Best synth effects pedals: reverb, delay, and more to unlock a synth’s potential

Synthesisers are phenomenal instruments, often right out of the box. But one surefire way to get the most out of synthesis and take its potential to the highest echelons is by grabbing one or two of the best synth effects pedals. That’s right; if you thought pedals were just for guitarists to stomp on, think again.

They can equally be synth effects pedals, and a well-chosen reverb, delay, distortion, or another of the many types of pedals can help take your synth sounds to the stratosphere. In fact, it’s something big synthesiser fans love to geek out over — combining different pedals in an effect chain and seeking the holy grail of synth effect sounds. So let’s dive into the ten best synth effects pedals in different categories. Lord, forgive us, for we are about to synth.

Reverb synth effects pedals

TC Electronic Hall Of Fame 2

If someone created a hall of fame just for reasonably priced effects pedals, TC Electronic’s name would most certainly be on there. One of the company’s names leading the charge would be the Hall Of Fame 2, a fantastic reverb pedal that is perfect for giving your synth that spacious reverb boost. It only costs a little above £/$100, and besides the usual plate, church, and spring reverbs, there are some excellent mod and lo-fi sounds also available. The pedal also features TC’s MASH technology, in which you get to use touch-sensitive tech to edit the reverb’s intensity via how much pressure you put on the footswitch. The polyphonic shimmer mode deserves a glowing review in itself.

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Strymon BigSky

The reputation of Strymon’s BigSky certainly precedes it, and for good reason. Some of its most noted users include Boygenius’ Julien Baker, Noel Gallagher, and Paramore’s Taylor Yorke. But don’t be fooled by that list of guitarists — this ambient dreambox is one of the best synth effects pedals you could ever hook up to your beloved synth. Two quibbles to get out of the way: it’s not the smallest pedal you’ll ever place on your pedalboard, nor is it the cheapest at £/$400. But the sheer scientific precision that Strymon has put into creating this pedal, with 12 reverb machines and enormous reverb sounds that could either be used in a shoegaze outfit or a Hollywood production, means that money is a sound investment. You could spend a lifetime creating with the BigSky and still find yourself discovering new sounds with it.

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Eventide Space

This synth effects pedal requires us to gaze up at the stars. Like the BigSky, it ain’t cheap, but it’s also similarly beloved amongst synth and guitar players alike thanks to its epic sound potential. Once unboxed, you can expect 12 effects from Eventide’s Eclipse V4 rackmount processors, plus the Eventide H8000FW. When noting that this synth pedal gives your keyboard the quality of a reverb rackmount processor, it suddenly makes the price seem pretty damn reasonable. The sounds allow you to tinker with tremolo, modulation, pitch-shifting, delays, and spatial effects. The options are so limitless that the name’s allusion to outer space is justified.

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Delay synth effects pedals

Electro Harmonix Memory Boy

Analogue lovers, lock in. One of the best delay pedals for synthesisers of recent memory is the Electro Harmonix Memory Boy. It’s our first analogue synthesiser pedal, as reverb pedals can only recreate the real-life sounds of halls and large venues digitally. And analogue doesn’t mean pricing you out — the Memory Boy is the affordable version of the full Memory Man pedal (very much worth a look if you’ve got cash to spend). Besides the warmth and grit expected from a non-digital synth pedal, enjoy working with this Boy’s expression pedal, modulation rates, delay time, and up to a whopping 550ms delay time. The optional chorus and vibrato modulations allow you to create some weird and wonderful sounds. A classic name from delay pedal history.

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Strymon TimeLine

Now here is a delay synthesiser pedal worth making time for. We’ve already heard from Strymon via the uber-popular BigSky, and TimeLine is the company’s aptly named synth effects pedal on the delay side of the spectrum. It boasts a whopping 12 different delay types (or as Strymon likes to call them, ‘delay machines’), as well as a stereo 30-second looper and a memory bank with a mighty 200 presets. This compact box contains all the delays you could ever need. Whether you’re seeking dreamy ambient soundscapes or vintage analogue warmth, the range of sounds is truly enormous. It costs quite a bit more than the Memory Boy, similarly priced as the BigSky at around £/$450. But it oozes premium quality.

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Distortion synth effects pedals

Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal

This distortion pedal isn't just a boss in name; it's a true legend in the world of guitars, but it deserves big recognition as a synth effects pedal too. It has been a staple on the pedalboards of iconic guitarists like Johnny Marr and Kurt Cobain. Instantly recognisable by its vibrant orange casing, and is both affordable and perfect if you want some uncomplicated grit and distortion for your synth sounds. Like many of Boss's creations, it prevents you from being overwhelmed, offering just three simple dials — Tone, Level, and Dist — to dial in your perfect sound. A unique mode switch provides the option of Standard and Custom settings, essentially giving you the versatility of two distinct distortion pedals in one little box. At just over £/$50, it’s an incredibly appealing option for synth heads.

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MXR M75 Super Badass '75 Distortion

If you don’t start every morning by looking in the mirror and whispering to yourself, “I am a badass”, here is a synth effects pedal that may well change that. With a name like a Super Badass ‘75 Distortion from MXR, you’d certainly hope it has a big claim for being one of the best distortion pedals for guitars, but crucially for synthesisers, too. It absolutely does carry the spirit of a badass and can help you span different genres and soundscapes. A synth signal is full-range and often has a lot of bass and high-end, which can sound either amazing or terrible through a distortion pedal. The MXR's standout feature is its three-band EQ, which gives you precise control over the bass, mids, and treble. This is a huge advantage over pedals with just a single tone knob, as you can easily sculpt your sound. Its lovely silver aesthetic makes it immediately stage-worthy, also.

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Chorus

TC Electronic June-60

You simply cannot talk about the chorus synth effect without talking about the legendary name of ‘80s synthesisers, Roland’s Juno-60. It is still beloved today for its stunning presets, warm analogue pads, and its famous on-board chorus. That said, if you can find an original online, be prepared to spend several grand. Roland has made digital emulation keyboards of the Juno, but if you want to save a huge buck, then TC Electronic have distilled that classic chorus sound into this affordable June-60 chorus synth effects pedal. While boutique emulations rarely, if ever, capture a classic synth’s sound perfectly, the June-60 does come admirably close. That warm and wobbly chorus sounds fantastic here. The vintage aesthetic of the pedal deserves a gold star, too.

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Multi-effects pedals for synths

Empress Effects Inc. ZOIA

The incredible thing about the potential of this multi-effects pedal is that it can turn a guitar into a synthesiser. In fact, one could easily argue it’s a synth itself. But as a synth effects pedal, the potential is pretty limitless. It’s billed as a ‘Modular synthesiser in pedal form’, but without being as advanced and overwhelming as building a modular system yourself. The ZOIA allows you to build delay, tremolo, and custom effects, and your own synth sounds. There are also modules for the more regular pedal effects on days when you wish to simplify things.

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Eventide H9 Harmoniser

The Eventide H90 Harmoniser is the sequel to the Eventide H9, favoured by many professional guitarists. That favour should absolutely spread out into the world of synth effects pedals, as it is designed with sonic explorers in mind. The combination of conventional delays and reverbs with innovative pitch-shifting effects is seriously impressive. Also on offer is an abundance of routing options, integrating wonderfully into any synthesiser setup. You will be able to choose effects placement like it’s an everyday activity. Throw in its versatile editing app, and you’ve got a multi-effects pedal that is ideal for both live performance and studio use.

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Does a synthesiser need effects pedals?

Unless you have a synth that has a lot of onboard effects and you happen to be delighted with all of them, it is common for most synth players to add a few pedals to their setup to achieve the sounds of their dreams. Quite often, it’s a synth effects pedal that is the last piece of the puzzle and helps unlock the instrument’s true sonic potential. It’s also part of the joy of tactile synth playing — performing them live by adjusting the physical knobs and faders. Pedals share this sense of physical fun, as you get to edit the sounds in real time away from a screen, whether that’s at home or live on stage.