Gainstaging Effects

October 8, 2010 by Alan Ratcliffe

When using multiple effects together, whether they are stompboxes or the effects in a multieffect unit’s patch, it becomes important to “gainstage”. Gainstaging is setting the gain (volume boost) of each stage (effect) in your signal path so it does not boost or cut the signal too much. Many effects have the ability to boost or cut the signal level significantly and it can be easy to destroy your tone by introducing  unwanted distortion or noise.

The importance of levels

Effects are designed to work best with a particular level. With guitar effects, this range will be the levels you can expect from an electric guitar (-20dB). Similarly, if you are using a studio effect, the input and output will be designed to cope with Line Level (+4dB). Once the input signal exceeds this level, there is a very real chance that the inputs will distort and/or the headroom will be severely limited. In the case of digital effects, this clipping can be extremely nasty and harsh.

Low levels can also worsen the S/N (signal-to-noise ratio), making the noise level increase. This is because the noise any effect makes is usually fixed, so when the signal level is low the noise is louder in comparison. See the graphic at the top of this page for a visual representation of this.

Levels also affect how some effects work – compressors, auto-wahs, etc. depend on the input level to determine how they should work, so a low or high signal level will make them respond completely differently.

How to gainstage

The important thing to remember about gainstaging is you want each stage of your chain to keep the level more or less the same.

1. Set the input and output levels (Multieffects)

If you are using a multieffect (stompboxes are always guitar level), the first thing to do is set the input and output levels. The input and output levels may be switchable between “Low” or High levels. An effect designed specifically for guitar will usually have a fixed input suitable for guitars, so you won’t have to worry about the input level, just set the output. If the output  is connected to a guitar amp, set the level to low, if directly to a power amp or mixer, set to high. If you have a fully adjustable output level, the first thing to do is turn all your effects off, so they do nothing to the sound and set the level by comparing to the level of the guitar plugged straight into the amp

2. Set each effect’s level

Start with all effects bypassed and turn them on one at a time. Set the level of each by switching on and off to compare the effect level with the bypassed level, and adjust it to the same as the bypass. Then bypass the effect again and move on to the next. Do the same for each effect and when finished, all your effects will be at the same level.

Setting EQ gains correctly

Specific effects

Compressors (which even out differences in volume), can be a little trick

y to set as they can give you a false impression of level. When you play softer, the compressor boosts the volume, and when you play harder it cuts the volume. The trich is to play at a level somewhere in between while you compare the effect sound to the bypass.

Equalisers – every frequency band has a level control and each can be set incorrectly. EQs are more accurate and sound better set as close to the middle of their range (the 0dB line) as possible (see example). In the first example the faders are all too far above the centre line. In the second they are too far below. The final example is correct, with all the adjustments centred around the middle. Once you have set the EQ, adjust the overall level to match the bypassed level as discussed with the other effects.

3. Setting for a volume boost

It’s common practice to set up one effect to boost the level a bit when turned on – this lets the player instantly jump out of a band mix for a solo. This is perfectly acceptable, even desirable as long as you do not boost too much and distort the next effect in the chain.