@@kenkinnally6144 great point

[@the_JTowny]

Clappy McClapface. 😬😬 Good vid 👍

[@MedicalExamUK]

You can, sort of, do some distortion and flange on microbrute using the mod matrix and filter. I might buy reverb though.

[@clearlightcrystal]

That's what i thought, someone clearly has no idea what a MicroBrute is capable of....

[@tompastian3447]

Does anyone know of an effect pedal or similar device that has an "octive layer" effect? Casio has a piano, CDP S350 which has on the far right button, "octive layer". It only works when the keyboard is in piano mode. I love how it enhances what you play on piano. I would like to see what that effect would sound like with other presets on Casio keyboards I have, like organ, electric piano, etc.

[@TonyDupre]

I'd also switch that CH-1 with an MXR Analog Chorus

[@josepheveson6187]

Would a tremolo pedal work? I've got a pan and trem effect built in to my piano but no way of controlling the tempo - No good when you're playing electronic stuff!

[@edrosa3485]

In short yes. If one guitar pedal works then they pretty much all do.

[@christopherrusch]

I definitely suggest a tremolo pedal. They’re incredibly fun. Check out the Wampler Latitude Deluxe. Or I’d that’s breaking the bank, try the Boss Tremolo. But I’d suggest something with tap tempo if you’re using a tremolo or delay effects, it makes it miles easier. Hope this helped!

[@BobbyUnverzagt]

I know you mentioned piano, so this might not help you. But on a synthesizer you can often use the LFO to create a tremolo effect. Set it to effect pitch, with a high rate and low intensity. Good trem without needing another piece of gear.

[@samiam9059]

These are cost effective but the eventide pedals are far more capable for synths(imho)In the 70's used an Electric Mistress as my first effect for keyboard.

[@r5t6y12]

EVERY electronic instrument player should pick a DELAY as their FIRST effect pedal. The more knobs the better, but the more you utilize all of the SPEED (number of repeats per second) and the REGENERATION (the number of repeats before the sound dies out) settings the much wider variety of sounds you'll be able to create.

[@gamepad3173]

now all we would like to see is someone building a pedalboard for the midi keyboard/synthesizer.

[@DJDigitalJosh]

Nice Vid Bro!

[@flynn_22]

Wow very helpful

[@carstencolberg1427]

I have the Cathedral after the Seymour Duncan Andromeda with a Prophet 08, and it sounds great :-)

[@jholtz9970]

Nice video. As a keyboardist since the late 1980s, I'm still trying to understand the current trend of hooking up these little pedals to keyboards. The only advantage I see is that they can be accessed quickly on the fly in real time. Still not sold on it. Out of the 20 or so pedals that I've checked out so far, maybe 3 of them would be of any use to me. I still get a lot of mileage out of my Lexicon reverb and Roland SDE rack delays.

[@DipTunes]

Cutoff/resonance filter suggestion pls

[@SuperBond113]

Too here connect them ?

[@submissionmaster2012]

Great video. Very informative, Can you use these pedals on a keyboard (like an old Casio LK 110?) ...or are they just intended for Synth? Gave this a share on my facebook keyboard and piano page.

[@rodneyscott8576]

You can, but you will have a gain issue going straight into the pedals from your keyboard. Your best bet would be to use your effects loop on your amp.

[@TooSlowTube]

You tend to need an attenuator of some sort, between the keyboard and the first pedal - if you have true bypass pedals, that has to be before the first one that's turned on. One way is to use a cheap line level mixer, like the Behringer MX400, or the Monacor MMX-4. The Moncaor uses passive mixing on the inputs, so you don't even have to turn it on :) - just use one of the inputs as an output.

[@justaname1862]

For sure...no problem at all.

[@analogsynthplayer]

Roland CSQ100, inexpensive enough on ebay. Don’t drive the keyboard volume too hard

[@alexmata196]

Thank you. I know someone selling the ch 1. Going to make an offer now.

[@eldurakopr]

Hi I am a disabled paraplegic( can not move my legs) person and I play the keyboard, I know this may sound dumb but do guys have a pedal or equipment that may work like a sustain pedal for a keyboard but that does not rely on my feet?

[@R4780Y]

Your best bet is having some sort of little table or desk below the keyboard or next to your chair for you to easily reach

[@DipTunes]

Can I plug my synth to a filter control pedal

[@machiwoomiapoo]

Nice.

[@fpvision9851]

I love these pedals but they make hell of a mess on a studio table.

[@Rudy-fi8yt]

You can get a pedalboard

[@TonyDupre]

I'd replace that DS-1 with either an OCD or a Swollen Pickle fuzz pedal

[@HotStrange]

Boss or TC chorus? I can’t decide.

[@xuzhangning]

Could you let know what kind of speaker connect after effect pedal in you show case, guitar speaker or regular speaker ? I kind of confused which one is correct.

[@djilyaz]

how about a multifx pedal? get a dozen effects in one

[@christopherecatalano]

I might keep the Cathedral after all. EHX drops a lot of bang for buck, but I am still a little ambivalent about it on guitar tracks. Sure sounded great on your synths. Have you seen/heard the Earthquaker Devices Transmisser demo on a Rhodes (I noticed it early on in your vid without sound)? Made me buy it...crazy weird ambience, but beautiful on that instrument.

[@andreasilvestri1696]

Hi, do you think that linking a BOSS SY-1 to my Nord Electro 4 HP would layer pads on my pianos and organs?

[@robertocadow8634]

Greetings from Lima,Peru....I was wondering if you can tell me if it is possible to use a EHX Key9 Piano Machine pedal and a EHX C9 Organ Machine with a Korg keyboard. I ask because down here is impossible to get these pedals, I have to buy them through the web and before I get something useless, I rather ask........thank you very much for your kind answer

[@syntheffects]

If you are wondering which one to get first, get a distortion or a reverb.

[@syntheffects]

@Rhizosphere yes, a delay has many options. With a short time it's almost a reverb and with a long one it changes the rhythm of the pattern.

[@bboymac84]

the power!!

[@JuanAMatos-zx4ub]

You keep toying with us.... Is it an orange MiniBrute or a standard one? XD

[@thomasstillman4805]

Big Sky

[@jasonoreilly7818]

Didn't know you can use pedals in keyboards! Thinking of learning keyboard. What pedals would be good for the doors stuff like riders on the storm, waiting for the sun, etc? Cheers.

[@techstore]

reverb and delay

[@robiniowoodstonewomenwitch5467]

I Am Your 700th LIKE lol Cool Very Cool Thx

[@alexandergerth1223]

Is it possible to connect guitar pedals with digital pianos, but without using an amp and external monitors? I would like to you use my headphones or the internal speakers instead. But don't know if this works since I would need to loop the signal through the pedal and than back into the keyboard.

[@blacktidelures7067]

You can plug your headphones directly into the pedal, no need for an amp

[@AndyVonal]

I like a Microbrew...

[@CaalamusTube]

Since we're in the North of England... make it a Samuel Smith's Stout!

[@antonnnio6901]

and the maker boot as well...

[@josephwright5921]

The Keeley Dyno My Roto gives you analog chorus, Rotary speaker and Flanger

[@TheMurrblake]

I love pedals as much as anyone. I didn’t miss the point.

[@woodworkerbear2367]

6:45

[@ArtinRu]

on my Zoom g5 effect BitCrush This effect creates a lo-fi sound. gives a very cool sound of the electronic organ

[@gerardocarrillo3102]

hi, i ve got the g5x zoom pedal, i was reading about the keyboard line voltage may "burn" or fry some pedals, did u have any problem so far?

[@ArtinRu]

@@gerardocarrillo3102 Hey! I already sold all the guitar for 4 years. I play synthesizers now !!

[@gerardocarrillo3102]

@@ArtinRu Hi, thanks for the answer. Cool! may I ask which keyboard you used to connect in your g5 zoom pedal? did you had any trouble while playing that setup? and finally, what would you recommend, in case you know, of course, to avoid burning or frying equipment? Im almost sure many would say "not connecting anything at all" but I want to read any experience. Thank u again for the help

[@ArtinRu]

@@gerardocarrillo3102 I connected the Casio Privia 560 piano. And the Korg Radias synthesizer. To eliminate the problem of connecting synthesizers to guitar equipment, you need to make the wire yourself.

[@gerardocarrillo3102]

making the wire myself? what this means? could you be little more specific please?

[@Dariocomposer]

Is there any pedal to control just the pitch bend? For instance, if Im using the fp30 that doesn't have the pitch bender. Some people said the whammy, but you have to bring it back to initial position as it doesn't have the spring on it.

[@rfreeman001]

called "touche", but it's expensive...on amazon

[@Rimpala]

Ah that makes sense, I guess a chorus effect would give a piano the saloon sound, since the chorus effect is achieved by layering the note several times but slightly out of tune. So you're essentially warping the piano's sound board, synthetically.

[@alanjamesh.zamorano1677]

I wonder what Rick Wakeman would come up with if he ever used a pedal like Cathedral.

[@agerven]

EHX mel 9 please

[@unknowlegdemen]

How do you cope with impodance

[@oscillated139]

It's the PMT you need to watch out for

[@ApriliaRacer14]

S.A. Simplified Lots of LFO

[@mdgqTube]

Me thinks you should redo this in stereo for the Chorus and Flanger!

[@adamantiuscloudcat1799]

Where is the eventide space, flashback, hall of fame?

[@SynthCamiller]

Any synth with a LFO controlling the filter envelope has a wha

[@Rudy-fi8yt]

More like every synth with bandpass filter and cutoff knob has a wah

[@gavrielag4838]

The pedals can be used with any tipe of keyboard?

[@MartinCraneRockbeast]

Other than the Roland Gaia.

[@__teles__]

Another synth pedal video not mentioning which pedals handle line levels. Pretty much the whole point of a "pedals for synths" video. And don't get a nano small stone, the slow speed sweep is lopsided, stays on the low end for most of the cycle. You won't get a JMJ Oxygene sound out of this one.

[@kokoucanarecio8161]

Excuse mi boss ?? Can i use a nux gadjet in my korg x5 synths keyboard ???? Nux gadget is an guitar gadget.. But it have an pedal too so i was wondering if i could use the gadget on my keyboard

[@brianwolle2509]

seriously, i dont think that arturia needs a pedal. all it needs is a key hold button to free both your hands. great vid, though.

[@buckdancer421]

You can use a guitar pick to hold down a key on the microbrute. 👍

[@brainbox9219]

Freeze pedal would actually be best thing for the Microbrute 😎

[@fredriksvard2603]

Dont u have all these effects in the synths or in the computer?

[@Kabouter911]

what pedal can I use to get synth effects on my electric piano?

[@rodneyscott8576]

You can use the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9. Also check out the B9 & C9 for organ sounds. The Mel 9 is really cool as well. I recommend using the POG 2 with the Synth 9.

[@kennylee5621]

Alex de kock You could use a phaser pedal or chorus pedal on an electric piano. That's two of the effects that were use on them back in the 70s. They both sound really nice.

[@Charlyaraya]

Just got a guitar delay pedal for my microkorg and I found out it works in mono in and out, I can only hear one side , plus the volume is really low, anybody can advice a pedal brand for a reverse delay effect ?

[@TealTactics]

I would recommend the G1on, it's only $60 and has multiple delays (including a reverse delay) among a bank of almost 100 effects you can chain 5 of in any order. It also comes with a built in looper and sounds incredible

[@joakimwennberg8843]

BUT HOW DO I CONNECT IT TO THE KEYBOARD!!!!?!?!??!?!?!

[@BodyRocker9]

Easy, stereo out of keyboard into input of pedal.

[@joakimwennberg8843]

@@BodyRocker9 what goes into the amp input in the pedal?

[@BodyRocker9]

Joakim Wennberg The pedal has 2 plugins 1 in and 1 out. The out goes into your amp/speaker. The in is from the keyboard. Works just like a guitar would.

[@joakimwennberg8843]

@@BodyRocker9 my keyboard is a roland intelligent synth, does that work?

[@looneyburgmusic]

Because plugging a synth into a rackmount multi-effects unit, (like synth players have been doing for decades), would just be too simple I guess...

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

I like to swim.

[@rodriguezelfeliz4623]

Nice

[@xsm5525]

hi

[@zombiespersonalchanal479]

saw this video when i searched if i needed a pedal to play piano not that relevant but cool either way

[@MexlycanFilmico]

He's accent is Scottish.

[@yiurock4084]

*His

[@CholokMauser]

yeah, it is, and it sounds kinda cool TBH :D

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

i never liked U2.

[@fredriksvard2603]

Mikkel Grum Bovin i dont know anybody who does

[@rodriguezelfeliz4623]

@@fredriksvard2603 shit, now I feel guilty

[@SimonTheMagpie]

Daamn this is bad :( or maybe not bad.. Just unutilized compared with what you can actually do when going into pedals together with synths. Il make a video on what I mean :)

[@TooSlowTube]

I'd like to see that, Simon. Let us know. Thanks. So far today, I've found this, the Sweetwater one (not bad) and a pure analog synth fed through a pile of DSP effects, by sonicstate... I'll admit that one sounded quite good, but I don't really see the point of starting with an analog synth, then digitally processing the shit out of it.

[@alphanumeric1529]

If you start with a living sound, and process the shit out of it, the life is still being processed. Now if you have a dead cold digital sound, and your process the shit out of it, the dead cold sound is just processed. You end up in different places.

[@cheetospeedo9321]

Yay the magpie is here

[@hulkslayer626]

....still waiting on that video apparently. Just checked your channel and just stupid clickbait type stuff...

[@bluespig1]

I bought a Korg SV2 & I don't need any of this shite.

[@NyakzOTSD]

I really enjoyed the concept and execution of this visual. But all those pedals with the exception of 2 where straight up Trash. And the overall sound of both of these keyboards where wack. I wouldn't waste my 💰 on most of these.. Next time we need high end effects I. E Elektron AH, Eventide H9, Prophet 6, Moog Sub 37 etc etc

[@mcblahflooper94]

Nyakz seems like you missed the part where he explicitly said why he's using affordable gear...

[@TheMurrblake]

No offense but if you want to sound good you have to learn how to play

[@niconico4138]

no offense but you completely missed the point of this video

[@Iain0101]

I appreciate a guitar player demoing the pedals he’s familiar with. I enjoyed the video.

[@Gorlung]

this guy is crazy about C minor

[@biagiovaniashenko]

Ahah

[@calebreid4398]

So am i

[@neonether]

Well designed pedals will have jumpers at the input to adjust for gain differences...'know your pedals' seems like better advice.

[@SoumitraVichare]

that accent is gonna make me buy all the pedals! :P

[@brainbox9219]

Keyboard sounds whack, Microbrute sounds boss 🤟🏾

[@MadelnMachines]

Do you have to use a mixer and send returns if your pedal doesn't have a dry wet like the small stone etc.

[@AndyVonal]

Love the subtitles... they are delightful!

[@samialghamian9993]

I really don't think it's fair to demonstrate mono keyboard pedals ! most of keyboards and synths are stereo L and R and by connecting them to mono pedal then output to mixer or amp, you are screwing the built-in stereo effects in these keyboards

[@v0Xx60]

I've wanted a Cathedral for a while now. What a massive sound.