Riaan wrote:
What would you recommend to a beginner electric guitar player in terms of use of effects, distortion channels, etc?
It depends on the player. I tend to think that particularly with the younger players, you give them whatever will inspire them the most. Someone whose main reason for picking up a guitar was a metal band is not likely to be inspired by a clean amp with some compression - they want volume, they want distortion - anything else would be discouraging. Similarly If you like the Edge of U2, you're going to want delay, compression, reverb, etc. - maybe even an E-Bow.
While the dedicated practice of the type you mention (although I would say don't use compression either) is essential in the long run for the serious player, it's not much fun for most - especially the newer players. Get them into playing first and if they take to it and are destined to become dedicated players, they'll end up putting in the time over the long run anyway - and they are more likely to get to that point, because they have found out how much fun playing can be. You'll always get the guys who are 10 hour a day practice maniacs from the beginning (the Vais and Fripps) - and in their own way, that's how they have fun on the instrument. Similarly, some have just as much fun with taking them apart, constructing elaborate FX chains and wierd sounds (ahem) or even collecting them. However anyone gets their jollies from the guitar, I don't mind... as long as it's fun for them.
Most beginner players these days are getting at least a few effects - distortion/overdrive is a given with even the cheapest amp, and with modelling amps like the Roland, Line 6 and Vox models firmly pushing into the lower end of the market reverb, chorus, tremolo and flanging are increasingly common. So players are learning to use (and abuse ?) them sooner. I really don't have a problem with that.
