There are countless other creative ways pedal makers have allowed guitarists to create ambient sounds, so let’s dive in. In this context, too, delays and reverbs are often favoured for their cleaner, less abrasive approach to creating sustain. Sustain can be extended ‘naturally’ with overdrive, distortion or harmonic feedback, but delays and reverbs also extend a note or chord, and can offer some interesting ways to manipulate it. A note’s attack can be hidden by EQ-ing out high end, or by rolling up your volume control (or a volume pedal) after strumming to create swells. These two things can be achieved in countless ways.
So, in order to create a fuller ambience, the general approach is to do two things: soften the attack of a note and extend its sustain. The inherent sound of an electric guitar note is not particularly ‘ambient’ in itself – there’s a strong transient and then a relatively fast falloff. In either case, an ambient pedal’s key feature is transformation. Some ambient players rely purely on sustain and space from lengthy reverbs, while others prefer to use layered guitar sounds to create an abstract soundscape. What makes a pedal good for ambient music? We’ve compiled a list of stompboxes that are sure to aid you on your soundscaping journey. To do so, however, you’re going to need the right pedals.
The argument that your whole rig is an instrument is strongest in the context of ambient music: coaxing textures, drones and shifting patterns out of your gear becomes an art in itself. READ MORE: The Guitarist’s Guide To Grunge: Essential bands, gear and players.It’s an almost meditative practice where building layers of abstract sounds, focusing on mood and texture takes precedence over rhythm or melody. Playing ambient guitar opens up a whole new way of connecting with your instrument.