Spooky Pedal Sounds for Haunting Halloween Gigs

Whether it’s a rich chorus or an over-the-top distortion, nearly every modern guitarist relies on pedals to form their signature sound. Jazz, metal, country — you name the genre — no matter where you turn, you’ll find effects pedals in the chain. So, now that fall is here and Halloween inches closer, many Sweetwater guitarists have grown frighteningly curious: What kind of guitar pedals might be suitable to produce an eerie, dark, and spooky aura?

No tricks here — after hours of consideration, we’ve boiled down Sweetwater’s entire inventory to a squad of nine sinister stompboxes, each of which bears functions essential for building spine-tingling tones. From unnerving modulative alterations to chilling atmospheric reverbs, prepare to explore Sweetwater’s spooky pedal underworld. Enter if you dare!

Catalinbread Cloak Room Reverb with Shimmer PedalElectro-Harmonix Mel0 Tape Replay Machine PedalRed Witch Binary Star Delay PedalEmpress Effects Heavy Menace Distortion PedalElectro-Harmonix Hell Melter Distortion PedalWalrus Audio Descent Reverb/Octave Machine PedalEarthQuaker Devices Sun O))) Life Pedal V3 Octave Distortion and BoosterEarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 Reverb PedalMatthews Effects The Surgeon V2 Delay Pedal

Catalinbread Cloak Room Reverb with Shimmer Pedal

The Catalinbread Cloak room reverb with shimmer pedal provides mysteriously atmospheric reverb to any signal — all at a very incognito graphical aesthetic. This pedal is packed with an ominous Shimmer mode, which will have you conjuring up massive harmonic washes in an instant; the Cloak is an exceptional pick for those who fancy eerie, droning atmospheres of the darker season. What makes this pedal truly calamitous are its Room Size and High Cut controls, which allow you to emphasize effect spaciousness beyond infinite levels while retaining a gruesome low-end presence. Complete with a rugged metal chassis and durable footswitch, there’s no haunting stage that the Cloak won’t be able to fill.

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Electro-Harmonix Mel9 Tape Replay Machine Pedal

Give the historic Mellotron keyboard a listen, and you’ll be instantly aware of its spooky, vampiric sounds — a product of the tonal qualities of tape and warm pre-recorded samples. This legendary Mellotron sound is available for guitar control via the Electro-Harmonix Mel9 tape replay machine pedal. Orchestra, choir, strings, and more antique sounds are instantly at your disposal to create haunting lo-fi scores in an instant — especially when paired with a formidable reverb option and slight saturation. What’s even better is that its Dry and Effect knobs will enable you to dial in your axe at subtle levels for cynical tonal mismatching. Macabre old-school tunes are nothing without their signature sounds. The Mel9 is a tonal gold mine just waiting to strike.

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Red Witch Binary Star Delay Pedal

Touting visuals representative of ghostly Victorian-era decor is the Red Witch Binary Star delay pedal — but this is more than a simple delay tool. At its core, this pedal provides outer-worldly modulation, from long echoes to sneaky slapbacks to unnerving chorus effects and everywhere in between. You have Universe, Replicate, Mix, Velocity, and Depth controls at your disposal for a massive range of tonal possibilities. You also have two toggle switches for swapping between delay time and warm/bright sound presets. Because it’s paired with dual outputs, this pedal provides nearly unlimited possibilities for wet and dry rig manufacturing. The Red Witch Binary Star has the looks and potential to develop wild, rapturous sonic scenarios — all it needs is a brave soul to take the reins.

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Empress Effects Heavy Menace Distortion Pedal

The Empress Effects Heavy Menace distortion pedal shows no mercy when distributing skull-splitting tones around the stage. Dig deep among its Gain, Weight, and Frequency controls (low, mid, and high), and you’ll discover endless metal tones, especially when paired with the included Heavy, Heavier, and Lite(ish) controls. Sweetwater tip: if you’re going for dark-age sorcery, then flip off the internal gate with the built-in footswitch for an even stronger, unwieldy output. Otherwise, you’ll still find the Heavy Menace a spooky addition to your pedalboard. After all, when it comes to the metal world your parents warned you about, this formidable pedal covers the entire spectrum, from crunchy, old-school hair metal to howling, contemporary black metal.

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Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter Distortion Pedal

From devastating signal saturation to classic Swedish chainsaw tone, the Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter distortion pedal truly lives up to its name. Based on the iconic early ’80s metal powerhouse, the Hell Melter not only looks like a brutal distortion beast but also brings full force with powerful Level, Distortion, Effect, and Boost controls. Dry levels and a built-in Gate function offer even more opportunity to craft scorching shrieks with pinpoint accuracy, and both Boost and Effect pedals make it easy to target specific functions when you’re playing onstage. Chainsaw buzz, earth-shattering distortion, and bad-to-the-bone, fire-themed graphics — from input to output, the Hell Melter screams “spooky.”

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Walrus Audio Descent Reverb/Octave Machine Pedal

Descend your tone into ultimate audial madness with the Walrus Audio Descent reverb/octave machine pedal! If you’re a fan of intense reverberated soundscapes, then you’ll find more than enough sonic character within this pedal’s three separate control modes, octave effects, and eight top-mounted parameter controls. Its built-in Expression pedal input makes it a convenient stage companion for those interested in tweaking their tone on the fly. What’s so spooky about this pedal? Just look at its graphics! With this formidable stompbox on your pedalboard, you’ll be set to supply spooky reverberation options in no time flat, from cave-like echoes to sci-fi-inspired shimmers.

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EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) Life Pedal V3 Octave Distortion and Booster

Droning, distorted rhythms are the lifeblood of any fearsome ambient project. With the EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) Life Pedal V3 octave distortion and booster in your arsenal, the process is a cinch. Bound by a 3-circuit architecture, this pedal combines powerful distortion, immediate octave effects, and immersive boost controls to ensure nothing less than intense, crunchy sound in a pinch. Dropping the octave with formidable distortion makes for spine-chilling and suspenseful distorted swells, and amping up your gain to a high pitch invites mysterious high-end squeals. Multiple tonal creations are possible with the Life Pedal V3. This pedal is an absolute must when your mix relies on powerful, hair-raising sound deformity.

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EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 Reverb Pedal

The EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 reverb pedal is precisely what it sounds like: a classic soundscape generator that summons tones directly from the underworld. Sweetwater guitarists are fans of this pedal due to its six unique controls and its Mode selection switch that combine to generate massive tonal options. Its most popular feature, however, is its onboard Drag mode, which allows you to manipulate self-oscillation for intense scale changes and mysterious notational transitions. Reverb seems like a simple effect, but given enough flexibility, it’s a one-way path to seriously spooky trails — the EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 provides all the controls and more to get the most out of this must-have effect.

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Matthews Effects The Surgeon V2 Delay Pedal

Looking to cut into your effects with surgical precision? If so, then the Matthews Effects The Surgeon V2 delay pedal is for you. Armed with six separate delay controls, eight algorithms, endless presets, and an aptly named Ramp function, this pedal features more than enough tools for you to create a unique, bloodcurdling delay in minutes. Sure, The Surgeon’s graphics alone hearken to Halloween-esque appeal, but dig deeper into its controls, and you’ll find effects that range from swift slapback doubler-style echoes to mysterious beat-long trails. Soundscapes are essential for forming a creepy atmosphere, and nowhere is it easier than on this formidable pedal from Matthews Effects.

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Trick or Treat Yourself to a Pedal at Sweetwater!

Now that you’ve scoured our spookiest pedal effects, it’s time to try some out for yourself! If any of these pedals piqued your interest, then give it a go! Sweetwater has several unearthly stompbox options on standby, so feel free to browse our entire collection to find what fits your board the best! If you have any questions, want extra recommendations, or want to talk gear, then call one of our expert Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700 — they’re always happy to help! Creep it real!
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