The terms overdrive and distortion are often used interchangeably. Afterall, they both create a gritty, dirty tone as opposed to a clean guitar sound. But overdrive and distortion are two different things. The way they came about are also different. How you use them, in terms of genres and feel, will differ. Overdrive vs distortion.
Overdrive is a key component to your guitar tone, and can be used in just about every genre on the planet. However, there are many players who get into guitar so they can do one thing: play metal. As such, we’ve combined a love for distortion with a love for the genre. In this important
Welcome to the bass distortion pedal guide that’s going to help you invigorate your bass sound with some sweet distortion. Here’re the reviews of the 6 best distortion pedals for the bass guitar effects pedals you can buy right now. If your bass amp alone is struggling to give you the aggressive edge you want
At BeginnerGuitarHQ, we aim to help you learn to become a great guitarist. When learning this valuable skill, you need the equipment to go with it, so we put together helpful reviews that’ll give you a head start in deciding what’s right for you! In this important guide, I’ll talk you through the Boss DS-1
While you may not think of Jackson guitars the same as you would about Fender, Epiphone, Gibson, or Ibanez, it’s actually a very decent guitar brand. In fact, famous guitarists who’ve played or are currently playing Jackson guitars include Dave Mustaine, Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, Vinnie Vincent, Kirk Hammet, Phil Collen, Corey Beaulieu, and Mark
Guitar amps are awesome. Whether you’re using a semi-acoustic or an electric guitar. It’s not just that they amplify the sound, or in the case of a solid body electric, release the sound. It’s that there are effects like overdrive, distortion, and reverb. And for those who have bigger amps, who hasn’t used it as
If you’ve heard someone mention a fanned fret guitar, you’re obviously here because you want to know what the heck that is. But maybe you’ve seen one, and just wondered what’s so great about them. Wouldn’t it be harder to play with all those skew frets? What’s the point of fanned frets anyway? You’re likely
You’ve probably heard a good deal about tonewoods, pickups, and strings being important to the overall sound of the guitar. The neck? Maybe not so much. Or perhaps you know that although more fragile, a solid neck is better for the overall sound, as are chunkier necks. But what about guitar neck shapes? While guitar
When you start something new, you don’t want it to be harder than necessary. To be fair, guitar isn’t the hardest thing I’ve had to learn, it’s not even the most difficult instrument that I’ve had the opportunity to learn. But it’s not a walk in the proverbial park, either. And the more advanced you
You may have come across different guitar scale lengths and wondered what that’s all about. Some guitars appear to have the same amount of frets, but the listed scale length differs between them. So naturally some guitars have smaller frets, but then how does that affect the pitch? Most guitar specs will list the scale
If you love to practice to music without other musicians physically there, a Bluetooth guitar amp is perfect for that. If you hate lugging around effects pedals but love having effects, generally you’ll find Bluetooth amps that come with a range of effects onboard. While you may be worried that only mini amps come with
In the guitar world, there are plenty of headless guitars to be purchased. Yet, most guitarists still prefer the traditional guitar, and there are still far more traditional guitars on the market. By that, I mean a guitar with a headstock. But headless guitars are gaining popularity for various reasons. You may very well already
Whether you’ve started a band or want to record music, you need a microphone. Good microphones will reproduce your voice well with minimal noise. Plus, a handy case for carrying the microphone to gigs in would be great. I’ll be going through the best microphone for singing in every budget. Not everyone can afford a
If you’re on a budget, the Squier Affinity Stratocaster may have caught your eye. It’s definitely true that in many cases, if you wanted a Fender but needed a more budget-friendly guitar, Squier is the way to go. After all, Fender acquired them in the 60s. So let’s check out the Squier Affinity Stratocaster series
You’ve undoubtedly heard about humbucker pickups if you’ve looked into this type of thing. Along with single coil pickups, they’re the most popular pickups. But there is another type of pickup, called the P90 pickup that looks like something in between the two, and it’s also pretty popular in certain genres. How then do P90s
Six-string guitars are everywhere. These are standard guitars and most people learn to play on one of these and some never stray. Then I’m sure you’ve seen the 12-string guitars. The acoustic 12-strings usually have a full, crisp sound. If you’re here asking how many strings does a guitar have, clearly you know there are
Are you building your own guitar? Are you upgrading or repairing your current guitar? Or perhaps you want to buy a new guitar, but just don’t know which pickups will work best for you. There are other pickups than just humbuckers and single coil pickups. I’ll explain a bit about the other type too. But
Looking for the best guitar pedals? Elitist gear snobs will have you know that “tone comes from the fingers,” and all they need is “a guitar, an amp, and a cable.” They’re also the kind to shell out for $60 guitar strings, hunt down that elusive rare Gibson guitar with their favorite “tonewood,” and shun
We always hear about the vital “mixing and mastering” step in the final stages of completing our mix. However important it may seem, it often gets misunderstood in what it entails, and how we know when we’ve achieved a mastered mix. As you read on, we’ll uncover some common misconceptions, as well as what you
The process of applying equalization to a mix is an art form. It’s something that eludes many beginners, and up-and-coming producers alike, as we chase the perfect sound. However, would it surprise you that something so important can also be something glossed over in the overall process? As you read on, we’ll cover the importance
Sure, you could vibrato manually using your fingers. But a whammy bar looks cool and gets the job done in a fun way. Whammy bars, aka tremolo bars, aka vibrato bars are classic. They aren’t as popular these days as they were in decades past, but they’re still pretty awesome. We’ve got a list to
Starting your guitar journey is exciting. But buying everything you need one at a time can be tedious and time-consuming. A beginner electric guitar kit is so convenient. Some even come with the smaller accessories like guitar picks too. But there are so many options and it can be pretty confusing when it comes to
If you love a warm airy acoustic tone that works well whether plugged or unplugged, a semi-hollow guitar is the way to go. That’s not to say you can’t add some distortion. Originally designed for jazz music, they’ve become popular for a range of genres including rock, metal, pop, blues, country, any genre that uses
Mini guitar amps, also known as practice amps, are very useful. They’re highly portable and take up less space than a regular amp. Of course, if you do gigs, a regular amp is best, although there are ways to get around that. But for traveling and playing at home, a mini amp works just fine.
If you’re new to the guitar as a whole, you may only be aware of two, maybe three different types of guitars. To think that there are more than 15 different types of guitars, however, seems unreal. As you read on, we will cover 15 of these different guitars you should know about, so that
Here are 34 rock bands with female singers worth listening to, from the classics to newcomers. Whether you like ska, metal, pop punk, or classic rock, there’s something for everyone. Rock music is still seen as a predominantly male scene, but women have firmly cemented they are not going anywhere. As someone who was regularly
The cost of instruments and lessons are what often holds people back from getting into music. And electric guitars can be especially expensive compared to acoustic guitars. But thankfully, there are cheap guitars and plenty of free online resources here on Beginner Guitar HQ to help you learn to play guitar. Having said that, you
With a discography spanning more than 30 years, Green Day has inspired countless artists. I essentially learned guitar to Green Day – and I would argue they taught me well. So, I wanted to share the best Green Day songs, which taught me something valuable. Green Day is proof that a good song does not
Mixing and mastering are two crucial end-steps to producing a completed work. A common misconception, however, is that both of these terms are interchangeable, and therefore, result in them being glossed over and forgotten. This article aims to help you understand their importance, and why both steps deserve much-needed attention. Mixing and Mastering – What’s
Once upon a time, in the days of analog, gain had a single meaning. Now In the digital era, musicians have experimented with many different ways of not only creating it, but also defining what it is. As a result, it’s become one of those catch-all audio terms that can be difficult to understand as
Marshall has been spoiling professional, beginner, and intermediate musicians for decades. The UK-based musical gear manufacturer is a top-tier audio device brand. Despite that, they know how to create superb affordable choices, and the Marshall Code 50 is a perfect example of what I said. The Marshall Code lineup came up in 2016, so it’s
When you’re faced with all the cables in a store or online, it can be a bit daunting. I mean there are different lengths so that’s easy enough. What else could there be? Well, not all cables are made equal. I came across this revelation at college in the live sound and electronics classes. Before
When it comes to recommendations for hardware and accessories to buy for your guitar, DI boxes haven’t been at the top of the list. So it’s not surprising to go “huh?” if you hear someone mention one for the first time. The first time I heard about DI boxes, I was in college and we
One of the funnest parts of learning electric guitar is playing around with the differences between popular effects. Distortion. Chorus. Tremolo. These can all help you push the barriers of a traditional “clean” guitar tone as you develop your own unique sound. But with so many effects to choose from, it’s easy to get confused
Is there someone that’s caught your eye or captured your heart… in the best way possible, of course? At some point in our lives, most of us will experience the crazy feelings of being in love, and in some cases, that will go on to become a deeper, calmer, but no less powerful enduring flame.
The iconic Fender Telecaster is the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar in history. The long-running musical company achieved the high mark because of various technological advancements they included and created. One of such is the single-coil pickup design, so today, we’re looking at the best Tele pickups available in the market. After all, the Telecaster
A Wah pedal is a great addition to your guitar gear. It can easily improve your solos and riffs, but it can also make them cheesy and repetitive. A Wah pedal is a double-edged sword, which is why it’s so important to choose the best Wah pedal and use it right. What is a Wah
Tremolo is one of the oldest and most popular effects ever created for guitar. First used as a built-in effect for guitar amplifiers in the 1960s, the iconic “wobble” and pulsating rhythm that tremolo provide made it an indispensable effect on many players’ pedalboards. In the modern day, tremolo is just as popular as ever,
We’re reviewing the Orange Crush 35rt guitar amplifier. We expect a big, bag, loud combo amplifier for rock and metal genres from the British amplifier manufacturer. For example, Orange’s Terror series of mini tube amplifier heads deserve a place at the top of any metal amplifier chart. Recently, the company has expanded its offer to
So, you’ve been playing your trusty old electric guitar for a few years now, and though you love the way it feels to play, you wonder if you could get a better tone out of it if you installed some different pickups. Or maybe it’s not even a subjectively ‘better’ tone that you’re going for,
We come with a shorter review than usual. The Vox amPlug is our main protagonist this time around. If you don’t know what this is, take a peek: The Vox amPlug is somehow a gimmick product with limited potential and extra marketing. However, it can be helpful for players looking for portable and cheap amplifying
We’re reviewing the top 7 best phaser pedals for electric guitars. The models we list range from budget to premium models. Moreover, we’re covering a short butter’s guide, plus a guide on how to use these otherworldly stompboxes. Phaser pedals are modulation effects. It’s a distinctive effect for your guitar, although it’s a challenging sound
The Epiphone SG Special is the mid-level buster. Coming from Gibson’s subsidiary, we already know the basic formula of the electric guitar. It’s an affordable and yet valuable alternative to the coveted Gibson SG guitar, one of the best, if not the best, guitar for rock genres. I would say this is an entry-level guitar
Looking for a power chord chart for beginners? A chord is a group of notes that are played simultaneously. These chords make an integral part of the songs. The chords make up one of the three integral parts of any music called Harmony, the other two being Melody and Rhythm. Any and all types of
Most portable amps sit in an odd category between toys and hands-on solutions for solo performers. You would be right to think these models can’t pack anything too different from their competitors. So, is the Pignose amplifier worth it above, say, Marshall portable amps? Here’s the deal: the Pignose amp looks radically different from any
Today, we bring you a list reviewing the top acoustic bass guitars you can buy right now. We’re covering various price levels for your convenience. That means we’re considering entry-level acoustic bass guitars to start our list, and then climb towards top-tier models. Acoustic bass guitars are hollow wooden instruments. They are larger than dreadnought
Premiering a couple of years ago, the Gretsch G5420t Electromatic is one of the most popular hollow-body guitars. It’s a top-tier offering from a brand that’s growing continuously, and we’re here to see how it amasses such a good reputation and, at the same time, why it’s not as popular as other guitars of its
Can a huge solid-state amplifier be any good? Moreover, can a fairly-priced Fender guitar amplifier be, at least, decent? That’s what we’re going to find out on our Fender Champion 100 review. The Fender Champion 100 is known as a great pick for people looking for a cheap, versatile, and reliable amplifier. It’s a modeling
One of the most exciting parts of learning electric guitar is experimenting with different effects. Whether it’s adding rockabilly-style delay vs. metal-friendly distortion, effects are the cornerstones of many music genres. Flanger and phaser are two of the most popular effects from the psychedelic era –– and beyond. They’re both characterized by swirling, sweeping noises.
Choosing a new microphone for your home studio is a big deal. Not only is it a high-stakes game (because you want to make sure you choose a mic that knocks recordings out of the park), the number of choices available is paralyzing. Wisely, you’ve settled on a condenser microphone for their detailed top end