5. Effects

Nearly all modeling amps offer a broad selection of effects, covering everything from Overdrive, Distortion, and Fuzz to Dynamics, EQ, and Filter effects. They also include Modulation effects like Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, as well as Delay and Reverb—pretty much everything you need to shape your unique sound. Overdrive, Distortion, and Fuzz effects distort the signal, while a Dynamics effect like a Compressor adjusts the dynamic range of the signal. For example, it can boost quiet tones and simultaneously reduce loud tones. This effect comes in handy when you're using fingerpicking and heavy picking in a song, evening out the different volumes. An EQ (Equalizer) allows frequency adjustments, and a Filter effect permits more significant changes in a specific frequency range. This includes the well-known Wah effect.

Last but not least, Modulation effects like Chorus, Phaser, and Flanger form another category, while time-based effects such as Reverb and Delay complete the range of standard effects. Often, these effects also include digital replicas of classic pedals like the Cry Baby Wah-Wah or the popular Tube Screamer Overdrive. Some devices come with a built-in expression pedal that controls effects like Wah-Wah or pitch shifts (Pedal Bend). You assign it to a specific effect or parameter, which you can then change in real-time using your foot.

Here are some examples of effects commonly found in many amp modelers:

Wah Wah - Filter effect controlled by a pedal

Overdrive - Overdriven, slightly distorted sound

Distortion - Heavily distorted sound

Fuzz - Slightly "grinding" distorted sound

Tremolo - Volume modulation

Vibrato - Pitch modulation

Chorus - Pitch modulation with minimal time delay

Phaser - Phase modulation

Flanger - Pitch modulation with phase shift

Flanger & Distortion - Jet Plane Sound

Rotary - Replicates the sound of a rotating speaker (Leslie Cabinet)

Harmonizer - Adds extra tones in a specific key

Octaver - Adds an additional tone at an octave interval (here combined with Fuzz)

Delay - Echo

Reverb - Hall (here with a very long decay time)