Finding the most exquisite synth pedal that will ensure your guitars spacy effect is not an easy job. Good synthesizer pedals that are designed specifically for you are not many or even available. Therefore finding one can be a challenging task. Some people use other brakes to achieve this effect, but that is not what you want because you deserve the best.
You want a full synthesizer sound that is as natural as possible. We are going to discuss some of the best types of synthesizer pedals and their features. That will give you an easy time to find one that is best suited for you as an individual.
8 Best Synth Pedals On the Market
What is the Synth Pedal?
Synthesizer pedals are effect processors that give out the sound similar to a synthesizer. When activated, the guitar’s output signal is used by the synth pedal to change the overall sound. Synthesizer pedals can be used to perform live like on stage or even for studio recording. They are necessary because recording studios are not able to copy the synthesized sound using their processors.
A synth pedal makes your guitar sound like a big, surrounded synthesizer. Most synths today emulate the real synth sound, and when put in a guitar, they sound like a hybrid that can be unique and even usable without adding anything else to it.
Therefore, if you are looking to go beyond your comfort zone, the synthesizer pedal will allow you to experiment with entirely new unfamiliar sounds. Synthesizer pedals can be very inspiring because they enable you to try and reach into electronic music realms. There are many synth pedals, so ensure you choose one that best fits you.
Best Synth Pedal Buying Guide
Synth pedals are popular nowadays because they offer many benefits. One of the many benefits they offer is allowing players to play the synthesizer alone, with the guitar, or even blend both. This guide is meant to help you be able to choose a synth best for you. Here are factors to consider:
1. The Type of Effects – The best synth guitar pedal comes with a variety of effects. So, when considering buying one of them, purchase one that will give you different outcomes t. Buy one that best suits your needs by looking at the effects offered.
2. Distortion and Overdrive – Overdrive means a natural distortion that happens when you plug in your amp, but a guitar synth will amplify the beautiful throaty sound produced by a guitar. On the other side, distortion gives a smooth tone that blends with the notes to create a variety of sound levels.
3. Sound Conditioning – This effect will allow you to control the volume easily without having to stop to fiddle using the volume button on the guitar. Gain is the strength that is heard behind the sound. When performing a solo, you should have again in your riff so that you can amplify your sound.
4. Durability – Purchasing a multiple effect synthesizer means that you are going to be using it often. The sound effects enable that. Hence, consider checking if the synth can go for an extended period. That will ensure that it is of high quality making it durable.
5. Size – One of the other factors to consider is the size of the synth. A good-sized synth should be able to remain in your basement or garage at all times. Also, if you travel around for gigs, buy a synth that is portable enough to be taken around.
6. Ease of Use – Some guitar synths come with very complicated features that can be very hard to use. When buying a synth pedal, you should put that point in mind. Ensure you purchase one that is easy enough for you to use.
Top 8 Best Synth Pedal Reviews
Below are the top 8 best synth pedal reviews so that when you are ready to buy one, you won’t get confused. This review will help you decide on a synth best suiting you.
1. Boss SY-1 Synth Guitar Pedal
Pros
- A unique Pitch Hold holding a tone constant & providing a backing sound to solo over
- Different synth tones, made by separating various waveforms
- Allows an increase of its capabilities
- Very portable and convenient
- Expression pedal support
Cons
- Control over the parameters would have made this pedal flexible
Boss is among the leading in guitar effects pedals in the industry. The Boss SY-1 is a regular-sized synth pedal with four knobs with a footswitch and still enables you to access a large variety of sounds and endless possibilities when implementing them.
The central core of this effects pedal that you need to consider is the synth engine. That is because it works flawlessly. A range of 121 synths supports that sound neatly separated into 11 synth types. Every one of them contains 11 variations, and all are usable in the right context.
Although Boss SY-1 comes with one footswitch, it is very versatile and works excellent for most applications. The SY-1 can also be paired together with an expression pedal to increase its capabilities.
2. Source Audio C4 Synth Guitar Effect Pedal
Pros
- Unlocks various parameters hardly found in self-contained foot pedals
- Multiple onboard LFOs controls
- 128 MIDI accessible via an optional USB host
- Multiple processing power and functionality
- It is small; this gives excellent portability
Cons
- The synth sounds are put into the desktop editor instead of the pedal itself
The c4 audio comes in a small package. You may not see it as much on the outside, but it is worth it. It is straightforward to use because it only has four knobs.
It provides you with parallel voices and many waveforms to use. There are also envelope followers, tremolo, pitch-shifting, and harmonization. It has a three-way toggle button that lets you select one of three saved presets, together with a whole library sounds made by the Neuro community, you have a synth pedal which has almost a lot potential.
3. Donner Guitar Effect Harmonic Pedal
Pros
- 3-way switch toggle selected different in-between modes
- Two function knobs making it easier to use
- Great music tone with a low noise level
- Aluminum alloy casing
- LED indicator
Cons
- It cannot be used in high humidity areas or subzero environments
- You cannot disassemble by yourself
The new harmonic pedal from Donner Company is a digital circuit pedal. It has pitch shifter effects on the stamp box, making it an excellent clutch.
It has a unique sound tone that also ensures there is no loud noise. What’s more, the model has a dry and wet function knob. That makes it so easy to use. Dry is for dry signal levels setting, and the wet one is for harmonic signal levels. Uses a bypass switch that enables your signal instrument to pass through nonelective lines in case the effect is disengaged.
4. Boss RV-6 Reverb Guitar Pedal
Pros
- Wide range of the interface functionality
- High Versatile
- Eight sound modes
- Quality music processors
- A 5-year warranty
Cons
- Can be costly depending on your pocket
The boss RV6 is made for a player who wants a highly versatile, excellent sounding and a reliable reverb pedal. It has a five-year warranty and can work up to 30 yrs, without a problem.
The Synth pedal has very high-quality music processors brought by their many years in the industry. It is very well built and gives a wide variety of reverberation effects that fit any music style. Because the boss knows their clients are with diverse tastes, they provide different types of reverbs. Overall, the rv6 reverb guitar pedal sounds very good, almost similar to the old type spring reverb.
5. Korg Miku Guitar Synth Pedal
Pros
- Eleven vocalized pedal presets
- Ability to add your own lyric
- 11 lyric patterns
- Illustrates Miku Hatsune
- Unique sounds production
Cons
- Only supports the single note playing
- If the guitar player plays quickly, it sometimes struggles to catch up
This pedal is for the guitar player that yearns to sound different. If you figure out how to add this synth pedal to your rig, it will make an excellent addition to your pedalboard. Essentially the Korg pedal acts as a synthesizer and mimics Japanese character Hatsune Miku.
This pedal is monophonic, which means it only supports one note playing. The clutch is so cool-looking that it allows you to add your lyrics and vocal sounds through the brakes app. What’s more, the model is versatile- has different types of setting for your specific need.
6. Electro Harmonix Micro Polyphonic Synth Pedal
Pros
- Adjustable filter resonance control
- Power supply included
- All analog design
- Compact chassis
- Has four voices
Cons
- Takes a little while to master
The Electro Harmonix micro pedal synth creates excellent tones. It has 10-slider controls, which gives you multiple analog synth sounds.
Another thing, it has four voices that include octave, sub-octave, guitar, and square wave. These voices can be on their own or be mixed to make an excellent explosion voice.
The micro polyphonic synthesizer can change these signals with an envelope control to give a variety of blow sounds. If you are a guitar player who wants to take their music far, then Electro Harmonic Micro is the one for you.
7. VSN Slow Hand Budget Digital Guitar Pedal
Pros
- Comes with Dual mode: normal and fixed
- Made of high quality making it durable
- True bypass gives you a transparent tone
- Small in size and exquisite
Cons
- Its unique effect slows it down
The VSN slow hand budget is so cool it sounds like a violin. It has both fixed and normal modes and can even store set a new parameter. Additionally, the pedal made of very high-quality alloy zinc that is very sturdy and durable.
It has a true bypass that provides a transparent tone. The VSN digital guitar pedal also has an LED indicator that shows you its working state. That is helpful just in case there is something wrong with it, you will know. Plus, its small and exquisite size saves you space.
8. EX Analog Delay Synth Pedal
Pros
- Four controls for accurate response
- Strong analog circuit pedal for delay
- LED light when an effect is on
- Quality output signal
- Uses only nine volts
Cons
- Has delay time of 30ms to 340ms
- Does not offer modulation or additional effects
The EX analog pedal is a very compact and durable pedal for bass. Its interface is straightforward to use because it has only four knobs. The knobs include mix, time controls, level, and repeat. The standard controls the DB delay effect levels.
What’s more, the blend balances the dry and wet signals. The repeat controls the delay time speed. The time is in charge of delay time. The other reason to buy this pedal is that it is very cheap, making it very pocket friendly.
How Do Synth Pedals Work?
Depending on the setting of the user interface active on your device, the bass signal will be outputted one it has been processed. Synth pedals are placed in the middle of a signal chain. What’s more, they are the unknown heroes of pedals. They work to increase sonic horizons.
To get the best result, ensure you place it early enough in your signal chain. That ensures that the raw signal goes into the pedal’s input. That ensures you achieve the best and most unique tone. When placed early, tracking of effect will also be better. That means it picks up notes with extreme detail.
In short, synthesizer pedal work by detecting your guitar’s pitch signal and then using it to engage and tune the oscillator. The best synthesizer pedal will, therefore, give you tone flexibility and control. That features the octave up and down functionality that increases intervals to provide you with the fullest sound possible.
Best Brand of Synth Pedals
The top best brands you can buy best synthesizer pedals from include:
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Roland
The Roland guitar synth pedal is a revolution with features that were not available before on other processors. It has breakneck speed, and thanks to the pitch-detection tech, it is very accurate. When it comes to sound, the triple-core generator has an extensive array of virtual guitars, amps, basses, and even synth voices with enabling textures and tones never heard before.
When in the studio or even on stage, you can access a big available library of ready to use sounds that include rock and even pop and many others because it has access to quick category buttons.
If you are confused about choosing a compact pedal or a guitar synth, the good news is that the Roland feels like the two. You just simply have to attach the included GK3 to your guitar, and you are good to go for Roland high-quality sounds. Ensure you select a sound first using the number dial.
>>Recommended Roland Guitar Synth Pedal – Roland GR-55GK<<
- A revolutionary Fusion of guitar synthesis and powerful cosm guitar Modeling
- Up to four sound sources at a time: Two PCM Synth tones, plus cosm guitar Modeling and normal guitar input
- Easy to use and easy to play with hundreds of great, ready-to-use sounds for rock or pop guitarists
- Advanced Roland technology provides superb sound quality and lightning-fast processing
- Over 900 of Roland latest fully editable PCM sounds, including pianos, Organs, strings, vintage synths, and much more
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Moog
Guitarists have had their ears stuck on Moog for years now. Each pedal is based around the bucket brigade circuitry. The design may be analog, but it impacts the signal generator that is loved by guitar players.
Ensuring the mix switch is set in a downward position gives you the subtlest chorus base, which with the time you set the feedback controls to zero. The switch mix upward position described by Moog as vibrato is a throb flinger. It is Moog weirdness and can be reset back to an excellent sound.
It is fun to find authentic, unique sounds, and Moog ensures you get all this through its four chorus controls. The choices presented are limitless. Many people testify that Moog has a unique design, and its straightforwardness when using.
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Korg
In the past decade, Korg has shown and proven that it masters in a mini synth. They started with the Monotron 2010 and then Volca range 2013, which is growing in size. Their features are an envelope generator, stereo effect processors, LFOS, and arpeggiator. There is also a built-in headphone socket for audio output.
Given that it has tiny size, the NTS1 can run on batteries, and power is supplied by USB. That can be charged through a power bank. Every knob or switch turn leads to inspiring musical sounds. You will love being able great sculpt textures that fit like pieces of a puzzle.
The Korg synth pedal is small and affordable. Its versatility is very astounding. What’s more, you can even write your arpeggiator sequence with it. This little synth gives you endless options. Its sounds are stellar and are easily customized for every waveform. It is easy to use and very portable.
>>Recommended Korg Guitar Synth Pedal – Korg Miku Guitar Effects Pedal<<
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Boss
Guitar synth pedals have come a long way over the past period of years. The latest synth pedals offered by the boss are among the smallest. Its sounds are selected by permutations of two switches and modified by a couple of controls.
The technology used allows it to create polyphonic synth sounds that you expect to hear from analog synths. It has a small switch that slides hence enabling you to use with both bass and guitar. Although the sounds are founded on presets, you can make adjustments using the depth and tone knobs.
The BOSS synth incorporates many options for adding expression when performing. Holding and pressing the pedal ensures that the last played synth plays continuously. Boss gives its players different ranges of sounds that they find very comfortable.
>>Recommended Boss Guitar Synth Pedal – Boss Reverb Guitar Pedal<<
- Mono or Stereo Operation
- Expression Pedal Input
- Compact and versatile reverb pedal with rich, expansive soundDial in sophisticated, top-level reverb tones quickly with simple controlsNewly developed studio-grade algorithms powered by cutting-edge BOSS technologyEight sound modes provide a diverse range of ready-to-play reverb effectsShimmer, Dynamic, and Delay+Reverb modes deliver lush, immersive textures sought by modernplayersInput for controlling reverb level with an optional expression pedalSupports mono or stereo operation
- Compact and versatile reverb pedal with rich, expansive sound
Conclusion
A guitar synthesizer pedal that has unique features can give you great sounds. We hope that the above review will help you in choosing one that best suits your tastes.
You can go through the buyer’s guide when you are ready to buy a synth pedal. Ensure you choose one that has a variety of effects that you want and also look at your pocket not to buy what you cannot afford.
Selecting a unique synth pedal that is specifically tailored for you will make you happy for a long time. Don’t forget to look for one that is durable and has a warranty.
