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Glossary
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PedalSnake and Pedal-Rig Terms

1/8" plug
Like small headphone plug (aka 3.5mm). Some pedals use this type connector to receive power. PedalSnake PLines are all standard 2.1mm, but PedalSnakeACC Power Plug Adapters will adapt to any power plug size for pedals, and for power supplies. See Power Plugs Sizes.

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2.1mm barrel
2.1 barrel connectors are the standard power plug size for pedals (used by Boss, Ibanez, Dunlop, etc.) PedalSnake also uses 2.1 on all its PLines.  PedalSnakeACC Power Plug Adapters will adapt to any power plug size for pedals, and for power supplies. See Power Plugs Sizes.

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2.5mm barrel
2.5 barrel connectors look just like 2.1, but the center pin (hole) is larger (2.5mm). A standard 2.1 plug wont fit into a 2.5 pedal. A 2.5 plug fits loosely into a 2.1 pedal, making little or no contact between hole and pin. PedalSnakeACC Power Plug Adapters will adapt to any power plug size for pedals, and for power supplies. See Power Plugs Sizes.

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3.5mm plug
Like a small headphone plug (aka 1/8" miniphone). Some pedals use this type as a power connector. PedalSnake PLines are all standard 2.1mm, but PedalSnakeACC Power Plug Adapters will adapt to any power plug size for pedals, and for power supplies. See Power Plugs Sizes.
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9V battery pedal A pedal that accepts a 9V battery, though it may have a power input jack too.  9V battery pedals are important for designing your PLines and power-chains, because they typically draw only 10-20 mA of current.  So 20 or more can be powered on any PLine.  See Pedal Current Categories.

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AC adapter

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AmpEnd The end of PedalSnake that goes at the backline with the amp.  To facilitate setting up the patented "ultra-quiet" wiring scheme, PedalSnakes have labels for the Amp End, and Pedal End too,

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AC-powered gear This is is gear (like amps) that are powered by 120VAC (wall power).  They plug into the wall with a 3-prong grounded AC power plug (the 3rd center prong is for earth ground, any gear powered by "2 prongs" or an isolated power supply is not considered to be AC-powered gear.) The earth ground is for safety only, and not intended to carry current, so all input and output jacks are grounded to the metal chassis which is tied to earth ground (but "ground" is not always "ground"--see different ground points).  See Grounding and Hum.

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amp-input audio-chain

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audio-chain

 

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backline
The back of a performance stage where players put gear like amps, racks, etc. (as opposed to the frontline where performers stand over their pedals). PedalSnake is designed to replace all cables running between pedals and amps, from the frontline to the backline.
 
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barrel connector
Those little power connectors for pedals that have a hole in the end of the plug on the power supply's cable, and a matching pin inside pedal's power-In jack.  See Power Plugs Sizes.
 

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BaseSnake
The Base Snake the long, thick multi-channel cable that serves as the backbone of a PedalSnake System.  All guitar rig lines run from pedals (frontline) to amp (backline) using channels within the Base Snake.  Channels are configurable with plug'n'play Pigtails.  See Base Snakes. 
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blindfold A/B test
Marketing gimmicks about "tone" often lead us to begin "hearing with our eyes". A blindfold test can find out what is important and what isn't, like "do I really need a $100 guitar cord?" Find one and test it against a decent $25 cord---but do it blindfolded. The "tester" secretly names the cords "A" and "B", and switches between them whenever the "testee" (listener) asks whle trying to hear a difference. You'll be surprised how many folks can't pass.  The point is, quit listening to marketing claims and find our for yourself.  Save your money for stuff that really affects tone (your amp being the most important thing).

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buffered pedal
A pedal which is "always on" (the opposite of true bypass).  Most pedals today are buffered, meaning a buffer circuit is always on, even if the pedal is turned off (this is why you have to unplug the input cable on buffered pedals to save the battery).  Good buffers drive cable capacitance better than a guitar pickup, so you can have as much as 50-60 feet of cable downstream (after the output) before you start losing tone.  See True Bypass Truths, and Preserving Tone.

 

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buzz

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center-negative (bad)
This is the standad polarity for barrel power connectors, but it was not a good standard to adopt.  It means the center "hole" of a barrel plug is ground (negative), and the outer "barrel" of the plug is "hot" with the pedal voltage (like 9VDC). 

Since the metal of the outer barrel is exposed, it can short out against any grounded metal in your pedal area, like the metal shell of a guitar cord plug.  This will kill the power, and your sound.  So, if you have unused center-negative plugs on a power-chain, cover them with an insulator, like a small plastic bag.  Don't use adhesives (like tape), because sticky residue will be left behind when you use that plug, causing a poor connection.

 

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channel
One of several color-coded wire-groups accessible at each end of a Base Snake, used to make lines for your guitar rig. Use channels by themselves for DIN-plug applications (like MIDI lines).  Make 1/4" GLines or 2.1mm PLines by adding plug n play Pigtails to channels. See PedalSnake's Channels and Line Types.

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chassis-style supply
As opposed to a wall wart, where the supply itself plugs into the wall, a chassis supply is a free standing box, usually meant to go on a pedalboard.  They usually require 120VAC run out to the board (what a pain), and have multiple power outputs for pedals on the board.  See Power Supplies.
 

 

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copper
The 2nd best conductor among metals (silver is #1). But copper is not the metal the industry chose to be a standard for electronic connections---they chose nickel. The standard exists because using mating connectors of the same metal prevents galvanic corrosion (see dissimilar metals). People are led to believe that high conductivity (low resistance, like copper) is important in audio signal cables. It is not. Capacitance and corrosion are far more important. Conductivity becomes important with heavier lines, like speaker cables.

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current categories To simplify PLine design, PedalSnake defines 3 Current Categories for pedals.  For details, see Pedal Current Categories.
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current draw
This is the actual amount of current that a pedal draws from its power supply (or battery) when its on. It is usually only a fraction of its power supply's current rating.  9V battery pedals can have power supplies rated at 200mA, but draw as little as 4mA (average is about 20). Some pedals draw over 1000mA. It is good to know (or estimate) current draw when deciding how many pedals to put in a power-chain with one power supply. To get the accurate current draw of pedal, try to find it on the Power List.  To estimate, you can use Pedal Current Categories.  Also see Choosing PLines.
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current rating
"Current Rating" applies to a power supply, not a pedal, telling you how many "mA" (of current) that supply can safely deliver. Pedals draw only a fraction of their power supply's current rating. If the rating is exceeded by having too many pedals in a power-chain, or by using the wrong supply, the supply may overload. Try removing some pedals, and putting them on a 2nd chain and supply. PedalSnake uses the current rating of a pedal's supply to define 4 Pedal Current Categories, which can be very helpful in designing PedalSnake PLines and power-chains.
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daisy chain
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different ground points
Every rig has at least one ground point (and hopefully only one). In order to teach proper grounding in pedal rigs, we say a "different ground point" is any point in your rig with a different ground from your amp-input jack (primary ground). You see, "ground" is not always "ground".  Power transformers in 120AC-powered devices (like amps) can induce small voltages into the amp's metal chassis, and it is no longer earth ground (0 volts). One amp chassis can even have different ground points---like with some tube-driven FX loops!  If different grounds ever get connected, hum can result from ground loops. The solution is to keep different ground points in your rig isolated from each other.  Use enough isolated power supplies, power chains, and other devices like isolated A/B boxes, etc. (power chaining across audio-chains at different ground points in the #1 culprit).  See Common Different Ground Points.  To know what to do about your rig, take a few minutes to do our Simple Hum Test.
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DIN
A type of connector, like those used on PedalSnake channels and MIDI cables (not to be confused with "mini DIN", like on computer gear). There are several DIN connectors with different pin counts, but PedalSnake uses only 2 to make 3 different types of channels.  See Channel Types.
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dissimilar metals
Can also be called "different metals".  It is best to avoid mating connectors made from dissimilar metals. This speeds up galvanic corrosion (like rust), which will eventually cause a "crackling" or failed connection.  Since your gear has nickel connectors (the industry standard), use standard nickel plugs on your cables (not gold, despite marketing myths---both sides of a connection have to be gold to realize the benefits). Also see PedalBoard Failures.
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Dual GLine
A GLine Pigtail 2-Pack that gives you 2 GLines from one Base Snake channel.  Perfect for FX Loop Send and Return, and for wireless out and back. See Avoiding Hum in Dual GLines.
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Dual Pigtail
A Pigtail 2-Pack that gives a PedalSnake user 2 lines from one Base Snake channel.
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Dual PLine
A Pigtail 2-Pack that gives 2 PLines (and 2 pedal voltages) from one Base Snake channel. See Avoiding Hum in Dual PLines and the simple Hum Test.
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Dual Isolated PLine

Applies to Mx2-I PLine Pigtail 2-Packs.  Dual-I's have a separate ground wire for each side (instead of a shared ground wire like an MF2 Dual PLine). When plugged into the white 5-wire channel on a BaseSnake, a Dual-I functions like 2 MF1 Single PLines,  So, a Dual-I P:Line can do some things that a simple Dual PLine can not:
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earth ground
The only true ground is mother earth, which is considered to truly be 0 volts, and always safe. This is not true of all "grounds". To make an earth ground for electrical wiring in buildings (or a lighting rod), a copper stake is driven deep into the ground, and the electric panel is grounded to the stake. AC-powered gear, like guitar amps, have all their input and output jacks grounded to the metal chassis, which is tied to earth ground via the 3rd center prong on the power plug.  But power transformers in AC-powered gear can induce small voltages in the chassis, creating different ground points which are no longer true earth ground (0 volts). See Different Ground Points and Grounding and Hum.
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effects loop
See FX loop.
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fanout length
The distance the color channels stick out past the black outer jacket of BaseSnake. This gives you an idea how  far the channels will spread to reach different connections.  Fanouts at both ends are included in the total length of the BaseSnake. Standard Base Snakes have a 12" fanout length at both ends (so the black outer jacket of a BaseSnake is 2 ft. shorter than the stated length for that model). Plugging a Pigtail into a channel adds about 15" to the effective fan. Custom PedalSnakeCS models can be ordered with fanout lengths up to 48", but is it better to use short "Male-to-Female" extension cables than to order fans longer than 24".  Long fans are hard to coil up.
 
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footswitch line
The line, or cable, that connects to a footswitch. Footswitches come with some amps to change channels, turn FX on and off, etc.  They are typically a pedal-type box with one or more "on-off" buttons. Footswitch lines can go in PedalSnake too. This is easy when footswitches have cables that detach (like Mesa). Footswitches with permanent lines won't plug into PedalSnake's all-male plugs (see Footswitch Modifications).  See what types of connectors PedalSnake supports, see Footswitch Lines.
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footswitch modification
Some footswitches have a cable with a male plug permanently attached to the footswitch box, so a modification may be needed for proper mating to PedalSnake's male plugs. 
The best thing to remove the cable, and install a female jack in the chassis of the footswitch.  Then any appropriate cable, or any appropriate PedalSnake line will work (see Footswitch Lines).  Some companies like Mesa and Fender already offer "cable-less" footswitches with chassis jacks.
If you can't modify the footswitch yourself, and you can't find a qualified tech to do it, there are other options like; 1) Use a coupler (female-to-female). Hosa makes a good one for 1/4" (GPP-105).
 
or 2)  If this is too much cable, cut the footswitch cable off to 12" or less and wire a female jack on the cable (right), 
or 3) Wire the male plug back on to the 12" cable and still use a coupler (above).

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front end This is preamp section of an amp, fed by an amp's main input. The front-end sends a preamp signal to the power amp that drives the speakers. A gain-master amp can get distortion from the front-end, may have an FX loop to send a signal out to effects, and return it to the power amp.  Also see primary audio-chain.
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frontline
The front of a performance stage where guitarists stand with their pedals underfoot. PedalSnake is designed to replace all cables running from the frontline to the backline (between pedals and amps).
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FX loop

"Effects Loop". The Send/Return FX Loop was developed for gain-master amps that can get front-end (preamp) distortion at any volume. The purpose of the FX loop is to keep time-based effects sounding good by putting them after the amp's front end distortion. A delay pedal going to the amp-input will result in "distorted delay", when "delayed distortion" sounds better. An FX Loop's Send comes after the preamp (and the distortion), so a delay pedal in the FX loop will delay the distortion and sound better. The same is true for other time-based effects, like chorus, tremolo, etc.
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gain-FX
Effects that change a signal's level, or amount of distortion.  Compressors, fuzz, distortion, overdrive, etc. are examples.  These FX should be placed in the primary audio-chain (not in an FX loop, where time-based FX belong).
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gain-master The term for amps that can get distortion from their front-end.  A gain knob controls the amount of distortion, and the master knob controls the overall volume, so any amount of distortion is possible at any volume.  Sometimes these amps have an FX loop between the front end and the power amp.
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galvanic corrosion
This is a type of corrosion (rust) that slowly takes place when 2 dissimilar metals contact one another. If the contacts are not moved around periodically, it will eventually lead to a "crackling" or failed audio connection. This is the electronic industry has a standard metal for connectors.  Nickel.  So stick with guitar cords having standard nickel plugs (despite marketing claims of gold and copper).  They match the standard nickel jacks on your gear. Also see Pedalboard "Failures" .
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GLine
A PedalSnake "GuitarLine" with 1/4" connectors, used like a "guitar cord".  Made by plugging a GLine Pigtail 2-Pack into both ends of a BaseSnake channel.  See GLines and the Channel-Pigtail Chart.

NOTE:  All Pigtails are 15" long.  So if you have trouble getting your GLine Pigtail to "climb a stack", or stretch between amps and racks, you can order custom 1/4" extension cables here.
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gold
The 3rd best conductor among metals (behind #1 silver and #2 copper).  Gold-on-gold connections are the most reliable kind---they never corrode---and can be found on the space shuttle, very expensive hi-fi gear, etc. But having gold on only one side of a connection may actually hurt rather than help (see Dissimilar Metals). See Galvanic Corrosion and Pedalboard "Failures" .
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ground loops
Hum in audio systems (guitar rigs) is often caused by ground loops, which result from 60Hz currents that flow in the ground wires (shields) of audio cables that connect between different ground points. The most common cause of ground loops in pedal rigs is power chains.  So, if you want to understand ground loops and isolation in audio systems, study the illustrations below---they may be the best ever at illustrating these important points. The highlighted area is the path ground currents take when power chains are the culprit. 

The key things to understand about these illustrations are:

  • AC powered devices can have different grounds, even if plugged into the same outlet this is a good thing to do, though).
    • There can be even be different ground points within the same AC powered device (Ground 2 shown above could have been a tube-driven FX Loop in the 1st amp---we used a 2nd amp for visual clarity). 
  • Power-ground and audio-ground in a pedal are the same
    • So tying power-ground of one audio-chain to power-ground of another audio-chain will also connect the grounds of all the audio cables and everything they connect to.
    • Notice the ground current path does not go back to the supply because it is isolated.
  • The ground current path did not have to be caused by a power-chain, the 2 amps could have been directly connected by the audio cables (the way we used 2 amps in the old days!). 

So, don't connect your power-chain cables between audio-chains that are at different ground points.  Use 2 different isolated supplies, and 2 different power-chains (see below). Isolated supplies have no ground by themselves---they adopt the ground of what they connect to.  That's why we have them---they help us avoid creating ground loops.

It's easy to find out if your rig has different ground points.  Use our Simple Hum Test.  For more, see Grounding and Hum.

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ground points
Every guitar rig has one or more ground points.  Every input and output jack on AC-powered gear (like an amp) can be considered a ground point, because jacks are grounded to the amp's metal chassis which is tied to earth ground.  The problem lies when ground points are not at the same as the primary ground (this can even happen within the same metal chassis!) These different ground points are responsible for ground loop hum. See Ground Loops.
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grounded AC gear
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grounding and hum
Ground loops are the primary cause of hum in guitar pedal rigs.  To avoid hum in your rig, see Grounding and Hum.
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grounding strings
If you get more buzz when you remove your hands from your strings, you need to ground your strings. Unfortunatley, many guitar makers don't do this for you, so it becomes a popular aftermarket mod. To avoid electric shock, do it properly with a resistor and capacitor. Various websites sell these parts, and offer instructions.
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hi-current channel
A Base Snake's white 5-wire channel.  With an MF1-H Hi-Current Pigtail plugged in, can be used to power one hi-current pedal.
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hi-current pedal
A pedal whose power supply is rated at 1600mA or more. With PedalSnake, one of these can be safely powered using an MF1-H Hi-Current Pigtail and the white 5-wire channel on a Base Snake.
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hi-current PLine
 Made with an MF1-H PLine Pigtail 2-Pack and the white 5-wire channel in a BaseSnake (or 7-wire in a CustomCS). Use when powering Hi-Current Pedals.
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hiss
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hum
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hum test
An easy way to see if you have any hum-causing different ground points in your rig.  Just use the simple Hum Test.
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isolation
Isolated devices have no hard-wired connection between their input and output, especially no ground connection.  Isolation usually refers to a power supply, or to tranformer-isolated audio outputs, like those found in good stereo FX and A/B Switchers. Power (or signal) at the input (primary coil) of an isolated device is induced into the output (secondary coil) over a transformer's air gap.  When isolated (like good wall warts), power supplies will usually display "Class 2 Transformer" (they lack the 3rd "ground" prong).  Isolated supplies get grounded only when the pedal (or device) they power is connected to an AC-powered device (like an amp). So, a single audio-chain of pedals, and the wall warts providing power, will adopt the ground of the amp input the last pedal connects to. This is important to know when using a power chain. To learn more, see Avoiding Hum in Power Chains, Dual GLines, and Dual PLines. 
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lo-current pedal
Lo-current pedals will not accept 9V batteries, because the current draw is too high. The battery would not last long. Power supplies for lo-current pedals are usually rated between 350 and 900mA.  See Pedal Current Categories.
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line
A "cord" inside of PedalSnake BaseSnake that carries signal or power.  On standard PedalSnake BaseSnakes, lines are made by plugging a Pigtail kit into a channel,  Bare channels can be lines too, and Custom PedalSnakeCS offers some "hardwired" 1/4" GLines. For more, see Channels and Line Types.
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Line 6 Modelers
Modeling pedals by Line 6; having a 2.5mm power plug with reverse polarity (center + positive instead of center - negative).  When using the Line 6 supply with a PedalSnake PLine, use a 2125AR power plug adapter for the pedal, and 2521A for the supply. You can also use a standard 2.1mm, center-negative, 9VDC supply, but it must have a current rating of 500mA or more (like SnakePOWER). Then use 2125AR and 21RP  for the pedal itself.  Power Chains are possible when using our SnakePOWER (500mA rating) to power the Line 6.  To be safe, try to keep the total current draw below 400mA (the Line 6 modeler draws around 270 itself).
and
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low voltage
Electronic devices are usually powered by a low voltage from a power supply instead of 120VAC "wall power".  The low voltage is usually 24V or less.  While a few pedals require 120VAC from the wall, the vast majority require a low voltage from a power supply or battery (9VDC is the most common).
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medium-current pedals Pedals with power supplies rated between 1000 and 1600mA. 
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MIDI3
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MIDI5
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MIDI7
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multi-output supply
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nickel
The standard metal for audio signal and power connectors. When all connectors use the same standard metal, galvanic corrosion (and bad connections) are minimized.
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noise (3 types)
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noise gates (use them?)
If you you need tons of gain (which increases noise), and can't afford better gear (few can), noise gates may be a solution for you. But they are not perfect solutions. "Gates" merely turnoff (or reduce) the sound (noise included) when you are not playing. This is effective, because noise is more noticable in quiet moments. But, when playing resumes, the sound comes back, noise included. This is effective, because your guitar signal is usually much louder than the noise, and the noise is mostly covered up. But, the gating "on and off" of the sound can be noticeable, and---since the noise is still there when you play---sound and tone can be affected, even though you don't hear the noise specifically. See Types of Noise.
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overload
This refers to power supplies, and happens when too much current is drawn from a supply, and usually noted by increased hum. Avoid overloading, because the increased heat may shorten the life of the supply.  This is important to keep in mind when designing your power-chains.
 
pedal-chain
The same as an audio-chain:  A chain of pedals where the guitar signal feeds from one to the next. The last pedal's output goes to some AC-powered device (like an amp).  A pedal-chain is an important concept because each pedal in an audio-chain are at the same ground (which is the ground point of the outer metal jack at the signal input of the AC-powered device). This is useful to know in order to avoid hum.  See Grounding and Hum.
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pedal order
The order of pedals in a chain, from first input to the final output, can be important. See Pedal Order.
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PedalEnd

The end of PedalSnake that goes at the frontline with the pedals.  To facilitate setting up the patented "ultra-quiet" wiring scheme, PedalSnakes have labels for Pedal End, and Amp End too.
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pedal voltage
This is the operating voltage of a pedal, usually supplied by a power supply or battery.  Most pedals use 9VDC, but they vary up to 24V, and be AC or DC. You need one PLine for each pedal voltage in your rig.  For more, see Pedal Voltages.
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pigtail

These are short 15" cables that plug into a Base Snake channel to form 1/4" GLines (for guitar signals) or 2.1mm PLines (for low-voltage pedal power).  Pigtails makes PedalSnake plug'n'play, which is done guitar rigs change so often. Pigtails are easily added or swapped around.  Sold in 2-packs, one for each end of a channel.  (Bare channels can be used for any application needing 5pin DIN connectors---like MIDI).  See Channels and Line Types, GLine Pigtails, and PLine Pigtails.
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phantom power
This is power delivered to a device thru its signal cable.  This site talks only about phantom power for MIDI footcontrollers. Some have no dedicated power-input jack, and require phantom power thru the MIDI cable.  More more, see the various types of MIDI Lines.
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P-Line
A PedalSnake "PowerLine", that delivers power from your power supplies (at the backline), to your pedals (at the frontline).  One PLine is needed for each pedal voltage.  PLines terminate in standard 2.1mm connectors (like power connectors use by Boss, Dunlop, etc.)  Power Plug Adapters for pedals, and for power supplies will adapt 2.1 to other sizes if needed.
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plug'n'play
This is the concept PedalSnake employs to make Base Snake channels configurable, because guitar rigs change so often.  Pigtails plug into Base Snake channels to make GLines and PLines, and are easily swapped around.  See Channels and Line Types.
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polarity
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power adapter
Another confusing name for power supply.  Also see power plug adapters for pedals and supplies.
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power patch bay

Found on some pedalboards, this is a group of power-output jacks that feed power pedals with short power cables. Since the outputs are (usually) just a power-chain from one power supply, they are not isolated from each other, and can cause ground loops.  So avoid purchasing pedalboards with patch bays. Power for you pedals is best designed using individual isolated supplies and power-chain cables. If you have a pedalboard with a patch bay, use it as long as their is no hum. See Avoiding Hum in Power Chains, and our Simple Hum Test.
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power plug sizes
2.1mm is the standard power plug size for pedals (Boss, Dunlop, etc, use this size).  But there are other sizes out there that may require a power plug aapter, for pedals or supplies.  For more, see Power Plug Sizes.
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power supply
Power supplies (for pedals) convert 120VAC wall voltage to a safer "low-voltage" (like 9VDC).  The best ones are isolated Class 2 Transformers that help to avoid hum from ground loops.  Also see "AC Adapters" (and other confusing names for Power Supplies, and Wall Warts.
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power-chain
Chaining power to several pedals from one power supply, usually via a power-chain cable like Daisy4S, or a power patch bay on a pedalboard. Power chains, while valuable, are the main reason wall warts got a "bad name" (wrongly), and expensive chassis-style supplies emerged to solve the problem (that really didn't exist). See power-chains, audio-chains, and Avoiding Hum in Power Chains.
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primary pedal-chain
 The chain of pedals that connects to your guitar (as opposed to, for example, an FX Loop chain).  The primary chain usually connects to the amp input at the other end.  It is important for several reasons:  1) It is considered to be primary ground, and serves as the ground reference for our simple Hum Test), 2) This chain is driven by the guitar pickup (unless an active pickup or wireless is used), so see True Bypass Truths, and 3) It (usually) goes into the front-end of an amp (as opposed to the FX loop). Also see Different Ground Points.
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primary ground
The ground point at the metal surrounding the main single input jack of the main amp in the rig.  To avoid ground loop hum, all other ground points in a rig should be compared to primary ground to see if any different ground points exist in the rig (see the simple Hum Test).  Also see primary audio-chain.
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rust
 In the guitar world, this can cause connections to fail. See Galvanic Corrosion.
 
Single PLine A PLine Pigtail 2-Pack that provides only one PLine, like MM1, MF1, and MF1-H.  The 2-Packs always contain a 2.1mm male plug for the PedalEnd, and can have either a male plug or female jack at the AmpEnd, depending on what your power supply needs to plug into.
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SnakePOWER

A unique power supply from PedalSnake.  It has a jack in the chassis instead of a messy cable-with-plug like most wall warts have.  Rated at 500mA, SnakePOWER is the best choice for powering lots of stomp boxes, and in fact, because it is truly transformer-isolated, it is the only ultra-quiet 9VDC supply (that we know of) that can power Line 6 Modelers (add 2125AR and 21RP power plug adapters) while sharing a "non-isolated" MF2 Dual PLine with another isolated DC supply!  To purchase, see SnakePOWER.
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star grounding
This is and easy way to get a quieter rig, and PedalSnake helps you do it.  Plug your entire rig---all your AC-powered gear (amps, rack gear, etc) and power supplies---into the same AC power strip (PedalSnake makes this possible by having you move your supplies to the back with the amp). Having all this gear plugged into the same strip minimizes ground loop hum by putting everything at the same ground potential.  Grounds can still vary in some rigs (see different ground points), but this is a good start.
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time-based FX
FX like delay, chorus, tremolo, etc., that change the sound over time.  The opposite of gain-FX.  To know how to best use them, see FX Loops and Pedal Order.
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transformer
A device used to induce a signal (or power) into a secondary coil from a primary coil, with no hard-wired connections (isolatated).  Usually used to:  1) Raise or lower (transform) a voltage, 2) Isolate a signal to prevent ground loops, or 3) To isolate a power supply from ground so it will adopt the ground of its target device and not cause a ground loop. This 2nd and 3rd are our primary concerns with guitar rigs.
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true-bypass
A pedal with no buffer circuit driving the "downstream" output cable when it is turned off.  The input and output become hard wired together to pass the dry signal thru.  The opposite of a buffered pedal. See True Bypass Truths.
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voltage polarity
Determines which contacts in a barrel power connector are positive and negative (ground).  For more, see Pedal Voltage Polarities.
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wall wart
A power supply for an electronic device that is housed in a small box that plugs directly into the wall, so it looks like a "wart" on the wall.  Wall warts for pedals, and other audio devices, are usually isolated.  This is actually a good desriptive name, but you may want to see "AC Adapters" (and other confusing names for Power Supplies).
 
wireless-out-and-back Sometimes wireless receivers sit back with the amp at the backline. So two long 1/4" cords are needed: one takes the guitar-signal out to the pedals at the frontline, and another returns the signal back to the amp-input.  Because they use isolated power supplies, wireless receivers always have the same ground as what they connect to, so this is is a perfect application for PedalSnake's RS2 Dual GLine (with its shared ground wire for the 2 sides).  RS2 allows you to get both "cords" for wireless-out-and-back using just one BaseSnake channel.
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