How to Connect a Guitar Pedal

Beginner 10 min 19 steps 19653 views Rating: 4.6/5 Published: 2026-04-22

Buy 2 instrument audio cables at least 10 feet (3.0 m) long.. Turn off everything in your guitar rig.. Use 1 cable to connect your pedal to the amp.

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Steps

1

Buy 2 instrument audio cables at least 10 feet (3.0 m) long.

Step 1

Buy 2 instrument audio cables at least 10 feet (3.0 m) long.

2

Turn off everything in your guitar rig.

Step 2

Turn off everything in your guitar rig.

3

Use 1 cable to connect your pedal to the amp.

Step 3

Use 1 cable to connect your pedal to the amp.

4

Connect your guitar to the pedal with the other cable.

Step 4

Connect your guitar to the pedal with the other cable.

5

Turn on your guitar, then the pedal, then the amp.

Step 5

Turn on your guitar, then the pedal, then the amp.

6

Buy 2 instrument audio cables and audio patch cables to connect each pedal.

Step 6

Buy 2 instrument audio cables and audio patch cables to connect each pedal.

7

Lay out your pedals where you want them to go.

Step 7

Lay out your pedals where you want them to go.

8

Get a "daisy chain" power supply for your pedals.

Step 8

Get a "daisy chain" power supply for your pedals.

9

Turn off your amp, your guitar, and all of your pedals.

Step 9

Turn off your amp, your guitar, and all of your pedals.

10

Connect the pedals with patch cables and plug them into the power supply.

Step 10

Connect the pedals with patch cables and plug them into the power supply.

11

Plug the last pedal into the amp and the first pedal into your guitar.

Step 11

Plug the last pedal into the amp and the first pedal into your guitar.

12

Turn everything on starting with your guitar.

Step 12

Turn everything on starting with your guitar.

13

Put your tuner pedal first in the chain.

Step 13

Put your tuner pedal first in the chain.

14

Place dynamic pedals, such as a noise gate, after your tuner.

Step 14

Place dynamic pedals, such as a noise gate, after your tuner.

15

Line up filter or shifter pedals after the dynamic pedals.

Step 15

Line up filter or shifter pedals after the dynamic pedals.

16

Include modulation effects pedals towards the end of the chain.

Step 16

Include modulation effects pedals towards the end of the chain.

17

End your signal chain with time-based effects pedals.

Step 17

End your signal chain with time-based effects pedals.

18

Place your looper pedal depending on how you want your loop to sound.

Step 18

Place your looper pedal depending on how you want your loop to sound.

19

Play around with the basic order to find the sound you like.

Step 19

Play around with the basic order to find the sound you like.

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