Phaser Pedal

The Phaser Pedal. It's one of the most used guitar effects in countless hit songs. ELO and Van Halen are good bands to look to for examples of this. Phasing is a modulation effect that performs a filter sweep on the signal, giving it a swirling texture that can be intense, subtle, or quite vocal.

The way a phaser pedal works is by rhythmically altering the signal of the guitar based on either pre set frequencies, or by controls on the pedal.This effect is commonly mistaken for a flanger, and vice versa, but they manipulate the sound in different ways. Flanging gives a dirtier sound in most cases, so that's one way to tell the difference. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, as long as it sounds good. Most pedals use a simple rate knob, and possibly a depth knob for this effect.

The MXR Phase 90 is an example of a basic unit. Just a rate knob. Simple, and easy to use. This is what Eddie Van Halen uses set on the lowest setting for a lot of his stuff. If you listen to "Eruption," you'll hear it loud and clear. If you want to try one out, this is probably a good place to start, along with maybe a Boss or Electro Harmonix pedal.