After such household items as distortion and wah-wah pedal, phaser ( Phaser effect )stands out as one of the most frequently used guitar effects in the world today.
Phaser pedal we recommend: MXR M101 Phase 90

It produces a distinctive and memorable type of sound, yet it is typically not easy to be recognized outside of the guitar aficionado circles. Therefore, we have decided to do some research and bring this lovely pedal closer to you so you could understand its powers and maybe determine if it is the right product for you.

We will do our best to explain the matter in simplest possible terms, although we will occasionally dive into some intricate explanations. The question here is ” What phaser effect does to your guitar?”, let’s answer it!

How phaser works?

A phaser pedal operates by filtering the input sound from your guitar and processing it to create a string of peaks and troughs in the final frequency spectrum, crafting a smooth, floating, sweeping type of sound.

When you strum a tone on your guitar, it enters the phaser effect, which separates the signal into two parts, one of which is an all-pass filter that saves original sound. The other part infuses the sound with the effect, cancelling all the sounds that are out of phase and crafting that sound we just mentioned.

Phaser options

So what controls do you have to change the sound here? Well, the effect came a long way since it was initially introduced, and now typically packs a set of four control knobs – Rate, Depth, Resonance, and Mode.

Rate – This knob controls the speed of the phasing sweep by making it faster or slower depending on the position. More sweeping usually brings the effect closer to the vibe of a chorus pedal.

Depth – This one determines the intensity of the effect, hence it is sometimes referred to as the Intensity control. More Depth gives the stompbox additional power and extra prominence in the final mix.

Resonance – The Resonance knob emphasizes some of the tones in the sweep. More of this effect brings a spacey vibe to your sound, a type of tone we could describe as underwater.

Mode – Over the years, phaser pedals were crafted with a different set of shifting phases. As we have entered the modern era, manufacturers now present the user with freedom to utilize any of these sounds with a few simple turns of a knob.

Best example of phaser effect

As far as classic songs using phaser go, Eddie Van Halen stands as the king of this stompbox. A specific example would be the song that changed the world in under 2 minutes – the mighty “Eruption”! Check it out.

Conclusion

We hope that this guide made it clear what phaser does to a guitar and you can best utilize it. Our main goal was to give you a sonic image of what to expect from a phaser effect and hopefully pique your interest to further investigate. If this fella sounds like a stompbox for you, feel free to treat yourself with one of these bad boys as early as today!