Are Analog Pedals Better Than Digital? 

If it sounds good, it IS Good..... Don't worry what got you there......

I love this. I was in a Copenhagen indie band i the mid 90's. My Roland rack gear was visible when we played, and many of the snobs you would find in those circles would regularly complain about my "digital sound". I changed my rig so neither my effects nor my board could be seen easily from the audience. After I did that no one ever bitched about my sound.

i just think this guy is real. Real smart really honest really talented , and really into the science of tone. Keep it real bro and thanks

Great job dude, i loved that you pointed out that people loved the Zoom because nobody saw it. Today guitar players judge your tone for what they see and not for what they hear. Is like because of having two Strymon pedals you automatically sound great. Pedals are great and help your playing but skill should be the priority. Keep this coming and your record collection is insane.

Phoebe Bridgers is AMAZING by the way. This was 2018. I love that Josh was into her before the rest of us realized how great she is.

My fingers are digital. Because of the digits.

I learn more about tones and pedals here than anywhere else on the whole internet. Thanks for doing these!

my first pedal was a zoom 505 !!! thats amazing you played one, it had me hooked on effects forever. Great video, thanks for getting into this topic

Was your car digital or analog?

love watching for the gear history lessons.. and the dry humor. love it!

Love these vlogs Josh. Especially your music recommendations. Thanks!

New to the show and funny to see how things have evolved. Love what you guys are making now, killing it.

One of my all time fav records that I started listening to in my teens and still holds up in my collection today.. Faith No More: Angel Dust

That thing about the zoom 505 .... Is a kick in the face for lots of purists! Yes, just make good use of your gear, !

Loved this, Josh. Keep them coming!

Love this! Looking forward to more vlogs.

I like digital reverbs and delays. I like the cool digital amps and multi effect stops that have come out recently. Digital has a place, analog has a place.

At some point nowadays your signal is going to be digitised somewhere so people can listen to it.

I really liked the vlog! Great info and no bias. Hope you are enjoying your new IEMs, haha

Got Stranger in the Alps today... totally blown away! Many thanks for introducing me to this lovely record

We used the (digital) Boss RV500 on our upcoming record as well as tons of analog fuzzes and other analog pedals. Honestly, like everyone is saying, it doesn’t matter what you use as long as you’re happy with the tone. Some people like solid state amps and others like tube amps. Some people like analog pedals and some like digital. Also, in today’s studios, most of the time you’re running through a digital interface for editing (Pro Tools, etc) so most people will have some type of digital use at some point.

when I became a Soundtech it changed two things of my thinking: 1.) I don't care anymore, not a bit, about some kind of mojo or something, I only listen to the sound and guess how it'll fit into a mix. 2.) I literally hear 'before' how a good sounding pedal will disappear in a mix, OR how a 'bad' sounding pedal will fit right into it's position in the mix... so...

Hi, Josh. I don't know if you'll ever see this but it's amazing to see how far you've come in just a few years. You've got an amazing story and it's cool to be able to have witnessed it. Thanks for being you, brother.

Came for the pedals, but OMG 💖"Phoebe Bridgers" - Stranger In The Alps that voice is just so beautiful. Thanks for the video and Record Time Josh

A couple albums I would recommend to you, (but you probably have heard them): The Innocence Mission “Glow” My Bloody Valentine “Loveless” Starflyer 59 “Gold” Failure “the Heart is a Monster” The Church “Starfish”

505 Zoom was my first pedal too. Actually had lovely delays and clean tones.

hey dude. love your podcast. please keep making these.

Really enjoying the vlog series!

I've been really, really happy with a combination of digital and analog. I use a Helix as my "core sound" - typically a Vox 15 or 30 model into a couple IRs, generally Ownhammer but sometimes I use others. On its own, it sounds exactly like it's supposed to sound - like a mic'd up AC30 running through a Marshall 4x12 and a Vox extension cab with a Blue. I run analog overdrives for my gain stages through the FX loops. I use Helix's compressor. I use a Timeline and a BigSky as well. Sometimes I throw on some other random analog pedal. Sometimes I run stereo to a monitor and to a real amp. In any case, it creates this nice blend between convenience (I can change my rig and pedal placements with a couple moves of the joystick, or I can load up a metal rig if I just feel like playing some Dream Theater one day) and analog rawness that may not be digitally implemented. I had a Kemper before, and loved it too - I'd argue the sounds were more "accurate" than the Helix. That's when I realized that's where a lot of people get hung up with digital. They want digital to do it all, but identically to their analog counterparts. They don't want models, they want replicas. They want their digital equipment to sound just like their custom boutique modded 7 watt ultra special combo amp that was hand-wired by a guy living in a yurt in the mountains of West Virginia that costs more than their car. Because they're biased against digital, they'll nitpick every little detail that might not be as accurate as "the real thing" or not to their tastes as bad, like an amp model that maybe doesn't produce as much gain or has more chime than the analog counterpart. And then give up on it if they can't achieve their desired results in 10 seconds or less. It just matters if it sounds good. If you want tubes and all analog effects and speaker cabinets and you just can't get behind digital anything, great. If you want 100% digital in a single box and you think it sounds amazing, great. But does it sound good to you? Does it inspire you? Does it make you happy? That's what matters.

Thanks for turning me on to Pheobe Bridgers! Im binging now. Absolutely incredible.

Ah man, discovered your videos the other day, already hooked - love the attitude, absolutely spot-on. If it sounds good, it's good, doesn't matter what it is. Keep up the great work!

Hey Josh, Just wanted to say im really enjoying these Vlogs.

This channel is so great. I love how you disprove common mindsets. When I started buying pedals, I didn't know what type of distortion I wanted so I bought the Digitech x-series Bass Driver because it had a MORPH knob. It would do subtle overdrive to full on fuzz. It was suppose to be temporary until I found the sound I wanted, but it's still on my board some 12-13 years later.

the zoom 2100 was my first pedal.

I love the way you debunk all the "Mojo" stuff surrounding old pedals...would love to nerd out with you for a few days discussing all your awesome equipment. All the best, Mike

Great video, Josh! 100% confident you’ve heard it, but I’ve been digging needtobreathe’s Live at The Woods album recently.

I like my Tape delay echoplex a great deal. The sound of it is a favorite. I classify this as my opinion about what I like.

Thank you so much for helping me discover Phoebe Bridgers.... she's on loop as I work!

These videos are so great! Really appreciate the production value. Could you take us through the process of building a JHS pedal? Concept, inspiration, research, prototyping, final testing, PCB/enclosure design, struggles or any part of the process you wouldn't mind sharing? Not sure how many EE nerds there are out there. Thanks!!!

This is so exciting... I love JHS and Vlogs! What could be better!

Spends first 20 mins proving digital is not worse than analog, puts on a vinyl....hmmmm

I enjoy your videos. Decided to take you up on your offer to recommend music. I am 70 years old and would tend to listen to Jimi, Muddy, Trane, etc, recommending them would offer you nothing new. So I am recommending Mischief and Mayhem by Jenny Scheinman. Not familiar with her? Neither was I until I came across this somehow. She has other things with vocals but this particular disc is all instrumental. She plays the violin. It features Nels Cline on guitar so that should give it some cred in terms of instrumental inventiveness, interesting tones and creative soundscapes. A pedal lover may like some of the unique sounds on this. It is not jazz according to my strict definition of that word, but it is creative instrumental music with an improvisational feel. Check it out.

The Zoom 505 was my very first pedal as well. Unfortunately I don't have it anymore. Rad video!

It's fun to watch the older video and see how every video JHS videos get better

I remember going to buy my first pedal as a teenager it was going to be a boss super overdrive if memory serves but the guy at the shop sold me on a DOD digital multi effects pedal (why spend 50quid on one pedal, when EVERY sound you will ever need is here for only 50quid?!?!) It worked fine for a while but I noticed it was picking up radio frequencies (when the effect was "off" I could hear people talking) and it didn't have an expression pedal, later I went to a different shop to get the expression pedal and was told "why spend X amount for the expression pedal when a second hand crybaby is cheaper?" I still use the mutli effect pedal if I am looking for a sound. Bit then tend to get a stomp box to replace it in my rig for live. I know multi effects have come a long way since to late 90s but I guess I still like a bunch of small metal boxes over one box does all.

Haha, I had a Zoom 505. A band called Gomez did all their guitar effects from their album using it. I managed to inherit it when the guitarist threw it away.

Love the Vlog Josh. Please keep it up!

Hey Josh! Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪 😊 Absolutely love these videos, I watch them religiously! This episodes Record time, oh my god! 😂 I had never heard of Phoebe Bridgers before, but I absolutely fell in love with the album you recommended, thank you so much! If you don't already know, there's a fantastic Irish artist by the name of Foy Vance! "The Wild Swan" album is fantastic! Well worth a listen! Thanks again Josh, take care ✌️

I love my gain staging being analog, but mod and delay n reverb being digital, like having line6 or axe-fx re-amp wit tube power amp

I'm pretty partial to my DD-7 My first experience with a, "multieffects," pedal was a Zoom my dad had just like that one, but my actual first pedal was a DS-1 I bought off a kid in my sophomore math class for $20

Love the Zoom 505. Was my first multi FX unit. Killer distortions and love the step modulator on it.

You guys at jhs have to have the nicest setups I have ever laid my eyes on. Goals af. Love your content, and love your product

All i see is OASIS posters framed WHATS THE STORY MORNING GLORY Hell yeah

the dd-3 is better than the dd-2

Good concept, interesting insight. Consider making this possible to listen as a podcast. Good for the peak hour and saves on the data

You speak far more truthfully than most RU-vidrs I’ve seen here. You make great videos and I know I can totally count on your word :)

Am I the only one that thought "oh cool headphones, I'll head to the website and check them out"then literally had a minor heart attack looking at the prices?

I still have my ZOOM 505 and use it

Love it. Ready for episode 2

Seeing an oasis abum on the wall makes me smile. My biggest influence on starting guitar learning. Good day Josh!

You should totally listen to the album “Let It Lie” by The Bros. Landreth. Its got great guitar playing and awesome songwriting.

Smashing Pumpkins/Siamese Dreams. Clan of Xymox/Notes From the Underground. Led Er Est/Dust on Common.

Love your job guys !!!! 😍

I had the reverse experience. I fell in love with an album and then when I went to see him play live, we ended up hitting it off, eating dinner, and having an all around good time. Check out Dylan Leblanc's album Cautionary Tale. I love the production. It just sounds HUGE. The use of strings really adds to the ambiance of his songs. The writing is brilliant and the arrangements are well suited to it, without too much or too little of anything. The only thing I was left wanting was to hear the songs again.

Love the hint of breathe in there. Digital isn't evil, but as far as amps at breakup, valve is better.

Man.. I love ur music choices... WTSWG the on wall... DCFC photo album ... MAN...it’s awesome... check Ray laMontagne - Ouroborus, modern folk darksideofthemoon

The Zoom 505! My very first pedal as well! Love your channel!

Love your pedals! Morning Glory is on about 90% on my board! Love the mods too!

zoom 505 was also my first guitar pedal

Hey, Josh - if you haven’t yet, you should dive into The End Of The F***ing World soundtrack by Graham Coxon.

One of my favourite recent albums is Adrian Belew Live at Rockaplast. Cool, fun tunes with endless wacky, creative guitar and a killer rhythm section.

Just listened to some of Phoebe's music--great stuff! Thanks for the tip! Keep the artists suggestions coming, both yourself and your subscribers. See ya!

But was that sports coat digital or analog?

Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe, by the Alan Parsons Project, 1975. Greatest album ever.

Great video, thanks Josh!

Interesting video. Albums: Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd; Going For The One - Yes;. Two of my many favorites. Look forward to your next vlog.

Why you make a chorus pedal like the bonsai? CE1, CE2, dimention chorus, digital, etc.

I miss the podcast

What a great boss! Cool shirt, did you catch the concert last year? I was there (in KC).

Your videos are interesting AND help me fall asleep at night! Cheers c:

I just thrust in my ears... I don't care about digital or analog devices.

One major disadvantage of digital is latency.

Great Episode!!! Thanks

I love you dude thanks for all of this amazing content and laughs and lols

Barchords by Bahamas. Talk about great simple songwriting.

Personally never cared about whether gear was analog or digital. I don't even care if it is heavy, awkward, cumbersome or hard to use. If I like it I use it. You gotta check out The Go! Team's new record Semicircle if you haven't already.

Thanks, this is great! What kind of camera and microphone did you use for this video? Really good quality!

Just bought that record...listening now...fantastic!!

Also, dredg - el cielo. Favorite album of all time.

Seriously, IMHO: Personally, I have absolutely no reason to buy a digital pedal for myself. Basically because I'm a home studio recording musician, so anything digital in my signal path, I would much rather have as a software, a plugin for my DAW (Svt, Aax, or whatever), instead of inside a pedal apart from my computer. When I buy a pedal, in my case, it's because I need some sound from the analog technology that no programmed software/hardware can replicate that well, at least so far. Only if I was playing live for a audience/crowd all the time, it wouldn't represent such a big difference, taking either digital or analog pedals with me. And BTW, I'm not a tone snob at all, I had that same Zoom 505, also a Yamaha Stomp box, for a while a Line 6 Pod (which I regret having traded), my cousin had an infamous Digitech RP (can't remember the number/model), and we used to have a blast while playing as teenagers.

josh is both informative AND funny. Winning combo!

Loving these VLOG's! Came across the Phoebe Bridgers record about 6 months ago. A truly exceptional record and so mature for someone so young. Hogging my turntable at the moment is Mike Viola's "The American Egypt". Well worth checking out. Oh, and I'm really digging my Hamstead Soundworks Signature Analogue Tremolo pedal into a TC electronic Arena reverb pedal.

My experience with that model Zoom is that it was bad.

As a bassist, digital pedal sucks my low end which makes the whole band sound noisy or high pitched. And my guitarists that uses digital pedals tend to not cut through the mix in live situations especially when there is a keyboard player. While the guitarists that i jam with that use analog pedals are more clear and cuts through the mix which i prefer

Thanks so much for telling us about Phoebe Bridgers’ record. That’s a magical discovery for me.

Lee Clayton - Naked Child!!!! Found it in a random dig in a friends hard drive (you know what I was looking for) and was FLOORED!!! Incredible album!

Whenever I see a DL4, all I think about is watching a pedal board walk through of Minus the Bear, and just being blown away by all the wizardry of sound they pulled off with DL-4's... And they use like 4 of them stacked. Wild.

Good video and good point. It's hard to not listen with our eyes sometimes. For records I recommend Bat for Lashes ("Fur and Gold" and "Two Suns" in particular) and Imogen Heap's "Speak for Yourself." Not too obscure, so you may already be aware of them, but I really like them. Thanks for the video Josh.

I loved my zoom 505 - felt sooo cheap but the step modulator was soo fun. I then got a boss bf-2 and a digitech pds-1002 and had so much fun making non guitar sounds with stupid flanger settings, looping, using a slide between pickups with both selected. Good times!

Great video! I've been listening to a lot of The Black Angels lately