> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.backstagecircle.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Acoustic Act, Where to Start and Finding Your Sound
- URL: https://www.backstagecircle.com/acoustic-act-where-to-start-and-finding-your-sound/
- Published: 2026-08-10T11:45:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-06T23:24:36.000Z
- Author: The Rockin’ Krolik
- Tags: Music, Advice

For years I have been performing acoustic. In duos or solo since the late 90’s.

MTV Unplugged had a traumatic impact on me, in the most positive way possible!

To this day I’m still chasing this vibe.

I love this point of reference with what I’m trying to achieve live so I invite you to find one as well.

I’d like to tell you that I’m getting closer each day and with each performance but I also think that’s a lifetime pursuit.

For one, with experience, I get pickier and pickier with sound but also, with age, I hear less and less, ah!

Let’s talk about the basics here, because I’m no gear expert or geek but I will always share my experience and what’s working for me in hopes that it will help or inspire others.

A few years ago I purchased a Fishman combo amp. It allowed me to plug in my acoustic guitar and a mic. That was money well spent! The guitar sound is pure and true, and the vocals also come out super clean. It was easy to set up and a good starting point to find my acoustic sound.

But it’s also the foundation for additional layers, in other words: effect pedals.

However, before getting into effect pedals, a must-have in my opinion, is a looper.

Here are 2 main reasons why.

1-It’s a great practice tool to own, even if you don’t use it live ( yet. But you will!). Good for timing, rhythm, practicing scales, and finding melodies over chord progressions when songwriting.

2-Layering loops for your set list and sound variety. Not all songs need to be looped but some just sound better with it. I can’t imagine covering the Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” without a looper as an example. The string melodies make the song.

“But JF” you ask, “if I loop my guitar, my melody and solo layered on top will sound the same as my loop!”.

And to that I say…Yes.

This means, we’ve opened a can of worms and entered the crazy world of guitar pedals.

I admit that I procrastinated a long time ( too long even for my taste) to figure things out in that department.

So I’ll try and save you some time here, with a couple of recommendations:

1-Go to your music store and rent a bunch of pedals for the weekend and experiment.

2-LR baggs are the best in my opinion and I highly recommend one of their pedals like the reverb or chorus that you can use as your volume pedal for solos over loops.

I acquired 2 more pedals recently but I will only talk about one. Being “grungy” and all, I need a little distortion to get the job done! I tried the Boss D1 and the Blues driver…I rented them a couple of times to be sure but they weren't doing the trick for me. It felt there was either too much or too little effect, as well as feedback and such, difficult to manage in a live setting.

But I recently came across the Fender Smolder Acoustic overdrive and that one hit the nail on the head sound-wise and set-up-wise. The battery compartment is weird and seems easily breakable. I’m pretty sure someone got fired over it.

To conclude here, try things out, take your time, and have fun finding your sound.

[https://www.therockinkrolik.com/](https://www.therockinkrolik.com/?ref=backstagecircle.com)