How to Use Distortion Pedals: 3 Easy Tips

[@sweetwater]

We hope you get closer to your ideal guitar tone with these tips from Don Carr! Like this video if you got something out of it, Comment to join the conversation, and Subscribe for more videos from Sweetwater - thanks for watching!

[@matthewpollard2843]

great shirt

[@user-sb3wh3dd4v]

I've had the privilege of meeting Don Carr and HEARING him play. From these concise informative videos, you might never know what a fantastic versatile player he is. That's because he stays focused on the subject or product at hand. He never shows off. Don is humble. He serves the MUSIC first. He just plays what is required. If you ever get a chance to hear and see him play live, I guarantee he will light you up like a Roman candle. When Don Carr and Brian LeMert play together and they both cut loose, prepare yourself for humility. You will get calibrated. Although I too am a pro session player with decades of experience, when Don talks, ... I listen. Every guitarist will serve his goals well by listening to Don Carr. Sweetwater is lucky to have such talent. And all the information about pedals in this video is SOLID GOLD. It is RARE to find such unbiased useful information in any corporate-sponsored video. You can trust Don even when he is on the payroll.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

Learn the difference between overdrive and distortion pedals.

[@mikedelacruz772]

Can you do some lead tones with the distortion effect so I can see what it looks like when I buy a distortion effect. Hope you notice me

[@tristanambrester]

1. Gain all the way up 2. Volume all the way up 3. Tone all the way up 4. Destroy speakers

[@Invert_Scrub]

NO MIDS MOAR GAIN

[@ryanspencerlauderdale687]

ALL THE GAIN!!!!!

[@emiliojaquez5714]

No

[@QueenFrisky]

@@ryanspencerlauderdale687 SLAYERRRRR

[@QueenFrisky]

@@Invert_Scrub SLAYERRRR

[@etiloyon3681]

Thanks. I am 70 yrs old, played a lot of acoustic guitar but know nothing in electric. If I were in the USA, I would surely be sweetwater consumer. You've always been kind and available.

[@user-sb3wh3dd4v]

I've had the privilege of meeting Don Carr and HEARING him play. From these concise informative videos, you might never know what a fantastic versatile player he is. That's because he stays focused on the subject or product at hand. He never shows off. Don is humble. He serves the MUSIC first. He just plays what is required. If you ever get a chance to hear and see him play live, I guarantee he will light you up like a Roman candle. When Don Carr and Brian LeMert play together and they both cut loose, prepare yourself for humility. You will get calibrated. Although I too am a pro session player with decades of experience, when Don talks, ... I listen. Every guitarist will serve his goals well by listening to Don Carr. Sweetwater is lucky to have such talent. And all the information about pedals in this video is SOLID GOLD. It is RARE to find such unbiased useful information in any corporate-sponsored video. You can trust Don even when he is on the payroll.

[@lastofthe4horsemen279]

This is so true Don is a really cool guy and absoute professional musician.Thanks for the term " you will get Calibrated" solid gold.

[@No._.Boundariesz]

Thanks Steve vai

[@seanzzxxjulian]

stevie rai used ibanez

[@musicfriend2051]

@@seanzzxxjulian no stove hai used Rg

[@matthewlambert5364]

@@musicfriend2051 stove hai is my favourite guitarist

[@yudiutama3233]

@@seanzzxxjulian yes stove tai , my favorite guitarist

[@Mr.5hady]

He is the Walmart Vai 😂

[@maacrl]

This guy knows what he's talking about, this video was a big help with my first pedal, thanks a lot.

[@sunlight-sky151]

I bought my very first guitar from Sweetwater a couple years ago, absolutely love all the personal touches they add with contacting you and asking if you need any help with anything and now that i kinda want a pedal, I see they uploaded a video, Absolute legendary company. 10/10

[@thisperfectworld]

Leave it to Sweetwater to perfectly sum up pedal use. Yet again, Don Carr's knowledge and expertise help make me a better musician!

[@sweetwater]

🙌🙌

[@asterhogan1]

EZ, put the gain all the way up, scoop all your mids, and play only on single coils to get the best djent tones in E standard

[@blizzbee]

With a boss mt-2

[@BananaManPL]

ALLL THE GAIIIIIIN

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

Daisy chain 3 MT-2's. Best. Tone. Ever.

[@Thebigballoon22995]

Scoop the mids?

[@6thUser]

WILL IT CHUG?, oh wait, wrong channel..

[@jamesgames8800]

6thUser that didn’t get the credit it deserved my friend.

[@UnitNo.2]

Does it hold his coffee cup?

[@CERUSICUS666]

The Angry Charlie could chug but this is not the right musician to do that :D

[@timjeichoi4477]

Hahahaha you got me hahaha

[@andycpd6669]

😂 😂 😂 😂

[@GC-bk1mv]

Great vid! What I love doing is using a boost to give my OD's even more grit than what they're capable of on their own. Boosts are fantastic for giving that extra mojo that wasn't there before. I also love using distortion for lead stuff.

[@yackohoopy]

Another thing is, especially with pedals with MASSIVE amounts of distortion, you can run them through your fx loop. For the BOSS metal zone pedal, this was a better way to use the distortion rather than in front of your amp. Weird how it works though.

[@QueenFrisky]

Yes

[@m1ghtysauc3E]

Does it sound better through the fx loop?

[@kylegoodman5196]

No one actually uses a Metal Zone that way.

[@shirankaidine1432]

You can also drive your Metalzone straight into the Return of your FX. Doing that you bypass the preamp. MZ becomes the preamp, it sounds surprisingly good! Way better than in front or int the full FX Loops.

[@McRcFly]

Yes its very much the case. There is a massive volume boost using this pedal for whatever reason. Crazy boost. Thats probably why its not as good in front ...depending on amp i guess.

[@Traynoramp08]

I use a mini tube pusher pedal. This thing can do blues to chug, and to neo classical tones. Mad mini little tube pusher. Best pedal that works for me.

[@QueenFrisky]

I can't wait to try the TS9 Tube Screamer with my Metalzone now XD

[@ThePhantomTerror]

Great video! Everything is explained clearly, and this is useful to a pedal newbie like me.

[@graxjpg]

A DS1 into a clean amp (fender of course), with a big muff style fuzz before that (only rarely) really impresses the very wise FOH engineer at my church. I want a distortion+ too.

[@meistariaron1854]

but, a tube screamer is an overdrive pedal not distortion

[@omnidivergence9846]

Great job on the summary, it’s the best video I’ve seen so far.

[@legomasterthe3rd240]

I like to use a ts9 into an already slightly crunchy amp, but instead of a boost I use a volume pedal to lay off when I need a cleaner sound or a boost for leads.

[@moustachio334]

You can use a compressor as a volume limiter too for clean tones. Or you can use an EQ pedal as a limiter for the clean

[@moustachio334]

I prefer using a compression for all of it but not too much. Just enough to make the clean tone rich and the distorted tone smooth when you’re rolling the volume knob or pedal

[@gordonstarship]

Shout out to Don Carr. That was great. I needed to know the basics to figure out where to start my set up.

[@BKDocHoliday]

This is an excellent guide for how to test out any pedal in a guitar shop or when you are trying to dial in your own sound!

[@LostMyMojo100]

Hey Sweetwater! Don is one of the best demo guys I've heard.... Great tips!!!

[@River_Medd]

Just today I got an mxr m75 super badass. It's my first distortion pedal

[@larrimos]

The obvious winner in this demo...the shirt.

[@Ricardo_28]

Sweetwater Customer service is just great, prices and information like this video is the best, i like Sweetwater \m/

[@adhaskym.a9536]

Finally I get to see clearly the finishes of the guitar. That is one well played piece you got there.

[@lesboley574]

Great tutorial. I would like to know where you had the volume and tone pots set on the guitar.

[@Ken.Kmetz.]

Great advice!! I use a tube screamer mini in front of an OCD overdrive. Works awesome with my Tele into a blues junior. Don....love seeing you use the BJ. I love this amp!! ,

[@goose-ir1tc]

Where do you connect the distortion pedals? To input or fx loop?

[@richietownsend6737]

Thanks for a great, informative video. I’ve been playing forever and I learned some new things here. Nice playing as always!

[@MetalJuggalo]

I'm currently using acoustic, but I plan on getting into electric guitar and a distortion pedal sounds nice to have

[@StratsRUs]

I usually go higher gain first into overdrive.So the overdrive is used more...then the distortion engaged for the leads.

[@Cosmos_Dancer]

This Man is amazing. 🙌🏻♥️🙌🏻

[@Mayathetherian733]

A tube screamer into a blues driver sounds even better! It was really an epiphany for me.

[@TheTektronik]

Thanks for the tips Don Carr I appreciate it.

[@ΓιαννηςΜητρόπουλος-ι6δ]

What is the recommended settings of the amplifiers eq for heavy,thrash or more extreme styles ?

[@soul2squeezy439]

I've heard Orange Crush amps are great. Check your store.

[@bonznacario1185]

Just crowdsourcing, how would you stack the DS-1, OCD and Revv G3 in the signal chain?

[@sslredes]

With the two pedals sounded amazing reminded the Mark series from Mesa Boogie. And of course Bassman has a lot to do with Mesa Mark amps.

[@Johnny-oy9fh]

I prefer to use drive pedals to boost a already driven amp. I set the pedal to give a decent amount of volume boost and then add in gain to suit the guitar. I generally turn down the tone control too...

[@edgymix9109]

i bought a new marshal amp but its giving too much of a crunchy tone and i wanna cover metal and posthardcore songs. would a pedal help me get that more drive tone?

[@BatEatsMoth]

When establishing unity gain, it helps to use a decibel meter.

[@ktrock77]

Silly question perhaps: should the stomp be reliable to work each time? I have a basic distortion pedal and it doesn't always change from off/distortion on the stomp. Maybe having it on a carpet doesn't help.

[@LTJR.]

I try the pedal on a hard surface and see if it changes any but no every time you hit that button you need it to change otherwise something's wrong

[@THESONICSPEEDDEMON]

Are the boost pedals that have enough gain so that’s it’s tone is equivalent to a distortion pedal?

[@UsNCollord216]

Should distortion pedals be use in the fx loop or in between the guitar and amp? Asking for a friend

[@sweetwater]

Hi, UsNCollord216. You can do both but most overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals are going to sound best going to the input of your amp since they typically sound best when "pushing" the preamp of the amplifier. That being said there are pedals that are designed to be used both ways. Pedals that are also labeled as a "preamp" are typically designed to be used straight into an FX loop return which essentially bypasses the front of your amp. These would be pedals like the Revv G series, Two Notes Le series, or Diezel VH4. Thanks for your interest! Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1320, [e-mail]

[@darrenwilliamsahs2211]

No

[@filipedoria9561]

I have the exact ts and angry charlie in the video.Which is the best order to emulate a JCM 800 to play NWOBHM?

[@MetaphysicalMusician]

Never have been a fan of strat bridge pu...in distortion or OD mode

[@lukeabrahamsen-collins808]

I’m playing guitar rn. Helps a lot

[@stellastellub]

ur profile pic sucks ❤️

[@stellastellub]

ThatsRaidillonActually yeah?

[@lukeabrahamsen-collins808]

@@stellastellub I don’t see why you think your opinion is relevant

[@stellastellub]

Luke Abrahamsen freedom of speech

[@lukeabrahamsen-collins808]

@@stellastellub ok but my pfp offends you then leave. Not my problem

[@dezionlion]

Thanks Donna!

[@zandig666]

Up b surprised how many players that would call themselves a good player that don't know how set shite up Thanks for this often overlooked subject !!

[@fromfilmtocode]

I like Don.

[@Phyoomz]

What an EXCELLENT video! Thank you Carr.

[@joshfiedler4328]

What song does he play right in the beginning?

[@rgelban6347]

Thank you, sir😊

[@andycpd6669]

I have a blackstar tvp 30 and I'm getting the blackstar ht distortion pedal of a friend, what would I need to set my amp at to use the pedal, never used one with the amp and don't want to blow it up 😂

[@jakubsabosz2933]

I was led to believe general term is overdrive, which then can mean: overdrive, distortion or fuzz. And most people talk that way.

[@SamuraiBud]

is your amp miced?

[@cavindodson8566]

Do I need to turn up the volume on my amp to get more drive from the pedal? (I’m new to guitar pedals)

[@sweetwater]

Hi, Cavin! Thanks for your message, Happy Holidays. A few different ways to think about the use of a drive pedal. If you set your amp on the edge of breakup and the pedal so it has less gain and move volume, then you hear the amp more and it's "natural" drive. If you set your amp clean and the pedal with more gain and less volume, then you hear the pedal more (like another amp channel). If you set the amp dirty and the pedal with a more mid forward EQ, then you get more gain AND more clarity. There's no one answer for everyone and no wrong solution. Please contact us direct with other questions as you have them! Robert Williams, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 2371, [e-mail]

[@cavindodson8566]

@@sweetwater thank you!

[@avocadocommander]

Ok now i have a better understanding of pedals and stuff this is really helpful, i subbed

[@nishio1852]

I cant seem to play using clean channel the distortion is not enough like an over drive but if I activate the overdrive on the amp the noise start going crazy if I turn on the pedal

[@illhitu4034]

I turned down the volume on the guitar and used a noise gate at the end of the pedals before the amp

[@cliffhton3199]

You need a noise suppressor to shut that noise

[@tcg1_qc]

same (except i can play on the clean) how do you fix that

[@RR-jx7tr]

Very proffesional, thanks

[@allenreynolds2449]

Very cool

[@chriskilian2325]

I like his blouse

[@dylanboles2986]

Coming from a guitar collector and player, i have a few rare and expensive guitars myself. But the swirl marks and scratches on the fender stratocaster really hurts me. I have a Kramer Striker 300ST preproduction prototype from 1971 (it was the test guitar, its number 1 of 100) I have a few scratches on it and a dash of body damage but that's expected with it being so vintage, but it really pains me to see it. My LTD AX-50 doesn't have a single scratch on it and its from 97 i believe?

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

Pause at the beginning: I'm originally a sax player since single digit childhood, born again musician on guitar five years ago. "If you're just getting started on distortion pedals ..." let me speak for the masses. No one is watching this video unless they're a beginner on pedals, absolutely. I'm a Berklee alumni, not a beginner musician at all, and I understand: "Effects, because if you can't play better, at least you can sound better." The down and dirty is, I got a TC-9, and that's it for distortion. I have no freakin' idea how to make it sound any more than light distortion even though I've heard it. Three dials, I don't get it; I'm thinking one dial, now much distortion? Apparently it doesn't work that way! Some of these pedals have five or more dials just for reverb. Please, demystify it for us.

[@playdelay]

My favorite Distortion was the Overdrive that I use as a Boost

[@davidmurray9193]

Just got the ibanez ts808 tube screamer with boost and a revs G4 (not used yet due to setting up board and making leads) going to go in to a Laney Ironheart 120h full stack can't wait to play with it, ( also have the 5th gen drop tune wah, caline 10 equalizer and awaiting a dripping delay pedal and muslady jimmi chorus vibe which is on the way can't wait 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁 should get some good tones

[@AedanBlackheart]

Any9ne got a vid of what gets plugged into what?

[@kokovincent4621]

Can someone tell me what wires to get with it ?

[@hmpz36911]

Just 1/4 jack instrument cables.

[@jmangi6221]

I like the way my les paul sounds plugged straight into my tube amp,no pedal needed,but i have pedals to mess around with.

[@dafamaulana5644]

Thanks sir 🫡

[@hadleymanmusic]

Thank you

[@moments_with_IH]

Sweet!

[@aristotle5698]

I’m a drummer what am I doin here?

[@robmlisanti]

get out

[@MetaphysicalMusician]

Learning to play an instrument 🤣

[@arnoldpaulssali5622]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@zeyy84]

@@robmlisanti that's rude

[@robmlisanti]

@@zeyy84 shhh it's a joke chill out dick wad

[@vonmilash823]

I always tell me students, overdrive is soft clipping. Distortion is hard. But it's all a distorted signal.

[@earthsteward9]

Thanks! How to make your guitar sound go to 11 :-)

[@greghauser742]

Norm Macdonald goes by Don Carr now?

[@BlueberryStinkFinger62]

I'll stay with Fulltone and Fender Hammertone..

[@slickcross]

What kind of Fender Strat is he using?

[@sweetwater]

It's a Fender American Standard Stratocaster that I bought new in 1987. It has been through a bunch of mods, like most old Strats! You can read about it here: www.sweetwater.com/insync/breathing-new-life-into-an-old-strat/ Thanks! DC

[@steveshaw5773]

Hey Don....best sounds I've ever heard coaxed from a blues Jr with a tubescreamer and angry Charlie. Makes me wanna flip my boutique amps and pedals and get back to basics!!! Keep up the good work fella!!! Love from Blighty.👍👍👍

[@tinpenny4474]

I said goodbye to distortion pedals. Bought a Mark V, no distortion pedal needed. Bought it from Sweetwater 😆

[@legoharry100]

NO MIDS ALL THE GAIN

[@mrmisterman999]

Pedals? LAUGHS IN FRACTAL

[@joemisek]

Man, a TS into a clean amp sounds so weird.

[@purpleabyss2587]

its Dunker not Doncar

[@brandonvon3774]

I hate the sound of a Tubescreamer on a clean channel, you can hear the clean sound underneath the drive.

[@ErenAltinkaya]

those strings look older than him bro 💀

[@starblaster77]

It sounds like two pedals and doesn’t feel the same a dirty channel on an amp.

[@illhitu4034]

Weirdalyankovic

[@jonbeatlesfan]

As informative as this was, the tone and playing was pure butt-rock.

[@redguy8941]

Bro that's not even a distortion pedal lol. That's an overdrive pedal lol

[@ajaynorris3526]

Its does the same thing, overdrives just have different sound. The main idea is the same, it adds gain before the amp.

[@El-Yordi]

ok man, but.... these are two overdrives, no distortion pedals in da house

[@richietownsend6737]

Listen to his explanation at the beginning. Nevermind.

[@alterreifen]

I stopped right where he called a Tube Screamer a distortion pedal. Dear visitor from another star, your definition of distortion pedal is not compatible with our earth definition of distortion pedal!

[@richietownsend6737]

I can’t believe how many of you didn’t hear his explanation at the beginning. Whatevs.

[@grahamkelly8299]

......the tube screamer is not a distortion pedal.....

[@albertplaysguitar]

It's dirt. Although some would say running a TS into a clean amp is plain wrong.

[@davoman21]

Yes it is.

[@grahamkelly8299]

@@davoman21 no.way? But I thought it was a soft clipping pedal? Aren't dist pedals hard clipping?

[@grahamkelly8299]

@@albertplaysguitar is it a dist pedal though? I thought soft clipping was associated with od pedals?

[@albertplaysguitar]

@@grahamkelly8299 yeah I think that's technically the difference but I like to push my ODs into distortion and to bring my distortions down to a cleaner light break up... So, no rules me thinks!

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

"First pedal we have here is an Ibamez tube screamer which is a fairly common distortion pedal." FALSE. A tube screamer is an overdrive pedal.

[@michaeldschutte]

Fact: Bears eat beets.

[@StratsRUs]

He explained before, he uses 'distortion' as a catch-all term.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

@@StratsRUs then he's an idiot who shouldn't be doing videos for pedals.

[@johndennison2769]

Yes and no. Technically an overdrive is a type of distortion pedal. But it isn't "the distortion pedal" if that makes sense.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

@@johndennison2769 it's "overdriving" the amplifier to cause it to distort anymore. That's the circuit.

[@uItrachile]

duuuuude looks like a ladieeeeeeee................

[@NoCoverCharge]

Oh god if you need this you shouldn’t be playing guitar