The Best Budget Effects Pedals for Electronic Music Production
Add effects to your synths, samplers, and drum machines.
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When you buy a new synth or drum machine, guitar pedals are probably the last thing on your mind. However, their sound quality and creative potential are undeniable, so let’s check out some of the best budget effects pedals.
Budget Effects Pedals:
Not only are pedals relatively affordable, but they can help you create more distinctive sounds with your instruments. There is a clear difference between using the average monosynth dry, for example, and using it with two or three effects pedals chained together.
How to Choose the Best Budget Effects Pedals
If you’re just looking to add a few mono effects in line on a single instrument, the method is simple. Doing things in mono is cheaper, but as your setup grows, you’ll find the most economical way to use effects pedals is to run them as parallel processors from the aux sends of a compact mixing desk. If you want your signal level optimized, this process requires additional tools like the Radial EXTC.
When you start to explore, the scope of effects available is staggering. From effects that add spatial dimensionality, vary the tonal character, or allow you to control the dynamics. We’ve selected a few to get you started that are not only affordable but also offer value through versatility.
The Best Budget Effects Pedals: TC Electronic Flashback 2
If you’re trying to create sounds outside of your DAW, having a range of delay types is helpful for fitting parts into any section of your song. With the Flashback 2, you get a two-in/two-out stereo delay and looper pedal with eight algorithms, including 2290, Analogue, Tape, Dynamic, Mod, Chrystals, Reverse, and Loop.
What’s more, there are three storage slots for saving and editing your own patches using the TonePrint app for desktop or mobile devices. With only delay time and feedback controls, as well as a switch to change the subdivisions, using the Flashback 2 is as straightforward as it gets.
Overall, the range of sounds you can get is excellent for a pedal this size, and the inclusion of the algorithm modeled on the classic 2290 digital delay from the 1980s is certainly welcome. Get it at Thomann.*
- More from TC Electronic
The Best Budget Effects Pedals: TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2
Finding a decent stereo reverb pedal at an affordable price isn’t always easy. However, just like the Flashback, the Hall of Fame 2 is a two-in/two-out effect with eight selectable reverb modes, including Room, Hall, Spring, Plate, Church, Shimmer, Mod, and Lo-Fi. What’s more, there are three preset slots available for custom TonePrint presets.
This allows you to use the TonePrint app to edit and manage sounds from MacOS, Windows, iOS, or Android. The controls on the HoF 2 are very basic, which is perfect for beginners, as you can only adjust the decay time, tone, and you have a choice of short or long pre-delay times.
The MASH footswitch gives you more expression control, which is extremely useful if you’re planning to take the DAW-less route for creating and performing music. Overall, it’s a decent-sounding reverb that offers algorithms to suit both synths and drums. Get it at Thomann.*
- More from TC Electronic
The Best Budget Effects Pedals: Boss DS-1w Distortion
The trusty DS-1 has recently been added to the Boss Waza Craft line of pedals. It’s a sound we know and love on almost everything. From leads and basses to drums, and we’ve even heard it used on vocals by The Beastie Boys.
The DS-1w has two distortion modes: standard and custom. While standard gives you the original DS-1 sound, custom mode tightens the midrange, producing a more aggressive sound on some instruments.
- More from BOSS
The Best Budget Effects Pedals: Electro Harmonix Mod 11 Modulator
As the name suggests the Electro-Harmonix Mod 11 gives you eleven different modulation effects and tap tempo. If you’re not familiar with EHX, authentic tones are the name of the game.
Sure it might not be stereo, but these pedals sound great on synths and keys. If you’re looking for something with a slightly vintage edge, the Mod 11 is worth checking out.
- More from Electro-Harmonix
The Best Budget Effects Pedals: Dreadbox Kinematic
Need to compress your leads and basslines? The Kinematic gives you a VCA compressor and controllable envelope filter in one simple device. Some might find it a little synth-specific, as you can’t set your attack and release like some other pedals.
That being said, decent compressor pedals are pricey, and this provides three patch points for linking with other modular equipment. You can modulate the filter or level, and use the envelope to control another device, which expands the possibilities.
- More from Dreadbox
The Best Budget Effects Pedals: Behringer BM-15M Murf Box
With the outlandish prices that Moogerfooger pedals fetch on the secondhand market, you would never imagine getting one in this price range. However, Behringer has come to the rescue, and their recreation of the MF-105M MIDI MuRF is in production and arriving soon in stores.
The MIDI MuRF is an 8-band pattern-controlled stereo filter with selectable preset patterns, MIDI sync, and a range of real-time controls to manipulate sounds. The frequency range of the filters can be switched from the low-end to the midrange, and you can control the animation rate, wet/dry mix, envelope amount, and LFO/sweep with CV signals.
Besides MIDI, the Murf Box also has a USB-C connection, so you can interface with the latest gear. In addition, there is a tap/step input and a drive control for pushing the harmonics. Overall, the Murf Box captures the magic of the MIDI MuRF, making it flexible enough for use on almost any instrument you can think of. Get it at Thomann.*
- More from Behringer
More about the Best Budget Effects:
- Thomann’s Guide to Effects Pedals
- Eurorack effects
- All about effects
- More pedals
Videos:
*Note: This article about the best budget effects pedals contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!
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