Is your music missing that extra little "oomph?" Do you want to make your vocals sound all cool like Peter Frampton when he talks through his guitar? Maybe it's time you invest in some effects processors. An effects processor is a device that can add special effects to your electric guitar, bass guitar, or to your vocals. They can be plugged into your amp during live shows or plugged into your recording equipment in the studio to add effects to your music.
Guitar Processors
Whether you're in the studio recording or performing a live gig, you can easily hook up an effects processor to your amp to produce different sounds when you play. You're probably familiar with a guitar pedal, which you step on to add the effect and then step on again to turn it off. Effects processors work in a similar fashion. The big difference is that a processor is similar owning multiple pedals in one. Most processors can store anywhere from a dozen to a hundred different effects. You can even create unique sounds by adding distortion or reverb to an existing effect. Naturally these are more expensive than buying individual pedals, but your options will seem infinite. Major brands include Boss, DigiTech, and Line 6.
Vocal Processors
Vocal processors work in a similar way. They are intended to add effects and vocal harmonies, whether you're playing live or recording in the studio. The main difference is that you have to control the device with your hands rather than stomping on a pedal. Although, there are a small handful of processors that utilize foot pedals such as the DigiTech Vx400 VocalHarmonix, and TC Helicon.
