Reggae, a genre born from the vibrant streets of Jamaica, has profoundly influenced global music. Emerging in the late 1960s, reggae quickly transcended its island origins to impact genres from jazz and rock to punk and rap. Artists like Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, and bands such as The Clash and The Police integrated reggae’s distinctive rhythms and feel into their music, demonstrating its enduring appeal and adaptability. Even today, decades after its inception, reggae maintains its timeless quality and continues to inspire musicians worldwide.
Peter Tosh reggae guitar pedal effects
Delving into Reggae Guitar: History and Technique
Reggae’s roots are traceable back to ska, a lively Jamaican genre from the early 1960s characterized by an emphasized eighth-note upbeat. As the decade progressed, Jamaican musicians slowed down ska to create rocksteady, a moderately paced style. Reggae further decelerated the tempo, settling into a relaxed, shuffling rhythm. A key rhythmic element, known as skanking, involves a strong 16th-note triplet feel, often accented by upstroked 16th notes on the upbeats, giving reggae its distinctive groove.
Guitar is central to reggae music. It’s the instrument that defines the upbeat syncopation, the very essence that compels you to move to the music. Reggae rhythm guitar typically involves playing chords that are quickly muted or “chucked” with dampened strums. Another common technique is doubling the bass line an octave higher or playing repeating single notes in a 16th-note rhythm, reminiscent of the guitar work in Jimmy Cliff’s iconic song, “The Harder They Come.” Beyond rhythm, reggae provides ample opportunity for guitarists to showcase solos and play melodic fills around the vocals, adding layers of musical texture.
The Signature Reggae Guitar Sound and Essential Effects
The sonic identity of reggae guitar is as crucial as the playing technique. The foundational reggae guitar tone was pioneered by Bob Marley and the Wailers, Jamaica’s most internationally recognized reggae group. Peter Tosh and Junior Marvin, guitarists for The Wailers, utilized wah pedals and phasers to inject funk into their sound. They also incorporated overdrive to add warmth and edge, ensuring their lead lines stood out against the rhythmic foundation of bass and drums. Studio engineers often enhanced recordings with delay and reverb, adding significant depth and dimension to the guitar. While variations have emerged over time—like Andy Summers of The Police adding chorus to his skanking—the core sonic formula remains consistent.
To capture the classic reggae guitar tone, certain effects are indispensable. Specifically, five types of effects pedals form the bedrock of reggae guitar sounds: compression, wah, phaser, distortion, and delay. Reverb is also integral, and while many amps include it, a delay-reverb pedal combination offers a space-saving alternative for pedalboards. Let’s explore each of these essential effects and examine some of the best guitar pedals for reggae that can help you achieve authentic reggae vibes.
Compression Pedals: Tightening the Groove for Reggae Guitar
Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe (FET)
The Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe compressor pedal, known for its studio-grade compression in a stompbox format.
The Empress Compressor MKII pedal, offering detailed control and transparent compression suitable for various musical styles.
Keeley GC-2 Limiting Amplifier (VCA)
The Keeley GC-2 Limiting Amplifier, a VCA-type compressor praised for its clean and transparent operation.
The Seymour Duncan Vise Grip compressor pedal, offering a range of compression from subtle to strong, useful for reggae dynamics.
The Rivera Sustain Shaman, a VCA compressor designed to add sustain and smooth out dynamics for guitarists.
The Wampler Mini Ego, a compact yet versatile compressor pedal with blend and tone shaping capabilities.
Compression pedals are incredibly valuable for reggae guitarists. They are essential for leveling out the dynamics of your playing and increasing sustain, which is perfect for achieving those fluid lead lines, like those Peter Tosh crafted in Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Concrete Jungle.” Furthermore, compression enhances the attack portion of your signal, creating a crisp and defined “snap” that helps your guitar stand out clearly in the mix—a crucial element in reggae’s layered sound.
For reggae, you’ll want a compressor with a fast response. Optical and tube compressors might be too slow. VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) or FET (Field Effect Transistor) compressors are better suited. VCA compressors are known for their transparent sound, minimizing tone coloration and providing precise, quick response. FET compressors are similar, though they can introduce some tonal color, especially when driven harder, or if they incorporate a power transformer.
Consider these excellent compression pedals for reggae: the Origin Cali76 Compact Deluxe (FET), Empress Effects Compressor MKII (FET), Keeley Electronics GC-2 Limiting Amplifier (VCA), Seymour Duncan Vise Grip (VCA), and Rivera Sustain Shaman (VCA). The Wampler Mini Ego, an OTA (Operational Transconductance Amplifier) compressor, is also a fantastic option, offering modern enhancements to overcome the typical limitations of OTA designs, making it suitable for reggae’s dynamic needs.
Overdrive Pedals: Adding Warmth and Edge to Reggae Tones
The Fulltone OCD V4, a versatile overdrive pedal capable of producing a wide range of tones from subtle boost to amp-like distortion.
The Electro-Harmonix Soul Food, a transparent overdrive known for its clean boost and ability to push amps into overdrive.
The EarthQuaker Devices Tone Job, offering EQ shaping and boost capabilities, useful for sculpting reggae guitar tones.
While reggae rhythm guitar is often clean, an overdrive pedal is far from unnecessary. A quality overdrive can inject a touch of sizzle to help your chords cut through the mix or add warmth when needed. For lead guitar work, overdrive is essential for adding grit and smooth sustain, enriching your melodic lines.
The key is to select an overdrive pedal that offers versatility—subtle enough for rhythm and assertive enough for leads. Depending on the song’s vibe, you might need a bright, sharp tone or a warmer, more rounded sound. A pedal with tone control is highly beneficial. The Fulltone OCD is known for its transparency and a voicing switch that significantly expands its tonal range. The Electro-Harmonix Soul Food also provides transparency and clarity, with a Treble knob for fine-tuning the high-end bite. For maximum tone-shaping capabilities, the EarthQuaker Devices Tone Job features Bass, Mid, and Treble controls, giving you extensive sound customization options.
Phaser Pedals: Adding Swirling Texture to Reggae Rhythms
The TC Electronic Helix, a versatile phaser pedal with TonePrint technology and stereo capabilities.
The Boss PH-3, offering a wide range of phasing effects including multi-stage and step phasing.
The EHX Nano Small Stone Phaser, a compact and classic phaser known for its warm and lush phasing sounds.
Since the 1970s, phaser pedals have been a staple in the reggae guitarist’s toolkit. Typically, a phaser is set to a slow cycle, imparting a subtly different tonal character to each guitar skank. For a more pronounced, vowel-like phasing effect, choose a pedal that allows you to adjust the depth of the phasing. The TC Electronic Helix offers both Depth and Feedback controls for extensive modulation shaping. The Boss PH-3 is a popular choice among players, offering both vintage and modern phasing sounds, along with unique step filter effects. Classic, reliable options like the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone and MXR Phase 90 also remain excellent choices, alongside many other phaser pedals available to suit your preferences.
Wah Pedals: Expressive Dynamics for Reggae Guitar
Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah
The Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah, highly customizable with multiple controls for frequency range and Q.
The Xotic Effects Wah XW-1, known for its boutique quality and versatile tone shaping.
EarthQuaker Devices Spatial Delivery Envelope Filter
The EarthQuaker Devices Spatial Delivery, an envelope filter offering dynamic wah-like effects based on playing intensity.
Mad Professor Snow White Auto Wah-Envelope Filter
The Mad Professor Snow White Auto Wah, praised for its responsive tracking and comprehensive controls.
Mooer Funky Monkey Digital Auto Wah
The Mooer Funky Monkey, a compact auto-wah pedal providing a range of dynamic filter effects.
The wah pedal is an incredibly versatile tool for reggae guitarists. Beyond the traditional rocking motion, many reggae players use it as a static tone control, positioning it at a desired point to shape the guitar’s frequency response. This technique is demonstrated in numerous reggae performances, adding a vocal-like quality to the guitar tone.
For ultimate wah pedal versatility, the Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah is an excellent choice, featuring a six-position Range Selector, Variable Q control, and a switchable boost. The Xotic Effects Wah XW-1 is another highly configurable and versatile wah. Alternatively, consider an auto-wah for reggae lead lines. Auto-wahs react to your picking dynamics, enabling you to create varying degrees of “squawk” and “honk” based on your attack. The Mooer Funky Monkey Digital Auto Wah is compact and offers three modes. The Mad Professor Snow White Auto Wah is known for its precise tracking and extensive controls, while the Earthquaker Devices Spatial Delivery Envelope Filter provides three modes, including a Sample-and-Hold setting for more experimental, ring-modulated sounds.
Delay and Reverb: Adding Depth and Space to Reggae Guitar
The T-Rex Replicator, a real tape echo pedal designed to capture the vintage tape delay sound.
The Boss RE-20 Space Echo, a digital recreation of the classic Roland RE-201 tape echo unit.
The Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo, emulating the warmth and nuances of vintage tape delay machines.
The Boss RV-3, a combination reverb and delay pedal, offering both effects in a single unit.
Keeley Caverns Delay Reverb V2
The Keeley Caverns, a compact pedal combining reverb and delay with tone shaping options.
Delay is crucial in reggae, and timing is everything. The delay should typically fall on a 16th note, or on the last of three 16th notes if the reggae has a triplet feel. You don’t need excessive regeneration or repeats; the goal is for the initial echo to be prominent, followed by a few softer, decaying echoes that don’t interfere with subsequent chord strums. A darker, tape-like delay tone is ideal for capturing the authentic early 1970s reggae/dub ambiance.
The T-Rex Replicator Analog Tape Delay delivers genuine tape echo using an analog tape cassette and two playback heads, but it is a premium, larger option. For a more pedalboard-friendly and budget-conscious choice, Strymon’s El Capistan dTape Echo provides an incredibly accurate emulation of tape delay. The Boss RE-20 Space Echo, now a modern classic, models the sought-after Roland RE-201 Space Echo tape delay.
If your amplifier lacks reverb or you desire a different reverb character, consider pedals that combine delay and reverb. Options include the Boss Digital Reverb/Delay RV-3, EarthQuaker Devices’ Avalanche Run, and the Keeley Caverns. Many of these combo pedals include tone controls to allow you to tailor the high-end response, crucial for achieving the right atmosphere in reggae.
Did we miss your favorite pedal for reggae? Share your top picks in the comments below!
—Christopher Scapelliti
