Few music genres are as centered and focused on gear as shoegaze. I mean, the name “shoegaze” itself derives from musicians staring at their pedals while performing, and while shoegaze has given us many classic, seminal pieces of music, not much has been documented by artists and recording engineers about how they got their sounds. And don’t get me started on trying to figure out what they used because that can lead you down a rabbit hole of misinformation and frustration. Luckily, I know helpful pedal tips and tricks to start you down the right path on your shoegaze-tones journey.
In this article, I will discuss guitar-pedal tips and tricks for shoegaze and feature pedals that would be great to try out. I will also include songs in each section that give you a clear understanding of the effect. So, sit back, grab your offset guitar, and relax as we discuss how to get classic shoegaze tones using pedals.
Stacking Overdrives and Distortions
When it comes to shoegaze, the dirtier the tone, the better — but that comes at a cost. One of the many qualities that make shoegaze enjoyable is the use of jazz-style extended chords to provoke emotion. Those extended chords can get muddy when turning on your fuzz pedal. There is a simple solution to this. By stacking overdrive and distortion pedals and carefully dialing in the gain, you can retain note clarity while still delivering loud and window-shaking distortion. Bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Nothing, and many more utilize this pedal-stacking method.
You can turn to various pedals for stacking overdrive and distortion. A popular combo for many shoegaze bands is a BOSS BD-2 (or BD-2W) into a Pro Co RAT, but that is certainly not the only option. Many of our top brands, such as Walrus Audio, EarthQuaker Devices, Fulltone, and more, produce exceptional overdrive and distortion pedals for you to try out. The number one rule for this is that there are no rules. Mix and match as many pedals as you see fit, read forums and watch videos to see what other musicians are using, and most importantly, decide for yourself which pedals sound best. There is no wrong way to stack pedals — especially in shoegaze.
What’s Shoegaze Without a Whole Lotta Fuzz?
There are many things in life that are just meant to go together: peanut butter and jelly, hot dogs at the ballpark, offset guitars and indie artists, and so on. Nothing is more synonymous with the shoegaze genre than the fuzz pedal — most notably a Big Muff-style fuzz. The harsh and thick distorted sounds from a Big Muff-style fuzz, such as the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, are a perfect starting point for any guitarist looking to create shoegaze music. Big Muff-style fuzzes feature a mid-scoop in the frequency response that leaves enough space for the vocals while still creating that harsh and dense fuzz sound that everyone knows and loves.
While the Big Muff-style fuzz is the go-to option for many shoegaze guitarists, don’t be afraid to add a different fuzz style, such as the tone bender, triangle waveform, or octave. My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields is famous for having a ridiculous number of different fuzz pedals sprawled out across the floor when playing live to unleash an unrelenting wall of sound and squealing feedback. Speaking of a wall of sound, if you place your fuzz after your reverb pedal, then you’ll get the iconic and equally chaotic distorted reverb that many modern shoegaze and noise-rock bands implement into their music.
“Slow” Down with Reverse Reverb
Reversing instruments and effects has often been considered an “ear candy” production choice, but it’s a signature sound choice for many shoegaze bands. One effect that can be found throughout the genre is the reverse reverb effect. This avant-garde effect is self-explanatory: it takes the tail of the reverb and reverses it, creating a dense and lush swelling effect. Reverse reverb is excellent for creating a woozy layer of sound for other instruments to sit on top of in your mixes. Kevin Shields introduced the effect on My Bloody Valentine’s song “Slow” from their 1988 EP, You Made Me Realize, using a Yamaha SPX90 rack unit. While the SPX90 is discontinued, many reverb pedals have a reverse reverb option, so you can create this effect without carrying around a rack unit.
Shields has said in interviews that his favorite way to use the reverse reverb is to put a distortion or fuzz in front of it, turn the tone knob all the way down, and modulate the pitch by bending your guitar’s tremolo arm while strumming. While I love that sound, I say go out, experiment, and find a reverse reverb sound you like! Add effects before and after to create a unique sound you can call your own.
Atmospheric and Washed-out Delays
Shoegaze is all about creating atmospheres and sound textures. Many bands use distortion/fuzz or reverb to create those soundscapes, but delay pedals can also add depth to your music. By setting long repeats and high feedback, you can create a haunting atmosphere that lingers for as long as you want. Other delay techniques include stacking delays. By stacking delays and setting the times to different rates, you can achieve a wave of repeating sounds that adds texture and layers to your music. Shoegaze pioneers Slowdive were famous for their use of delay, notably tape and digital delays. Check out their songs “Slomo” and “Souvlaki Space Station” to hear a masterclass on stacking delays and creating mesmerizing soundscapes using a simple technique.
While we are on the topic of delay pedals, it would be silly of me not to mention self-oscillation, which can be found on many time-based pedals such as the EarthQuaker Avalanche Run and Strymon Volante. Self-oscillation is a function of analog delays and analog-voiced digital delays. It refers to the point at which the delay circuit becomes oversaturated with a regenerating signal and creates a self-perpetuating feedback loop that gets louder and crazier the longer you let it continue. If you get a delay pedal with a self-oscillation footswitch, then give it a go and see what crazy feedback you can create!
Dizzy on the Modulation
Last, but certainly not least, is the use of modulation pedals. You either love or hate them, but one thing is certain: Modulation has been and always will be an integral part of shoegaze’s sound. You can go many different routes with modulation, such as adding subtle depth with chorus, creating dizzy airplane sounds with a flanger, or even using the classic, choppy tremolo effect. Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins fame is infamous for using modulation effectively. His use of chorus, phasers, flangers, and other modulation effects has paved the way for many guitarists after him to create lush and ethereal soundscapes in their music.
There are several ways you can utilize modulation in your songs. What I hear most often from shoegaze songs, old and new, is the use of a CE-1 type of chorus and phasers. Chorus pedals work by doubling your signal and slightly delaying it to give your instrument a thicker sound when the rate and depth are set low or an underwater sound the more you crank the two settings. Phaser pedals can be subtle or maxed out depending on the vibe you want. A classic Phase 90 pedal can be all you need if you want that vintage phaser sound. But those looking for a little bit more out of their phaser will be sure to find many other options that allow them to dial in the sound just the way they want it.
Which Shoegaze Tones Did I Miss?
I could go on and on about my favorite shoegaze sounds and tones using pedals, but these are just some of my favorites and ones that I see talked about most on forums. We would love to hear from you and know your favorite pedals for making shoegaze, noise rock, dream pop, or any adjacent genre. As always, if you have any questions or need help deciding which pedal best fits your needs, then contact our knowledgeable Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700, and they will help you get the right pedal for your sound.