Synth Pedals
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MXR Textures Granular Synth Pedal
Stereo Granular Synth Guitar Pedal with 8 Presets, 3 Modes, Size, Overlap, Pitch, Reverse, Time, Mix, and Regen Controls, Second-layer Controls, Expression Input, and Split/Tap Compatibility- 1
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How to Choose a Guitar Synth Pedal
A guitar synth pedal turns your favorite six-string or bass into a full-blown synthesizer, no keyboard chops required. Whether you’re chasing Robert Fripp’s inspired soundscapes, Adrian Belew’s alien leads, or Matt Bellamy’s fuzzy sub-octave riffs, there’s a pedal in this category that’ll get you there.
From compact monophonic units like the Electro-Harmonix Mono Synth to flagship polyphonic powerhouses like the Boss SY-1000 or Meris Enzo X, choosing the right synth pedal comes down to three main considerations: what sounds you’re after, how many notes you need at once, and whether you need a special pickup.
What Is a Synth Pedal?
A synth pedal is a stompbox that analyzes your guitar or bass signal and generates synthesizer-like sounds (or samples) in response. Common synth pedal sounds include square-wave leads, sub-octave basslines, lush pads, sequenced arpeggios, filter sweeps, and vintage keyboard emulations. Some synth pedals use pitch tracking to trigger internal oscillators. Others use analog envelope followers and filters to reshape your input signal directly.
Do You Need a Special Pickup to Use a Guitar Synth Pedal?
Not typically. Many synth pedals in the Boss SY, Meris, Source Audio, and Electro-Harmonix 9 Series lineups track just fine using a standard magnetic pickup signal. But if you want the tightest possible tracking or the most advanced per-string processing, you’ll want to pair a hexaphonic (hex) divided pickup like the Roland GK-3 with a dedicated MIDI guitar synthesizer like the Boss SY-1000 or Roland GR-55. For a closer look at a hex-pickup-based flagship in action, see our Boss GM-800 review.
What Sounds Can You Make with a Guitar Synthesizer Pedal?
Almost anything a keyboard, synth, or ROMpler can do, a synth pedal can pull off. Common sounds include:
- Classic mono synth leads and basslines: square-wave, sawtooth, and sub-octave voices.
- Polyphonic pads and chordal textures: full-chord synth voicings for ambient, prog, and cinematic work.
- Vintage keyboard emulations: tape-replay strings and flute, tine and reed electric pianos, and screaming drawbar organs.
- Vocoder and formant effects: robotic vocal-style tones triggered by your guitar or bass.
Bass player or baritone guitarist? Dedicated bass synth pedals are tuned for low-end tracking, and per-string processing through a divided pickup gives extended-range setups a cleaner signal to read.
Polyphonic vs. Monophonic Synth Pedals: What’s the Difference?
A monophonic synth pedal tracks one note at a time, which is great for single-note leads and basslines. Mono pedals generally track faster, cost less, and can sound cleaner on fast runs and legato lines, though they may respond unpredictably to chords. A polyphonic synth pedal tracks multiple notes simultaneously, so full chords, pads, and arpeggios come through cleanly. Polyphonic pedals are typically more versatile but tend to cost more, and some designs introduce slightly more latency, which can be a tradeoff for fast players.
Not sure which synth pedal type is right for you? Reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for one-on-one guidance based on your style and setup.
What are the most popular brands for Synth Pedals on Sweetwater.com?
What are the most popular Synth Pedals on Sweetwater.com?
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MXR Bass Synth Pedal
4.5 out of 5 stars 19 reviews
$285.99 -
Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer with GK-3 Pickup
4 out of 5 stars 40 reviews
$1,279.99 -
Meris Enzo X Multi-voice Instrument Synthesizer Pedal
4 out of 5 stars 8 reviews
$599.00 -
Boss SY-200 Guitar Synthesizer Pedal
4 out of 5 stars 18 reviews
$299.98
Why shop Synth Pedals at Sweetwater.com?
With a massive selection of Synth Pedals, free shipping, a free 2-year warranty, 24/7 access to award-winning support - and more - Sweetwater gives you more than any other retailer! If you have any questions about Synth Pedals, make sure to give your personal Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.
