VII. Signal Chain

A signal chain is simply the ordered list of each device that affects the signal from its point of origin (the guitarist/guitar) until it is turned into sound waves. Typically displayed as text with arrows between each piece of the chain, showing the direction of the signal as it is transformed. For example: Ibanez guitar with Dimarzio Pickups > Ibanez Tube Screamer stomp box > MXR Flanger > Marshall JCM-800 amplifier > Marshall 1968 4x12 cab with Celestion T-75 speakers

VIII. Mono

Refers to a single, independent signal. Most simple guitar signal chains are mono - the guitar is generating a single signal from a single pickup (or two pickups wired together), going through a single cable into a single amplifier input, into a single speaker cabinet. Any device that has a single input and output is said to be mono.

IX. Stereo

Stereo refers to two independent signals operating in parallel. Most home stereos systems are called stereos because they output two independent signals through a pair of speakers. And these are often arranged to the left and right of the listener. In guitar terms, the stereo signals originate from a single point - the guitar, even if the guitar outputs from two independent pickups, such as a piezo and a magnetic (or 2 independent magnetics). Also, the signals are often sent to the same or similar devices designed to process both signals. Thus, the two signals are often referred to as a single stereo signal. Most often, stereo signals don't come into play until an amplifier's fx loop, where a mono signal is sent to a stereo fx unit where it is split, processed differently for each signal and output as a stereo signal. The amp then will amplify each signal independently and send them to two different cabs. Or a mono single is split and sent to two amps. Or as previously mentioned the guitar itself outputs stereo from 2 different pickups.

X. Field

For a stereo signal, one of the two independent signals is often called a field. So every stereo signal has two fields, usually called a left and right field.

XI. Balance

In reference to a stereo signal, balance refers to the relative volume of the left vs. right fields. Turning the balance all the way to the left would completely mute the right field.

xii. Pan

Pan refers to the proportion of how a signal is routed into the left or right field of a stereo signal. For example, if you have mono guitar signal in a mixer or DAW, panning center means the signal is equally audible in both the left and right fields. Panning full left would mean the signal is just as loud in the left field as when panned center but is muted in the right field. Occasionally, a pan control will be applied to a stereo input signal, and in this case, the center setting will retain the original balance, but panning left or right will push both fields into either the left or right field.

Notice the difference between balance and pan. Balance operates by adjusting the relative volume of each field of a stereo signal. Panning "pushes" a signal into one field or the other or both.

B. EQ-Based Terms